JP2000293774A - Safety confirming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the safety of an old man living alone by himself easily and surely confirmable. SOLUTION: A safety confirming device is constituted in such a way that, when a light receiving sensor 10 does not again detect an optical signal L generated from a remote controller 3 for a television receiver 2 within a safety confirming period of time after the sensor 10 detects the signal L, the confirming device can transmit a life confirmation requiring signal SG from a terminal 20 for confirming safety to a host computer through a telephone line 30. In addition, the sensor 10 detects individual optical signals generated from each optical signal transmitters 15 in accordance with IDs in an interlocking way with various kinds of safety confirming sensors and, when the individual optical signals are detected, a terminal 20 for life confirming transmits a life confirming signal including ID to the host computer 41 through the telephone line 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a safety confirmation device for confirming the safety of an elderly person living alone by detecting an optical signal emitted from a remote controller of a home electric appliance such as a television.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japan is rapidly becoming an aging society. In the present age of nuclear families, care for the elderly living alone has become a major social issue. Although there are various types of living alone, the elderly do not often go out due to physical weakness and often have little interaction with neighbors.

[0003] When considering such circumstances, it is necessary to have a means of knowing whether or not an elderly person living alone lives without any change. Ideally, it is considered that the best method is for a home helper or the like to visit a nursing home every day to check the safety, but it is difficult to realize this from the viewpoint of securing personnel and labor costs.

[0004] Therefore, an apparatus has been developed which uses a safety confirmation sensor (such as an ultrasonic sensor or a touch sensor) to confirm the safety of an elderly person living alone.

[0005] For example, a device for detecting the safety of the elderly by detecting the movement of an elderly person by the Doppler effect using an ultrasonic sensor or detecting whether or not a hot water supply switch of an electric pot has been pressed by a touch sensor ( Safety confirmation device) has been put to practical use.

[0006]

However, the safety confirmation apparatus using the ultrasonic sensor cannot detect the movement of the old man because the movement of the old man is slow, or erroneously detects the movement of the cat or dog as the movement of the old man. Therefore, the safety confirmation may be inaccurate.

[0007] Further, in the device for detecting whether the hot water supply switch of the electric pot is pressed or not to confirm the safety, when the elderly person does not use the electric pot (for example, when he falls asleep with a cold or the like). Means that the safety cannot be confirmed.

Although a safety confirmation device for confirming safety using a thermal sensor for crime prevention has been put into practical use, it is difficult to distinguish heat generated from a human body from heat generated from a domestic cat or the like. Confirmation of safety is likely to be inaccurate.

An object of the present invention is to provide a safety confirmation device which can easily and surely confirm the safety of an elderly living alone.

[0010]

The inventor of the present invention has found that home electric appliances (such as televisions) have become widespread in ordinary households, and that many home electric appliances (especially televisions) have remote control transmitters (so-called remote controllers). Focusing on the fact that it is common for elderly people living alone to obtain useful information and entertainment through television through a television, and to detect the optical signal emitted from the remote control as a result of the elderly man operating the remote control A safety confirmation device (the invention of claim 1) for confirming the safety based on the detection result is created.

Further, the present invention is based on the fact that the communication cost is not required if the telephone number is read using the number display service, and the reliability of the system is improved if the function check is performed in a timely manner. Things.

In addition, the accuracy of safety confirmation can be further enhanced by using various kinds of safety confirmation sensors in combination, and the activity status of the elderly can be grasped if any of the safety confirmation sensors is detected. By focusing attention, the invention according to claim 3 was created.

That is, the invention of claim 1 is a light-receiving sensor capable of detecting a light signal emitted from a remote controller for home electric appliances, and within a safety confirmation time from the time when the light signal is detected by the light-receiving sensor. It is characterized in that a safety confirmation terminal for transmitting a survival confirmation required signal to a host computer via a telephone line when it is possible to determine again whether the optical signal has been detected or not has been detected is provided.

