Sensor device and monitoring method

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor device (8) for monitoring a person (P) requiring care, having a sensor unit (3) with at least one sensor (30) for ascertaining measurement data, a transmission unit (41) for transmitting the measurement data to a data analysis unit (5), and a receiving unit (42) for receiving signals of the data analysis unit (5). The sensor device (8) additionally has an alarm unit (6) which is designed to automatically transmit a radio signal to an alarm system (7) for care personnel (H) after obtaining a signal of the data analysis unit (5). The sensor device according to the invention and the method according to the invention allow new sensor units, in particular cloud-based and / or digital monitoring systems, to be incorporated into known alarm systems, in particular radio-based alarm systems.

Description

[0001] TITLE

[0002] SENSOR DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present invention relates to a sensor device, a monitoring system and a method for monitoring a person in need of care or several persons in need of care.

[0005] STATE OF THE ART

[0006] Retirement and nursing homes, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and similar facilities face numerous challenges due to staff shortages, profitability requirements, and care standards. Technical solutions can provide relief and ensure greater safety and relief in patient care. Furthermore, there is a growing need for monitoring individuals in need of care who are being cared for at home by representatives of a professional institution and / or by friends or relatives, and who live alone, in a shared apartment, or with family.

[0007] Various call systems are available that the patient can activate to summon help or support. These call systems include buttons near the bed, alarm buttons worn around the neck, or wristbands with push buttons for mobile residents. Sensor mats for beds and floor mats are also available, which monitor whether a patient leaves the bed or a room.

[0008] EP 2 692 285 A1, for example, shows a patient monitoring system with alarm buttons that can be clearly assigned to the patient and communicate with a monitoring unit via a radio network. US 8 416 084 B2 shows a radio-based call and alarm system that transmits signals from push buttons and sensor mats to a control center. US 8 672 842 B2 describes a sensor mattress that additionally has a call button that can be pressed by the person in need of care. WO 2023 / 052497 A1 discloses a pressure sensor mat that is designed, for example, as a bed sheet or as part of a mattress or bed base. The mat has a grid of intersecting, yet spaced-apart, conductor tracks. The intersection points of the grid act as pressure sensors. Using this pressure sensor mat, the behavior of the person in need of care can be monitored.In particular, it is possible to monitor whether a patient is moving in bed, whether they are lying still, and whether they have left the bed, for example, if they have fallen out of bed. This type of sensor mat sends a multitude of measured values ​​to a data evaluation unit, which evaluates the data and, depending on the result, warns the nursing staff or triggers an alarm. This makes it possible to detect critical situations early on, for example, to prevent an impending fall or minimize the risk of pressure ulcers. An embroidered sensor mat is described in the as yet unpublished EP 22 195 124.7. Such versatile pressure sensor mats significantly relieve the burden on nursing staff.

[0009] Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, care facilities are unable to fully utilize all available technical solutions. Radio-operated systems such as manually operated call buttons and alarm buttons have been established for years. Sensor mats are used as standalone solutions, preferably if they also transmit their signals wirelessly. New sensor mats, which collect a large number of measured values ​​and thus require complex analysis, require larger investments, as they cannot be easily integrated into traditional call and alarm systems.

[0010] PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] It is therefore an object of the invention to minimize the investment costs for the use of sensor mats or other complex patient-related sensor devices.

[0012] This object is achieved by a system having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 14.

[0013] The sensor device according to the invention for monitoring a person in need of care

[0014] Person comprises: a sensor unit with at least one sensor for determining measurement data, a transmission unit for transmitting the measurement data to a data evaluation unit, a reception unit for receiving signals from the data evaluation unit and an alarm unit which is designed to automatically send a radio signal to an alarm system for nursing staff after receiving a signal from the data evaluation unit.

[0015] The terms "alarm system" and "monitoring system" are understood to be equivalent in this text with regard to the invention described. In both an alarm system and a monitoring system, a notification, i.e., an alarm, is triggered in the event of danger to the person in need of care or when the person in need of care needs it, whereupon the nursing staff takes care of that person.

