Monitoring life support device and system

The monitoring device with a cloud-connected smart speaker and AI assistant addresses the challenge of unreliable warning delivery by enabling reliable, two-way communication and personalized monitoring for elderly and disabled individuals.

JP2025118745AInactive Publication Date: 2025-08-13FUTURE BRAIN CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025075819
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-04-10
Publication Date
2025-08-13
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

To provide a monitoring device and system that comprehensively monitor using a monitoring platform in the cloud and through two-way voice communication between residents such as elderly people, sick people, people living alone, and people with disabilities, and those involved in monitoring them.SOLUTION: In a monitoring device and system, a smart speaker 19 owned by a resident 1 is connected to a cloud server 18, and the cloud server 18 has memory / learning means 16 that memorizes, learns, and stores pre-registered unique information related to monitoring of the resident 1, and the resident's voice response information using the smart speaker 19, and the cloud server 18 has monitoring platform means 15 that refers to the resident's voice response information, and works with AI assistant software 17 to perform intention estimation 65, behavior design 66, and behavioral instruction response 68 in response to the resident's requests or inquiries.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring life support device and system that reliably transmits various government warnings, notifications, and broadcasts, and monitors the daily lives, health conditions, and medical conditions of elderly people, sick people, people living alone, and people with disabilities. [Background technology]

[0002] The need to monitor and watch over individuals' daily lives and health conditions is increasing due to the progress of an aging society, the trend toward nuclear families, and an increase in people living alone. In particular, elderly people and physically disabled people who require supervision and support (hereinafter referred to as "those requiring support") are finding it difficult to receive nursing care and monitoring services, even if they need supervision, support, or care, due to a shortage of caregivers and facilities, as well as rising costs.

[0003] Residents who particularly need supervision and lifestyle support include elderly people living alone, sick people, people with disabilities, people requiring care, and people living alone, and the supervision and lifestyle support for these people requiring support can include (1) confirming their survival, (2) checking their condition, (3) responding to emergencies, (4) purchasing necessities, and (5) communication between family members / supervisors and residents. There are high hopes for a supervision lifestyle support system that will streamline and enhance the supervision support services for these people requiring support.

[0004] Furthermore, while providing monitoring services and lifestyle support to those in need of assistance, local governments also need to make emergency contact and evacuation notifications in the event of an emergency or disaster. However, current methods of communication and notification are mainly via disaster prevention administrative radio speakers (publicity speakers) installed in each area or individual visits to each local community. However, disaster prevention administrative radio speakers present an issue in that they are difficult for those who need supervision, such as the elderly and disabled, to hear, making it difficult for emergency messages to be conveyed. Furthermore, even for able-bodied people, disasters often involve earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, typhoons, and other environmental conditions, making broadcasts and announcements difficult to hear due to rain, wind, and snow.

[0005] To complement these measures, attempts have been made to distribute disaster prevention radios capable of receiving disaster prevention radio broadcasts to each household for use in disaster prevention, but this is not satisfactory as emergency alerts and communications will not be received if the radio is not tuned in. Other complementary measures include disaster prevention emails and emergency disaster notifications for smartphones, but these are difficult to use for those in need of assistance and have not yet been widely adopted. Furthermore, while emergency broadcasts on television and radio are used to warn of large-scale disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, these broadcasts are widespread and therefore not suitable for reporting only to local governments.

[0006] To address these issues, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a disaster prevention radio receiving circuit capable of setting the receiving frequency is built into an intercom device that is constantly powered, and disaster information, administrative broadcasts, etc. are provided to individual households using the loudspeaker function of the intercom device. This system uses a method of tuning in to disaster prevention administrative radio broadcasts, but reception conditions at the administrative radio frequency (260 MHz or 60 MHz) are affected by weather conditions such as rain and snow, and the broadcast area, and are therefore not satisfactory.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 proposes a method for ensuring the transmission of administrative information by unifying methods such as disaster prevention administrative radio, disaster FM broadcasting (community FM broadcasting), IP disaster prevention broadcasting, area mail, disaster prevention mail, and disaster prevention portals as a means of transmitting information from government offices to residents regarding disaster prevention.

