Sensor system for monitoring an observed person

Abstract

There is provided techniques for monitoring an observed person. A method is performed by a sensor system configured to be worn by a support animal tasked to monitor the observed person. The method comprises collecting local sensor data of the support animal. The method comprises monitoring biometric characteristics of the support animal based on the local sensor data, detecting an anomaly in the biometric characteristics, and identifying at least one external sensor device located in a surrounding of the sensor system, responsive to having detected the anomaly. The method comprises requesting remote sensor data pertaining to the observed person from the at least one external sensor device, receiving the remote sensor data from the at least one external sensor device, and transmitting, to a server device, the remote sensor data together with an identifier of the sensor system.

Description

[0001] P110722W001 1

[0002] SENSOR SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AN OBSERVED PERSON

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] Embodiments presented herein relate to a sensor system, a method, a computer program, and a computer program product for monitoring an observed person.

[0005] BACKGROUND

[0006] Existing systems for health and wellness monitoring of caretakers include wearables (such as smartwatches, personal social care alarms, etc.), telemetry equipment (such as cameras, microphones, speakers, sensors, etc.) installed in a household as well as support animals equipped with body harness (including sensors, etc.) for real time monitoring of the well-being of the caretaker. Some recent systems include humanoid-like robots for nursing interactions and monitoring of an assigned caretaker.

[0007] In general terms, existing systems health and wellness monitoring of caretakers are focused on monitoring one caretaker (hereinafter referred to as observed person) where the generated data mainly is associated to a specific service associated to this caretaker.

[0008] In US10993416 B2 is disclosed a body harness cum armor system for emotional support animals, such as dog. More particularly, a smart Artificial Intelligence (Al) powered body harness and armor system having integrated biometric sensors and video monitoring devices as part of a real time wireless cloud network are disclosed for monitoring and reporting on the health, wellbeing and status of the human owner, handler, or any person of interest within the proximity of the support animal and also monitoring and reporting on the health and biometrics of the support animal. A principle objective is to provide a smart Al powered animal body harness and armor system that allows support animals to collect and wirelessly communicate information to a global cloud network on their surroundings, the status and wellbeing of their human handlers or any person of interest together with animal's own emotional state of mind or health.

[0009] One issue is how to ensure data security and privacy in situations of a body harness and armor system that generate its own sensor data, its own observation data (when observing a person among a group of persons), together with data collected from the observed person’s sensors.

[0010] Hence, there is still a need for improved technologies for monitoring observed persons.

[0011] SUMMARY

[0012] An object of embodiments herein is to provide monitoring of an observed person in a way that improves data security and privacy compared to the above.

[0013] According to a first aspect there is presented a sensor system for monitoring an observed person. The sensor system is configured to be worn by a support animal tasked to monitor the observed person. The P110722W001 2 sensor system comprises a sensor module configured to collect local sensor data of the support animal. The sensor system comprises a processing module configured to monitor biometric characteristics of the support animal based on the local sensor data, detect an anomaly in the biometric characteristics, and, responsive to the anomaly having been detected, identify at least one external sensor device located in a surrounding of the sensor system. The sensor system comprises a communication module configured to request remote sensor data pertaining to the observed person from the at least one external sensor device, receive the remote sensor data from the at least one external sensor device, and transmit, to a server device, the remote sensor data together with an identifier of the sensor system.

[0014] According to a second aspect there is presented a piece of garment to be worn by a support animal. The piece of garment comprises a sensor system according to the first aspect.

