This invention relates to a method of detecting normal personal activity within a dwelling having a plurality of functional spaces. The invention also relates to apparatus for performing this method.

The method of this invention is intended for use primarily with people who may have a limited ability to look after themselves or who otherwise might be vulnerable in some way. For example, the invention may be used with elderly people, disabled people, people with learning difficulties or who are mentally handicapped and so on. The invention is however not to be regarded as limited to use with such people.

Though the method is performed in such a way as to detect normal personal activity within a dwelling, in fact the method operates to supply an alert to a nominated person (for example, a carer, warden, a relative or the like) in the event that normal personal activity is not detected. Thus, so long as normal personal activity is detected by the performance of the method of this invention, no such alert will be issued.

Normal personal activity within a dwelling will depend upon the time of day, the ability of the person and other various factors relating to the particular person being monitored. For example, an elderly person may be expected to move between various rooms or spaces within a dwelling during a day, in the course of living in the dwelling. Thus, there will be occupancy of the main living space, the kitchen, the bathroom and also of course the bedroom. In addition, the frequency of such movement will depend upon the time of day; once in the bedroom from the late evening, no further movement may be expected until the normal rising time, in the morning.

Similarly, for a physically handicapped person, less movement from space to space may be expected but nevertheless there still will be some movement and the person will be expected to move from one area to another, as well as within a particular space such as the main living area.

In the event that there is no normal personal activity within a dwelling by a person being monitored, it may be presumed that the person is in some difficulty. As such, contact with the person being monitored, for example by telephone or a personal attendance by a nominated person should be made in order that the person being monitored may have the earliest possible review of his/her situation.

It is a principal aim of the invention to facilitate in a non-obtrusive way the monitoring of normal personal activity and to issue an alert if no such normal personal activity is detected.

According to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of detecting normal personal activity within a dwelling having a plurality of functional spaces, which method comprises the steps of:

- providing at least one motion detector in each space to be monitored;

- providing a control system to receive outputs from the detectors indicative of movement in the spaces monitored thereby; and

- wherein said control system:

(a) awaits an output from a detector indicative of movement in the space monitored by that detector;

(b) awaits an output from a detector monitoring another space and indicative of movement in that another space; and

(c) issues an alert signal in the event an alert period expires following receipt of the first output and no output has been received from another detector monitoring another space, said alert period being specified by at least one of a user of or the operational characteristics of the system.

It will be appreciated that the method of this invention serves to monitor for normal personal activity within a dwelling and that an alert signal is issued in the event that unexpectedly infrequent movement between functional spaces of the person being monitored is detected. This is achieved by starting a timer for an alert period upon one detector producing an output indicative of activity in the space monitored by that detector and awaiting an output from another detector monitoring some other space in the dwelling. If no output has been received from any of the other detectors by the time the timer has timed the alert period, then an alert signal is raised. The alert period as timed by the timer should be selected either by the control system itself or by the nominated person dependent upon the expected activity. In turn, that period should be selected dependent upon the time of day, the person being monitored, the functional space (or room) being monitored and other relevant factors. This may be done dynamically by taking into account all of the relevant factors (such as the nature of the room from which the detector output which started the timer was received), or may be pre-set again after taking into account the relevant factors.

According to a second but closely related aspect of this invention there is provided a method of detecting normal personal activity as aforesaid where there is at least one motion detector arranged in each space to be monitored and a control system connected to the detectors to receive outputs therefrom indicative of detected movement, in which method the control system operates as has been described above in relation to the first aspect of this invention. Thus, this second aspect differs from the first aspect in that the provision of the motion detectors and control system do not form a part of the method of the second aspect of the invention.

In a typical dwelling, there will be more than two functional spaces (which may comprise individual rooms with doorways therebetween) each having at least one detector monitoring for movement therein. In this case, after a first output has been received by the control system from one detector monitoring one space, the control system then awaits an output from any of the other detectors associated with the other spaces. Then, the control system may issue an alert signal in the event that no output is received from any of the other detectors within the defined alert period.