[0008] All of these methods have the problem of not being able to reliably transmit government communications and disaster / emergency warnings. In particular, the rapid and reliable transmission of warnings and announcements by disaster prevention administrative radio speakers to elderly people and people with disabilities has become necessary, based on recent disaster evacuation experiences. There is a need for monitoring devices and systems that overcome these issues and improve the efficiency of monitoring support services for people in need of assistance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-289391 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-112754 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide the following monitoring life support device and system. (1) A monitoring and life support device and system that more reliably transmits disaster prevention warnings and local government notices inside buildings. (2) A monitoring life support device and system that has the expandability to expand monitoring and life support functions as needed to suit the resident's lifestyle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the monitoring device and system of the present invention are characterized in that a smart speaker owned by a resident is connected to a cloud server via an internet communication means, the cloud server has a memory and learning means for memorizing, learning, and storing pre-registered unique information related to monitoring of the resident and voice response information of the resident using the smart speaker, and the cloud server has a monitoring platform means for referring to the voice response information of the resident stored in the memory and learning means, and working with AI assistant software to estimate intentions, design actions, and respond to requests or inquiries of the resident by instructing actions.

[0012] In addition, the monitoring device and system of the present invention can be configured so that the two-way voice communication means of the person involved in monitoring the resident is connected to the cloud server via the Internet communication means, and if the smart speaker owned by the resident detects a pre-registered word or abnormal sound indicating an abnormal situation, a warning alert is issued from the monitoring platform means to the person involved in monitoring.

[0013] In addition, the monitoring device and system of the present invention can be configured so that the monitoring parties include a local government agency, and notification information from the local government agency via outdoor disaster prevention radio is simultaneously reported to the resident's smart speaker, and in the event of a disaster or emergency, the resident's requests or inquiries can be responded to with action instructions regarding how to respond to the disaster or emergency via the monitoring platform means.

[0014] In addition, the monitoring device and system of the present invention can be configured so that the monitoring device and system are equipped with a surveillance camera connected to the Internet communication means, and images of the resident's status are distributed to the monitoring parties via the monitoring platform means.

[0015] In addition, the monitoring device and system of the present invention can be configured so that the monitoring device and system are equipped with a climate sensor including temperature and humidity detection connected to the Internet communication means, or a vital sensor including the resident's blood pressure, heart rate or body movement, and the data acquired by the climate sensor or vital sensor is sent to the monitoring platform and accumulated in the memory and learning means, and when the accumulated data reaches a predetermined level, an alert is issued from the monitoring platform means.

[0016] In addition, the monitoring device and system of the present invention can be configured so that data on the number of times the resident's electricity, gas, water or electronic devices are turned on and off and their consumption status is sent to the monitoring platform means via the Internet communication means and accumulated in the memory and learning means, and if the accumulated data deviates from a predetermined value that has been set in advance, a warning alert is issued by the monitoring platform means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, residents and the people monitoring them, monitors, and government agencies are connected via two-way voice communication means via Internet communication means, and a monitoring platform (software) in a cloud server connected to the Internet communication means records, learns, and accumulates information on the resident's health and living conditions based on voice responses between the resident and the people monitoring them, thereby providing a monitoring device and system that can infer intentions and design actions in response to resident requests or inquiries, and respond with appropriate instructions for action. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a monitoring device and system according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a monitoring device according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the installation configuration of a ceiling rosette, a monitoring device, a lighting unit, and a surveillance camera according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an example of a processing process of a smart speaker according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of a monitoring life support device and system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that any explanatory diagrams and drawings described in the following examples are drawn as outlines or schematic diagrams for the purpose of explaining the present invention, and the actual dimensions and shapes are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the circuit configuration, dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and uses of the components are assumed to be those of homes and nursing / medical facilities, but unless otherwise specified, the technical scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to these.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a monitoring life support device and system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of a monitoring device installed in each room. A monitoring device 2 is installed inside a building (room) such as a private home, nursing care facility, or medical facility where a resident (person requiring assistance) 1 lives. The monitoring device 2 is composed of a power supply means 3, a communication means 4, and various monitoring modules 5. The monitoring module 5 is configured to allow selective attachment of an audio interface 6, a surveillance camera 7, a climate sensor 8, a vital sign sensor 9, and the like. The audio interface 6 is composed of a speaker unit 21, a microphone unit 22, or a smart speaker 23. The communication means 4 is configured using a telephone line or a wireless LAN (local area network) and is connected to an external network (Internet line) 10.