[0015] According to a third aspect there is presented a method for monitoring an observed person. The method is performed by a sensor system configured to be worn by a support animal tasked to monitor the observed person. The method comprises collecting local sensor data of the support animal. The method comprises monitoring biometric characteristics of the support animal based on the local sensor data, detecting an anomaly in the biometric characteristics, and identifying at least one external sensor device located in a surrounding of the sensor system, responsive to having detected the anomaly. The method comprises requesting remote sensor data pertaining to the observed person from the at least one external sensor device, receiving the remote sensor data from the at least one external sensor device, and transmitting, to a server device, the remote sensor data together with an identifier of the sensor system.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect there is presented a computer program for monitoring an observed person. The computer program comprises computer code which, when run on processing circuitry of a sensor system configured to be worn by a support animal tasked to monitor the observed person, causes the sensor system to perform actions. One action comprises the sensor system to collect local sensor data of the support animal. One action comprises the sensor system to monitor biometric characteristics of the support animal based on the local sensor data, detect an anomaly in the biometric characteristics, and identify at least one external sensor device located in a surrounding of the sensor system, responsive to having detected the anomaly. One action comprises the sensor system to request remote sensor data pertaining to the observed person from the at least one external sensor device, receive the remote sensor data from the at least one external sensor device, and transmit, to a server device, the remote sensor data together with an identifier of the sensor system.

[0017] According to a fifth aspect there is presented a computer program product comprising a computer program according to the fourth aspect and a computer readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored. The computer readable storage medium could be a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. P110722W001 3

[0018] Advantageously, these aspects provide monitoring of an observed person in a way that improves data security and privacy compared to the above.

[0019] Advantageously, these aspects enable a support animal that has been trained, or instructed, to roam a confined space to, via the disclosed sensor system, act as an observation entity.

[0020] Advantageously, these aspects enable the sensor device to collect, analyze, and transmit different types of sensitive sensor data in a secure way.

[0021] Other objectives, features and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, from the attached dependent claims as well as from the drawings.

[0022] Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to "a / an / the element, apparatus, component, means, module, step, etc." are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, module, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.

[0023] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The inventive concept is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a sensor system according to an embodiment;

[0026] Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a surrounding depicting an observed person according to an embodiment;

[0027] Figs. 3 and 4 are flowcharts of methods according to embodiments;

[0028] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing structural units of a sensor system according to an embodiment;

[0029] Fig. 6 shows one example of a computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium according to an embodiment.

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The inventive concept will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the inventive concept are shown. This inventive concept may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description. Any step or feature illustrated by dashed lines should be regarded as optional. P110722W001 4

[0032] As noted above, there is still a need for improved technologies for monitoring observed persons.

[0033] In this respect, the herein disclosed embodiments are based on utilizing support animals equipped with sensor systems that are able to detect reactions from the support animal itself, to collect observations of the surroundings, as well as collect data from external sensors, and then convey information to a server device, indicating a detected anomaly in the behavior of the observed person.

[0034] The embodiments disclosed herein in particular relate to techniques for monitoring an observed person. In order to obtain such techniques, there is provided a sensor system, a method performed by the sensor system, a computer program product comprising code, for example in the form of a computer program, that when run on a sensor system, causes the sensor system to perform the method. There is also provided a piece of garment (such as harness, collar, etc.) to be worn by a support animal. The piece of garment comprises a sensor system as herein disclosed.

[0035] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a sensor system 110. The sensor system 110 comprises a number of modules 112a: 112f, namely a (first) sensor module 112a, a (second) sensor module 112b, a processing module 112c, a communication module 112d, a memory module 112e, and a power supply module 112f The functionality of each module 112a: 112f will be described below. The sensor system 110 can be provided in a piece of garment 130 (such as a harness, collar, or to be worn by a support animal 120 (such as a guide dog, etc.). The sensors modules 112a, 112b may comprise an inertial measurement unit (IMU), heartbeat rate monitor, camera, microphone, speaker, radar, lidar, or the like, configured to monitor reactions of both the support animal and its surroundings. The communication module 112d may comprise a short-range radio, a near-field communication radio, a Bluetooth radio, a radio modem for cellular connectivity, and / or a WiFi modem for wireless local area connection, or the like. The memory module 112e is configured to store instructions, program code, or the like, as well as sensor data obtained by the sensor modules 112a, 112b. The sensor system 110 is powered by a power supply module 112f which may comprise a battery, fuel cell, solar panel, or the like.

