Home Sensor Monitoring for Peril Detection and Caregiver Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to effectively detect individuals in peril within independent or assisted living environments and timely notify appropriate individuals or authorities, relying on self-reporting or caregiver awareness, which often results in unaddressed situations due to lack of constant monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and hardware controller system that analyzes sensor data from connected devices to detect perilous situations, generating real-time notifications to relevant individuals or authorities, facilitating immediate action and adjusting insurance policies accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If self-reporting or caregiver awareness is used to detect perilous situations, then device complexity is reduced, but response time and detection reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs sensors that automatically detect perilous situations without requiring manual reporting by individuals or continuous monitoring by caregivers. The sensors self-monitor environmental conditions and individual states, triggering automated notifications when thresholds are exceeded, thereby eliminating the need for complex human-in-the-loop monitoring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual reporting mechanisms and caregiver observation with automated sensor-based detection systems. Electronic sensors monitor vital signs, environmental conditions, and movement patterns, substituting human judgment and physical monitoring with objective, continuous electronic measurement and analysis.
2Reliability
If constant monitoring through sensors is implemented, then peril detection reliability improves, but use of energy and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic sampling of sensor data rather than continuous monitoring, analyzing vital signs and environmental conditions at predetermined intervals. This approach maintains detection reliability by capturing critical changes while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to uninterrupted monitoring streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies monitoring intensity adaptively, increasing sensor sampling frequency and notification urgency based on detected risk levels. During normal conditions, minimal monitoring maintains low energy use, while perilous situations trigger intensified observation and immediate alerting, ensuring reliable detection only when necessary.
3Loss of time
If real-time sensor data analysis is performed, then response time improves, but processing power and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes threshold values for vital signs and environmental conditions that indicate perilous situations. Sensors continuously compare incoming data against these predetermined thresholds using simple comparison logic rather than complex analysis, enabling immediate detection and notification when limits are exceeded without requiring substantial processing power.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system divides detection into separate modular sensor units, each responsible for specific parameters (vital signs, environmental conditions, movement). This segmentation allows independent, simple processing at each sensor node with minimal data aggregation required, reducing overall processing demands while maintaining comprehensive real-time monitoring capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present embodiments relate to detecting instances of individuals being in peril within an independent or assisted living environment. According to certain aspects, with an individual's permission or affirmative consent, a hardware controller (such as a smart or interconnected home controller, or even a mobile device) may receive and analyze sensor data detected within the independent or assisted living environment to determine whether an individual may be in peril. In this circumstance, the hardware controller may generate a notification that indicates the situation and may communicate the notification to a proper individual, such as a family member or care giver, who may be in a position to mitigate or alleviate any risks posed by the situation. The foregoing functionality also may be used by an insurance provider to generate, update, or adjust insurance policies, premiums, rates, or discounts, and/or make recommendations to an insured individual.