KR102697678B1 - Hearing aid for monitoring and managing wearer's condition - Google Patents

Abstract

A hearing aid device is provided that monitors and manages in real time the condition of a wearer with hearing loss and cognitive dysfunction due to aging, wherein the hearing aid device acquires the wearer's biometric data, movement data, and GPS information, determines the condition of the wearer based on at least one of the acquired wearer data and GPS information, and selects voice guidance of the caregiver corresponding to the determination result and provides it to the wearer through a hearing aid module.

Description

{HEARING AID FOR MONITORING AND MANAGING WEARER'S CONDITION}

The present disclosure provides a hearing aid device that monitors and manages the condition of a wearer.

As we age, physical aging occurs, and hearing loss is a disease that can occur due to degenerative changes caused by aging. Hearing loss is a condition in which we cannot hear sounds well enough to understand conversations in daily life. In fact, the frequency of hearing loss patients increases with age, and it is known to be one of the most common chronic diseases in old age. Meanwhile, aging can be accompanied by cognitive decline in addition to hearing loss. Cognitive decline refers to a decline in memory, attention, language ability, spatial ability, and judgment. Patients with cognitive decline due to aging are often diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, dementia, etc. based on objective judgment criteria and final diagnosis.

A hearing aid is a representative example of a hearing assistance device. A hearing aid is a device that reinforces hearing loss in people with hearing loss. A hearing aid collects or amplifies sounds to transmit them, allowing the wearer to hear sounds well. Many studies have proven the hearing assistance effect of hearing aids on elderly hearing loss patients, and it has been reported that the level of hearing impairment discomfort due to elderly hearing loss is significantly reduced by hearing aids. Since hearing aids are worn all the time during daily life, the health status of elderly patients with hearing loss and cognitive decline can be continuously managed by using hearing aids. In light of this, there is a growing need for research on technologies that manage the health status of hearing aid wearers and detect dangerous situations using hearing aids.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a hearing aid device and a specific operating method thereof that monitor and manage in real time the condition of a wearer with hearing loss and cognitive dysfunction due to aging. The technical problems to be achieved by the present embodiment are not limited to the technical problems described above, and other technical problems can be inferred from the following embodiments.

As a technical means for achieving the above-described technical task, a first aspect of the present disclosure provides a hearing assistance device, a portion of which is inserted into the external auditory canal of a wearer and which monitors and manages the condition of the wearer, comprising: a base body; a hearing aid module disposed in the base body which receives, amplifies, and outputs an external sound or a caregiver's voice guidance; a wearer data acquisition module disposed in the portion of the hearing aid module inserted into the external auditory canal or in the base body which acquires the wearer's biometric data and movement data; a GPS information acquisition module disposed in the base body which acquires GPS information including the wearer's location information and time information; and a control module which determines the condition of the wearer based on at least one of the acquired wearer data and GPS information, and selects and transmits the caregiver's voice guidance corresponding to the determination result to the hearing aid module.

Here, the hearing aid module includes a microphone that receives the sound or voice guidance and converts it into an electric signal, an amplifier that amplifies the converted electric signal, and a speaker that converts the amplified electric signal into a controlled sound and outputs it.

Here, the voice guidance of the caregiver is set to the voice of one of the wearer's guardian, family member, friend, acquaintance, caregiver, and medical staff.

Here, the voice guidance of the caregiver is set to the voice of a recognizable target when the wearer has a cognitive impairment.

Here, the cognitive impairment includes dementia.

Here, the control module calculates a condition score by comparing the acquired biometric data with a reference value set for each item, determines whether to consider movement data based on the location information or the time information, adds the result to the calculated condition score, and calculates a total condition score, and selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the total condition score and transmits it to the hearing aid module.

Here, the control module determines the state through a combination of change tendencies of the two acquired biometric data items, selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined state, and transmits it to the hearing aid module.

Here, the control module determines a position deviation status through the acquired position information, selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined status, and transmits it to the hearing aid module.

Here, the hearing aid device further includes a communication module that is connected to an external terminal via wireless communication and transmits and receives data with the terminal, and the control module generates a danger alarm when it determines that the location deviation state has occurred and transmits the danger alarm to the terminal via the communication module.

Here, the control module determines a certain state based on the acquired time information, selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined state, and transmits it to the hearing aid module.

Here, the hearing aid device further includes a power module including a battery that supplies power to the hearing aid module and the control module, a wireless charging unit that receives wireless power and charges the battery, and a charging management unit that monitors the remaining amount of the battery and automatically performs wireless charging when the remaining amount is below a reference value.

Here, if the remaining amount is below the reference value, the charging management unit determines whether the location is capable of wireless charging using the location information, and if the location is capable of wireless charging, it determines that the location is in a charging request state and transmits the caregiver's voice guidance to the hearing aid module.

Other aspects, features and advantages other than those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims and detailed description of the invention.

These general and specific aspects may be implemented using a system, method, computer program, or a combination of any of the systems, methods, and computer programs.

According to the problem solving means of the present disclosure described above, biometric data, movement data, and GPS information are measured or acquired through a hearing aid device continuously worn by the wearer while the wearer is going about his or her daily life, the condition of the wearer is judged, and then caregiver voice guidance is provided to the wearer through the hearing aid device being worn, thereby enabling the wearer to appropriately and quickly respond to an abnormal situation.

In addition, the caregiver voice guidance provided by the hearing aid device is set to the voice of a person that can be recognized even by the wearer with cognitive impairment, thereby providing comfort and stability to the wearer and enabling the wearer to act according to the guidance.

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a system for monitoring and managing the condition of a wearer using a hearing assistance device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of a hearing aid device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the specific configuration of the hearing aid module of Figure 2.
Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the specific configuration of the wearer data acquisition module and GPS information acquisition module of Fig. 2.
Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the specific configuration of the control module of Figure 2.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for a hearing aid device to monitor and manage a wearer's condition according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging the condition of a wearer and selecting caregiver voice guidance according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging the condition of a wearer and selecting caregiver voice guidance according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging the condition of a wearer and selecting caregiver voice guidance according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging the condition of a wearer and selecting caregiver voice guidance according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the specific configuration of the power module of Figure 2.
Figure 12 is a flow chart showing how the hearing aid device of Figure 11 manages power.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging the condition of a wearer and selecting caregiver voice guidance according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method in which a caregiver voice guidance provision unit selects a voice appropriate for a condition from a caregiver voice guidance storage unit.
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a method in which a caregiver voice guidance provision unit selects a voice appropriate for a condition from a caregiver voice guidance storage unit.