[0021] Via this internet line 10, the monitoring device 2 is also connected to a city / town / village office disaster prevention administrative radio base station (administrative or base station) 11, a monitoring center 12, and related parties 13 such as caregivers, family members, and primary care medical institutions, forming a network that constitutes a monitoring support system. The city / town / village office base station 11 broadcasts disaster prevention alerts and administrative notices on a daily basis via radio from public relations speakers 14 located in each district. Furthermore, the internet line 10 is connected to a cloud server (cloud) 18, which is equipped with a monitoring platform (application software) 15 and memory / learning means 16 that monitors and supports the daily lives of residents 1. Using such a monitoring device and system, disaster prevention administrative notices and alerts can be effectively communicated to residents 1, and in addition to providing monitoring and support for daily life, safety and security can be more reliably ensured.

[0022] Disaster prevention administrative notices are broadcast by radio from base station 11 to public information speakers 14 using the 260 MHz band (a transition from the older 60 MHz band is recommended due to digitalization). Disaster prevention administrative radio broadcasts cover a wide range of purposes, including disaster warnings for earthquakes, tornadoes, photochemical smog, and other weather events; evacuation warnings; emergency notices for fires, pest infestations, power outages, water outages, and gas leaks; and traffic information such as road closures. For crime prevention purposes, they also provide warnings about suspicious individuals and assistance in locating missing persons (wanderers). Other administrative notices include election voting instructions, food poisoning warnings, traffic safety information, time announcements, and lifestyle information. These information notices are not only necessary for Resident 1's daily life but also crucial for protecting their lives.

[0023] Disaster prevention administrative notices and warnings sent via wireless lines use a 4-level FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) modulation method in the 260 MHz band, which has the advantage of being easily transmitted even when ordinary telephone lines are unavailable during a disaster. However, as mentioned above, notices sent via loudspeakers are difficult to hear in bad weather and are difficult to reach residents in each home. In this invention, these notices are sent via wireless speaker and simultaneously distributed to the monitoring device 2 for the resident 1 according to the present invention via an Internet line 10.

[0024] The power supply means 3 of the monitoring device 2 is normally powered by an AC power source (100V) for disaster preparedness purposes. However, if the AC power source is cut off due to a disaster or if the device is portable, the power supply can be battery-powered for continuous power supply. The communication means 4 uses a permanently connected telephone line or wireless LAN. In the case of a telephone line, the resident 1's subscription can be identified by incorporating a SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) card, and information can be transmitted via the network to the SIM card's identification address (e.g., telephone number). In the case of a wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi (trademark), connection to an external network is made via a network connection means (not shown) such as a router or ONU (Optical Network Unit) installed within the wireless LAN's range, such as within the building. A telephone line does not require a special connection means within the building. With both telephone lines and wireless LAN, transmission speeds have improved and unlimited data usage pricing structures are being established, creating an environment in which lines can be used in a permanently connected state. In other words, whether it is a telephone line or a wireless LAN, each line is assigned an individual identification address (telephone number, IP address) for each monitoring device 2 of resident 1, and signal information can be transmitted to the identification address of resident 1 via network 10, and the communication means 4 is always connected so it can receive information at any time.

[0025] The audio interface 6 is equipped at a minimum with a speaker unit 21. The power supply means 3, communication means 4, and speaker unit 21 of the audio interface 6 each have a USB (Universal Serial Bus) input / output terminal (or USB terminal) 24 and are connected by a USB connection means 25 to transmit power and signal information. The speaker unit 21 demodulates information received by the communication means 4 via the Internet line 10 into an audio signal, and transmits the audio from a speaker via an amplifier unit (not shown). Here, the power supply means 3, communication means 4, and speaker unit 21 are connected separately by the USB connection means 25, but of course they may also be configured as an integrated monitoring device.

[0026] The identification addresses (e.g., telephone numbers or IP addresses) assigned to each monitoring device 2 of a resident 1 are pre-registered with a base station 11 at the municipal office. This system communicates disaster prevention radio broadcast content and other information to the registered identification addresses via a network line 10, forming a monitoring support system. The base station 11 broadcasts the same content as the disaster prevention radio broadcast and simultaneously transmits it to the identification addresses via the Internet line 10. The resident 1 is equipped with at least a speaker unit 21 as an audio interface 6. Simply installing the monitoring device 2 ensures that the device is always connected and powered, allowing the resident 1 to constantly listen to the disaster prevention radio broadcast content through the speaker unit 21 of the monitoring device 2. Such a monitoring device 2 can be installed permanently connected to a power outlet, or, since it also has a battery power source as a power supply 3, it can be portable and installed in any desired location. Furthermore, since the resident 1 can always accompany the monitoring device 2, carrying the monitoring device 2 with them during a disaster allows them to more reliably hear evacuation information, such as warnings, evacuation locations, and evacuation methods, from local government authorities.