[0016] Depending on the embodiment, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are a common unit or two different units. In a first embodiment, the transmitting unit and / or the receiving unit are a simple interface. In other embodiments, they are active units.

[0017] The sensor device and method according to the invention enable the simple integration of the sensor units into existing alarm or call systems. The sensor units are, for example, flat sensor units, such as sensor mats, or light barriers, sonar and radar devices, and other pressure and / or motion sensors.

[0018] The costs for the care facility are minimized because neither a complete overhaul of the systems nor complex integration into the existing infrastructure is necessary. Nursing staff are relieved because they only have to operate according to a single monitoring system, preferably their familiar system. Thanks to the invention, new and modern monitoring technologies can be combined with already installed, sometimes older, monitoring technologies. The sensor device according to the invention also makes it possible to combine the sensor units with monitoring or alarm systems from third-party companies. This is particularly true if the alarm unit originates from a third-party company. Depending on the type of alarm unit, a specially designed interface must be provided in the sensor unit according to the invention and / or the third-party alarm unit must be slightly adapted to be automatically activated using the received signal.Usually a simple electronic circuit is sufficient.

[0019] Several and even different types of sensor units can be combined in a sensor device according to the invention. However, each sensor unit preferably has its own transmission unit, its own reception unit, and its own alarm unit.

[0020] Furthermore, a sensor device comprising multiple sensor units can send radio messages to different alarm systems, depending on the alarm unit that transmits the alarm signal wirelessly. The signals from the alarm units are recognized by the associated alarm system based on the radio frequency used and / or their identifier.

[0021] Preferably, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are parts of a control unit, with the alarm unit being connected to the control unit or integrated into it. The connection or integration of the alarm unit is preferably carried out according to the requirements of the care facility. This means that a care facility that wishes to expand its alarm system with the sensor units, but still wants to use its existing or an alternative alarm system, must disclose the specifications of its patient-related alarm units or provide the units itself, so that appropriate integration into the sensor device according to the invention can be carried out.

[0022] Preferably, the alarm unit is permanently connected to the control unit, preferably via a cable, or it is located on the same circuit board, preferably on a semi-flexible or flexible circuit board, in particular on a flexprint. This can be achieved, for example, by the integration mentioned above. The permanent connection enables the sensor unit to be used easily by nursing staff. The permanent connection is also called a fixed or permanent connection. Essentially dissimilar units, i.e. the sensor unit and the alarm unit, do not need to be coordinated with one another before each use; rather, thanks to the coupling with the control unit, they already form a single device. The control unit is preferably detachably or permanently connected to the sensor unit. In some embodiments, the sensor units can be stored separately from the control units and the alarm units when not in use.This is particularly advantageous when the sensor unit is a flat sensor unit, especially a sensor mat. The sensor units can be more easily stacked and stored without the control unit.

[0023] In some embodiments, the control unit is connected to the sensor unit via a cable connection. This allows it to be placed in a suitable location during use. This is also particularly advantageous for flat sensor units, such as sensor mats used on or under a bed, a lounger, a wheelchair, an armchair, or on the floor. In most of these cases, the control unit can be attached, for example, to a frame of the furniture.

[0024] In some embodiments, the control unit is connected to the sensor unit exclusively via a cable connection. This increases flexibility in the arrangement and mounting of the control unit.

[0025] In the case of flat sensor units, such as sensor mats, the control unit is preferably integrated into the sensor unit. The control unit is preferably located on a flex circuit board that is integrated into the flat sensor unit.

[0026] The control unit is preferably as small a component as possible, especially if the sensor unit is a sensor mat. The control unit is preferably an ESP chip, a Raspberry Pi, or another microcontroller.

