RF Activity Detection System for Person Attribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing monitoring systems for the elderly or individuals with pathologies face challenges in distinguishing the origin of actions within a shared living space, as they often involve external caregivers or multiple family members, leading to difficulties in data collection and high costs associated with video cameras or complex installations.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising activity detectors and portable objects with radio frequency communication capabilities, allowing for the attribution of actions to specific individuals through a series of radio frames and response characteristics, enabling discrimination without cameras and at a lower cost, using a radio frequency communication between activity detectors and portable objects to identify the origin of actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If video cameras are used to identify the origin of actions, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces video cameras (optical/mechanical system) with radio frequency communication between portable objects and activity detectors. Each portable object carries a unique identifier, and when an action is detected, the system queries portable objects in the vicinity to identify who performed the action, eliminating the need for visual surveillance while maintaining identification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces portable objects as intermediaries between the activity detectors and the monitoring system. These portable objects carry unique identifiers and communicate via radio frequency, serving as mediators that link the detection of actions to the identification of the person performing them, without requiring direct visual observation.
2Measurement precision
If real-time location devices are used to track individuals, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The portable objects automatically perform location tracking and identification functions without requiring complex external infrastructure. Each portable object independently communicates its location and identity to activity detectors via radio frequency, enabling self-service tracking that eliminates the need for complex installation systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex real-time location systems with simple radio frequency communication between portable objects and detectors. The portable objects continuously broadcast their presence and identity, and detectors query them when actions occur, providing location accuracy through simple RF communication rather than complex positioning infrastructure.
3Device complexity
If passive RFID labels are used to identify persons, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of action attribution decreases due to signal activation issues
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on continuous passive RFID signals that may not activate reliably, the system uses periodic active communication. When an activity detector detects an action, it actively queries portable objects in the vicinity, ensuring that the portable object responds with its identifier. This periodic active communication pattern improves reliability of action attribution while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by having portable objects continuously maintain radio frequency readiness and by having activity detectors pre-positioned to detect actions before querying for identification. This preliminary preparation ensures that when an action occurs, the identification process can immediately proceed without signal activation delays.
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
Enables accurate attribution of actions to specific individuals in a shared living space without cameras, providing a cost-effective and simple implementation for monitoring daily activities, allowing for the collection and analysis of data on essential functions like eating and toileting.
Implementation Method 1
a radio emission module configured to issue an action signal detected in the form of a series of radio frames
Implementation Method 2
a radio emission/reception module configured to receive the signal issued by the activity detection system, and to issue an answer comprising one or more characteristics associated in addition to the received signal
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for monitoring the daily activities of a person in a living space, said system comprising at least one activity detector and a wearable device intended to be carried by the person being monitored. The system of the invention is particular in that: - the at least one activity detector comprises a radio transmit/receive module configured to emit a signal indicating detected action in the form of a series of radio frames upon detection of any action it is monitoring; and - the wearable device comprises computing means and a radio transmit/receive module configured to receive the signal emitted by the activity detection device and to emit a response comprising one or more additional characteristics associated with the received signal; and in that;-said system comprises a remote information system including memory and computing means configured to collect data associated with the signal or signals of actions detected by said activity detector, and with the response or responses of the wearable device, said information system performing an event analysis in which a detected action is attributed to the wearable device of a tracked person based on a signal/response association to a detected action, and the characteristics contained in said response. The invention also relates to a method of event analysis.