Preferably, the timing of the alert period is re-started each time a detector produces an output, so long as that detector is different from the detector which last started the timing of the immediately preceding alert period. Thus, the timing of the alert period is re-started when the control system receives a detector output indicating that there has been movement in a functional space different from previously detected movement in a different functional space, and no alert signal has been issued by the control system. To give effect to this, the control system ignores all outputs from one detector following receipt of the first output from that one detector, until an output is received from another detector. In this way, the system can be arranged to ignore continuing movements in one functional space, by looking for movements in different functional spaces, indicative of normal personal activity.

The control system can be modified so as to issue an alert signal when a detector monitoring a particular functional space provides a movement output within a pre-specified time frame, but without monitoring the alert period. This allows an alert signal to be issued on the basis of the time of day and the probable activity of the monitored person at that time. For example, the probable activities could include 'normal', 'in bed', 'house empty' and 'in garden' and for these, the timing of an alert period could be disabled and an alert issued in the event that a detector provides an output to the control system inconsistent with the expected probable activity, within a pre-specified time frame. For instance, for the probable 'in bed' activity, that time frame could be 1 1 :30 pm to 06:30 am and motion detection in the kitchen could then produce an alert signal.

Yet another possibility would be for there to be at least one detector for the opening of a door or the passage of a person through a doorway, and for the control system to issue an alert signal when the detector provides an output within a pre-specified time frame. For example, there could be a detector for opening of the front door of the dwelling and for an alert signal to be issued in the event that the front door is open between the hours of 22:00 and 07:00.

This invention extends to a detection system for normal personal activity within a dwelling having a plurality of functional spaces, comprising a plurality of motion detectors arranged in the dwelling with at least one detector in each space to be monitored, and a control system connected to the detectors to receive outputs therefrom indicative of detected movement. The control system should be configured to operate on the method of this invention as has been described above.

For convenience of the installation of the detection system, it is preferred for at least some, and preferably all, of the motion detectors or other detectors to be connected wirelessly to the control system. Such detectors may be battery-powered.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of a normal personal activity detecting system of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 diagrammatically represents a plan view of a single-person dwelling having multiple functional spaces arranged as three separate rooms and a hallway; and

Figure 2 is a flow chart of the operation of the specific embodiment of normal personal activity system.

Referring initially to Figure 1 , there is shown a typical single occupancy residential unit which could, for example, be a part of a larger block of such units intended for occupation by elderly people. The unit has a front door 10 leading to a hallway 1 1 from which doors lead to a combined living area 12 and kitchen area 13, the unit also having a sleeping area 14 and a bathroom area 15.

PIR detectors are arranged to monitor for personal activity in those areas. Detectors 17 and 18 are mounted in a corner of the sleeping area 14 and bathroom area 15 respectively, in order to scan for and detect movement generally in the whole of those respective areas. Similarly, a detector 19 is arranged at one end of the hallway 1 1 , to scan for and detect movement in that hallway. Two detectors 20 and 21 are arranged in the region of the merger between the living area 12 and kitchen area 13, in order to scan for and detect movement in those two areas, separately. It is preferred for the detectors to be positioned to sense movement exclusively in one area, and not for the sensed areas to overlap.

The PIR detectors are battery powered and connect wirelessly to a control system (not shown). A further detector 22, in the form of a door switch, is arranged adjacent the front door 10 in order to detect opening and closing of that door and that further detector 22 is also connected wirelessly to the control system. In this way, the control system receives outputs from the respective detectors either on a person moving around within the unit or on opening or closing of the front door.

The control system includes a microprocessor running a suitable program, in order to monitor for the outputs from the various detectors and to take action dependent upon those outputs. Specifically, the primary action is to issue an alert signal in the event that no normal personal activity has been detected within a particular timed period, or that there has been activity within a pre-specified time frame when the anticipated normal activity would not have included any such activity. The alert signal may be sent wirelessly or by way of a hard-wired connection to a nominated person in order that an assessment may be made that all is well with the monitored person or if not, that appropriate action is taken, for example by making contact with the monitored person.

