UWB FMCW Antenna Arrays for Non-Intrusive Fall Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for monitoring individuals in home or building environments, such as cameras and wearable devices, fail to provide reliable and high-quality signals for detecting falls or life activities, as they are often forgotten or have power issues, and elderly individuals may not want to appear old by wearing monitoring devices.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a plurality of antenna arrays to process ultra-wide band (UWB) and frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) signals, which includes a housing with multiple levels and modules, an audio module with peripheral microphones, and artificial intelligence for signal processing, enabling non-intrusive monitoring of human activities and vital signs without the need for wearables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If cameras or wearable devices are used for monitoring, then monitoring coverage is improved, but reliability of detection signal deteriorates due to being forgotten or power issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/wearable monitoring devices with a passive RF sensing system that uses electromagnetic wave backscatter detection. The system substitutes physical contact requirements (wearables) and active power consumption (cameras) with passive electromagnetic field-based detection, eliminating the need for users to wear or interact with the monitoring device while maintaining continuous monitoring capability.
2Measurement precision
If wearable monitoring devices are used, then personal monitoring is improved, but user acceptance deteriorates due to appearance concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the monitoring function from the user's body by removing the need for wearable components. The monitoring capability is separated from the monitored object, allowing accurate detection of falls and activities without requiring the user to wear any visible or tangible device, thereby eliminating appearance-related social stigma.
3Measurement precision
If multiple antenna arrays are used for signal processing, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing system into multiple independent antenna arrays that can be spatially distributed and functionally separated. Each antenna array independently captures RF backscatter signals from different spatial locations, and the segmentation allows parallel signal processing that improves detection accuracy while maintaining modular system architecture that manages complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces spatial dimensionality by deploying multiple antenna arrays in different locations and orientations. This multi-dimensional spatial distribution of sensors enables the system to capture signals from multiple angles and positions, significantly improving fall detection accuracy and activity recognition without requiring complex single-point sensing mechanisms.
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
The system effectively captures and processes signals to detect human activities, falls, and vital signs with high accuracy, providing reliable monitoring without the limitations of traditional methods, such as wearables, and ensuring privacy while improving the detection of critical events like falls.
Implementation Method 1
process electromagnetic signal to detect an activity of a human user
Implementation Method 2
detect a fall or other activity of the human user from the backscattered signal
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, the present invention provides an UWB and FMCW sensor apparatus, with an audio module and inertial motion module. The apparatus has at least three transceiver modules. Each of the transceiver modules has an antenna array to be configured to sense a back scatter of electromagnetic energy from spatial location of a zero degree location in relation to a mid point of the device through a 360 degrees range where each antenna array is configured to sense a 120 degree range. In an example, each of the antenna array has a support member, a plurality of receiving antenna, a receiver integrated circuit coupled to the receiving antenna and configured to receive an incoming rf signal and covert the incoming rf signal into a base band signal, and a plurality of transmitting antenna.