[0027] The voice interface 6 can be configured to allow two-way communication with the resident 1 using an additional microphone 22 or a smart speaker 23 with a built-in microphone and speaker. By using the voice interface 6 for two-way communication, disaster prevention government notices can be reliably sent in the event of a disaster, and the government can confirm the resident 1's status by voice, and the resident 1 can confirm the disaster situation, evacuation locations, etc. Furthermore, since the resident 1 can communicate with the monitoring center 12 or related parties 13 such as acquaintances, relatives, and doctor in charge via the Internet line 10, rescue or support can be requested if necessary.

[0028] The monitoring device 2 of the present invention can be used by connecting it to an AC power outlet on a wall indoors or near the resident 1, or by attaching it to a ceiling rosette installed for lighting, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B. It is preferable to install it in a fixed location indoors, especially when performing two-way voice input / output operations and responses. The detection range of the smart speaker 23 is 5 to 6 meters, and it functions well indoors simply by speaking naturally to it.

[0029] The body 30 of the round hook ceiling rosette is installed on a ceiling or other surface to mount lighting fixtures. The body 30 has a fitting hole (hook blade receiving portion) 32 that engages with the hook blade 34 of the cap 31 attached to the lighting unit 33. Inserting and rotating the body 30 locks the hook blade 34 into place. Rotating the cap 31 in the opposite direction from the installation position allows for easy removal. A communication unit 4 with a built-in power supply 3 and a monitoring module 5 (smart speaker 23, or speaker 21 and microphone 22) are attached and connected between the ceiling rosette body 30 and the cap 31 of the lighting unit 33. The communication unit 4 and monitoring module 5 each have a hook blade 34 on their top (ceiling side) and a fitting hole 32 on their bottom. Figure 3B shows the fitting hole 32 viewed from the bottom. The hook blade 34 and fitting hole 32 are compatible with each other, allowing them to fit according to standard specifications. The communication means 4 is provided with a USB terminal 24 as an interface, and this terminal 24 can be used to configure various monitoring modules 5 and additional networks.

[0030] Among the monitoring modules 5, the surveillance camera 7 is particularly desirable, as it will be necessary in any monitoring scenario. If the location to be monitored is specified or if there is an existing surveillance camera, it can be activated by connecting it to the USB port 24 provided on the communication device 4. Furthermore, since surveillance cameras can be a source of discomfort for the resident 1, incorporating the surveillance camera 7 into the center of the interior of the lighting unit 33 allows for video monitoring of the resident's situation without the resident 1 realizing (or feeling) that they are being monitored. Figures 3C and 3D are cross-sectional and plan views of the lighting unit 33, showing the interior. The lighting unit 33 is equipped with multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 35 as light sources and houses the LED driver and color adjustment unit. The surveillance camera 7 is located below the center of the lighting unit 33. By incorporating the surveillance camera 7 into the center of the lighting unit 33, it can be configured so as not to affect the lighting effect of the circularly arranged LEDs 35. If the surveillance camera 7 is only intended to monitor the resident 1's movements and living conditions, a commercially available surveillance camera can be sufficient.

[0031] Typically, surveillance camera 7 is configured with a wide-angle lens capable of monitoring the interior of a room and a color image sensor (sensor) in the visible light band. However, if the subject needs to be monitored at night or if the body temperature of a sick person needs to be monitored, an infrared sensor or a sensor with a wavelength band ranging from visible light to infrared light can be used. Infrared cameras with near-infrared light can function as night vision cameras to monitor body movements and behavior at night, while images in the short-wavelength infrared and long-wavelength infrared bands function as thermal cameras, enabling monitoring of body temperature and other conditions. The image output signal captured by surveillance camera 7 is sent to USB terminal 24 of communication means 4 via a video signal processing device (not shown) and then transmitted from communication means 4 to external network 10 via Internet communication. The transmitted video output signal is displayed and monitored on a monitoring monitor 20 installed in monitoring center 12.

