System and method for analyzing activity of a body
The present invention comprises a system and method of operation for evaluating body activity relative to an environment. According to an exemplary embodiment, the system comprises a processor that is associable with a sensor for sensing dynamic and static accelerative phenomena of the body. The processor is operable to process the sensed dynamic and static accelerative phenomena as a function of at least one accelerative event characteristic and an environmental representation to thereby determine whether the evaluated body activity is within environmental tolerance. The processor operates to monitor both activity and inactivity relative to the environmental representation.
1. A system that evaluates movement of a body relative to an environment, said system comprising:
a sensor, associable with said body, that senses accelerative phenomena of said body relative to a three dimensional frame of reference in said environment, said sensor comprising a plurality of acceleration measuring devices; and
a processor, associated with said sensor, that processes said sensed accelerative phenomena of said body as a function of at least one accelerative event characteristic to thereby determine whether said evaluated body movement is within an environmental tolerance, and to thereby determine whether said body has experienced no movement for a predetermined period of time.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of acceleration measuring devices measure first x, y, z values of acceleration of said body with respect to said three dimensional frame of reference and said processor calculates corresponding first x, y, z values of distance to provide a first measurement of x, y, z distances.
3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said plurality of acceleration measuring devices second x, y, z values of acceleration of said body with respect to said three dimensional frame of reference and said processor calculates corresponding second x, y, z values of distance to provide a second measurement of x, y, z distances.
4. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said processor determines whether said second x, y, z values of distance are equal to said first x, y, z values of distance.
5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said processor determines that said body has experienced movement when said second x, y, z values of distance are not equal to said first x, y, z values of distance.
6. The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said processor generates one of a warning signal and an alarm signal when said processor determines that second x, y, z values of distance are not equal to said first x, y, z values of distance.
7. The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said processor resets a counter when said body has experienced movement and sets the first x, y, z values of distance equal to the second x, y, z values of distance.
8. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said processor increments a counter when said processor determines that said body has experienced no movement between a measurement of the second x, y, z values of distance and a measurement of the first x, y, z values of distance.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said processor determines whether a count in said counter has reached a threshold value, and in response to a determination that said count in said counter has reached said threshold value, reports an inactivity event for said body.
10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein in response to a determination that said count in said counter has not reached said threshold value, said processor sets the first x, y, z values of distance equal to the second x, y, z values of distance.
11. A method of operating a system to evaluate movement of a body relative to an environment wherein a sensor is associated with said body, said method comprising the steps of:
substantially continuously measuring dynamic and static acceleration of said body with a plurality of acceleration measuring devices relative to a three dimensional frame of reference and providing output signals indicative thereof;
processing said sensed accelerative phenomena of said body as a function of at least one accelerative event characteristic to thereby determine whether said evaluated body movement is within an environmental tolerance; and
determining whether said body has experienced no movement for a predetermined period of time.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11 comprising the steps of:
measuring with said plurality of acceleration measuring devices first x, y, z values of acceleration of said body with respect to said three dimensional frame of reference; and
calculating with said processor corresponding first x, y, z values of distance to provide a first measurement of x, y, z distances.
13. The method as claimed in claim 12 comprising the steps of:
measuring with said plurality of acceleration measuring devices second x, y, z values of acceleration of said body with respect to said three dimensional frame of reference; and
calculating with said processor corresponding second x, y, z values of distance to provide a second measurement of x, y, z distances.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13 comprising the step of:
determining with said processor determines whether said second x, y, z values of distance are equal to said first x, y, z values of distance.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14 comprising the step of:
determining with said processor that said body has experienced movement when said second x, y, z values of distance are not equal to said first x, y, z values of distance.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15 comprising the step of:
generating with said processor one of a warning signal and an alarm signal when said processor determines that second x, y, z values of distance are not equal to said first x, y, z values of distance.
17. The method as claimed in claim 15 comprising the steps of:
resetting a counter with said processor when said body has experienced movement; and
setting the first x, y, z values of distance equal to the second x, y, z values of distance.
18. The method as claimed in claim 14 comprising the steps of:
incrementing a counter with said processor when said processor determines that said body has experienced no movement between a measurement of the second x, y, z values of distance and a measurement of the first x, y, z values of distance.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18 comprising the steps of:
determining with said processor whether a count in said counter has reached a threshold value; and
in response to a determination that said count in said counter has reached said threshold value, reporting an inactivity event for said body.
20. The method as claimed in claim 19 comprising the steps of:
in response to a determination that said count in said counter has not reached said threshold value, setting the first x, y, z values of distance equal to the second x, y, z values of distance.