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In addition, in order to clearly describe the present invention in the drawings, parts that are not related to the description are omitted, and similar parts are assigned similar drawing reference numerals throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly connected" but also the case where it is "electrically connected" with another element in between. Also, when a part is said to "include" a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise specifically stated.

In the examples below, the terms first, second, etc. are not used in a limiting sense but are used for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

In the examples below, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In some embodiments, where the implementation is otherwise feasible, certain steps may be performed differently from the steps described. For example, two steps described in succession may be performed substantially simultaneously, or may be performed in an order opposite to the order described.

In this specification, the “wearer” refers to a subject who wears the hearing aid device of the present invention, and the wearer may be a patient with cognitive problems who has hearing problems and cognitive function declines at the same time, or a patient diagnosed with cognitive impairment, dementia, etc. In other words, the wearer may be a dementia patient with hearing loss. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the wearer may include vulnerable groups such as infants, children, the disabled, and the elderly living alone.

In this specification, the term “user” includes not only a subject wearing the hearing aid device of the present invention, but also a subject developing and managing the device, and may include a wearer, a guardian, family, friend, acquaintance, caregiver, and medical staff in addition to a user of a terminal, a user of a management server, a developer or manager of a hearing aid device, etc.

The present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings below.

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a wearer's condition monitoring and management system using a hearing aid device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system may include a hearing aid device (100) capable of wirelessly communicating with the outside, including a communication module, a first terminal (200) that wirelessly communicates with the hearing aid device (100) to transmit and receive predetermined data, a second terminal (300) that communicates with the first terminal (200) through a network to transmit and receive predetermined data, and a management server (400).

Here, the “hearing assistance device (100)” refers to a device that amplifies sound to assist hearing loss or deterioration, and may include, for example, a hearing aid. The types of hearing aids are not limited to insertion-type, ear-worn-type, box-type, band-type, glasses-type, etc., and may include all types.

Here, a “terminal” may be a mobile or non-mobile computing device such as a smartphone, tablet, PC, wearable smart device, or smart device dedicated to healthcare. A terminal may include any type of device that communicates with other devices via wireless communication or a network.

Here, the first terminal (200) may be a terminal of the wearer of the hearing aid device (100), but is not limited thereto and may be a terminal of one of a guardian, family member, friend, acquaintance, caregiver, or medical staff other than the wearer. Here, the second terminal (300) may be a terminal of one of a guardian, family member, friend, acquaintance, caregiver, or medical staff other than the wearer of the hearing aid device (100).

The first terminal (200) can exchange data with the hearing aid device (100) through the installed dedicated application. For example, the first terminal (200) can receive a danger alarm from the hearing aid device (100). In addition, the first terminal (200) can transmit the received danger alarm to the second terminal (300) and/or the management server (400) through the network.

Here, the “management server (400)” may be a computing device that communicates with other devices through a network, and may be, for example, a 112 server, a 119 server, a medical service provision server, a hospital server, a risk center server, etc.

Here, the term “network” includes a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a value-added network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, and a combination thereof, and is a comprehensive data communication network that enables each network component illustrated in Fig. 1 to communicate smoothly with each other, and may include wired Internet, wireless Internet, and mobile radio communication networks.

Also, "wireless communication here may include, but is not limited to, wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct), UWB (ultra-wideband), infrared communication (IrDA, infrared Data Association), NFC (Near Field Communication), etc.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the hearing aid device (100) can obtain the wearer's biometric data, movement data, and GPS information, determine the wearer's condition based on the obtained data and information, and select and provide caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the wearer's condition to the wearer.

In an optional embodiment, some steps may be performed in the first terminal (200). In detail, the hearing aid device (100) transmits acquired data and information to the first terminal (200) via wireless communication, and the first terminal (200) determines the condition of the wearer based on the received data and information, selects caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the condition of the wearer, and transmits the selected caregiver voice guidance to the hearing aid device (100). The hearing aid device (100) may provide the received caregiver voice guidance to the wearer.

According to an optional embodiment, the hearing aid device (100) can generate a danger alarm in a given case, and the hearing aid device (100) can directly or indirectly transmit the generated danger alarm to at least one of the first terminal (200), the second terminal (300), and the management server (400).

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system monitors and manages the health status of a wearer of a hearing aid device (100) based on data and information acquired from the hearing aid device (100), and provides guidance to the wearer or notifies a guardian of danger to the wearer, thereby having the effect of monitoring and managing the status of a wearer of a hearing aid device (100) in real time.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a hearing aid device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the specific configuration of the hearing aid module (110) of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the specific configuration of the wearer data acquisition module (120) and the GPS information acquisition module (130) of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the specific configuration of the control module (140) of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, the hearing aid device (100) may include a base body (not shown), a hearing aid module (110) disposed in the base body, a wearer data acquisition module (120) disposed in a portion of the hearing aid module (110) that is inserted into the external auditory canal or in the base body, a GPS information acquisition module (130) disposed in the base body, and a control module (140) that transmits caregiver voice guidance to the hearing aid module (110). In addition, the hearing aid device (100) may further include a communication module (150) and a power module (160).

The hearing aid module (110) receives external sound or a caregiver's voice guidance, amplifies it, and outputs it. Referring to FIG. 3, the hearing aid module (110) may include a microphone (111) that receives sound and converts it into an electric signal, an amplifier (112) that amplifies the converted electric signal, and a speaker (113) that converts the amplified electric signal into a controlled sound and outputs it. The hearing aid module (110) may further include a volume control unit (114) that controls the volume of the sound output from the speaker. Here, the sound input by the microphone (111) may be an external sound or a sound of a caregiver's voice guidance received from the control module (140).