[0027] The alarm unit is preferably a call or alarm component that is usually triggered manually and can send a signal via radio to the alarm system or the monitoring system of the care facility. In some embodiments, it is a call button, also called an alarm button or alarm key. Such components usually have a pressure surface, and when this surface is manually pressed, a radio signal is sent to the alarm system. Other alarm components send a radio signal if they have not been moved for an extended period of time, are moved significantly more, or if, for example, they no longer detect a pulse of the person in need of care. According to the invention, the alarm component is no longer triggered manually, but automatically upon receipt of the command from the data evaluation unit. In some embodiments, an electronic circuit is provided for activating the call button by means of the control unit without actuating a mechanical switch on the call button.Depending on the design, an additional manual release is still possible if desired by the care facility.

[0028] In some embodiments, the alarm unit is arranged externally to the control unit. In some embodiments, it is part of the control unit or integrated therein, comprising the components of an alarm button. In some embodiments, the alarm unit is a radio module with a transmitter that receives a signal from the controller to send an alarm. The radio module is preferably part of the control unit, the control unit is preferably integrated into the sensor unit, and the control unit preferably comprises a data evaluation unit to determine whether an alarm should be triggered.

[0029] Preferably, the alarm unit, which transmits the wireless alarm to the care unit's alarm system, is integrated into the electronic unit of the sensor unit, in particular the sensor mat, e.g., the pressure sensor mat. Preferably, the alarm unit forms a wireless module that is part of the control unit or is controlled by the control unit. In particular, the wireless module is integrated on a semi-flexible or flexible circuit board, preferably a flexprint, which preferably also contains the control unit.

[0030] In preferred embodiments, the radio module is designed to transmit an alarm signal in various alarm languages ​​or radio frequencies to an external radio receiver of the external alarm system, or at least to transmit one according to the controller's instructions. Such external radio receivers could be from manufacturers such as Gets, Tyco, TeleAlarm, Ascom, or other manufacturers. The external radio receiver receives the radio signal and triggers a patient call.

[0031] In preferred embodiments, the radio frequency at which the radio module is to transmit the radio alarm to the external alarm system can be defined directly via the data processing unit and / or a cloud via a personal computer (PC) or a smartphone. The selected radio frequency setting is transmitted to the radio module, and the radio module sends alarm signals at this defined radio frequency to the radio receiver, i.e., to the external alarm system. The radio frequency can thus be selected and adjusted via external definition. It can also be changed at any time.

[0032] The appropriately designed sensor unit can thus be used more universally. It can be used for various types of alarm systems without the sensor unit itself, especially the sensor mat, having to be physically adapted. Only the radio frequency needs to be changed via a command. In preferred embodiments, this command can be issued globally for multiple sensor units in a care facility. This simplifies the introduction of new sensor mats in a care facility with an existing alarm system.

[0033] The sensor unit can be a light barrier, a sonar and radar device, or other pressure and / or motion sensors. Preferably, however, it is a sensor mat. In particular, it is a sensor mat for use in a bed, for example a bed sheet, a mattress topper, a mattress pad, or a layer integrated into the mattress, the mattress topper, or a bed base. Depending on the embodiment, the sensor mat has approximately the same mass as the bed, or it is narrower and / or shorter. In preferred embodiments, it has a length of approximately 1400 mm and a width of approximately 900 mm, i.e., the sensor mat corresponds approximately to the width of a bed, but is shorter than the length of a bed. In other preferred embodiments, it has a length of approximately 1900 mm to 1950 mm (1.90 m to 1.95 m) and a width of approximately 900 mm (0.9 m), i.e., it corresponds approximately to the length and width of a bed.

[0034] The sensor unit is preferably a flat pressure sensor unit, in particular a pressure sensor mat. Even more preferably, it measures the pressure at multiple points on the mat. The sensors of the sensor unit, in particular the sensor mat, are, for example, piezoelectric sensors. In preferred embodiments, capacitive sensors are present. For this purpose, the pressure sensor mat preferably has a grid of conductor tracks, with the sensors being the intersection points of the grid. The sensor mat is preferably used according to the aforementioned WO 2023 / 052497 A1 and / or the as yet unpublished EP 22 195 124.7.

