System for monitoring individuals as they age in place

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, and related system, for monitoring the wellbeing of an individual by providing eyewear that includes at least one sensor for monitoring the motion of the user. In various embodiments, the system receives data generated by the at least one sensor, uses the data to determine the user's movements using the received data, and compares the user's movements to previously established movement patterns of the user. If the system detects one or more inconsistencies between the user's current movements as compared to the previously established movement patterns of the user, the system may notify the user or a third party of the detected one or more inconsistencies. The system may similarly monitor a user's compliance with a medical regime and notify the user or a third party of the user's compliance with the regime.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of monitoring the wellbeing of an individual, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a user with computerized eyewear comprising at least one sensor for monitoring the motion of the user;   b. receiving, by one or more processors, an indication from the user, for the at least one sensor to generate a first set of data identifying one or more movement patterns for the user;   c. in response to receiving the indication, collecting, by one or more processors, via the at least one sensor, the first set of data;   d. generating, by one or more processors, an established one or more movement patterns for the user based on the first set of data generated by the at least one sensor;   e. receiving, by one or more processors, a second set of data generated by the at least one sensor after the established one or more movement patterns have been generated;   f. at least partially in response to receiving the second set of data generated by the at least one sensor, determining, by one or more processors, the user's movements using the received second set of data;   g. detecting, by one or more processors, one or more inconsistencies between the user's movements based on the second set of data as compared to the previously established one or more movement patterns for the user based on the first set of data;   h. at least partially in response to detecting the one more inconsistencies, notifying, by one or more processors, at least one recipient of the one or more inconsistencies, where the at least one recipient is a recipient selected from a group consisting of: the user and a third party.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of:
 a. a motion sensor;   b. an accelerometer;   c. a gyroscope;   d. a geomagnetic sensor;   e. a global positioning system sensor;   f. an impact sensor;   g. a microphone;   h. a forward facing camera;   i. a heart rate monitor;   j. a pulse oximeter;   k. a blood alcohol monitor;   l. a respiratory rate sensor; and   m. a transdermal sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of: a motion sensor, an accelerometer, a global positioning sensor, a gyroscope, and a forward facing camera. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 a. calculating, by a processor, a number of steps taken by the user in a particular day;   b. at least partially in response to calculating the number of steps, comparing, by a processor, the calculated number of steps taken by the user in the particular day to a predetermined average number of steps taken by the user in a day; and   c. at least partially in response to comparing the calculated number of steps to the predetermined average number of steps, notifying the user or a third party if the calculated number of steps in the particular day is less than a predetermined percentage of the predetermined average number of steps taken by the user in a day.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. detecting, by a processor, whether the user moves during a predefined time period; and   b. at least partially in response to detecting whether the user moves during the predefined time period, notifying, by a processor, the at least one recipient selected from a group consisting of: the user or a third party if the user does not move during the predefined time period.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. detecting, by a processor, from the received data generated by the at least one sensor if the user experiences a sudden acceleration or sudden impact; and   b. at least partially in response to detecting that the user has experienced a sudden acceleration or sudden impact, notifying, by a processor, the user or a third party that the user experienced the sudden acceleration or sudden impact.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. detecting, by a processor, from the received data generated by the at least one sensor: (1) whether the user is breathing; and (2) whether the user's heart is beating; and   b. at least partially in response to determining that the user is not breathing or that the user's heart is not beating, sending a notification to a third party.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. receiving, by a processor, from the user or third party, a medicine regime associated with the user;   b. storing, by a processor, the medicine regime in memory;   c. receiving, by a processor, data generated by a forward facing camera associated with the computerized eyewear;   d. analyzing, by a processor, the received data to determine data selected from a group consisting of one or more:
 i. types of medicine taken by the user; 
 ii. times the medicine is taken by the user; and 
 iii. doses of the medicine taken by the user; 
   e. at least partially in response to analyzing the received data, comparing, by a processor, the one or more of the types of medicine taken, the one or more times the medicine is taken, or the one or more doses of medicine taken to the stored medicine regime for the user;   f. at least partially in response to comparing the one or more of the type of medicine taken, the time the medicine is taken and the dose of medicine taken, identifying, by a processor, one or more inconsistencies between the stored medicine regime, and the one or more types of medicine taken, the one or more times the medicine is taken, or the one or more doses of medicine taken;   g. at least partially in response to identifying the one or more inconsistencies between the medicine regime and the one or more of the types of medicine taken, the one or more times the medicine is taken, or the one or more doses of medicine taken, sending an alert to the user or a third party of the one or more inconsistencies.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a. the data generated comprises one or more images captured by the forward facing camera;   b. the step of analyzing the received data further comprises:
 i. detecting, by a processor, one or more pills in the one or more images; 
 ii. comparing, by a processor, the one or more detected pills found in the one or more images to one or more known images of pills stored in a database; 
 iii. identifying, by a processor, the one or more pills by matching the one or more pills from the one or more images to the one or more known images of pills stored in the database; and 
 iv. detecting, by a processor, a time that the one or more images were taken. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is defined by the user. 
     
