User Device Threat Prediction With Modular Sensor Fusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users may not be aware of potential bodily safety threats due to the lack of apparent danger signals, necessitating a system to predict and alert them of such threats.

Innovation Solution

A user device with a personal threat application communicates with a server to analyze the user's situation and environmental conditions, using onboard and external sensors, historical data, and machine learning to predict threats and alert the user or engage defensive measures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the system uses multiple sensors and data sources to improve threat detection accuracy, then the measurement precision and reliability improve, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethreat detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments threat detection into multiple independent sensor modules (motion sensors, audio sensors, environmental sensors) that can be individually managed and processed. Each sensor type focuses on specific threat indicators, allowing the system to achieve high detection accuracy through coordinated modular components rather than a monolithic complex system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The user device is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both a personal threat detection system and a general-purpose computing device. The same processor and communication interfaces used for standard device operations are leveraged to analyze sensor data and generate threat alerts, eliminating the need for dedicated specialized hardware and reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If the system continuously monitors environmental conditions and user situation data, then the reliability of threat prediction improves, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethreat prediction reliabilityVSAvoiddevice energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic sampling of environmental conditions and user situation data rather than continuous monitoring. Sensors take measurements at predetermined time intervals, and the processor analyzes accumulated data periodically to update threat predictions. This approach maintains reliable threat detection while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous real-time monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the device's existing processing capabilities and idle computational resources to analyze sensor data and generate threat assessments. Rather than requiring dedicated high-power monitoring hardware, the threat prediction function leverages the device's normal operational processing cycles, thereby minimizing additional energy consumption while maintaining prediction reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12382268B2Predictive personal threat levels via user device
Publication Date: 2025.08.05 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P
  • US12382268B2 patent drawing
  • US12382268B2 patent drawing
  • US12382268B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The disclosed technology is directed towards detection of personal threats to a user based on information known to a user's device and other information. A device with a personal threat application program and server communicate information, including data describing the user's current physical situation, e.g., including current location. The server and/or application program obtain data describing environmental conditions around the user's location, e.g., corresponding to a defined personal zone. The personal zone size automatically can vary based on current factors. Based on the situation and environmental data reaching a threshold threat level, a potential threat to the user can be predicted and the prediction, used to take some action, such as to send an alert to the user and/or otherwise output a warning signal. Historical data such as statistics related to the user's current location can be accessed to assist with the prediction.