[0035] A monitoring system according to the invention with at least one sensor device described above further comprises the aforementioned data evaluation unit. The data evaluation unit has means for evaluating the data received from the sensor device in order to detect an emergency. It also has means for sending a signal to the corresponding sensor device when an emergency is detected. The signal enables the sensor device to send a radio signal to the alarm system for nursing staff via the alarm unit.

[0036] In a simple embodiment, the data evaluation unit serves only to determine whether an emergency exists based on the multitude of measured values ​​from the sensors and then report this back to the sensor device. For example, the data evaluation unit determines and reports whether a person in need of care has fallen out of bed or whether such a person, such as a dementia patient, has left the bed or a chair. The alarm to the nursing staff is then sent from the sensor device itself. This means that no position data or identifying information about the patient needs to be transmitted via the data evaluation unit.

[0037] Preferably, however, the data evaluation unit can perform more without involving the alarm system. These additional functions are already specified in WO 2023 / 052497 A1. A care facility that opts for this system thus has a simple alarm system for all nursing staff and can, if desired, utilize the additional functions and advantages of the system equipped with newer technology.

[0038] In some embodiments, the data evaluation unit is located externally, e.g., in a cloud. In other embodiments, however, it is partially or entirely part of the control unit. Communication with the data evaluation unit, especially if cloud-based, preferably takes place via a LoRa transmitter (Long Range Wide Area Transmitter).

[0039] The inventive method for monitoring a person in need of care uses a sensor device, in particular a sensor device as described above. However, it can also use a sensor device. The method further uses a data evaluation unit, in particular, but not necessarily, the monitoring system described above. It also uses an alarm system for nursing staff. In the method, measurement data is determined using a sensor unit of the sensor device. The measurement data is transmitted to the data evaluation unit using a transmission unit of the sensor device. The data is then evaluated in the data evaluation unit. If the data evaluation unit detects an emergency, the data evaluation unit sends a signal back to the sensor device.The signal activates an alarm unit in the sensor device, causing the alarm unit to send a radio signal to the nursing staff alarm system.

[0040] Preferably, the alarm system, with the exception of the alarm unit, is used independently of the monitoring system. This allows the monitoring system to be operated with additional functions. The alarm system can also be operated with additional functions without interactions or overlaps. This facilitates the combination of systems from different manufacturers and ensures error-free and safe operation of the systems.

[0041] The sensor device according to the invention is suitable not only for institutions with inpatients in need of care, but also for monitoring people in need of care who are cared for at home by representatives of a professional institution and / or by friends or relatives and who live alone, in a shared apartment or with their family.

[0042] Further embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0043] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting. In the drawings:

[0045] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a patient bed with a sensor device according to the invention;

[0046] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a monitoring system and an alarm system according to the invention;

[0047] Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a planar sensor unit with connecting tracks and flexprints; Figure 4 shows a photograph of a sensor unit according to the invention;

[0048] Figure 5 is a photograph of a control unit according to the invention with an alarm unit;

[0049] Figure 6 is a block diagram of the sensor device according to the invention;

[0050] Figure ? a flow diagram of the method according to the invention in a first variant;

[0051] Figure 8 shows a flow diagram of the method according to the invention in a second variant;

[0052] Figure 9 is a schematic representation of a sensor device according to the invention in a second embodiment;

[0053] Figure 10 is a schematic representation of a sensor device according to the invention in a third embodiment and

[0054] Figure 11 is a schematic representation of a sensor device according to the invention in a fourth embodiment.

[0055] DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0056] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a bed. A mattress 1 is covered with a bed sheet 2, on which a person P in need of care lies. A flat sensor unit 3, in this case a pressure sensor sheet, is placed between the mattress 1 and the bed sheet 2. The sensor unit 3 can be designed, for example, as a fitted sheet or, as shown here, as a flat, flexible, and preferably soft mat.