The wearer data acquisition module (120) acquires at least one of the wearer's biometric data and movement data. Here, the wearer data is a general term for biometric data and movement data. Referring to FIG. 4, the wearer data acquisition module (120) may include a biometric data acquisition module (121) that acquires biometric data and a movement data acquisition module (122) that acquires the wearer's movement data.

The biometric data acquisition module (121) is located on the inside of the part of the hearing aid module (110) that is inserted into the external auditory canal and can acquire biometric values from the wearer. The biometric data acquisition module (121) can include a temperature sensor (1211) that measures the body temperature of the wearer, a heart rate sensor (1212) that measures the heart rate of the wearer, and an oxygen saturation sensor (1213) that measures the oxygen saturation of the wearer's blood.

The temperature sensor (1211) may be a thermometer that is placed on the surface of a kernel inserted into the external auditory canal and measures body temperature, and may measure body temperature at a specific time or continuously measure changes in body temperature at predetermined time intervals.

The heart rate sensor (1212) can detect the heart rate by measuring the pressure change of the external auditory canal transmitted from the blood through a pressure sensor placed on the surface of the kernel inserted into the external auditory canal, or by measuring the intensity change of light detected through an optical transceiver sensor in contact with the kernel or the back of the ear.

The coral saturation sensor (1213) can also calculate blood oxygen saturation by measuring changes in the intensity of light detected through the optical transceiver described above.

The movement data acquisition module (122) is placed inside the base body of the hearing aid device (100) and can acquire movement change information or posture change information of the wearer. The movement data acquisition module (122) can include at least one of a gyroscope (1221) and an acceleration sensor (1222) (Accelerometer).

The gyroscope (1221) measures the angular velocity of the moving wearer, and the acceleration sensor (1222) measures the acceleration of the moving wearer. The angle of inclination, degree of rotation, and degree of movement of the object are calculated through the measured angular velocity or acceleration, and based on this, posture change information can be derived. Since the algorithm for calculating posture change information through the gyroscope (1221) and the acceleration sensor (1222) is well known, a detailed description is omitted.

The GPS information acquisition module (130) can be located anywhere on the inside or outside of the base body of the hearing aid device (100), and can acquire time information in addition to the wearer's location information. The GPS information acquisition module (130) can include a GPS (global positioning system) (131). Since the principles and methods for acquiring the wearer's location information and time information described above from the GPS (131) are well-known methods, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The control module (140) is located inside the base body of the hearing aid device (100) and is a processor that controls each component as a whole, and can be implemented using at least one of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

Referring to FIG. 5, the control module (140) may include a status determination unit (141) that determines the status of the wearer based on at least one of the acquired wearer data and GPS information, and a caregiver voice guidance provision unit (142) that selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determination result of the status determination unit (141) and transmits it to the hearing aid module (110). In addition to the above-described components, the control module (140) may include a risk alarm generation unit (143), a data storage unit (144), and a caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145).

The data storage unit (144) can store acquired wearer data and GPS information. The data storage unit (144) can include, but is not limited to, a magnetic storage media or a flash storage media. In FIG. 5, the data storage unit (144) is illustrated as being included in the control module (140) for convenience of explanation, but the data storage unit (144) can be implemented separately from the control module (140).

The status determination unit (141) determines the status of the wearer based on at least one of the acquired biometric data, movement data, and GPS information. The status determination unit (141) can determine the health status of the wearer based on the biometric data and/or movement data, can determine the status of whether the wearer has left a reference location based on location information, and can determine the status of whether guidance according to a reference schedule is required based on time information.

The caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145) can store various types of multiple caregiver voice guidances. The caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145) can include, but is not limited to, a magnetic storage media or a flash storage media. In FIG. 5, for convenience of explanation, the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145) is illustrated as being included in the control module (140), but similar to the data storage unit (144), the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145) can be implemented separately from the control module (140).

The caregiver voice guidance provision unit (142) selects an appropriate caregiver voice guidance from the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145) based on the judgment result of the status judgment unit (141) and transmits it to the hearing aid module (110) of FIG. 2.

The risk alarm generation unit (143) can generate a risk alarm based on the judgment result of the status judgment unit (141) and transmit the generated risk alarm to an external terminal through a communication module.

The method by which the hearing aid device (100) monitors and manages the wearer's condition, including the specific operation of the control module (140), is described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for a hearing aid device (100) to monitor and manage the condition of a wearer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In step 101, the wearer wears the hearing aid device (100). The wearer can carry out daily life while wearing the hearing aid device (100).

In step 102, the hearing aid device (100) acquires the wearer's biometric data, movement data, and GPS information.

Biometric data may include the wearer's body temperature, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation. The biometric data acquisition module (121) of Fig. 4 may measure biometric data at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 5 seconds, 10 seconds).

The movement data may include information on changes in the wearer's posture. The movement data acquisition module (122) may process the angular velocity obtained through the gyroscope (1221) and the acceleration obtained through the acceleration sensor (1222) to express the wearer's posture change information in numbers. Since the method of expressing the wearer's posture change information in numbers through the angular velocity and acceleration is well known, a detailed description will be omitted. For example, the movement data acquisition module (122) may express a large movement value when the wearer shows a rapid change in posture, such as falling or slipping, and may express a small movement value when the wearer shows a daily change in posture, such as walking. The movement data acquisition module (122) of FIG. 4 may measure movement data when a movement change exceeds a reference value, but is not limited thereto and may also measure movement data at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 5 seconds, 10 seconds).

GPS information may include the wearer's location information and time information. The GPS information acquisition module (130) of Fig. 4 can confirm the wearer's current location through longitude and latitude obtained through GPS (131), and can also confirm the movement path by storing the location by time. In addition, accurate current time information can also be obtained through GPS (131).

In step 103, the hearing aid device (100) determines the wearer's condition based on at least one of the acquired biometric data, movement data, and GPS information.

Here, the wearer's condition may refer to the wearer's health condition when judged based on biometric data and/or movement data, may refer to the condition regarding whether the wearer has left the main living area or a designated location when judged based on location information, and may refer to the condition regarding whether guidance according to a set schedule at a given time is required when judged based on time information. Specific details regarding judging the wearer's condition through the acquired data of step 103 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10.

