	US 11,837,066 B2
	Fall detection apparatus, a method of detecting a fall by a subject and a computer program product for implementing the method
Warner Rudolph Theophile Ten Kate, Waalre (NL); and Doortje Van De Wouw, Eindhoven (NL)
Assigned to Koninklijke Philips N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed by KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed on May 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/826,248.
Application 17/826,248 is a continuation of application No. 17/254,968, granted, now 11,361,648, previously published as PCT/EP2019/066571, filed on Jun. 24, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 18180769 (EP), filed on Jun. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0284788 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. G08B 21/04 (2006.01)

CPC G08B 21/043 (2013.01)

18 Claims

1. A fall detection apparatus comprising:

a memory circuit; and

a processor circuit,

wherein the processor circuit is arranged to obtain a first input,

wherein the first input indicates a selected fall detection algorithm,

wherein the selected fall detection algorithm is selected from a plurality of fall detection algorithms,

wherein the detection of a fall by user is detected by the selected fall detection algorithm,

wherein each fall detection algorithm of the plurality of fall detection algorithms is associated with a respective fall type,

wherein each of plurality of detection algorithms detects a potential fall of the associated type by analyzing a set of movement measurements for the user,

wherein each respective fall type has an associated initial status of the user,

wherein the processor circuit is arranged to obtain a second input,

wherein the second input indicates a first status of the user,

wherein the first status is the user status prior to the potential fall,

wherein the first status of the user is determined by analyzing a set of measurements from at least one sensor,

wherein the at least one sensor is in the environment of the user,

wherein the at least one sensor is not attached to the user,

wherein the at least one sensor is independent of the fall detection algorithm,

wherein the processor circuit is arranged to compare the first status to the initial status for the fall type of the selected fall detection algorithm,

wherein the processor circuit is arranged to output an indication that the user has fallen if the first status of the user matches the initial status of the selected fall detection algorithm; and

wherein the processor circuit is arranged to dismiss a first potential fall indicated by the first input if the first status of the user does not match the initial status of any of the fall types.