[0057] In the following, the sensor unit is referred to as sensor mat 3. Depending on the embodiment, it extends over the entire surface of the mattress 1 or, as shown here, ends at a distance from the edge of the mattress. In other embodiments, the sensor mat 3 extends only in a partial area of ​​the mattress 1, for example only in the upper or middle or lower area of ​​the mattress surface. In further embodiments, the pressure sensor unit 3 is part of the mattress 1 or the bed sheet 2 or it is part of a bed base or rests on it. The sensor unit 3 can alternatively be arranged on or in other bodies and objects, for example in the seats of armchairs, in loungers or in floor mats.

[0058] In this example, the sensor mat 3 is connected to a control unit 4 via a connector 36 and a first connecting cable 37. The control unit 4 is connected to a data evaluation unit 5. The data evaluation unit 5 can be an on-site unit and / or cloud-based. The control unit 4 is preferably a microcontroller, preferably a Raspberry Pi. It is preferably implemented as an SPI master.

[0059] The control unit 4 is connected to an alarm unit 6.

[0060] As can be clearly seen in Figure 1, the sensor mat 3 comprises a first material layer 31, in particular a fabric layer, a second material layer 32, preferably also a fabric layer, and a middle layer 33 arranged therebetween. They are preferably jointly surrounded by a protective cover, wherein the cover preferably has a lower layer 34 and an upper layer 35. The layers and the cover are preferably soft and flexible, in particular they are a textile fabric or another suitable material layer.

[0061] The first and second material layers 31, 32 are made of an electrically non-conductive material. They are preferably a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a fulled fabric, a knitted fabric, a braid, a stitch-bonded fabric, a nonwoven fabric, or a felt. The middle layer 33 is made of a pressure-sensitive, dielectric material.

[0062] As can be seen from a combined view of Figures 1 and 2, electrically conductive first conductor tracks 310 are arranged on the first material layer 31, and electrically conductive second conductor tracks 320 are arranged on the second material layer 32. The first and second conductor tracks 310, 320 form a grid or matrix. In Figure 2, the first and second conductor tracks 310, 320 run in a straight line. In Figure 3, they run in a waveform. The conductor tracks 310, 320 are preferably sewn onto the material tracks 31, 32.

[0063] In Figure 1, a first flexprint 380 and a second flexprint 381 run parallel to the side edges of the material layers. The conductor tracks 310, 320 end at these flexprints 380, 381. In Figure 3, first electrically conductive connecting tracks 390 and second electrically conductive connecting tracks 391 run to a short edge of the sensor mat, where they end at the first and second flexprints 380, 381. These connecting tracks 390, 391 are also preferably sewn on. They are preferably one-piece extensions of the first and second conductor tracks 310, 320, respectively. The flexprints 380, 381 are arranged either on the associated material layer 31, 32 or between the two material layers 31, 32. In other preferred embodiments, only a rigid, semi-flexible, or flexible circuit board, preferably a flexprint, is present. The circuit board is preferably arranged centrally adjacent to a narrow side of the mat or sheet.For example, only a single flexprint 381 according to Figure 3 is present without the two other flexprints 380.

[0064] Preferably, a sensor mat 3 is used as disclosed in WO 2023 / 052497 A1 and the as yet unpublished EP 22 195 124.7.

[0065] Since the first conductor tracks 310 run perpendicular to the second conductor tracks 320, crossing areas or crossing points 30 are created. In Figures 1 and 3, some points are circled to make them easier to see. At the crossing points 30, the conductor tracks 310, 320 do not contact each other because they are separated from each other by the middle layer 33. The crossing points 30 thus act like capacitors or resistors. The capacitance of a capacitor changes indirectly proportional to the distance between its two capacitor plates. Thus, the capacitance at a crossing point 30 changes when a person rests on this crossing point 30 and thus compresses the middle layer 33. The change in capacitance results in a change in resistance, which can be detected, for example, using a voltage divider. Each crossing point thus forms a sensor.The measured values ​​of this multitude of sensors are transmitted via the control unit 4 to the data processing unit 5.