     
         11 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A computer-implemented method of monitoring the wellbeing of an individual, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a user with computerized eyewear comprising at least one sensor for monitoring the motion of the user;   b. receiving a command for the at least one sensor to generate a first set of data identifying one or more user-defined movement patterns for the user;   c. in response to receiving the command, collecting, by one or more processors, via the at least one sensor, the first set of data;   d. generating, by one or more processors, an established one or more movement patterns for the user based on the first set of data generated by the at least one sensor;   e. receiving, by one or more processors, a second set of data generated by the at least one sensor after the established one or more movement patterns have been generated;   f. at least partially in response to receiving the second set of data generated by the at least one sensor, determining, by one or more processors, the user's movements using the received second set of data;   g. detecting, by one or more processors, one or more inconsistencies between the user's movements based on the second set of data as compared to the previously established one or more movement patterns for the user based on the first set of data;   h. at least partially in response to detecting the one more inconsistencies, notifying, by one or more processors, at least one recipient of the one or more inconsistencies, where the at least one recipient is a recipient selected from a group consisting of: the user and a third party.   
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of:
 a. a motion sensor;   b. an accelerometer;   c. a gyroscope;   d. a geomagnetic sensor;   e. a global positioning system sensor;   f. an impact sensor;   g. a microphone;   h. a forward facing camera;   i. a heart rate monitor;   j. a pulse oximeter;   k. a blood alcohol monitor;   l. a respiratory rate sensor; and   m. a transdermal sensor.   
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of: a motion sensor, an accelerometer, a global positioning sensor, a gyroscope, and a forward facing camera. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 a. calculating, by a processor, a number of steps taken by the user in a particular day;   b. at least partially in response to calculating the number of steps, comparing, by a processor, the calculated number of steps taken by the user in the particular day to a predetermined average number of steps taken by the user in a day; and   c. at least partially in response to comparing the calculated number of steps to the predetermined average number of steps, notifying the user or a third party if the calculated number of steps in the particular day is less than a predetermined percentage of the predetermined average number of steps taken by the user in a day.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. detecting, by a processor, whether the user moves during a predefined time period; and   b. at least partially in response to detecting whether the user moves during the predefined time period, notifying, by a processor, the at least one recipient selected from a group consisting of: the user or a third party if the user does not move during the predefined time period.   
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. detecting, by a processor, from the received data generated by the at least one sensor if the user experiences a sudden acceleration or sudden impact; and   b. at least partially in response to detecting that the user has experienced a sudden acceleration or sudden impact, notifying, by a processor, the user or a third party that the user experienced the sudden acceleration or sudden impact.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. detecting, by a processor, from the received data generated by the at least one sensor: (1) whether the user is breathing; and (2) whether the user's heart is beating; and   b. at least partially in response to determining that the user is not breathing or that the user's heart is not beating, sending a notification to a third party.   
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. receiving, by a processor, from the user or third party, a medicine regime associated with the user;   b. storing, by a processor, the medicine regime in memory;   c. receiving, by a processor, data generated by a forward facing camera associated with the computerized eyewear;   d. analyzing, by a processor, the received data to determine data selected from a group consisting of one or more:
 i. types of medicine taken by the user; 
 ii. times the medicine is taken by the user; and 
 iii. doses of the medicine taken by the user; 
   e. at least partially in response to analyzing the received data, comparing, by a processor, the one or more of the types of medicine taken, the one or more times the medicine is taken, or the one or more doses of medicine taken to the stored medicine regime for the user;   f. at least partially in response to comparing the one or more of the type of medicine taken, the time the medicine is taken and the dose of medicine taken, identifying, by a processor, one or more inconsistencies between the stored medicine regime, and the one or more types of medicine taken, the one or more times the medicine is taken, or the one or more doses of medicine taken;   g. at least partially in response to identifying the one or more inconsistencies between the medicine regime and the one or more of the types of medicine taken, the one or more times the medicine is taken, or the one or more doses of medicine taken, sending an alert to the user or a third party of the one or more inconsistencies.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 27 , wherein:
 a. the data generated comprises one or more images captured by the forward facing camera;   b. the step of analyzing the received data further comprises:
 i. detecting, by a processor, one or more pills in the one or more images; 
 ii. comparing, by a processor, the one or more detected pills found in the one or more images to one or more known images of pills stored in a database; 
 iii. identifying, by a processor, the one or more pills by matching the one or more pills from the one or more images to the one or more known images of pills stored in the database; and 
 iv. detecting, by a processor, a time that the one or more images were taken. 
   
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20 , wherein the command is defined by the user.