[0036] The processing module 112c is configured to control the overall operation of the sensor system 110, and for example to receive, combine, and interpret, sensor data as collected by the sensors modules 112a, 112b and as received via the communication module 112d. By means of the processing module 112c processing the sensor data, the sensor system 110 is enabled to monitor not only the support animal behavior and status, in terms of biometrics, or biomarkers, such as stress level, moving patterns, heartbeat rate, sounds, etc. but also sound, images, or other type of sensor data from a surrounding of the sensor system 110, that by the processing module 112c can be used to interpret the support animal’s reactions to external events in the surrounding and thereby to predict events and issue alarms as needed. For example, as will be further disclosed below, by combining different sensor data, the processing module 112c might establish the identity of an observed person. P110722W001 5

[0037] Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a surrounding 200 depicting an observed person 230. A sensor system 210 as described with reference to Fig. 1 is worn by a support animal 220. As will be further disclosed below, although only one support animal 220 is illustrated, multiple support animals may be present in the surrounding 200. In that, respective support animals may be trained to detect different types of emergencies and / or carry sensor systems 210 with different types of sensors modules 112a, 112b. The support animal 220 is, via the communication module 112d, able to receive sensor data from one or more external sensor devices 240, 250, such as an external sensor device 240 worn by the observed person 230 (e.g., a pulse monitor, heartbeat rate monitor, etc. as provided in a smart wearable, mobile phone, or the like) and external sensor device 250 in the form of a camera, or the like. Further, the sensor system 210 is configured to, by means of the communication module 112d, communicate with a (remote) server device 260. Here, the sensor system 210 may transmit sensor data to the server device 260 only upon having detected an anomaly in the biometric characteristics of the support animal 120, 220. Further, the sensor system 210 is configured to, by means of the communication module 112d, configured to initiate communication with a communication device 280 (as operated by an operator 290, such as a medically trained person) upon the remote sensor data having been transmitted to the server device 260. As will be further disclosed below, the sensor system 210 may verify that confirmation entity 270 has been activated before the remote sensor data is transmitted to the server device 260. In this respect, there could be different types of confirmation entities 270. For example, the confirmation entity 270 may be provided as a button the support animal 220 (or observed person 230) has been trained (or instructed) to push only when the observed person 230 is in an emergency, a string the support animal 220 (or observed person 230) has been trained (or instructed) to pull only when the observed person 230 is in an emergency, a photodiode the support animal 220 (or observed person 230) has been trained (or instructed) to activate only when the observed person 230 is in an emergency, etc.

[0038] Details of the operation of the sensor system 110, 210 for monitoring the observed person 230 will be disclosed next.

[0039] Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating embodiments of methods for monitoring an observed person 230. The methods are performed by the sensor system 110, 210. The sensor system 110, 210 is configured to be worn (as a piece of garment 130) by a support animal 120, 220 tasked to monitor the observed person 230. The methods are advantageously provided as computer programs.

[0040] It is assumed that the support animal is trained to react on a certain stimulus from the monitored person 230 or the surroundings, that the support animal sensory perceptions can detect. These reactions are captured by the sensor module 112a.

[0041] The method is based on the sensor system 110, 210 monitoring the support animal’s reactions to external events, as in step SI 04. P110722W001 6

[0042] SI 04: The sensor system 110, 210 collects local sensor data of the support animal 120, 220. Step SI 04 is performed by the sensor module 112a. Here, local sensor data can be collected that reflects the support animal’s own reactions.

[0043] If any anomaly detected, other sensors are identified, as in step SI 06.

[0044] S106: The sensor system 110, 210 monitors biometric characteristics of the support animal 120, 220 based on the local sensor data. The biometric characteristics may pertain to any, or any combination of body temperature of the support animal 120, 220, heartbeat rate of the support animal 120, 220, respiration rate of the support animal 120, 220, sound (such as barking) uttered by the support animal 120, 220, etc. Responsive to detecting an anomaly in the biometric characteristics, the sensor system 110, 210 identifies at least one external sensor device 240, 250 located in a surrounding 200 of the sensor system 110, 210. Step S106 is performed by the processing module 112c.