[0066] In some embodiments, additional sensors, such as a temperature sensor, are present. In Figure 3, a temperature sensor 301 is present in the sensor mat 3. The sensor lines from the temperature sensor 301 to the electronics unit, here to the second flexprint 381, are provided with the reference numeral 302.

[0067] The cables of the electronic units of the sensor unit 3, here the flexprints 380, 381, lead to the control unit 4 in the form of the first connecting cable 37. The connection to the control unit 4 is preferably detachable. Figure 2 shows a corresponding connecting plug 44 and a second connecting cable 43 arranged thereon.

[0068] As schematically shown in Figure 2, the control unit 4 has a data acquisition unit 40 for acquiring the measured values, a transmission unit 41 for transmitting the measured values ​​to the data evaluation unit 5, and a reception unit 42 for receiving signals from the data evaluation unit 5. Depending on the embodiment, the data acquisition unit 40 is relatively simple and merely records data, which it then forwards to the data transmission unit 5 via the transmission unit 41. In other embodiments, the data is processed before transmission. Reference is made, for example, to WO 2023 / 052497 A1 and the as yet unpublished EP 22 195 124.7.

[0069] In some embodiments, the data acquisition unit 40 has an evaluation unit that forms at least one emergency control 46. Depending on the embodiment, the emergency control 46 is part of the data acquisition unit or a separate unit. Preferably, it is part of the control unit 4.

[0070] The control unit 4 is further connected to the alarm unit 6. The alarm unit 6 is preferably, as shown in Figure 2, connected in a fixed, i.e., fixed or non-detachable, manner via a cable, here called emergency cable 45.

[0071] As can also be seen in Figure 2, an alarm system 7 is present. The alarm unit 6 sends an emergency signal to this alarm system 7 when necessary.

[0072] Figure 4 shows a photo of a sensor mat 3 with the control unit 4 and the alarm unit 6, here in the form of an alarm button. The sensor mat 3 has loops 300 for attaching the mat to a mattress. It is partially rolled up at the other end. It can be rolled up or stored flat.

[0073] In Figure 5, the control unit 4 and the alarm button 6 are clearly visible. It has a depressable button / switch for manual actuation. As already discussed, it can still be present only visually but deactivated, or manual actuation is still possible. Figure 6 shows a block diagram of the sensor device according to the invention. The sensor unit 3, here the sensor mat, is connected to the control unit 4 as described. The alarm unit 6 preferably has its own housing 60. In other embodiments, it is integrated into the control unit 4, preferably arranged in a housing of the control unit 4. The alarm unit 4 has a manually operable switch 61. A radio antenna 62 is connected to this switch 61. When the manual switch 61 is manually actuated, a signal is generated which is sent to the alarm system 7 as a radio signal.Depending on the design, this switch 61 can be activated manually or it cannot be activated manually.

[0074] According to the invention, a button 63 is provided, which activates the radio signal instead of the knob or push-button, i.e., the manual switch 61. This button 65 is connected to the control unit 4. A first line 450 applies a voltage, preferably 3.3 volts. A second line 451 transmits the signal received from the data evaluation unit 5 in an emergency. A third line 452 is the ground.

[0075] The remaining parts of alarm unit 6 are not shown. They are well known. The circuit newly added to the known call buttons and alarm buttons, ie, button 63 with the connection to control unit 4, now enables automatic triggering of the radio signal according to the instructions of control unit 4, which receives the activation command from data evaluation unit 5.