In step 104, the hearing aid device (100) selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the judgment result.

A variety of multiple caregiver voice guidances can be stored in the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145), and the control module (140) can select an appropriate caregiver voice guidance in response to the judgment result of step 103.

Caregiver voice guidance may include, but is not limited to, instructions for actions to be taken by the wearer, questions to assess the wearer's level of consciousness, and guidance on the wearer's current condition.

In one embodiment, the caregiver voice guidance may be set to the voice of one of the wearer's guardian, family member, friend, acquaintance, caregiver, or attending medical staff.

In an optional embodiment, the caregiver's voice guidance may be set to the voice of a recognizable subject if the wearer has a cognitive impairment. Here, the cognitive impairment may include mild cognitive impairment and dementia, and dementia may include all types caused by various causes, such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

In step 105, the hearing aid device (100) transmits the selected caregiver voice guidance to the hearing aid module (110) and provides it to the wearer.

Meanwhile, although not shown, prior to step 101, a step of wirelessly connecting the hearing aid device (100) and the first terminal (200) (e.g., Bluetooth connection), a step of installing a dedicated application for the hearing aid device (100) in the first terminal (200), and a step of providing various data to the hearing aid device (100) through the dedicated application of the first terminal (200) may be further performed. Here, the various data may include personal data including the wearer's gender, age, disease, etc., or preset reference values, reference ranges, reference locations, reference schedules, reference amounts, etc. that may be used for later condition judgment, but the type of data is not limited thereto.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for monitoring and managing in real time the condition of a patient (wearer) with hearing loss and cognitive dysfunction due to aging is disclosed through a hearing assistance device (100) (hearing aid). Since a hearing aid is a medical device that the wearer wears all the time while going about his or her daily life, by introducing a configuration capable of observing, tracking, and managing the condition of the wearer into the hearing aid, daily care of a patient (wearer) with cognitive dysfunction due to aging is possible.

In particular, dementia patients have difficulty in daily life due to decline in memory, thinking ability, and cognitive function. For example, dementia patients easily get lost, have difficulty sleeping or eating at regular times, and have difficulty taking medication on time. In addition, in the case of senile dementia, in addition to a decline in the sense of balance, falls can occur frequently in certain places (e.g., bathroom, bedroom) or in certain seasons (e.g., winter) due to weakened joint function caused by aging. Meanwhile, elderly patients with cognitive impairment have difficulty responding quickly and appropriately to health-related problems due to decreased judgment. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously monitor basic biometric data such as body temperature, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation of elderly patients with cognitive impairment and provide appropriate and prompt response methods when abnormal situations occur.

In the case of a hearing aid device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, biometric data, movement data, and GPS information are measured or acquired through a hearing aid that the wearer continuously wears on the body while going about his or her daily life, and the wearer's condition is judged using this, and then caregiver voice guidance is provided through the hearing aid being worn, thereby enabling appropriate and rapid self-response to abnormal situations.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the caregiver voice guidance of the hearing aid device (100) is characterized by being set to the voice of an object that can be recognized even by a hearing aid wearer with a cognitive impairment. For example, the voice of the caregiver voice guidance can be set to the voice of one of the wearer's guardian, family, friend, acquaintance, caregiver, and attending medical staff. In the case of a patient with a cognitive impairment, there is a strong tendency to respond to the voice of an object that he or she can recognize. Therefore, by providing the caregiver voice guidance provided by the hearing aid not as the voice of a third party unrelated to the wearer, but as the voice of an object that the wearer can recognize, there is an effect of enabling even a wearer with a cognitive impairment to act according to the guidance.

Meanwhile, the wearer of the hearing aid device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be a vulnerable group such as an infant, a child, a disabled person, or an elderly person living alone, in addition to a dementia patient with hearing loss. By identifying the condition of such a wearer in real time through the hearing aid device (100) and providing appropriate caregiver voice guidance, there is an effect that enables real-time monitoring and management of the vulnerable group.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging a wearer's condition and selecting a caregiver voice guidance according to one embodiment of the present invention, in relation to steps 103 and 104 of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 7, in step 1031-1, the hearing aid device (100) compares the acquired biometric data with a reference value set for each item to calculate a status score.

The control module (140) stores the reference values set for each item of biometric data (body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation) as shown in Table 1, and the scores for each item according to the reference values. For example, the reference values and the score for each item in Table 1 are set based on the EWS system (Early warning score system), but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the reference values and the status scores may be changed based on the wearer's gender, age, disease, etc.

Item-by-item score (points)
/ item 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 Body temperature (C) ≤35.0 35.1-37.9 ≥38.0 Heart rate (bpm) ≤40 41-50 51-100 101-110 111-129 ≥130 Oxygen saturation ( _SpO2 ,%) ≤91 ≥92

First, the control module (140) can compare the reference value with the biometric data for each item acquired in step 102 to calculate a score for each item. For example, if the wearer's biometric data is measured as a body temperature of 36.5C, a heart rate of 110 bpm, and an oxygen saturation of 91%, the scores for each item can be calculated as 0 points for body temperature, 1 point for heart rate, and 3 points for oxygen saturation based on the reference values in Table 1. Next, the control module (140) derives a status score based on the scores for each item. Here, the status score may be the sum of the scores for each item. For example, the status score of the example described above may be 4 points by Equation 1.

[Formula 1]

0(body temperature)+1(heart rate)+3(oxygen saturation) = 4(condition score)

However, the method of deriving the condition score can be modified in various ways. For example, weights can be added to the scores for each item based on the wearer's gender, age, disease, etc. In detail, if the wearer has a circulatory disease, weights can be added to the heart rate item, and if the wearer has a respiratory disease, weights can be added to the oxygen saturation item. The weight values can also be set in various ways depending on the severity of the disease or the choice of the medical staff.

In step 1032-1, the hearing aid device (100) calculates the total status score by determining whether to consider movement data based on the acquired GPS information.