[0032] The advantage of using the monitoring device 2 to deliver disaster prevention administrative notices and warnings in the present invention is that notices and warnings can be delivered more reliably to each resident 1 via the speaker unit 21 of the voice interface 6 or the smart speaker 23 installed indoors, rather than via an outdoor public information speaker 14. Furthermore, if the microphone unit 22 or the smart speaker 23 is configured to enable two-way communication, the resident 1 who receives the notice or warning can respond to an emergency through two-way communication by immediately requesting assistance from the monitoring center 12 or the government 11 via the two-way system, or by contacting relevant parties 13. Furthermore, if necessary, the monitoring center 12 or the government 11 can check the situation of each resident individually, or, if a monitoring camera 7 is installed, can activate the monitoring camera 7 to grasp the situation of the resident 1 through images.

[0033] In addition to the aforementioned audio interface 6 and surveillance camera 7, this monitoring module 5 can also be equipped with a climate sensor (temperature and humidity sensor) 8, a vital sensor 9, and receivers for various other sensors, all of which can be attached and detached via a USB terminal 24, allowing the resident 1 to select and use the functions they need according to their needs. Furthermore, by providing a short-range communication device such as Bluetooth in the monitoring module 5, it is possible to send, receive, and operate an input / output terminal 19 such as a smartphone or PC (Personal Computer) located at the resident 1's hand.

[0034] Next, we will explain the case where a smart speaker (also called an AI speaker) 23 is installed as the voice interface 6. The smart speaker 23 is an interactive search system that receives and recognizes human voice via a microphone, processes the voice using software stored in a cloud 18 connected to an internet line 10, such as intent estimation and named entity extraction, and responds with an optimal solution using deep learning and AI techniques. Figure 4 shows an example of the processing process of the smart speaker 23 used in the present invention.

[0035] In FIG. 4, voice input is performed using a microphone 50 in the smart speaker 23. The microphone input activation processing means 62 activates the system by speaking a predetermined activation word (wake-up word). This wake-up word can be the name of the platform being used or a pre-registered "call word." Voice input can be performed by the resident 1 speaking into the smart speaker 23 installed in the room, or by using a handheld terminal device 19 such as a smartphone.

[0036] The system is activated by the wake-up word, and the resident 1 speaks their request or information inquiry. The input voice is filtered out of ambient noise and unnecessary noise by a voice input processing means 63, and the speaker's direction is identified using the voice characteristics of the wake-up word to extract the voice. The extracted voice is converted into text language by a text conversion process 64. The converted text information is processed by an intention estimation processing means 65 and an action design processing means 66 using deep learning and language search tools by the AI assistant software 17, which searches for and selects response candidates that are thought to be the optimal solution to the request, inquiry, etc. based on the input voice information, as well as the corresponding action.

[0037] The selected response candidates undergo a matching and verification process 67 based on the search tool and AI learning history. The matching and verification process 67 narrows down or identifies the response candidates, and the action judgment and instruction process 68 sends the response information. The output response information is converted from text language information to speech information by a speech conversion and synthesis process 69, converted into a speech signal by a speech output synthesis process 70, and spoken from the speaker in the smart speaker 23. The basic functions of such smart speakers 23 include information search (weather, news, traffic information, dictionary, etc.), entertainment (music, movies, games, etc.), indoor home appliance integration (on / off of home appliances, air conditioning control, volume adjustment, etc.), and internet shopping. Most of the above processes are performed by AI assistant software 17 on the cloud 18, and the smart speaker 23's terminal functions consist of a microphone, speaker, and interface with the network / cloud 18 platform. However, additional functions such as light alerts and vibration alerts, as well as short-range communication methods such as Bluetooth, can also be incorporated and configured to transmit these functions to the resident 1's handheld terminal device 19.

[0038] To perform such monitoring and lifestyle support using the functions of the smart speaker 23, the system is configured as follows: A monitoring platform (software) 15 is formed as a dedicated program in the AI assistant 17 in the cloud 18 connected to the smart speaker 23 via a communication line, and specific information of the resident 1, including the specific needs, emergency contact information, preferences, and consultation matters appropriate and necessary for monitoring and lifestyle support, is pre-registered and programmed. The monitoring platform 15 is programmed to work in cooperation with the AI assistant 17 to appropriately infer intentions, design actions, verify, and give instructions for actions in response to the requests, consultations, and inquiries of the resident 1.

