Mental Health Anomaly Detection Using Machine-Learning Baselines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Individuals dealing with mental health issues often face challenges in accessing professional help, adhering to treatment plans, and managing their condition due to travel barriers, cost, and personal preferences, leading to self-treatment or neglect, which negatively impacts their quality of life and that of others.

Innovation Solution

A mental health user system that creates a baseline user behavior profile using machine learning, monitors behavior, and provides tailored interventions such as encouragement, social connectivity, and emergency services to return behavior to normal levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a person engages a mental health professional directly for treatment, then the quality of mental health care is improved, but the accessibility and affordability are reduced due to travel requirements, session costs, and difficulty in maintaining follow-through

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality of mental health careVSAvoidaccessibility to mental health care

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of sensors, processors, and communication devices that mediate between the user and mental health professionals. This intermediary automatically collects behavioral data, detects anomalies, and triggers appropriate responses, eliminating the need for direct continuous engagement while maintaining care quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by automatically monitoring user behavior through sensors, creating baseline profiles, detecting anomalies, and providing automated responses or alerts to professionals. This reduces the burden of manual treatment management while maintaining reliable care through automated follow-through

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional in-person mental health sessions are used, then personalized treatment is provided, but the time and cost resources are increased due to travel and scheduling requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepersonalized treatmentVSAvoidtime for travel and sessions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of in-person meetings with an automated electronic monitoring and communication system. Sensors continuously collect data, processors analyze behavioral patterns, and communication devices deliver personalized interventions, eliminating travel time while maintaining treatment personalization through automated adaptation to user needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If continuous monitoring and intervention systems are implemented, then the effectiveness of treatment is improved, but the complexity of the system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of treatmentVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the monitoring system into distinct functional modules: sensor units for data collection, processing units for baseline creation and anomaly detection, and communication units for intervention delivery. This segmentation manages complexity by distributing functions across separate components while maintaining effective continuous monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs multi-functional components that perform multiple tasks. For example, the same sensor array monitors various behavioral parameters, the processor both creates baselines and detects anomalies, and the communication device delivers both automated responses and professional alerts, reducing overall system complexity through functional consolidation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12462918B2Mental health anomaly detection and guidance

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to mental health anomaly detection and guidance. According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a mental health user system can create a baseline user behavior profile for a user. The mental health user system can monitor a behavior of the user. The mental health user system can determine whether the behavior of the user is anomalous in comparison to the baseline user behavior profile. The mental health user system can, in response to determining that the behavior of the user is anomalous, provide a treatment to the user to return the behavior to be consistent with the baseline user behavior profile.