In one embodiment, it is possible to determine whether to consider movement data based on location information among GPS information. For example, in the case of senile dementia, many fall accidents occur in specific places (e.g., bathroom, bedroom) due to a decline in the sense of balance and a weakening of joint function due to aging. Therefore, if the wearer is currently located in a place at risk of falling based on the location information acquired in step 102, the control module (140) can add up the total status score by considering the movement data. In other words, if the wearer is located in a place at risk of falling, the total status score can be calculated by adding the movement value to the condition score derived in step 1031-1. Here, the place at risk of falling can be preset by the user, and can be, for example, a bathroom or a bedroom.

In another embodiment, it is possible to determine whether to consider movement data based on time information among GPS information. For example, in the case of senile dementia, many fall accidents occur in a specific season (e.g., winter). Therefore, if the current season corresponds to a fall accident risk season based on the time information acquired in step 102, the control module (140) can add the total status score by considering the movement data. In other words, if it corresponds to a fall accident risk season, the total status score can be calculated by adding the movement value to the condition score derived in step 1031-1. Here, the fall accident risk season can be preset by the user and can be, for example, winter.

Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the hearing aid device (100) may determine whether to consider movement data by simultaneously using acquired location information and time information, or may calculate the total status score by always considering movement data regardless of GPS information.

The movement data is the numerical expression of the wearer's posture change information obtained through the movement data acquisition module (122). For example, if the wearer shows a rapid change in posture, such as falling or slipping, it is expressed as a large movement value (e.g., 3 points), if the wearer simply moves a part of the body, such as the neck or limbs, within a certain range, it is expressed as a zero (0) movement value (e.g., 0 points), and if the wearer shows a change in daily posture, such as walking, it can be expressed as a small movement value (e.g., 1 point). However, the above-described movement values are exemplary, and the numerical range of the movement value can be expressed in various ways depending on the user's settings.

The total condition score calculated in this step 1032-1 may be the condition score calculated in step 1031-1 plus the movement value, or may be the condition score calculated in step 1031-1. In detail, if the wearer is located in a place at risk of falling based on GPS information, or if it is currently in a fall risk season, the total condition score may be the condition score calculated in step 1031-1 plus the movement value. On the other hand, if the prerequisite for adding the wearer's movement value based on GPS information is not satisfied, the total condition score may be the condition score calculated in step 1031-1.

In step 104-1, the hearing aid device (100) selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the calculated total status score.

As shown in Table 2, the total status score can be classified into normal, caution, and dangerous status according to each reference range. The first reference range may be a smaller value than the second reference range, and the second reference range may be a smaller value than the third reference range. Based on the item-by-item condition scores and exemplary movement values in Table 1 described above, for example, the first reference range may be 0 points, the second reference range may be 1 to 3 points, and the third reference range may be 4 points or more. However, these numbers are only based on the examples described above, and the item-by-item condition scores and movement values may vary in their ranges or expressions, and thus the reference ranges of the total status score may also vary.

situation Total Status Score normal 1st standard range caution Second standard range danger 3rd standard range

Meanwhile, the hearing aid device (100) can select a caregiver voice guidance according to the condition determined by the total condition score. Caregiver voice guidance with various voices and various contents is stored in the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145). For example, if the condition is caution, the hearing aid device (100) can select a caregiver voice guidance (e.g., “Be careful”) that requires the wearer to be careful or provides information on the wearer’s current condition. As another example, if the condition is dangerous, the hearing aid device (100) can select a caregiver voice guidance that includes questions (Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unresponsive; AVPU) for assessing the wearer’s level of consciousness. According to the embodiment of FIG. 7 described so far, the hearing aid device (100) has a feature of converting the measurement values of each item of the wearer’s biometric data into a numerical value based on medical evidence, and judging the wearer’s condition by considering all meaningful biometric data by adding up the values converted into numerical values. In addition, by providing caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the wearer's condition to the wearer through the hearing aid device (100), there is an effect of enabling real-time monitoring and management of the wearer's health condition. In addition, according to the embodiment of Fig. 7, a step of determining whether to consider the movement data of the wearer of the hearing aid device (100) in the condition determination based on GPS information (location information or time information) is added, thereby preventing errors that occur by unconditionally applying the movement data to the condition determination, and enabling more reliable wearer condition determination.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging a wearer's condition and selecting a caregiver voice guidance according to another embodiment of the present invention, in relation to steps 103 and 104 of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 8, in step 103-2, the hearing aid device (100) determines the wearer's condition through a combination of change tendencies of two items among the acquired biometric data.

First, the control module (140) determines the change tendency for each item of acquired biometric data, and then compares the combination of the change rate tendencies of two items with the stored reference value to determine the status.

The control module (140) stores a state (reference value) set according to a combination of change tendencies of two items among each item of biometric data (body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation) as shown in Tables 3 to 5.

Here, the change tendency indicates whether the change of the biometric data value measured over a given time interval is rising (increasing) or falling (decreasing). An example of a method for determining the change tendency is as follows. For example, if the wearer's body temperature measured at the first time (t1) is 36.5C, and the wearer's body temperature measured at the second time (t2), which is a given time (t) later from the first time (t1), is 38C, the change tendency is determined as rising (increasing).

The way to determine the condition is, for example, if the change tendency of the body temperature among the wearer's biometric data is determined to be decreasing and the change tendency of the oxygen saturation is determined to be decreasing, the wearer can be determined to be in a state of hypothermia according to Table 4.

Meanwhile, the reference values according to the combination of change tendencies of the two items in Tables 3 to 5 are exemplary, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and the reference values may be changed based on the wearer's gender, age, disease, etc.

