Personal Assistance Monitoring System

Abstract

A personal assistance monitor for estimating whether a person needs assistance or not, and for requesting assistance, when appropriate. Some embodiments of the present invention can request help for a person even if the person is unconscious or paralyzed. The illustrative embodiment comprises two bracelets—one is worn on a person's right wrist and the other is worn on the left wrist. Each bracelet comprises an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the wrist to which it is affixed. The measures of motion detected by both bracelets are analyzed for insight into the person's well-being. When the illustrative embodiment estimates that the person needs assistance, the illustrative embodiment prompts the person to decline assistance. When the person declines assistance, the illustrative embodiment continues monitoring the person. In contrast, when the person fails to decline the offer of assistance, the illustrative embodiment requests help.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person's body;   generating, by a processor, an estimate of well-being of the person based on the first measure of motion;   in response to determining that the estimate of well-being of the person fails to reach a threshold of well-being, generating, with a first output device, a prompt to decline assistance;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion;   generating, based on the second measure of motion, an estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the prompt to decline assistance; and   in response to determining that the estimate of whether the person has declined assistance indicates that the person has failed to decline assistance, transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on an estimate of the location of the person.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on a measure of ambient light level in the vicinity of the person.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on a measure of ambient sound level in the vicinity of the person.   
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person's body;   generating, by a processor, a first estimate of well-being of the person based on the first measure of motion;   in response to determining that the first estimate of well-being of the person fails to reach a threshold of well-being as characterized by a first value of a parameter, generating, with a first output device, a first prompt for the person to decline assistance;   in response to determining that the person declines assistance in response to the first prompt, modifying the first value of the parameter to generate a second value of the parameter;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating a second estimate of well-being of the person based on the second measure of motion;   in response to determining that the second estimate of well-being of the person fails to reach a threshold of well-being as characterized by the second value of the parameter, then generating, with the first output device, a second prompt for the person to decline assistance;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a third measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating an estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the second prompt based on the third measure of motion;   in response to determining that the estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the second prompt indicates that the person has failed to decline assistance, then transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18   wherein the first estimate of well-being of the person is further based on an estimate of the location of the person.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18   wherein the first estimate of well-being of the person is further based on a measure of ambient light level in the vicinity of the person.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18   wherein the first estimate of well-being of the person is further based on a measure of ambient sound level in the vicinity of the person.   
     
     
         23 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person's body;   generating, by a processor, a first motion profile based on the first measure of motion;   in response to determining that the first motion profile exhibits a sign of distress as characterized by a first value of a parameter, generating, with a first output device, a first prompt for the person to decline assistance;   if the person declines assistance in response to the first prompt, then modifying the first value of the parameter to generate a second value of the parameter;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating a second motion profile based on the second measure of motion;   in response to determining that the second motion profile exhibits the sign of distress as characterized by the second value of the parameter, then generating, with the first output device, a second prompt for the person to decline assistance;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a third measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating an estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the second prompt based on the third measure of motion; and   in response to determining that the estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the second prompt indicates that the person has failed to decline assistance, transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator. 
     
     
         25 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person's body;   generating, by a processor, a first estimate of well-being of the person based on the first measure of motion;   in response to determining that the first estimate of well-being of the person fails to reach a threshold of well-being as characterized by a first value of a parameter, then generating, with a first output device, a first prompt for the person to decline assistance;   in response to determining that the person declines assistance in response to the first prompt, then modifying the first value of the parameter to generate a second value of the parameter;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating a second estimate of well-being of the person based on the second measure of motion; and   in response to determining that the second estimate of well-being of the person fails to reach a threshold of well-being as characterized by the second value of the parameter, then generating, with the first output device, a second prompt for the person to decline assistance; and   in response to determining that the person fails to decline assistance in response to the second prompt, then transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person;   wherein the failure of the first estimate of well-being of the person to reach the threshold of well-being indicates distress that is independent of a fall.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on an estimate of the location of the person.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on a measure of ambient light level in the vicinity of the person.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on a measure of ambient sound level in the vicinity of the person.   
     
     
         33 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person's body;   generating, by a processor, a first estimate of well-being of the person based on the first measure of motion;   in response to determining that the first estimate of well-being of the person fails to reach a first threshold of well-being as characterized by a first value of a parameter, generating, with a first output device, a first prompt for the person to decline assistance;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion;   generating an estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the first prompt based on the second measure of motion;   in response to determining that the estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the first prompt indicates that the person has failed to decline assistance, modifying the first value of the parameter to generate a second value of the parameter;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a third measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating a second estimate of well-being of the person based on the third measure of motion;   in response to determining that the second estimate of well-being of the person fails to reach the threshold of well-being as characterized by the second value of the parameter, generating, with the first output device, a second prompt for the person to decline assistance; and   in response to determining that the person fails to decline assistance in response to the second prompt, transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person.   
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person's body;   generating, by a processor, a first motion profile based on the first measure of motion;   in response to determining that the first motion profile exhibits a sign of distress as characterized by a first value of a parameter, generating, with a first output device, a first prompt for the person to decline assistance;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating an estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the first prompt based on the second measure of motion;   in response to determining that the estimate of whether the person has declined assistance in response to the first prompt indicates that the person has declined assistance, modifying the first value of the parameter to generate a second value of the parameter;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a third measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating a second motion profile based on the third measure of motion;   in response to determining that the second motion profile exhibits the sign of distress as characterized by the second value of the parameter, generating, with the first output device, a second prompt for the person to decline assistance; and   in response to determining that the person declines assistance in response to the second prompt, transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator. 
     
     
         37 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person's body;   generating, by a processor, a first motion profile based on the first measure of motion;   in response to determining that the first motion profile exhibits a sign of distress as characterized by a first value of a parameter, generating, with a first output device, a first prompt for the person to decline assistance;   in response to determining that the person declines assistance in response to the first prompt, modifying the first value of the parameter to generate a second value of the parameter;   receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion of the location on the person's body;   generating a second motion profile based on the second measure of motion;   in response to determining that the second motion profile exhibits a sign of distress as characterized by the second value of the parameter, generating, with the first output device, a second prompt for the person to decline assistance; and   in response to determining that the person declines assistance in response to the second prompt, transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the sign of distress suggests distress that is independent of a fall. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 33   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on an estimate of the location of the person.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 33   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on a measure of ambient light level in the vicinity of the person.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 33   wherein the estimate of well-being of the person is further based on a measure of ambient sound level in the vicinity of the person.