Motion Detector Placement for Dementia Patient Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing monitoring systems for individuals with dementia or mental disorders in institutional settings face challenges such as discomfort and refusal to wear wristbands, battery maintenance issues, and unreliable operation, leading to potential unauthorized movements.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing at least two motion detectors with non-superimposed beams to detect and track individuals' movements within predefined locations, raising an alarm only if the detected locations do not form a consecutive line from an initial to a destination location, eliminating the need for wearable devices and battery maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wristband monitoring system is used, then person movement can be tracked, but the system becomes uncomfortable and unreliable due to battery maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the wristband device from the monitored person and relocates it to the building infrastructure. Motion detectors are installed in fixed positions throughout the building, eliminating the need for persons to wear any device. This extraction resolves the discomfort and battery maintenance issues while maintaining monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces motion detectors as intermediary devices that detect person presence and movement indirectly through electromagnetic beams or other detection mechanisms. These detectors serve as mediators between the monitoring system and the persons being monitored, enabling tracking without direct contact or wearable devices.
2Reliability
If multiple wristbands are deployed, then comprehensive monitoring is achieved, but battery replacement and charging becomes extremely time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power battery component entirely from the monitoring system by replacing wearable battery-powered wristbands with fixed motion detectors that draw power from the building's electrical infrastructure. This eliminates battery replacement and charging activities completely, resolving the time loss issue while maintaining comprehensive monitoring coverage through strategically placed detectors.
3Area of stationary object
If motion detectors with wide beams are used, then coverage area is increased, but detection precision and location tracking capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the building into multiple monitoring zones, each covered by a separate motion detector with a narrow beam. By segmenting the large coverage area into smaller zones, the system maintains precise location detection within each zone while achieving comprehensive building-wide monitoring through the collective coverage of multiple detectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single wide beam detection approach to a multi-detector three-dimensional monitoring network. By arranging detectors at different positions and using narrow beams, the system creates precise spatial tracking capability through the geometric relationship between multiple detection points, resolving the precision-coverage trade-off.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution minimizes costs and equipment, provides inconspicuous monitoring, and operates independently of battery requirements, ensuring reliable tracking of individuals' movements without the need for wristbands or batteries.
Implementation Method 1
directing, by means of at least two motion detectors fastened to the building, into a room being monitored at least two non-superimposed beams
Data Source
AI summary
The movement of persons is indicated at least at two predefined locations in a building with motion detectors intended for monitoring each location and fastened to the building. By means of the detections, the movement of each person is detected from a predefined initial location to a predefined destination location in a predefined time without raising an alarm if the detected locations of the person form a line of predefined consecutive locations. Otherwise, an alarm is raised.