Increased body temperature Body temperature decrease Increased heart rate Heatstroke, sunstroke, infectious disease, 3-day fever, malaria, or Pel-Ebstein fever suspected Early stage of hypothermia Heart rate decrease Initial state of high temperature exposure Moderate hypothermia (hypothyroidism, hypoadrenalism, hypopituitarism, hypoglycemia, brain damage or tumor, stroke, alcoholism or drug intoxication, large volumes of fluids or blood transfusion)

Increased body temperature Body temperature decrease Increased oxygen saturation N/A Suspected hypothermic extracorporeal circulation (dialysis, etc.) Oxygen saturation decrease Suspected heatstroke, sepsis Hypothermia

Increased heart rate Heart rate decrease Increased oxygen saturation Hyperventilation syndrome, suspected hyperventilation-induced disease
(bleeding, taking stimulants, drug overuse - aspirin, severe pain, pregnancy, pneumonia, COPD, asthma, heart failure, head trauma, etc.) N/A Oxygen saturation decrease Suspected massive bleeding Suspected symptomatic bradycardia

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the state was determined by simply considering the change tendency of the state data for each item, but according to an optional embodiment, the amount of change may be considered in addition to the change tendency. For example, a more detailed state may be determined by considering the change in the wearer's body temperature or the change in oxygen saturation, and a weight may be added to the change amount based on the wearer's gender, age, disease, etc. The change amount and weight values may be set according to the severity of the disease or according to the selection of the medical staff. Meanwhile, there are various ways to select only two items from the acquired biometric data. For example, the top two items may be selected by prioritizing them based on the change rate. In detail, the change tendency of each biometric data may be determined, and then the two items with the largest change rate may be selected. In detail, if the change tendency of the body temperature is determined to be decreased, the change tendency of the oxygen saturation is determined to be decreased, and the change tendency of the heart rate is determined to be decreased, but if the change amount or change rate of the heart rate is the lowest, the change tendencies of the body temperature and oxygen saturation may be used to consider the state determination. However, this is an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and two items of acquired biometric data may be selected by prioritizing them based on the gender, age, disease, etc. of the acquired biometric data wearer. In addition, two items designated in advance by the user may be considered in the status determination, or the status determination may be performed by considering all items.

In step 104-2, the hearing aid device (100) selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined condition.

The hearing aid device (100) may select a caregiver voice guidance for content requiring attention from the wearer, content informing the wearer of the current state, or content regarding actions to be taken by the wearer depending on the judgment state of step 103-2. For example, if the wearer is judged to be in a state of hypothermia or an early state of hypothermia, the hearing aid device (100) may select a caregiver voice guidance for content such as “Please warm up your body.” As another example, if the wearer is judged to be in a state of early exposure to high temperatures or a state suspected of heatstroke, the hearing aid device (100) may select a caregiver voice guidance for content such as “Please cool down your body.”

According to the embodiment of FIG. 8 described so far, the hearing aid device (100) has a feature of judging the condition of the wearer based on a combination of the change tendencies of two items among the measurement values of each item of the wearer's biometric data. In addition, in addition to content requiring attention from the wearer in response to the condition of the wearer or content guiding the wearer's current condition, content about the action that the wearer should currently take is provided to the wearer through the hearing aid device (100) via a caregiver voice guidance, thereby enabling the wearer to take prompt and appropriate self-measures in case of an abnormal situation and enabling real-time monitoring and management of the wearer's health condition.

Meanwhile, although not shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8, the hearing aid device (100) may generate a danger alarm corresponding to the wearer's condition at the same time as or before or after the step (step 104-1, step 104-2) of selecting a caregiver voice guidance according to the wearer's condition, and transmit the generated danger alarm to the first terminal (200) illustrated in FIG. 1 and the second terminal (300) and/or the management server (400) connected to the first terminal (200) via a network. Here, the danger alarm may include information about the wearer's condition and location information of the wearer. According to this optional embodiment, when the wearer is in a warning or danger state in the embodiment of FIG. 7 or is in a specific state requiring action by medical staff in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the user of the first terminal (200), the second terminal (300), or the management server (400) that has received the danger alarm can take necessary action for the wearer.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging a wearer's condition and selecting a caregiver voice guidance according to another embodiment of the present invention, in relation to steps 103 and 104 of FIG. 6.

Referring to Fig. 9, in step 103-3, the hearing aid device (100) determines whether the wearer is out of position through location information among the acquired GPS information.

The control module (140) can compare the acquired location information with the reference location to determine whether the current wearer has deviated from the reference location (location departure status).

The reference location may include at least one of the main living area and the pre-saved location area. The main living area may be a space where the wearer mainly conducts daily life, such as a home, a workplace (a senior center, a field, a vegetable garden, etc.). The pre-saved location area may be a place where the wearer visits or stays by choice or necessity, such as a hospital, a relative's residence, a daily necessities store (a supermarket, a market, etc.), a government office (a police station, a community center, etc.).

The primary living area or the designated location area can be set through a dedicated application for the hearing aid device (100) installed in the first terminal (200) connected to the hearing aid device (100) via wireless communication. The reference location can be set by entering a specific latitude and longitude or a specific address, or by entering a range such as within a radius of several kilometers from a specific point (for example, within a radius of 2 kilometers).

The control module (140) compares the acquired location information with the reference location to determine the status. If the wearer is within the reference location, it is determined to be a non-departure status, and if the wearer is outside the reference location, it is determined to be a departure status.

In step 104-3, the hearing aid device (100) selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined condition.

The hearing aid device (100) may select caregiver voice guidance for content requiring attention from the wearer, content informing the wearer of the current status, or content regarding actions to be taken by the wearer according to the current status, depending on the judgment status of step 103-3. For example, if the wearer is judged to be out of position, the hearing aid device (100) may select caregiver voice guidance such as “You have left the position.” As another example, if the wearer is judged to be not out of position, the hearing aid device (100) may omit selection of caregiver voice guidance.

In step 1041-3, if the hearing aid device (100) determines that the wearer is out of position, it can generate a corresponding risk alarm. In addition, in step 1042-3, the hearing aid device (100) can transmit the generated risk alarm to the first terminal (200) illustrated in FIG. 1, the second terminal (300) connected to the first terminal (200) via a network, and/or the management server (400). Here, the risk alarm can include the location information of the wearer. Through this, the user of the first terminal (200), the second terminal (300), or the management server (400) who receives the risk alarm corresponding to the out of position state can take necessary measures for the wearer.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 9 described so far, there is a feature of determining the state of the wearer's position deviation based on the location information among the GPS information of the wearer of the hearing aid device (100). In addition, by providing the wearer with content requiring attention in response to the state of the wearer's position deviation, content guiding the wearer's current state, and content about the action that the wearer should currently take through the hearing aid device (100) through the caregiver voice guidance, the wearer can be made aware of the state of the position deviation. In addition, by transmitting a danger alarm containing the wearer's location information to a guardian or the like when the wearer is in a state of position deviation, there is an effect of enabling the wearer to receive prompt help.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging the condition of a wearer and selecting caregiver voice guidance according to another embodiment of the present invention, in relation to steps 103 and 104 of FIG. 6.