In this invention, when an elderly person living alone operates a remote controller to turn on a home electric appliance such as a television or an air conditioner, the light receiving sensor detects an optical signal emitted from the remote controller. Then, the safety confirmation terminal determines whether the light signal is detected again within a safety confirmation time (for example, 24 hours) from the time when the light signal is detected by the light receiving sensor, and determines that the light signal is not detected. In this case (that is, when the light signal is not detected by the light receiving sensor within the safety confirmation time), a survival confirmation required signal is transmitted to the host computer through the telephone line. Based on the transmission result, it can be confirmed that an abnormality has occurred in the elderly living alone.

There is no restriction on the installation location of the light receiving sensor as long as it can detect an optical signal emitted from the remote controller, and it is not necessary to incorporate or fix the light receiving sensor in a household electric appliance such as a television. Therefore, even if the household electric appliance is replaced, troublesome work such as replacing the light receiving sensor is not required.

In a room, an optical signal emitted from the remote controller is reflected by a wall or the like. Therefore, the optical signal from the remote controller can be detected with sufficient accuracy without installing a light receiving sensor near home appliances. . Therefore, for example, by providing one light-receiving sensor on the ceiling in a room where a TV or an air conditioner is installed, it is possible to accurately detect both optical signals emitted from the TV remote control and the air conditioner remote control. That is, the number of light receiving sensors can be reduced, which is economical.

The invention of claim 2 is to read the telephone number of the safety confirmation terminal transmitted to the host computer as the survival confirmation required signal by using a number display function, and to read the telephone number separately from the telephone line. It is characterized in that the function of the safety confirmation terminal is checked and / or the detailed safety data is transmitted using a telephone line.

In the case of this invention, since the telephone number as the signal for confirming existence is read using the number display function, no communication cost is required. Therefore,
You can check the safety of an elderly person living alone while reducing costs. In addition, without hindering such safety confirmation,
Since the function check of the safety confirmation terminal can be performed, the reliability of the device can be further improved. Further, since detailed safety data can be transmitted, the activity status of the elderly living alone can be grasped.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, each of the optical signal transmitters added to various safety confirmation sensors and assigned with a dedicated ID, and each of the optical signal transmitters responds to the ID in conjunction with the various safety confirmation sensors. A light-receiving sensor capable of detecting an individual optical signal emitted by the light-receiving sensor, and a safety confirmation terminal transmitting a survival confirmation signal including an ID to a host computer through a telephone line when the individual optical signal is detected by the light-receiving sensor. It is characterized by having been provided.

In the case of this invention, since various safety confirmation sensors are used in combination, the accuracy of the safety confirmation can be further improved, and which of the safety confirmation sensors has been detected can be identified by the ID. The activity status of the elderly can be understood.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a safety confirmation device according to the present invention.
As shown in the figure, the light receiving sensor 10 and the safety confirmation terminal 20
The optical signal L emitted from the remote controller 3 for home electric appliances (for example, the television 2) can be detected to confirm the safety of the elderly living alone.

The light receiving sensor 10 is a means for detecting a light (infrared) signal L emitted from a remote controller 3 for home electric appliances (TV in this embodiment).

Here, in a room, the optical signal L emitted from the remote controller 3 is reflected by a wall (not shown) or the like. The signal L can be detected. Therefore, in this embodiment, the light receiving sensor 10 is provided on the ceiling 9 in the room.

As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the light receiving sensor 10 may be mounted on the upper surface of the television 2 so that the optical signal L from the remote controller 3 can be detected more accurately. In addition, a plurality of light receiving sensors 10 can be connected to one safety confirmation terminal 20 using a cable, a connector, or the like.

The safety confirmation terminal 20 is a light receiving sensor 10
It is possible to determine whether the optical signal L has been detected again within the safety confirmation time (24 hours in this embodiment) from the point in time when the optical signal L emitted from the remote controller 3 is detected, and it is not possible to detect (ie, re-detect) If it is determined that the optical signal L is not detected), this is means for transmitting a survival confirmation necessary signal SG to the host computer 41 through the telephone line 30.