[0039] Furthermore, the voice response actions of each resident 1 are stored, learned, and accumulated by a memory and learning means 16 linked to the platform 15. This type of monitoring life support program is initially input in advance using information provided by the resident 1, patient charts at medical and nursing care facilities, and information from caregivers, etc., but by subsequently storing and learning the resident 1's responses to the smart speaker 23 on the monitoring platform 15, as well as data from climate sensors 8 and vital sensors 9 selectively attached as monitoring modules 5, it becomes possible to provide more appropriate and effective monitoring life support tailored to the resident 1's living conditions and health conditions.

[0040] Furthermore, when resident 1 uses this monitoring system to purchase essentials, resident 1 speaks the name of a pre-listed and pre-programmed essential into smart speaker 23 or handheld terminal device 19. Detailed information about the requested item, such as the product name, model number, price, product specifications and characteristics, manufacturer and brand name, and retailer / provider, is pre-registered in monitoring platform 15 in cloud 18 connected to smart speaker 23. Smart speaker 23 responds to resident 1 who speaks the item name and provides details about the candidate products. When purchasing these essentials, if the desired product number is known in advance from a mail-order catalog or a shop list on a PC terminal, the product can be identified simply by voice input. Once the product name is identified, the quantity to be purchased, the payment method (pre-registered), delivery address (resident's home), and other information are confirmed via voice response. The delivery company that receives the order is a monitoring member of the relevant party 13, and the system is configured to communicate with the resident regarding their safety, health, and lifestyle through the delivery of the product.

[0041] This life support program allows for easy purchase and ordering of limited necessities, such as daily necessities and regular medications, via smart speaker 23. It also combines life support monitoring, including safety checks by a delivery company (related party 13) for products ordered through this program. Furthermore, this life support program records resident 1's purchase history, daily necessities, and regular medications using memory and learning means 16, and learns them as a lifestyle pattern. If the learned lifestyle pattern is deemed abnormal or if necessities and regular medications are out of stock but not ordered, an alert signal is automatically sent from the monitoring platform 15 to resident 1, monitoring center 12, and related party 13. If resident 1 does not respond appropriately, related party 13 activates surveillance cameras 7 to monitor resident 1's movements within the building. If the resident's condition cannot be confirmed by surveillance cameras 7, related party 13 is dispatched to check the situation. Such programs and systems are useful for local communication and monitoring for residents 1 in depopulated areas or when stores where they can be purchased are far away.

[0042] Furthermore, when a resident 1 uses this monitoring device and system to respond to an emergency or communicate with the government 11 and relevant parties 13, the resident 1 speaks into the smart speaker 23 or handheld terminal device 19 the names of relevant parties, such as the government 11, hospital, police, fire department, caregiver, family, and friends, which have been pre-listed or programmed. By speaking the names, the resident 1 connects to the pre-programmed contacts via telephone or network, and the necessary communication is carried out. However, if an emergency occurs to the resident 1, the system is programmed to enable emergency contact using emergency words to enable immediate response. Emergency words such as "Help!", "Fire!", "Thief!", "I'm dying!", and "I'm in pain!" are registered as emergency words. When the smart speaker 23 detects these emergency words, they are immediately and automatically fed back to the monitoring center 12 and relevant parties 13. The manager or caregiver can then activate the surveillance camera 7, monitor any abnormal situations on the monitoring monitor 20, make a call via the smart speaker 23, or dispatch relevant parties 13 to assess the situation. In addition to emergency words, the system can also be configured to monitor and dispatch relevant personnel if it detects abnormal sounds (such as sounds of destruction, popping, collisions, screams, etc.).

[0043] Next, we will explain a case where a monitoring module 5 is equipped with a climate sensor 8 for measuring temperature and humidity, and a vital sensor 9 for acquiring data such as the resident's blood pressure, heart rate, and body movement, for health management. Sensing the room temperature and humidity in each room is essential information for managing the health of the resident 1. The monitoring module 5 is equipped with a climate sensor 8 for detecting temperature and humidity, and the temperature and humidity data is continuously transmitted to the monitoring platform 15 via communication means 4 and recorded in the memory / learning means 16 within the monitoring platform 15. Even healthy individuals are at risk of heatstroke and hypothermia, particularly for elderly people. Therefore, when the room temperature and humidity reach a predetermined level, a warning, alert, or danger alert for heatstroke, skin disease, etc. is issued. Furthermore, by connecting electronic devices related to temperature and humidity, such as air conditioners, humidifiers, and dryers in the building, to a Home Energy Management System (HEMS) via communication means 4, various electronic devices can be configured to automatically adjust according to the resident 1's needs.