Referring to Figure 10, in step 103-4, the hearing aid device (100) determines the wearer's schedule status through time information among the acquired GPS information.

The control module (140) can compare the acquired time information with the reference schedule to determine the schedule (schedule status) that the current wearer must perform.

A baseline schedule may include a schedule of regular daily activities to maintain health or a schedule of medications to be taken at certain times. For example, a baseline schedule may include bedtime, wake-up time, mealtime, and medication times.

The standard schedule can be set through a hearing aid device-specific application installed on the first terminal (200) connected to the hearing aid device (100) via wireless communication. The main living area and the pre-saved location area can be set by entering specific month, day, hour, and minute, or by sharing a calendar that stores medication times at a hospital or pharmacy.

The control module (140) compares the acquired time information with the reference schedule to determine the status. If the current time corresponds to the reference schedule, it is determined to be a schedule alarm request status, and if the current time does not correspond to the reference schedule, it is determined to be a schedule alarm non-request status.

In step 104-4, the hearing aid device (100) selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined condition.

The hearing aid device (100) can select caregiver voice guidance about the action that the wearer should take according to the current state according to the judgment state of step 103-4. For example, if the current time is bedtime, it can be determined as a state requiring a bedtime schedule alarm, and the hearing aid device (100) can select caregiver voice guidance such as “It is time to go to bed.” As another example, if the current time is medication time, it can be determined as a state requiring a medication schedule alarm, and the hearing aid device (100) can select caregiver voice guidance such as “It is time to take your blood pressure medication.”

According to the embodiment of Fig. 10 described so far, there is a feature of determining a schedule alarm request state for the wearer based on time information among the GPS information of the wearer of the hearing aid device (100). In addition, by providing the wearer with information about the action that the wearer should currently take in response to the schedule alarm request state of the wearer through the hearing aid device (100) through the caregiver voice guidance, it is possible to help the wearer do what he or she needs to do according to the schedule. Accordingly, a wearer with a cognitive impairment can have an effect similar to having a caregiver help him or her with daily life by wearing the hearing aid according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the power module (160) of Fig. 2. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing a method for managing power of the hearing aid device (100) of Fig. 11. In Fig. 11, for convenience of explanation, only the configuration of the hearing aid device (100) directly related to the operation of the power module (160) is shown, and other configurations included in the hearing aid device (100) (e.g., hearing aid module (110), wearer data acquisition module (120), GPS information acquisition module (130), communication module (150), etc.) are omitted.

Referring to FIG. 11, the power module (160) of the hearing aid device (100) may include a battery (161) that supplies power to each module of the hearing aid device (100) including the hearing aid module (110) and the control module (140), a wireless charging unit (162) that receives wireless power and charges the battery (161), and a charging management unit (163).

The battery (161) is located inside the base body of the hearing aid device (100) and may be a lithium-ion battery (161) capable of repeated charging and discharging.

The wireless charging unit (162) enables charging of the battery (161) of the hearing aid device (100) without direct contact between the charger (1000) and the hearing aid device (100). The wireless charging unit (162) may include an antenna for receiving a radio frequency from an external charger (1000) and a charging unit for supplying a charging voltage or current for charging the battery (161) using energy induced from the antenna. The radio frequency received from the charger (1000) may use various bands of frequencies in addition to commercial frequencies. Since the technology for charging the battery (161) by the wireless charger (1000) is a well-known technology, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The charging management unit (163) monitors the remaining amount of the battery (161) and controls the wireless charging unit (162) to automatically perform wireless charging when the remaining amount is below a reference amount. The charging management unit is located inside the base body of the hearing aid device (100) and is a processor that controls the wireless charging unit (162). The charging management unit may be implemented using at least one of application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

Meanwhile, Fig. 11 illustrates a specific configuration of an external charger (1000). The charger (1000) may include a GPS module (1001) for obtaining location information of the charger (1000), a charging module (1002) for transmitting a radio frequency for charging a battery (161) of a hearing aid device (100) through a known wireless charging method, and a wireless communication module (1003) for exchanging data or signals with a power module (160) of the hearing aid device (100).

Referring to FIG. 12, in step 121, the hearing aid device (100) monitors the remaining battery capacity (161).

The charge management unit (163) can continuously check the remaining amount of the battery (161) or check the remaining amount of the battery (161) at preset time intervals (e.g., 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.). The method for checking the remaining amount of the battery (161) can be as follows: continuously monitoring the output current of the battery (161) using a precision current sensing resistor, accumulating the monitored output current over time, and comparing the result with the charge amount of the battery (161) to calculate it; or measuring the voltage of the battery (161) at preset time intervals and comparing the result with the charge amount of the battery (161) based on the change in voltage over time; however, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the remaining amount of the battery (161) can be derived using various known methods.

In step 122, the hearing aid device (100) determines the remaining amount and reference amount of the battery (161).

Here, the reference amount may be set as a fixed value preset by the user, such as about 10% to 20% of the remaining battery (161). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the reference amount may be determined as a dependent variable having as independent variables the amount of power used on average by the hearing aid device (100) per hour and the distance difference between the location of the charger (1000) and the location of the hearing aid device (100). The location of the hearing aid device (100) can be obtained through location information acquired from the GPS (131), and the location of the charger (1000) can be obtained through location information acquired from the GPS module (1003) included in the charger (1000). Since the charger (1000) can communicate wirelessly with the hearing aid device (100), the power module (160) can derive the distance difference between the two devices by exchanging location information with each other.

If the remaining amount of the battery (161) is determined to be less than or equal to the standard amount, the charging management unit (163) determines whether the current location of the wearer is a location where wireless charging is possible using the location information obtained in step 102. (Step 123)

Here, a location where wireless charging is possible means a location within a range where an external charger (1000) can emit radio frequencies to the maximum extent. For example, if an external charger (1000) can emit radio frequencies within a radius of about 10 m, the charging management unit (163) can compare the location information acquired in step 102 with the location information acquired from the GPS module (1003) included in the external charger (1000) and the radio frequency reach range to determine whether the hearing aid device (100) is in a location where wireless charging is possible.

