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Method for detecting potential falls and a fall detector

a technology of potential falls and detectors, applied in the field of potential falls detection, can solve the problems of inability to push the button, significant injuries, and help does not arrive for a significant period of time, and achieve the effect of removing noise and/or interferen

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-05-22
KONINKLJIJKE PHILIPS NV
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is about a method and device for detecting when someone is falling down. The invention improves the reliability of detecting potential falls, making it easier to prevent accidents.

Problems solved by technology

Falls affect millions of people each year and result in significant injuries, particularly among the elderly.
However, if the user suffers a severe fall (for example if they are knocked unconscious), the user might be unable to push the button, which might mean that help doesn't arrive for a significant period of time, particularly if the user lives alone.
However, the wrist is capable of complex movement patterns and has a large range of movement, which means that existing fall detection methods based on analyzing measurements from an accelerometer do not provide a sufficiently high detection rate while minimizing the number of false alarms for this type of fall detector.

Method used

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  • Method for detecting potential falls and a fall detector
  • Method for detecting potential falls and a fall detector
  • Method for detecting potential falls and a fall detector

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Embodiment Construction

[0035]A fall detector 2 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fall detector 2 is designed to be worn by a user on their wrist, although it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this use, and the fall detector 2 could instead be designed to be worn at the user's waist, on their chest or back or as a pendant around their neck or carried in their pocket.

[0036]In this exemplary embodiment, the fall detector 2 comprises two movement sensors—an accelerometer 4 and pressure sensor 6—which are connected to a processor 8. The processor 8 receives measurements from the movement sensors 4, 6, and processes the measurements to determine if a user of the fall detector 2 has suffered a fall. Although two movement sensors are shown in this embodiment, it will be appreciated that fall detectors according to alternative embodiments may comprise only one movement sensor (for example just the accelerometer 4)....

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Abstract

There is provided a fall detector for detecting a potential fall by a user, the fall detector comprising a sensor for measuring the skin conductivity of the user; and a processor for analyzing the skin conductivity measurements to determine whether the user has had a potential fall, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the skin conductivity measurements by matching the skin conductivity measurements to a predetermined skin conductivity response corresponding to a stressful event.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to a method for detecting potential falls by a user and a fall detector, and in particular relates to a method for detecting a potential fall and a fall detector that provides increased fall detection reliability.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0002]Falls affect millions of people each year and result in significant injuries, particularly among the elderly. In fact, it has been estimated that falls are one of the top three causes of death in elderly people. A fall is defined as a sudden, uncontrolled and unintentional downward displacement of the body to the ground, followed by an impact, after which the body stays down on the ground.[0003]Personal Help Buttons (PHBs) are available that require the user to push the button to summon help in an emergency. However, if the user suffers a severe fall (for example if they are knocked unconscious), the user might be unable to push the button, which might mean that help doesn't arrive ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A61B5/00A61B5/11
CPCA61B5/725A61B5/1117A61B5/1102A61B5/1126A61B5/02438G08B21/0446A61B5/14551A61B5/7275A61B5/0531G08B21/0453A61B2562/0219A61B5/021A61B5/7282A61B5/747A61B5/02055A61B5/7203H04M2250/12H04M3/5116G08B21/02G08B21/04A61B5/1116A61B5/11
Inventor ZHANG, WEIBAGGEN, CONSTANT PAUL MARIE JOZEFBALDUS, HERIBERTTEN KATE, WARNER RUDOLPH THEOPHILEOUWERKERK, MARTINSCHOOFS, ANTHONY ROBERT ANDRE
Owner KONINKLJIJKE PHILIPS NV
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