[0044] Furthermore, existing means such as commercially available ultrasonic vital sensors can be used to remotely monitor vital information such as blood pressure, pulse, and body movements of the resident 1. Such vital sensors 9 are incorporated into the monitoring module 5 to acquire data. Recently, wearable terminal sensors have also been commercialized that can be worn like a wristwatch to detect blood pressure, heart rate, body movements, body temperature, and other data and transmit the data to a smartphone or other device. Such wearable vital sensors use short-range communication methods such as Bluetooth and ZigBee. By incorporating short-range communication methods into the communication means 4 attached to the monitoring module 5, the vital data acquired by the wearable vital sensor can be received and used for monitoring management and electronic device control.

[0045] This type of health monitoring and management allows monitoring from anywhere as long as the network environment is in place, making it possible to apply it to remote disease diagnosis, health promotion advice, rehabilitation guidance, dietary management, and more for Resident 1. In other words, doctors, caregivers, medical therapists, and health management experts can diagnose and provide advice from remote locations, and Resident 1 can receive diagnosis and consultation at home without having to visit the facility. Furthermore, because this system automatically and continuously records and learns vital signs, if an abnormality in vital signs is detected or if a need arises, the system can issue an alert, allowing for immediate response. This eliminates the need for constant monitoring by monitors, doctors, and instructors, enabling efficient guidance and examinations.

[0046] Next, we will explain how the system of the present invention can be used to confirm the resident's survival and detect worsening of their condition (immobility). While the resident's survival can be confirmed by attaching a surveillance camera 7 to a monitoring module 5 and monitoring from a monitoring center 12 or a relevant person 13, the monitor or relevant person 13 must constantly monitor the resident at the monitoring center 12. Confirming the resident's survival and detecting immobility due to illness are the most important monitoring functions in monitoring. Especially for those living alone, detection is necessary as early as possible. Even in cases of death, it is necessary to discover the condition as quickly as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to combine several methods and means to automatically detect and alert as far in advance as possible. One solution to this problem is to detect changes (declines) in electricity consumption, gas consumption, water consumption, and the number of times electronic devices such as televisions and radios are turned on and off as lifestyle patterns. If an abnormality occurs, i.e., if the value deviates from a predetermined standard, an alert warning can be generated.

[0047] To detect changes in electricity, gas, and water consumption, smart meters can be used to communicate consumption data to each household. These smart meters automatically measure electricity consumption and transmit it over the Internet from a power management center via a dedicated communication network. Each household then receives electricity, gas, and water consumption data via an Internet-connected PC or smartphone, and can efficiently adjust and control electricity consumption using the HEMS system described above. In the present invention, the consumption data information sent from the power management center to each household over the Internet is sent to a monitoring platform 15, which memorizes and learns trends in electricity, gas, and water consumption. If this electricity, gas, or water consumption deviates from a predetermined value compared to daily consumption and is determined to be abnormal, an alert signal is automatically sent to the resident 1, the monitoring center 12, and relevant parties 13.

[0048] Furthermore, when detecting the on / off status and consumption of electronic devices such as televisions and radios, sensors detect the on / off status on the electronic device side and send the information to the Internet via Bluetooth or other short-range communication means via Bluetooth receiving means on a PC, smartphone, etc. In the present invention, a short-range communication receiving means such as Bluetooth is incorporated into the monitoring module 5, which receives communication data on the number of on / off times and consumption amount sent from the electronic devices and sends it to the monitoring platform 15, which memorizes and learns the trends in the number of on / off times and consumption amount, just like electricity, gas, water, etc., and if it is determined that the data deviates from the set predetermined values and is abnormal, an alert signal is automatically sent to the resident 1, monitoring center 12, and relevant parties 13.

[0049] The alert signal to the resident 1 is a verbal alert such as "Abnormality detected! Are you OK?" from the speaker unit 21 or smart speaker 23. In addition to this verbal alert, a warning buzzer, flashing light, vibrator, etc. are simultaneously activated on the smartphone or handheld terminal device 19 via short-range communication means such as Bluetooth. If the resident 1 who detected the alert signal does not have any particular abnormality, they can simply say "I'm OK" or "I'm fine" and the system will respond to these reassuring words, return to the reset state that was set in advance, and the abnormal state will be cleared. If the resident 1 does not clear the abnormality despite these alerts, it will be recognized as an emergency, and the situation will be monitored by the surveillance camera 7 and, if necessary, a supervisor or relevant person will be dispatched to check the situation.

