Apparatus and Method for Recognition of Suspicious Activities

Abstract

A medication confirmation method and apparatus. The method of an embodiment of the invention includes the steps of capturing one or more video sequences of a user administering medication by a video capture device, storing the captured one or more video sequences to a non-transitory memory, and analyzing at least one of the stored video sequences to determine one or more indications of suspicious activity on behalf of the user.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A medication administration confirmation apparatus, comprising:
 a display for displaying a first set of one or more instructions encouraging proper performance of one or more steps of a medication administration sequence;   a video capture device operable to capture one or more video sequences of a user administering medication in response to the displayed one or more instructions;   a memory operable to store the captured one or more video sequences; and   a processor operable to analyze at least one video sequence of the stored video sequences to:   identify a change in one or more symptoms of the user,   evaluate the identified change in one or more symptoms to identify an indication of suspicious activity, and   output to the display one or more further instructions encouraging proper performance of the one or more steps of the medication administration sequence in response to the identification of one or more indications of suspicious activity.   
     
     
         22 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is operable to output a prompt, to the user, to perform a particular sequence of actions to be stored as the one or more video sequences. 
     
     
         23 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the indication of suspicious activity comprises a face of the user leaving a field of view of the video capture device. 
     
     
         24 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the indication of suspicious activity comprises the hand of a user moving to their mouth. 
     
     
         25 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the indication of suspicious activity comprises the user coughing when a medication is in their mouth. 
     
     
         26 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one video sequence further comprises an audio component associated therewith. 
     
     
         27 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the video capture device further comprises a second display operable to display a first portion of a video being captured. 
     
     
         28 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is operable to review a second portion of the captured video for suspicious behavior without outputting the second portion to the display. 
     
     
         29 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is operable to record the at least one video sequence after the user has administered the medication. 
     
     
         30 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the change in one or more symptoms comprises a variation in a concentration of the user. 
     
     
         31 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the change in one or more symptoms comprises a variation in a speed of the user to complete one or more tasks. 
     
     
         32 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the change in one or more symptoms comprises a variation in a motor control ability of the user. 
     
     
         33 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the change in one or more symptoms comprises a change in an eye movement pattern of the user. 
     
     
         34 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is located at a remote location. 
     
     
         35 . The medication confirmation apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is operable to mark the at least one video sequence as including suspicious activity. 
     
     
         36 . A medication administration confirmation apparatus, comprising:
 a display for displaying, to a user, a first set of one or more instructions encouraging proper performance of one or more steps of a medication administration sequence;   a video capture device operable to capture one or more video sequences of a user administering medication;   a memory operable to store the captured one or more video sequences; and   a processor operable to analyze at least one of the stored video sequences to:   determine a change in one or more symptoms of the user, the one or more symptoms including at least one of (i) an ability of the user to concentrate on one or more tasks, (ii) a speed with which the user is able to complete the one or more tasks, (iii) a motor control ability of the user, (iv) an eye movement pattern of the user, or (v) mood of the user,   evaluate the determined change in the one or more symptoms to determine potentially suspicious behavior of the user, and   output to the display one or more further instructions encouraging proper performance of the one or more steps of the medication administration sequence in response to the determination of the occurrence of potentially suspicious behavior.   
     
     
         37 . The medication administration confirmation apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein video sequences are captured and analyzed for a plurality of users, and wherein the processor is operable to define one or more filters applicable to a captured video sequence to determine a change in the one or more symptoms of the user in accordance with the analyzed video sequences from the plurality of users. 
     
     
         38 . A computer-implemented method for confirming medication administration, comprising:
 displaying, by a medication administration confirmation apparatus, to a user, a first set of one or more instructions encouraging proper performance of one or more steps of a medication administration sequence;   capturing one or more video sequences of a user administering medication by a video capture device of the medication administration confirmation apparatus;   storing the one or more of the captured video sequences to a non-transitory memory of the medication administration confirmation apparatus; and   analyzing, by the medication administration confirmation apparatus, at least one video sequence of the one or more stored video sequences to: identify a change in one or more symptoms of the user, and evaluate the identified change in one or more symptoms to identify an indication of suspicious activity of the user.   
     
     
         39 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 38 , wherein analyzing the at least one video sequence further comprises:
 identifying one or more indications of suspicious activity from a plurality of stored video sequences from a plurality of users;   generating a filter associated with one or more of the identified indications of suspicious activity; and   applying the filter to the at least one video sequence to determine a first indication of suspicious activity.   
     
     
         40 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein the one or more symptoms including at least one of (i) an ability of the user to concentrate on one or more tasks, (ii) a speed with which the user is able to complete the one or more tasks, (iii) a motor control ability of the user, (iv) an eye movement pattern of the user, or (v) mood of the user.