In this embodiment, the existence confirmation necessary signal SG
Is selected as the telephone number of the safety confirmation terminal 20.

The host computer 41 is installed in a management center (hospital, city hall, etc.) 40 for centrally managing registered elderly people living alone. The host computer 41 reads the telephone number transmitted as the survival confirmation required signal SG using the number display function, and executes a predetermined processing program. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 25 denotes a power supply of the safety confirmation terminal 20.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

An elderly man living alone turns on the power of the television 2.
When the remote controller 3 is operated to perform
0 detects the optical signal L emitted from the remote controller 3.

Then, the safety confirmation terminal 20 restarts a preset safety confirmation time measurement timer based on the data of the optical signal L. For example, if the safety confirmation time is set to 24 hours, the light signal L is output at least once within 24 hours.
Is not detected, as a safety abnormality, a telephone number is transmitted as a survival confirmation necessary signal SG to the host computer 41 through the telephone line 30 at that time.

The host computer 41 uses the number display function to read the telephone number as the survival confirmation necessary signal SG, and executes a predetermined processing program. Thereby, it can be confirmed that an abnormality has occurred in the elderly living alone in the management center 40. At this time, since the existence confirmation necessary signal (telephone number) SG is read using the number display function, no communication cost is required. Therefore, the safety of the elderly living alone can be confirmed while reducing costs.

If the elderly are instructed to operate the remote control 3 of the television 2 at least once a day (24 hours), the reliability of the safety confirmation system can be further improved.

If the light receiving sensor 10 does not detect the light signal L of the remote controller 3 immediately before reaching 24 hours (for example, 10 minutes before), an alarm is issued by blinking an LED or sounding a buzzer. Issue a remote control to the elderly 3
If the user is prompted to operate the system, the reliability of the safety confirmation system can be further improved.

The light receiving sensor 10 is provided on the ceiling 9 in the room as described above, and is not incorporated in or fixed to the television 2. You don't have to.

When a remote control (not shown) for an air conditioner installed in the same room as the television 2 is operated by an elderly person, the light receiving sensor 10 detects an optical signal emitted from the remote control. Therefore, even if the elderly person does not watch the television 2, the safety can be confirmed by turning on the air conditioner.

By providing an optical signal transmitter (light emitting diode) that emits an optical signal L that can be detected by the light receiving sensor 10 so as to interlock with various known safety confirmation sensors, safety confirmation can be further enhanced. Can be performed with high accuracy.

For example, as shown in FIG.
When the switch 6 is pressed on the lid 5 of the
By attaching an optical signal transmitter (light emitting diode) 15 that emits an optical signal L that can be detected, the safety can be confirmed even if the elderly person does not turn on the television 2 or the air conditioner.

As shown in FIG. 3, the optical signal transmitter 15 is installed so as to interlock with an open / close detection sensor 8 for a door 7 of a toilet or a bathroom. The optical signal L from the optical signal transmitter 15 may be configured to be detectable. In order to further improve the operation accuracy of the light receiving sensor 10 and the optical signal transmitter 15, not only the optical signal L is transmitted only at the moment when the opening and closing of the door 7 is detected, but also the transmission is performed again several minutes later. In addition, it is possible to reduce errors in data transmission / reception.

In addition to the above, other conventional safety confirmation sensors for interlocking the optical signal transmitter 15 include a sensor capable of detecting lighting of indoor lighting equipment, a sensor capable of detecting opening and closing of a curtain, and vibration of a bed or the like. There are sensors that can be detected and sensors attached to accessories.

