# US 2021/0330200 A1 · Systems and methods for patient fall detection

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- Number: US 2021/0330200 A1
- Document ID: US20210330200A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/305,325
- Filed: 2021-07-05
- Published: 2021-10-28
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-31
- Assignees: Masimo Corporation
- Applicants: Masimo Corporation
- Inventors: Ammar Al-Ali; Cornelius Raths; Mohammad Usman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210330200A1

## CPC

- A61B 5/02055: {Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature}
- A61B 5/0004: {characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted}
- A61B 5/0015: {characterised by features of the telemetry system}
- A61B 5/002: {Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building (A61B5/0017 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/0022: {Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet}
- A61B 5/004: {adapted for image acquisition of a particular organ or body part (A61B5/0082 takes precedence; arrangements for optical scanning A61B5/0062)}
- A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20)
- A61B 5/0205: Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
- A61B 5/0245: by using sensing means generating electric signals, {i.e. ECG signals}
- A61B 5/05: Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves (measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24)
- A61B 5/053: Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
- A61B 5/1113: {Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home}
- A61B 5/1116: {Determining posture transitions}
- A61B 5/1117: {Fall detection}
- A61B 5/1118: {Determining activity level}
- A61B 5/1121: {Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement}
- A61B 5/1126: {using a particular sensing technique}
- A61B 5/113: occurring during breathing
- A61B 5/14552: {Details of sensors specially adapted therefor}
- A61B 5/256: Wearable electrodes, e.g. having straps or bands
- A61B 5/263: characterised by the electrode materials
- A61B 5/28: for electrocardiography [ECG]
- A61B 5/33: specially adapted for cooperation with other devices
- A61B 5/447: {specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed}
- A61B 5/6801: {specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface}
- A61B 5/6823: {Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip}
- A61B 5/6833: {Adhesive patches}
- A61B 5/68335: {including release sheets or liners}
- A61B 5/7264: {Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems}
- A61B 5/7275: {Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor}
- A61B 5/7282: {Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition (cough events A61B5/0823; seizures A61B5/4094; sleep apnoea A61B5/4818)}
- A61B 5/742: {using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339)}
- A61B 5/743: {Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots}
- A61B 5/746: {Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms}
- G01K 1/16: Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element
- A61B 5/0008: {Temperature signals}
- A61B 5/0816: {Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency (measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00)}
- A61B 5/14551: {for measuring blood gases}
- A61B 5/257: using adhesive means, e.g. adhesive pads or tapes
- A61B 5/266: containing electrolytes, conductive gels or pastes
- A61B 2560/0475: Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
- A61B 2562/0204: Acoustic sensors
- A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
- A61B 2562/0223: Magnetic field sensors
- A61B 2562/0271: Thermal or temperature sensors
- A61B 2562/029: Humidity sensors
- A61B 2562/166: the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
- A61G 7/057: Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor {(ventilation openings in mattresses A47C21/042; pneumatic or hydraulic mattresses A47C27/08)}
- A61G 2203/32: for force
- A61G 2203/36: for motion
- A61G 2203/42: for inclination
- A61G 2203/46: for temperature
- G01K 13/20: Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
- G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

A patient monitoring system to help manage a patient that is at risk of falling is disclosed. The system includes a patient-worn wireless sensor that senses the patient's motion and wirelessly transmits information indicative of the sensed motion to a patient monitor. The patient monitor receives, stores, and processes the transmitted information to determine whether the patient has fallen or is about to fall. Upon such detection, the system can notify the patient's caretakers that the patient has fallen or is about to fall and therefore, is in need of immediate attention.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
obtaining, with an accelerometer and a gyroscope of a wearable wireless device, motion data indicative of motion of a subject over a time period when the wearable wireless device is worn by the subject, wherein said motion data is indicative of movement and orientation of the subject;
correlating, with one or more processors of the wearable wireless device, at least a portion of said motion data with training data comprising a plurality of fall and non-fall scenarios;
determining, with said one or more processors of the wearable wireless device and based on at least a portion of said motion data, an impact experienced by the subject during a first portion of the time period;
determining, with said one or more processors of the wearable wireless device and based on at least a portion of said motion data, one or more first activity characteristics representative of the subject's motion during a second portion of the time period that is prior to said impact;
determining, with said one or more processors of the wearable wireless device and based on at least a portion of said motion data, rotation of the subject during at least a portion of the time period and comparing said rotation to a first threshold;
determining, with said one or more processors of the wearable wireless device and based on at least a portion of said motion data, one or more second activity characteristics representative of the subject's motion during a third portion of the time period that is after said impact;
determining, with said one or more processors of the wearable wireless device, that the subject experienced a fall based on at least said impact, said one or more first activity characteristics representative of the subject's motion during the second portion of the time period that is prior to said impact, said rotation exceeding said first threshold, and said one or more second activity characteristics representative of the subject's motion during the third portion of the time period that is after said impact; and
responsive to determining that the subject experienced said fall, generating, with the wearable wireless device, an alert indicating that the subject experienced said fall.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said determining said one or more first activity characteristics comprises determining a starting point of said fall.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said determining said one or more first activity characteristics comprises determining a magnitude of an acceleration of the subject.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said determining said one or more first activity characteristics comprises determining a magnitude of an angular velocity of the subject.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said determining said one or more first activity characteristics comprises determining a magnitude of a rate of change of acceleration of the subject.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a heart rate of the subject during at least a portion of the time period and, based on said heart rate, determining that the subject is experiencing respiratory distress or dysfunction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable wireless device further comprises an optical sensor, and wherein the method further comprises determining at least one of an oxygen saturation and a pulse rate of the subject.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable wireless device further comprises an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, and wherein the method further comprises generating one or more signals responsive to electrical activity of a heart of the subject.

### Claim 9

A method comprising:
obtaining, with an accelerometer and a gyroscope of a wearable wireless device, motion data indicative of motion of a subject over a time period when the wearable wireless device is worn by the subject;
determining, based on at least a portion of said motion data, an impact experienced by the subject during the time period;
determining, based on at least a portion of said motion data, one or more first activity characteristics representative of the subject's motion during the time period and prior to said impact;
determining, based on at least a portion of said motion data, one or more second activity characteristics representative of the subject's motion during the time period and after said impact;
determining, based on at least a portion of said motion data, rotation of the subject during at least a portion of the time period and comparing said rotation to a first threshold;
determining that the subject experienced a fall based on said impact, said one or more first activity characteristics, said one or more second activity characteristics, and said rotation being above said first threshold; and
responsive to determining that the subject experienced said fall, generating an alert indicating that the subject experienced said fall.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein said determining said one or more first activity characteristics comprises determining at least one of:
a magnitude of an acceleration of the subject;
a magnitude of an angular velocity of the subject; and
a magnitude of a rate of change of acceleration of the subject.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising wirelessly transmitting, with the wearable wireless device, information indicative of a location of the subject.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a heart rate of the subject during at least a portion of the time period and, based on said heart rate, determining that the subject is experiencing respiratory distress or dysfunction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising determining at least one of an oxygen saturation and a pulse rate of the subject with an optical sensor of the wearable wireless device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising generating one or more signals responsive to electrical activity of a heart of the subject with an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor of the wearable wireless device.

### Claim 15

A wearable device comprising:
one or more processors;
a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
obtaining, from a motion sensor of the wearable device, motion data indicative of motion of a subject;
determining, based on at least a portion of the motion data, an impact experienced by the subject;
determining, based on at least a portion of the motion data, one or more first activity characteristics associated with the subject's motion prior to said impact experienced by the subject;
determining, based on at least a portion of the motion data, rotation of the subject and comparing said rotation to a first threshold;
determining, based on at least a portion of the motion data, one or more second activity characteristics associated with the subject's motion after said impact experienced by the subject;
determining that the subject experienced a fall based on said impact experienced by the subject, said one or more first activity characteristics, said rotation exceeding said first threshold, and said one or more second activity characteristics; and
responsive to determining that the subject experienced said fall, generating a notification indicating that the subject experienced said fall.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The wearable device of claim 15, wherein said determining said one or more first activity characteristics comprises determining at least one of:
a magnitude of an acceleration of the subject;
a magnitude of an angular velocity of the subject; and
a magnitude of a rate of change of acceleration of the subject.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The wearable device of claim 15, further comprising determining a heart rate of the subject and, responsive to said heart rate, determining that the subject is experiencing at least one of respiratory distress or dysfunction.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The wearable device of claim 15, wherein said operations further comprise determining at least one of an oxygen saturation and a pulse rate of the subject with an optical sensor of the wearable device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The wearable device of claim 15, wherein the wearable device is configured to be worn on a chest of the subject.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The wearable device of claim 15, wherein said operations further comprise generating one or more signals responsive to electrical activity of a heart of the subject with an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor of the wearable device.