[0076] The method used can be explained using Figure 7. The sensor unit 3, in this case the sensor mat, sends sensor data or measured values ​​to the control unit 4. This data is from the individual pressure sensors 30 and indicates how the person in need of care is lying in bed, how they are moving or behaving, and whether they are still in bed at all. This data is sent from the control unit 4 to the data evaluation unit 5. Depending on the embodiment, this occurs after pre-processing or without further processing. The data evaluation unit 5 checks whether an emergency has occurred. If, for example, the sensors deliver no pressure values ​​or pressure values ​​that are too low, it can be assumed that the patient is no longer in bed and may have fallen out or is wandering around the care facility. If the pressure values ​​change significantly over time, it can be concluded that the patient is restless, for example due to pain or because something is bothering them.The data evaluation unit 5 checks, based on specifications, whether an emergency exists or whether a critical situation is imminent. If the check reveals the existence of an emergency or an impending critical situation, the data evaluation unit 5 sends a signal back to the control unit 4. The control unit 4 activates the alarm unit 6 based on this signal, for example by sending the received signal or a modified signal to the alarm unit via the second line 451. This preferably closes the button 63 and sends the radio signal to the alarm system 7. The alarm system 7 notifies the nursing staff H in the usual way. For example, merely by a visual and / or acoustic signal, for example at a workstation or ward room, or by a message on a smartphone, pager or mobile home telephone, or by an automatically generated acoustic announcement.

[0077] Figure 7 shows only one sensor device 8 with a single sensor unit 3, an associated control unit 4, and an associated alarm unit 6. Of course, a plurality of such sensor devices 8 are typically present, sending their data and signals to the same data evaluation unit 5. The data evaluation unit 5 can assign the received data to the individual sensor devices 8 and, in an emergency, also specifically address the corresponding sensor device 8, i.e., send the emergency signal there.

[0078] Figure 8 schematically illustrates that the same data evaluation unit 5 can operate sensor devices 5 that send their emergency signals to different alarm systems 7, 7' with different nursing personnel H, H'. This is then possible using different radio frequencies and / or different identifiers.

[0079] Figure 9 schematically illustrates another embodiment of the sensor device according to the invention. It differs from the example according to Figures 1 to 8 in that the control unit 4 is integrated into the sensor unit 3. In the case of a sensor mat, it is preferably incorporated into the mat, preferably sewn in. The control unit is preferably applied to one of the flexprints or to the single flexprint, or it is part of a flexprint.

[0080] The control unit 4 is constructed identically or at least similarly to that described in this text. The figure shows only the transmission unit and the reception unit 41, 42 for communication with the evaluation unit 5, in particular the cloud, as well as the emergency control unit 46, which transmits a signal to the alarm unit 6. However, the control unit 4 also includes the data acquisition unit and other components typical for a control system.

[0081] The alarm unit 6 is connected to the control unit 4 via a permanently connected cable or a detachable plug connection. The alarm unit 6 corresponds to the example described above.

[0082] Figure 10 shows a third embodiment. Here, too, the control unit 4 is integrated into the sensor unit 3, in particular into the sensor mat 3. In particular, it can be applied to the flexprint or be part thereof. The control unit 4 again preferably comprises all of the components mentioned above, even if Figure 10 only shows the transmission unit and the reception unit 41, 42 for communication with the evaluation unit 5, the data acquisition unit 40 and a radio module 47 with a radio antenna. The radio module 47 is used to radio transmit a signal to the alarm system 7, 7' of the care facility. This means that there is no separate alarm unit 6 here, but rather the control unit 4 generates and sends the emergency signal directly to the alarm system 7, 7'.

[0083] Figure 11 shows a fourth embodiment, which is a cross between the second and third embodiments. In this example, the alarm unit 6 is fully integrated into the sensor unit 3, while still forming a separate component from the control unit 4. It can also be arranged on the flexprint or one of the flexprints, or it can be mounted separately in the sensor unit 3. If the manually operable alarm button is present, it is preferably deactivated.

[0084] The sensor device and method according to the invention enable the integration of new sensor units into known alarm systems, in particular cloud-based and / or digital monitoring systems into radio-based alarm systems.