[0045] As disclosed with reference to Fig. 2, there may be different types of external sensor devices 240, 250, such as external sensor devices 240 worn by the observed person 230 and external sensor devices 250 configured to monitor the observed person 230. Sensor data as collected by any of these external sensor devices 240, 250 may thus be conveyed to the sensor system 110, 210. Data can then be collected and reported, as in step SI. In this way the sensor system 110, 210 can determine if a situation, event, alarm, etc., involving the observed person 230 requires further actions.

[0046] SI 10: The sensor system 110, 210 requests remote sensor data pertaining to the observed person 230 from the at least one external sensor device 240, 250. Step SI 10 is performed by the communication module 112d.

[0047] The remote sensor data may pertain to any, or any combination of body temperature of the observed person 230, heartbeat rate of the observed person 230, respiration rate of the observed person 230, image data depicting the surrounding 200, sound data recorded in the surrounding 200, pressure data as captured in the surrounding 200, body temperature of another support animal located in the surrounding 200, heartbeat rate of another support animal, respiration rate of another support animal, etc. The sensor system 110, 210 receives the remote sensor data from the at least one external sensor device 240, 250, and transmits, to a server device 260, the remote sensor data together with an identifier of the sensor system 110, 210.

[0048] In this respect, any data transmitted by the sensor system 110, 210 to the server device 260 and / or any other communication device 280 may be encrypted and / or any communication channel that is established between the sensor system 110, 210 and the server device 260 and / or any other communication device 280 is encrypted end-to-end.

[0049] In this way, the health state of a group of elderly person residing in an elderly care home can be monitored. The support animal is triggered to react responsive to a health situation of one of the observed P110722W001 7 persons. This reaction in turn triggers the sensor system to collect data and convey this data in a secure manner to a server device 260 and to establish a connection to a communication device 280 (see below), possible together with an alarm or notification for further action.

[0050] Embodiments relating to further details of monitoring an observed person 230 as performed by the sensor system 110, 210 will now be disclosed with continued reference to Fig. 3.

[0051] In some aspects, the sensor data is to be collected around the clock. However, in other aspects, the sensor data needs only to be collected at daytime or nighttime, etc. depending on the circumstances. The sensor data may therefore be collected by the sensor system 110, 210 either continuously or only during some limited time interval, for example depending on instructions (e.g., instructions with respect to time of day, location, light level, etc. during which the sensor data is to be collected) as received by the sensor system 110, 210 from the server device 260.

[0052] SI 02: The sensor system 110, 210 obtains information pertaining to conditions under which the local sensor data of the support animal 120, 220 is to be collected. Step SI 02 is performed by the communication module 112d.

[0053] The sensor system 110, 210 then in step SI 04 collects the local sensor data in accordance with the information.

[0054] In some aspects, the sensor system 110, 210 identifies which individual a certain set of data is associated to, as in optional step S108.

[0055] SI 08: The sensor system 110, 210 identifies which observed person 230 the remote sensor data pertains to. Step S108 is performed by the processing module 112c.

[0056] For example, the processing module 112c may correlate the sensor data as collected by the sensor modules 112a, 112b with sensor data as received via the communication module 112d. Thus, the sensor system 110 is configured to identify which individual a certain set of sensor data is associated to and to determine if this sensor data requires further analysis or not. If no further analysis is needed, the sensor data can be removed from the memory module 112e.

[0057] In some aspects, the biometric characteristics of the support animal and the remote sensor data are associated to an event, where also identification of the event is transmitted to the server device, as in steps S112 and S122.

[0058] SI 12: The sensor system 110, 210 associates the biometric characteristics and the remote sensor data with an event pertaining to the observed person 230. Step SI is performed by the processing module 112c.

[0059] SI 22: The sensor system 110, 210 transmits, to the server device 260, an indication of the event together with the remote sensor data. Step S122 is performed by the communication module 112d. P110722W001 8

[0060] As already disclosed with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the sensor system 110, 210 might collect sensor data also from the surrounding 200 of the support animal 120, 220 using a second sensor module 112b in the sensor system 110, 210. That is, in some embodiments, the remote sensor data is first remote sensor data, the sensor module 112a is a first sensor module 112a, and the sensor system 110, 210 is configured to perform optional step SI 14.

[0061] SI 14: The sensor system 110, 210, responsive to the anomaly having been detected collects second remote sensor data in the surrounding 200 of the sensor system 110, 210. Step SI is performed by the second sensor module 112b.

[0062] The sensor system 110, 210 could then transmit, to the server device 260, the second remote sensor data together with the first remote sensor data in step SI 22.

[0063] In this respect, the second remote sensor data may be sent as an aggregation to the first remote sensor data. Further, the second remote sensor data may be pre-processed before being transmitted to the server device 260.

[0064] In some aspects, the sensor system 110, 210 checks that the performance is not within some acceptable interval before providing the data to the server device, as in step SI 18.

[0065] SI 18: The sensor system 110, 210 verifies, based on the biometric characteristics and the remote sensor data, that a health condition of the observed person 230 is more severe than a health condition threshold, before the remote sensor data is transmitted to the server device 260. Step SI 18 is performed by the processing module 112c.

[0066] In some aspects, the sensor system 110, 210 implements some privacy-protecting measures with respect to the remote sensor data. For example, a series of thresholds can be set (or similarly: adaptively setting the thresholds) depending on the privacy context of the observed person 230, as in step SI 16.

[0067] SI 16: The sensor system 110, 210 estimates a privacy level of the observed person 230 based on the remote sensor data, and sets the health condition threshold as a function of the privacy level. Step SI 16 is performed by the processing module 112c.

[0068] Here, the observed person’s context and surrounding 200 can be taken into consideration to create an understanding of how intrusive the triggering of the data transmission to the server device would be. As an illustrative example, in this way it can be considered whether the observed person is currently among other people or in a privacy-sensitive environment (in a bathroom, etc.).

[0069] However, if it is considered that the collected sensor data indicates an emergency situation and that the observed person is in immediate danger, no privacy protection measures may be activated. The sensor data may then be provided with a tag, or attribute, denoting that the sensor data has been collected during P110722W001 9 an assumed emergency. The presence of such a tag, or attribute, in later processing -management-handling of this sensor data may activate certain notifications and / or rules for storage, access (given that the sensor data may be intrusive but an action needs to be taken for that sake of mitigating a possible injury sustained by the observed person), and further handling accordingly.

[0070] However, in case the observed person is not in immediate danger, there may be an additional contextual trigger that needs to be met prior to any sensor data being transmitted. In this case, a series of additional threshold could be established, e.g., one threshold monitoring the emergency level, one threshold monitoring decreasing privacy breach and a second being a time threshold indicating a maximum of amount of time which is allowed to pass until the data must be sent. Thus, collected sensor data is allowed to be transmitted only when at least one of these additional thresholds have exceeded. These thresholds can be set up by health professionals, by means of training a machine learning model, be set in accordance with at least one physical and / or mental impairment and / or medical condition, and / or be adjusted for a specific observed person.

[0071] In further aspects, the sensor system needs to confirm that a confirmation entity 270 has been activated before any sensor data is sent to the server device, as in step SI 20.

[0072] S120: The sensor system 110, 210 receives confirmation of activation of the confirmation entity 270. Step S120 is performed by the communication module 112d.

[0073] The remote sensor data is then in step SI 22 not transmitted to the server device 260 until the confirmation of activation has been received from the confirmation entity 270.

[0074] The sensor system 110, 210 may then initiate a camera, microphone, and speaker (at the sensor system 110, 210) to start communication with some appropriate resources (as represented by the communication device 280), as in step S124.

[0075] SI 24: The sensor system 110, 210 initiates the communication module 112d for communication with a communication device 280 upon the remote sensor data having been transmitted to the server device 260. Step S 124 is performed by the processing module 112c.

[0076] As disclosed above, multiple support animals may be present in the surrounding 200. In that, respective support animals may be trained to detect different types of emergencies and / or carry sensor systems 210 with different types of sensors modules 112a, 112b. Here, a first support animal’s reaction to an event (given the type of events the first support animal has been trained to detect), may with the reception of an event trigger by the server device 260, where the server device 260 determines that the suite of sensors carried by the first support animal may be insufficient and from that determine, and therefore, provide a request towards the sensor system carried by at least one second support animal sensor to activate certain sensors. For example, a first support animal trained to offer generic assistance may react to an observed person that has fallen to the floor, but the sensors of the sensor system carried by this first support animal P110722W001 10 do not have capabilities to detect any reason (e.g., that the observed person has fallen due to low blood sugar levels, etc.), the server device may instruct the sensor system carried some other support animal present in the same surrounding present but not yet reacting to be activated. This may be the case for large buildings, or other types of venues, where respective support animals may not be in direct, or immediate, audial / visible contact with each other. In this way, a sensor in the sensor system carried by a first support animal may trigger the sensor systems carried e.g., by a predefined group of support animals, a predefined part of a group, etc. to be activated depending on their capabilities, presence, absence, in a certain area in relation to what capabilities a specific sensor device may add.

[0077] Reference is next made to the flowchart of Fig. 4 disclosing one embodiment for monitoring an observed person 230 according to the previously described embodiments. The sensor system is initiated (S201) and local sensor data of the support animal (e.g., movement, location, body temperature, heartbeat rate, respiration rate) is obtained (S202). The sensor system checks for anomalies in the obtained data (S203) by monitoring biometric characteristics of the support animal 120, 220 based on the local sensor data. If there are non-perceivable anomalies, a timer is set (S205) and once the timer has expired, step S202 can be entered again for new local sensor data to be collected. If there is a perceived anomaly, at least one external sensor device (such as mobile phone, smart watch, camera, etc.) is identified (S204) for more information, such as heartbeat rate (or other types of biometric information), location, sleeping pattern, activity record, surrounding noise, etc. of the monitored person to be collected (S206). In this way, also the location, heartbeat rate, and other information of the monitored person can be obtained. Here, a connection can be established between the sensor system and the at least one external sensor device via some wireless short-range communication technology, such as near-field communication, Bluetooth, WiFi, etc. Once remote sensor data from the at least one external sensor device has been obtained, the sensor system can gather all the information (i.e., the local sensor data and the remote sensor data) together (S207). The sensor system then checks if the performance of the collected sensor data is within some predefined threshold (S208). If the performance is within an acceptable threshold, there is not any anomaly, and a timer is set (S209) and once the timer has expired, step S202 can be entered again for new local sensor data to be collected. On the other hand, if the performance is not within an acceptable threshold, there is an anomaly. The sensor system then activates a confirmation entity (S210) and checks whether or not any verification is obtained from the confirmation entity (S211). The use of the confirmation entity creates a double check to avoid false emergency calls. If no verification is obtained from the confirmation entity, a timer is set (S212) and once the timer has expired, step S202 can be entered again for new local sensor data to be collected. If the confirmation entity is triggered, and thus the sensor system obtains verification from the confirmation entity, the sensor system transmits all the gathered sensor data to a server device (S213). Further, upon the remote sensor data having been transmitted to the server device, the sensor device activates a camera, microphone, and speaker in the sensor device (S214) and then initiates communication between the camera, microphone, and speaker in the sensor device with a communication device. P110722W001 11

[0078] Fig. 5 schematically illustrates, in terms of a number of structural units, the components of a sensor system 500 according to an embodiment. Processing circuitry 510 is provided using any combination of one or more of a suitable central processing unit (CPU), multiprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), etc., capable of executing software instructions stored in a computer program product 610 (as in Fig. 6), e.g. in the form of a storage medium 530. The processing circuitry 510 may further be provided as at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0079] Particularly, the processing circuitry 510 is configured to cause the sensor system 500 to perform a set of operations, or steps, as disclosed above. For example, the storage medium 530 may store the set of operations, and the processing circuitry 510 may be configured to retrieve the set of operations from the storage medium 530 to cause the sensor system 500 to perform the set of operations. The set of operations may be provided as a set of executable instructions.

[0080] Thus, the processing circuitry 510 is thereby arranged to execute methods as herein disclosed. The storage medium 530 may also comprise persistent storage, which, for example, can be any single one or combination of magnetic memory, optical memory, solid state memory or even remotely mounted memory. The sensor system 500 may further comprise a communications (comm.) interface 520 at least configured for communications with other entities, functions, nodes, and devices, as illustrated in Fig. 2. As such the communications interface 520 may comprise one or more transmitters and receivers, comprising analogue and digital components.

[0081] The sensor system 500 comprises one or more sensors 540, as disclosed above. The sensor system 500 is powered via a power supply 550. The power supply 550 may comprise one or more fuel cells, solar panel, batteries, or the like, and / or may be connectible to a power outlet.

[0082] The components of the sensor system 500 are interconnected via a bus 560. The processing circuitry 510 controls the general operation of the sensor system 500 e.g. by sending data and control signals over the bus 560 to the communications interface 520, the storage medium 530, and the sensors 540, and by receiving data and reports from the communications interface 520, by retrieving data and instructions from the storage medium 530, and by receiving data from the sensors. Other components, as well as the related functionality, of the sensor system 500 are omitted in order not to obscure the concepts presented herein.

[0083] Fig. 6 shows one example of a computer program product 610 comprising computer readable storage medium 630. On this computer readable storage medium 630, a computer program 620 can be stored, which computer program 620 can cause the processing circuitry 510 and thereto operatively coupled entities and devices, such as the communications interface 520 and the storage medium 530, to execute methods according to embodiments described herein. The computer program 620 and / or computer program product 610 may thus provide means for performing any steps as herein disclosed. P110722W001 12

[0084] In the example of Fig. 6. the computer program product 610 is illustrated as an optical disc, such as a CD (compact disc) or a DVD (digital versatile disc) or a Blu-Ray disc. The computer program product 610 could also be embodied as a memory, such as a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and more particularly as a non-volatile storage medium of a device in an external memory such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or a Flash memory, such as a compact Flash memory. Thus, while the computer program 620 is here schematically shown as a track on the depicted optical disk, the computer program 620 can be stored in any way which is suitable for the computer program product 610. The inventive concept has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the inventive concept, as defined by the appended patent claims.

Claims

P110722W001 13CLAIMS1. A sensor system (110, 210, 500) for monitoring an observed person (230), wherein the sensor system (110, 210, 500) is configured to be worn by a support animal (120, 220) tasked to monitor the observed person (230), and wherein the sensor system (110, 210, 500) comprises: a sensor module (112a) configured to: collect local sensor data of the support animal (120, 220); a processing module (112c) configured to: monitor biometric characteristics of the support animal (120, 220) based on the local sensor data, detect an anomaly in the biometric characteristics, and, responsive to the anomaly having been detected, identify at least one external sensor device (240, 250) located in a surrounding (200) of the sensor system (110, 210, 500); and a communication module (112d) configured to: request remote sensor data pertaining to the observed person (230) from the at least one external sensor device (240, 250), receive the remote sensor data from the at least one external sensor device (240, 250), and transmit, to a server device (260), the remote sensor data together with an identifier of the sensor system (110, 210, 500).

2. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to claim 1, wherein the communication module (112d) further is configured to: obtain information pertaining to conditions under which the local sensor data of the support animal (120, 220) is to be collected, and wherein the sensor module (112a) is configured to: collect the local sensor data in accordance with the information.

3. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the processing module (112c) further is configured to: identify which observed person (230) the remote sensor data pertains to.

4. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to any preceding claim, wherein the remote sensor data is first remote sensor data, wherein the sensor module (112a) is a first sensor module (112a), and wherein the sensor system (110, 210, 500) further comprises: a second sensor module (112b) configured to, responsive to the anomaly having been detected: collect second remote sensor data in the surrounding (200) of the sensor system (110, 210, 500), and wherein the communication module (112d) further is configured to: transmit, to the server device (260), the second remote sensor data together with the first remote sensor data.

5. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to any preceding claim,P110722W001 14 wherein the processing module (112c) further is configured to: associate the biometric characteristics and the remote sensor data with an event pertaining to the observed person (230), and wherein the communication module (112d) further is configured to: transmit, to the server device (260), an indication of the event together with the remote sensor data.

6. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to any preceding claim, wherein the processing module (112c) further is configured to: verify, based on the biometric characteristics and the remote sensor data, that a health condition of the observed person (230) is more severe than a health condition threshold, before the remote sensor data is transmitted to the server device (260).

7. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to claim 6, wherein the processing module (112c) further is configured to: estimate a privacy level of the observed person (230) based on the remote sensor data, and to set the health condition threshold as a function of the privacy level.

8. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to any preceding claim, wherein the communication module (112d) further is configured to: receive confirmation of activation of a confirmation entity (270), and wherein the processing module (112c) further is configured to: verify that the confirmation of activation has been received from the confirmation entity (270) before the remote sensor data is transmitted to the server device (260).

9. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to any preceding claim, wherein the processing module (112c) further is configured to: initiate the communication module (112d) for communication with a communication device (280) upon the remote sensor data having been transmitted to the server device (260).

10. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to any preceding claim, wherein the biometric characteristics pertain to any, or any combination of: body temperature of the support animal (120, 220), heartbeat rate of the support animal (120, 220), respiration rate of the support animal (120, 220), sound uttered by the support animal (120, 220).

11. The sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to any preceding claim,P110722W001 15 wherein the remote sensor data is any, or any combination of: body temperature of the observed person (230), heartbeat rate of the observed person (230), respiration rate of the observed person (230), image data depicting the surrounding (200), sound data recorded in the surrounding (200), pressure data as captured in the surrounding (200), body temperature of another support animal located in the surrounding (200), heartbeat rate of said another support animal, respiration rate of said another support animal.

12. A piece of garment (130) to be worn by a support animal (120, 220), wherein the piece of garment (130) comprises a sensor system (110, 210, 500) according to any preceding claim.

13. A method for monitoring an observed person (230), wherein the method is performed by a sensor system (110, 210, 500) configured to be worn by a support animal (120, 220) tasked to monitor the observed person (230), and wherein the method comprises: collecting (SI 04) local sensor data of the support animal (120, 220); monitoring (S 106) biometric characteristics of the support animal (120, 220) based on the local sensor data, detecting an anomaly in the biometric characteristics, and identifying at least one external sensor device (240, 250) located in a surrounding (200) of the sensor system (110, 210, 500), responsive to having detected the anomaly; and requesting (SI 10) remote sensor data pertaining to the observed person (230) from the at least one external sensor device (240, 250), receiving the remote sensor data from the at least one external sensor device (240, 250), and transmitting, to a server device (260), the remote sensor data together with an identifier of the sensor system (110, 210, 500).

14. A computer program (620) for monitoring an observed person (230), the computer program (620) comprising computer code which, when run on a sensor system (110, 210, 500) configured to be worn by a support animal (120, 220) tasked to monitor the observed person (230), causes the sensor system (110, 210, 500) to: collect (SI 04) local sensor data of the support animal (120, 220); monitor (SI 06) biometric characteristics of the support animal (120, 220) based on the local sensor data, detect an anomaly in the biometric characteristics, and identify at least one external sensor device (240, 250) located in a surrounding (200) of the sensor system (110, 210, 500), responsive to having detected the anomaly; and request (SI 10) remote sensor data pertaining to the observed person (230) from the at least one external sensor device (240, 250), receive the remote sensor data from the at least one external sensorP110722W001 16 device (240, 250), and transmit, to a server device (260), the remote sensor data together with an identifier of the sensor system (110, 210, 500).

15. A computer program product (610), the computer program product (610) comprising a computer program (620) according to claim 14, and a computer readable storage medium (620) on which the computer program (620) is stored.

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