The control system may allow programming of the operating characteristics of the system. Thus, the alert period may be adjusted dependent upon various factors including the time of day, the anticipated normal activity at a given time and the normal activity of the person monitored in each functional space (i.e. each monitored area). The control system may allow such programming remotely and so by a nominated person, or by direct entry on the control system itself.

Figure 2 shows a typical flow chart for the program running within the control system. Following a re-start, the system will enter a wait state as shown at process 30 where the control system is looking for the detection of movement as indicated by an output from any one of the detectors 17 to 21 . As soon as movement has been detected, a timer is started at process 31 and the particular detector which produced the output is recorded. The system then enters process 32, waiting for a further output, but from a different detector from that which started the timing in process 31 .

When an output is received from any detector indicative of movement, decision 33 either ignores that output because it is from the same detector as started the timing in process 31 , or decision 33 re-starts the timer in process 31 , but records the particular detector which re-started that timing. If no further output is received from any detector indicative of movement, then the timer expiry signal is sent to process 34 where an alert signal is issued. The system then returns to a normal wait state, of process 32.

In the event that the front door is opened, so triggering door detector 22, the system then looks for closing of the door and whether there is movement within the residency unit after the door has closed. If there has been movement, decision 35 returns the system to the normal wait state of process 32. If however there is no activity, the presumption is that the person has left the residency unit and so decision 35 re-starts the entire system and it enters the wait state of process 30.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the system is able to determine normal personal activity within a dwelling and to issue an alert signal to a nominated person in the event that such normal personal activity has not been detected. This is possible because most movement within a dwelling occupied by a single person is necessitated by the requirements of simply being human; all humans need bathroom visits, drinks, meals, sleep and interaction with others, possibly in person or on the telephone, visits outside the dwelling for social and shopping purposes, and so on. By placing detectors in key locations, it becomes possible to determine the room (or other functional space) of the dwelling currently occupied by a person and consequently how long that person has been there. Different rooms may have different alert criteria - for example it is unlikely someone would stay for five hours in a lounge without visiting the bathroom or the kitchen. Similarly, it is most unlikely someone would stay in the bathroom for more than half an hour or so.

The system of this invention is unobtrusive and maintains personal privacy in that there is no monitoring for example by CCTV. The system does not require the monitored person to wear a tracking bracelet or otherwise deviate from established routines. The nominated person responsible for monitoring the activity can receive an alert signal in any convenient way, for example by an SMS mobile telephone message, a pre-recorded message or possibly using broadband or Wi-Fi. The alert signal will be issued promptly on detection of a possible issue, so removing the worry that a vulnerable monitored person might be in trouble and suffer possibly for days, unable to call for help. Conversely however, the system relies on detecting a lack of normal activity and so cannot provide an instant alert signal in the event of a particular incident requiring immediate help.

In addition to the features described above, the system may use auxiliary sensors to assist the detection of normal personal activity. For example, such sensors could detect use of a remote control for a television, water flow in the kitchen and other alert criteria such as a curfew on front door opening, unexpectedly late rising from bed, no departure from the dwelling for several days or the like.

The system may be enhanced yet further by providing:

- a physical detector for a person in bed, as opposed to in the bedroom, so that an alert can be issued if the person is retiring too early or too late or is rising too early or too late;

- a cold water monitor to detect flushing of the lavatory or the running of a tap for a kettle or for washing up, and depending upon such detection, extending the likely stay times in the kitchen or the bathroom;

- a remote control detector to indicate watching television, and then extending the likely stay time in the lounge;

- a panic alarm on a cord around a person's neck;

- a detector for use of the telephone;

- detectors for doors being left open for too long;

- detection of multiple disturbances to sleep such as excessive overnight visits to the bathroom or kitchen; and

- detection of the occupant leaving the dwelling late at night or returning unexpectedly late after leaving the dwelling, or perhaps not even returning.

The above are representative of the alert possibilities for the system when used to monitor the normal personal activity for example of an elderly person living alone. The list however is not definitive and any particular system may be configured to include some, all or even more features besides those mentioned above.