A dedicated ID is assigned to each of the optical signal transmitters 15 of the various safety confirmation sensors, and an individual optical signal emitted from each of the optical signal transmitters 15 in accordance with the ID is linked to the various safety confirmation sensors. The light receiving sensor 10 which can be detected and the telephone line 3 is sent to the host computer 41 when the individual light signal is detected by the light receiving sensor 10.
0 through a telephone line (not shown) provided separately from
By configuring the safety confirmation terminal 20 so that the survival confirmation signal including the D and the detection time data can be transmitted as needed, it is possible to determine whether the elderly person has operated the remote control 3 of the television 2 at the management center 40 or not. Whether the user has used the electric kettle, has used the electric toilet, or has entered the toilet, and the number of times the information has been collected can be collected as data. As a result, it is possible to grasp the activity status as well as the safety of the elderly living alone. In addition, comparing the data with the data of the old man on the day before or in the past can be used as a material for judging the level of the safety abnormality.

In this embodiment, a telephone line different from the telephone line 30 described above is used, and the safety confirmation terminal 2 is used.
0 is connected and communicated with the host computer 41 in a timely or regular manner to perform a function check. Thereby, it is possible to confirm whether or not the safety confirmation terminal 20 is operating normally without hindering the safety confirmation, and it is possible to further improve the reliability of the safety confirmation device.

[0041]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a light receiving sensor capable of detecting an optical signal emitted from a remote controller for home electric appliances (such as a television), and a time when the optical signal is detected by the light receiving sensor Since it is possible to determine whether or not the optical signal has been detected again within the safety confirmation time and if it is determined to be non-detection, a safety confirmation terminal that transmits a survival confirmation necessary signal through a telephone line to the host computer is provided. You can easily and reliably check the safety of an elderly person living alone.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the telephone number of the safety confirmation terminal transmitted to the host computer as the survival confirmation necessary signal is read using the number display function, and the telephone line for the safety confirmation is read. Use another phone line to check the function of the safety confirmation terminal and / or
Alternatively, since the transmission of the detailed safety data is performed, the communication cost is not required for the safety confirmation. Therefore, the safety of the elderly living alone can be confirmed while reducing costs. Further, the reliability of the device can be further improved, and the safety of an elderly person living alone can be grasped in detail.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, each optical signal transmitter added to various safety confirmation sensors and assigned with a dedicated ID, and the ID from each optical signal transmitter in conjunction with the various safety confirmation sensors. A light-receiving sensor capable of detecting an individual optical signal emitted in response to the information, and a safety confirmation terminal for transmitting a survival confirmation signal including an ID to a host computer via a telephone line when the individual optical signal is detected by the light-receiving sensor. Is provided, the accuracy of the safety confirmation can be further enhanced, and which of the safety confirmation sensors is detected by the ID can be grasped even the activity status of the elderly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is also a diagram for explaining a modified example (1).

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a modified example (2).

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 TV 3 Remote control 10 Light receiving sensor 15 Optical signal transmitter 20 Safety confirmation terminal 30 Telephone line 41 Host computer

Continued on the front page F-term (reference) 5C087 AA10 AA12 AA23 AA25 AA32 AA42 BB12 BB19 BB74 CC45 DD03 DD24 DD37 EE18 FF01 FF04 FF08 FF19 FF22 FF23 GG11 GG21 GG43 GG07 A1014

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A light-receiving sensor capable of detecting an optical signal emitted from a remote controller for home appliances, and the optical signal is detected again within a safety confirmation time from the time when the optical signal is detected by the light-receiving sensor. A safety confirmation terminal for transmitting a survival confirmation necessary signal to a host computer through a telephone line when it is possible to determine whether or not the information is not detected. 2. A telephone number of the safety confirmation terminal transmitted to the host computer as the survival confirmation required signal is read using a number display function, and a telephone line different from the telephone line is used. 2. The safety confirmation device according to claim 1, wherein a function check of the safety confirmation terminal and / or transmission of detailed safety data are performed. 3. An optical signal transmitter added to various safety confirmation sensors and assigned with a dedicated ID, and an ID from each optical signal transmitter interlocked with the various safety confirmation sensors.
A light-receiving sensor capable of detecting an individual optical signal emitted in accordance with the above, and a safety confirmation terminal for transmitting safety detailed data including an ID to a host computer via a telephone line when the individual optical signal is detected by the light-receiving sensor. A safety confirmation device characterized by comprising: