Monitoring activities of daily living using radio frequency emissions

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a monitoring system is capable of monitoring the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) of one or more persons occupying a building. The monitoring system includes an information handling system having a radio-frequency (RF) scanner capable of scanning the RF ambient environment of the building. When an individual uses devices in the building that emit RF signals or emissions, the RF signals are detected by the RF scanner and analyzed by the information handling system. The characteristics of the detected RF signals are compared to a database of signature of known devices. If a detected RF signal matches the signature of a known device, the use of the device is logged into a database for ADL analysis.

1 . A method, comprising:
 scanning an RF spectrum of the RF ambient environment of a building;   detecting an RF signal in the scanned RF spectrum emitted from a device in the building, the detected RF signal comprising an RF signature of the device;   determining a device type of the device based on determining an identity of the device; and   if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the local database, storing the result in a log of activities occurring in the building.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein determining the identity of the device comprises finding the RF signature of the detected RF signal in a local database of known device RF signatures in the RF ambient environment of the building and obtaining a device identification associated with the RF signature in the local database. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identity of the device is determined if the detected RF signal has a level greater than a level of RF ambient background noise in the building. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising recording an anomaly if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match any known device RF signature in the local database. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match the known device RF signatures stored in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal matches a known device RF signature stored in a master database, and if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match any known device RF signature stored in the master database, logging an error. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is not found in the local database, whether the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in a master database; and   recording in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the master database, a device identification that is associated with the RF signature in the master database.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the determined device type is a personal computer, a motor, a fan, a gaming device, a personal digital assistant, a remote control, a phone, a television, a microwave, a light, an alarm, or a wireless doorbell. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of an individual in the building. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the log of activities comprises usage information of the device as the device is operated or used by the user. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising implementing an inference engine to analyze the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of an individual in the building. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an RF scanner coupled to an antenna to passively scan the RF spectrum in the RF ambient environment of a building; and   a processor coupled to said RF scanner, said processor being capable of:
 detecting an RF signal in the scanned RF spectrum emitted from a device in the building, the detected RF signal comprising an RF signature of the device, 
 determining a device type of the device based on determining an identity of the device, and 
 if the RF signature of the detected RF signal matches a known device RF signature in the database, storing the result in a log of activities occurring in the building. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein determining an identity of the device comprises finding the RF signature of the detected RF signal in a local database of known device RF signatures in the RF ambient environment of the building and obtaining a device identification associated with the RF signature in the local database. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further capable of executing said determining if the detected signal has a level greater than a level of RF ambient background noise in the building. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further capable of recording an anomaly if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match any known device RF signature in the local database. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further capable of:
 determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match the known device RF signatures stored in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal matches a known device RF signature in a master database, and if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match any known device RF signature stored in the master database, logging an error.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the processor is capable of implementing an inference engine to analyze the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of an individual in the building. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the log of activities comprises usage information of the device as the device is operated or used by the user. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further capable of:
 determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is not found in the local database, whether the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in a master database, and   recording in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the master database, a device identification that is associated with the RF signature in the master database.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further capable of analyzing the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of an individual in the building. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the device type is a personal computer, a motor, a fan, a gaming device, a personal digital assistant, a remote control, a phone, a television, a microwave, a light, an alarm, or a wireless doorbell.