[0050] As described above, disaster prevention alerts and government notices sent via disaster prevention administrative radio can be delivered directly to each resident (person requiring assistance) 1 using a constantly connected telephone line or a wireless LAN network line, and by expanding this to a two-way monitoring means such as a smart speaker 23, it can be used for various monitoring and life support purposes, such as reporting the situation and requesting assistance or rescue. In this way, the resident 1 can configure a monitoring device 2 adapted to the needs of the person requiring assistance by adding, changing, or modifying the necessary modules of the monitoring module 5 depending on the resident's health condition, living environment, needs, level of care required, etc.

[0051] In the present invention, the monitoring device 2 can be easily installed in each room not only in private homes but also in apartment buildings, hospitals, and nursing homes, making it suitable for centralized management of multiple sick people or people requiring care at a management center, etc. Furthermore, the device and system according to the present invention can be used to provide health consultations and lifestyle support even to healthy people, and the system can be configured to be expandable, allowing additional monitoring devices to be installed as needed depending on aging, changes in living environment, and the monitoring status. [Industrial Applicability]

[0052] The monitoring life support system of the present invention has scalability that allows additions and changes to be made depending on the monitoring life support status of the resident, and it can be used to build a system that can reliably deliver disaster prevention warnings and government notices to residents and enable the information communication necessary for monitoring and life support, so it can be widely used in fields such as administration, medical care, nursing care, and health management, and its industrial applicability is expanded. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1 Resident (person requiring support), 2. Monitoring devices 3 Power source 4. Means of communication 5 Monitoring module 6. Voice Interface 7. Surveillance Cameras 8 Climate (temperature and humidity) sensors 9 Vital Sensor 10 Internet line (network) 11 Disaster prevention administrative radio base station (administrative or base station) 12 Monitoring Center 13. Stakeholders 14 Public Relations Speaker 15 Monitoring Platform 16 Memory and Learning Tools 17 AI Assistant 18 Cloud Server (Cloud) 19 Handheld terminal device 20 Surveillance Monitor 21 Speaker section 22 Microphone section 23 Smart speaker (AI speaker) 30 Ceiling rosette body 31 Ceiling rosette cap

Claims

1. The smart speaker owned by the resident is connected to the cloud server via internet communication means, The cloud server has a storage / learning means for storing, learning, and accumulating unique information registered in advance in relation to monitoring of the resident and voice response information of the resident using the smart speaker, The resident monitoring device and system are also characterized in that the cloud server has a monitoring platform means that refers to the resident's voice response information stored in the memory / learning means and works with AI assistant software to infer intentions, design actions, and respond with action instructions in response to the resident's requests or inquiries.

2. a two-way voice communication means possessed by the person watching over the resident is connected to the cloud server via the internet communication means; The monitoring device and system described in claim 1, characterized in that when a smart speaker owned by a resident detects a pre-registered word or abnormal sound indicating an abnormal situation, an alert is issued from the monitoring platform means to the monitoring parties.

3. The parties involved in the monitoring include local government agencies, and The emergency information is also simultaneously reported to the resident's smart speaker via the disaster prevention radio. The monitoring device and system described in claim 2, characterized in that in the event of a disaster or emergency, action instructions regarding how to respond to the disaster or emergency can be provided in response to requests or inquiries from the resident via the monitoring platform means.

4. The monitoring device and system include a monitoring camera connected to the Internet communication means, 3. The monitoring device and system according to claim 2, wherein an image of the resident's status is distributed to the monitoring parties via the monitoring platform means.

5. The monitoring device and system include a climate sensor including temperature and humidity detection connected to the internet communication means or a vital sensor including blood pressure, heart rate, or body movement of the resident, The monitoring device and system described in claim 2, characterized in that the data obtained by the climate sensor or vital sensor is sent to the monitoring platform and accumulated in the memory / learning means, and when the accumulated data reaches a predetermined level, an alert is issued from the monitoring platform means.

6. The monitoring device and system described in claim 2, characterized in that data on the number of times the resident's electricity, gas, water or electronic devices are turned on and off and consumption status is sent to the monitoring platform means via the Internet communication means and accumulated in the memory / learning means, and if the accumulated data deviates from a predetermined value, an alert is issued from the monitoring platform means.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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