System and Method for Monitoring Life Signs of a Person

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring a person within a defined area by detecting breathing, or the lack thereof. Breathing is detected using radar signals, camera signals and/or microphone signals. The radar signals, camera signals and/or microphone signals are analyzed to determine if the subject person is moving, and if not moving if the person is breathing or not-breathing. An alarm is generated should the reflected radar signals, the camera signals and the microphone signals all simultaneously indicate no movement and no movement of the subject person in the defined area for a selected period of time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of monitoring a person within a defined area, said method comprising the steps of:
 directing radar signals toward said defined area, wherein said radar signals reflect from said person within said defined area and create reflected radar signals;   directing a camera toward said defined area, wherein said camera detects movement of said person in said defined area and produces camera signals indicative of said movement;   monitoring said defined area with at least one microphone, wherein sounds made by said person in said defined area are detected by said at least one microphone and said at least one microphone produces audio signals indicative of said sound;   analyzing said reflected radar signals, said camera signals and said audio signals to determine if said person is moving within said defined area;   generating an alarm should said reflected radar signals, said camera signals and said audio signals all simultaneously indicate no movement of said person in said defined area for a selected period of time.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said movement is body movement selected from a group consisting of breathing and heartbeats. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further including analyzing said reflected radar signals to extract signal data indicative of said body movement. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further including analyzing said camera signals to extract signal data indicative of said body movement. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , further including analyzing said audio signals to extract signal data indicative of said body movement. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said radar signals are generated by a pulse Doppler radar transceiver. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said Doppler radar transceiver, said camera and said at least one microphone are contained in a single monitoring unit that is directed toward said defined area. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said monitoring unit contains a processing unit that analyzes said reflected radar signals, said camera signals, and said audio signals. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein generating an alarm further includes the step of transmitting an alarm signal from said monitoring unit to a remote computing device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said monitoring unit transmits said camera signals to said remote computing device. 
     
     
         11 . A method of monitoring whether movements of a person that are indicative of breathing have stopped, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a radar transceiver that directs radar signals toward said person, wherein said radar signals detect said movements of said person that may include movements indicative of breathing;   providing an imaging system that captures images of said person, wherein said imaging system optically detects said movements of said person that may include said movements indicative of breathing;   analyzing said radar signals and said images to extract data corresponding to said movements indicative of breathing;   generating an alarm should said movements indicative of breathing not be found for a selected period of time.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further including providing at least one microphone that can detect sounds indicative of breathing and produce sound signals therefore. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein analyzing said radar signals and said images further includes analyzing said sound signals to extract said sounds indicative of breathing. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein generating an alarm only occurs should said movements indicative of breathing and said sounds indicative of breathing not be found for said selected period of time. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said radar transceiver, said imaging system and said at least one microphone are contained in a single monitoring unit that is directed toward said person. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said monitoring unit contains a processing unit that analyzes said radar signals, said images, and said sound signals. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein generating an alarm further includes the step of transmitting an alarm signal from said monitoring unit to a remote computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said monitoring unit transmits said camera signals to said remote computing device. 
     
     
         19 . A method of monitoring whether movements of a person that are indicative of breathing have stopped, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a radar transceiver that directs radar signals toward said person, wherein said radar signals detect said movements of said person that may include movements indicative of breathing;   providing a microphone for monitoring said person, wherein said microphone detects sound signals made by said person that may include sounds indicative of breathing;   analyzing said radar signals and said sound signals to extract data corresponding to said movements indicative of breathing and said sounds indicative of breathing;   generating an alarm should said movements indicative of breathing and said sounds indicative of breathing not be detected for a selected period of time.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further including providing a camera that is directed toward said person, wherein said camera detects said movements of said person that may include said movements indicative of breathing.