[0085] Mattress 41 transmission unit

[0086] 42 Receiving unit

[0087] Bed sheet 43 second connecting cable

[0088] 44 connecting plugs

[0089] Sensor unit 45 Emergency cable crossing area 450 First line, first fabric layer 451 Second line, first conductor track 452 Third line, second fabric layer 46 Emergency control, second conductor track 47 Radio module, middle layer, lower layer 5 Data evaluation unit, upper layer connection 6 Alarm unit, first connecting cable 60 Housing, first flexprint 61 Manual switch, second flexprint 62 Radio antenna, first connecting track 63 Button, second connecting track, loop 7, 7' Alarm system, temperature sensor

[0090] T emperature sensor cable 8 Sensor device

[0091] Control unit P Person in need of care Data recording unit H, H' Caregiver

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Sensor device (8) for monitoring a person (P) in need of care, the sensor device (8) comprising: a sensor unit (3) with at least one sensor (30) for determining measurement data and a transmission unit (41) for transmitting the measurement data to a data evaluation unit (5), characterized in that the sensor device (8) has a receiving unit (42) for receiving signals from the data evaluation unit (5) and that the sensor device (8) has an alarm unit (6) which is designed to automatically send a radio signal to an alarm system (7) for nursing staff (H) after receiving a signal from the data evaluation unit (5).

2. Sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit (41) and the receiving unit (42) are parts of a control unit (4), wherein the alarm unit (6) is connected to the control unit (4) or is integrated therein.

3. Sensor device according to claim 2, wherein at least part of the data evaluation unit (5) is integrated in the control unit (4).

4. Sensor device according to one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the alarm unit (6) is firmly connected to the control unit (4), preferably via a cable (45).

5. Sensor device according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the control unit (4) is fixedly or detachably connected to the sensor unit (3).

6. Sensor device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit (4) is connected to the sensor unit (3) via a cable connection (37, 44).

7. Sensor device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit (4) is connected to the sensor unit (3) exclusively via a cable connection (37, 44).

8. Sensor unit according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the control unit (4) is integrated in the sensor unit (3).

9. Sensor device according to one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the Control unit (3) is a microcontroller, preferably an ESP chip or a Raspberry Pi.

10. Sensor device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the Alarm unit (6) is a call button.

11. Sensor device according to claim 10 and one of claims 2 to 9, wherein an electronic circuit is provided for activating the call button (6) by means of the control unit (4) without actuating a mechanical switch (61) of the call button (6).

12. Sensor device according to one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the control unit (4) has a radio module (47) for transmitting the radio signal to the alarm system (7).

13. Sensor device according to claim 12, wherein the radio module (47) is designed to transmit the radio signal on different radio frequencies, and wherein the radio module is designed to transmit the radio signal in an adjustable, predefined radio frequency.

14. Sensor device according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the sensor unit (3) is a flat sensor unit, preferably a sensor mat.

15. Sensor device according to claim 14, wherein the sensor unit (3) is a pressure sensor unit, preferably a pressure sensor mat.

16. Sensor device according to claim 15, wherein the pressure sensor mat (3) has a grid of conductor tracks (310, 320) and wherein crossing points (30) of the grid are sensors.

17. Monitoring system with at least one sensor device (8) according to one of claims 1 to 16 and the data evaluation unit (5), wherein the Data evaluation unit (5) has means for evaluating the data received from the sensor device (8) in order to detect an emergency, and wherein it has means for sending a signal to the corresponding sensor device (8) when an emergency is detected, which enables the sensor device (8) to send a radio signal to the alarm system (7) for nursing staff (H) via the alarm unit (6).

18. A method for monitoring a person in need of care, by means of a sensor device (8), in particular according to one of claims 1 to 16, a data evaluation unit (5), in particular a monitoring system (5) according to claim 17, and an alarm system (7) for nursing staff (H), wherein measurement data are determined by means of a sensor unit (3) of the sensor device (()), wherein the measurement data are transmitted to the data evaluation unit (5) by means of a transmission unit (41) of the sensor device (8), wherein the data are evaluated in the data evaluation unit (5), wherein the data evaluation unit (5) sends a signal to the sensor device (8) when an emergency is detected by the data evaluation unit (5), wherein the signal in the sensor device (8) activates an alarm unit (6), and wherein the alarm unit (6) sends a radio signal to the alarm system (7) for nursing staff (H).

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the alarm system (7), with the exception of the alarm unit (6), is used as a system independent of the data evaluation unit (5).

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