If the location is one where wireless charging is possible, the power module (160) automatically performs wireless charging of the battery (161). In detail, the power module (160) requests that an external charger (1000) transmit a radio frequency, and the external charger (1000) responds to the request by transmitting a radio frequency to charge the battery (161) in the hearing aid device (100). (Step 124a)

If the location is such that wireless charging is not possible, the power module (160) (charging management unit (163)) determines that the hearing aid device (100) is in a charging request state. (Step 124b)

And, in step 125b, the control module (140) may receive a signal related to a charging request state from the power module (160) (charging management unit (163)) and select a caregiver voice guidance according to the signal. The caregiver voice guidance related to the charging request state may include guidance on the location where wireless charging is possible closest to the wearer. Here, the location of the charger (1000) closest to the wearer may use information acquired in the process of determining whether the current location of the wearer is a location where wireless charging is possible in step 123. For example, if the hearing aid device (100) is determined to be in a charging request state, the hearing aid device (100) may select a caregiver voice guidance such as “Please go to the bedroom and charge it” or “Please go to the living room and charge it.”

Next, in step 126b, the control module (140) can transmit the selected caregiver voice guidance to the hearing aid module (110) to provide it to the wearer.

According to the embodiments of FIGS. 11 and 12 described so far, when the battery (161) of the hearing aid device (100) needs to be charged, the location of the charger (1000) closest to the wearer is provided to the wearer through a caregiver voice guidance based on the location information of the wearer acquired by the hearing aid device (100). In addition, by adopting a wireless charging method using radio frequencies and applying an algorithm for automatic wireless charging without the need to take off and put back on the hearing aid device (100) for charging, there is an effect that continuous monitoring and care are possible, especially for wearers with cognitive impairment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart disclosing a method for judging the state of a wearer and selecting caregiver voice guidance according to one embodiment of the present invention in relation to steps 103 and 104 of FIG. 6. The embodiment of FIG. 13 adds a step in which a hearing aid device (100) obtains GPS information from an external charger (1000) of FIG. 12.

Referring to FIG. 13, in step 103-5, the hearing aid device (100) determines the wearer's condition by using location information obtained through the GPS (131) of the hearing aid device (100) and the GPS module (1001) of the external charger (1000) and movement data of the hearing aid device (100).

The control module (140) acquires movement data from the movement data acquisition module (122) and acquires first GPS information from the GPS (131). Additionally, the GPS module (1001) of the external charger acquires second GPS information, and the acquired second GPS information is transmitted to the control module (140). Here, each GPS information may include location information and time information.

First, the control module (140) determines the wearer's speed change tendency through the acquired GPS information, determines the posture change tendency through the acquired movement data, and then compares it with the reference content to determine the wearer's preliminary state.

The control module (140) stores reference contents for combinations of speed change tendency and attitude change tendency as shown in Table 6. For example, reference contents may be set as shown in Table 6, but this is only an example, and the reference contents may be changed based on the wearer's gender, age, disease, etc. In addition, the present invention is not limited to Table 6, and the reference contents may be displayed as first reference contents, second reference contents, etc.

Speed change Movement data 0 schedule acceleration deceleration 0 immobility
(bedridden) Transport schedule Maintain posture
(Keep the same position) Walking Movement by means of transportation (driving, bicycling, etc.) rising Passive Posture Change
(Passive position changing) Upstanding Daily activities, exercise, etc.
(Daily activity, exercise, etc.) descent Down standing rotation Side movement

In detail, the control module (140) can estimate the change in the wearer's speed through the acquired first GPS information and second GPS information. Since the speed is the change in distance over a certain period of time, the time change and the distance change can be derived through the location information and time information included in the two GPS information, and the wearer's speed can be calculated through this. The calculated speed can determine the change tendency over a certain period of time, and if there is no change in location, it can be classified as 0, otherwise, it can be classified as constant, acceleration, and deceleration according to the change in speed. In addition, the control module (140) can estimate a certain change in attitude using the acquired movement data. For example, the change tendency in attitude can be determined based on the angular velocity acquired from the gyroscope (1221) and the acceleration acquired from the acceleration sensor (1222). If there is no change in the angular velocity and acceleration at all, it can be classified as 0, otherwise, it can be classified as constant, ascending, descending, rotating, etc. according to the change in the angular velocity and acceleration.

Next, the control module (140) considers the determined preliminary state and the wearer's location information to determine the final state of the wearer. Here, the preliminary state is a state in which the wearer's speed change and posture change are determined, and the final state means a state in which the wearer's current location is specified by comparing the location of the wearer with the reference space, and based on this, it is determined whether an accident occurred to the wearer (for example, whether a fall accident occurred or a traffic accident occurred).

The hearing aid device (100) can specify a reference space. Here, the reference space is located within a certain range from the charger and can be a space where the wearer mainly conducts daily life, for example, a space such as a bathroom, bedroom, or kitchen in a house. However, the reference space is not limited thereto, and can include a space that the wearer visits or stays in by choice or necessity, and a path from the charger to that space, for example, a hospital, a relative's residence, a daily necessities store (supermarket, market, etc.), a government office (police station, community center, etc.), and a path (road, crosswalk, etc.) between these spaces and the house.

For example, referring to Table 7 below, if the preliminary state corresponds to the moving state of Table 6 and the wearer's current location is on a road, the control module (140) can determine that the wearer has had a traffic accident on the road as the final state. As another example, if the preliminary state corresponds to the movement of Table 6 and the wearer's current location is a restroom, the final state can determine that a fall accident has occurred.

Speed change Movement data 0 schedule acceleration deceleration 0 N/A Accident status according to reference space schedule Accident status according to reference space Accident status according to reference space
rising N/A descent rotation

In step 104-5, the hearing aid device (100) selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined state. Depending on the determined state in step 103-5, the hearing aid device (100) may select a caregiver voice guidance including content requiring attention from the wearer, content guiding the wearer's current state, or content regarding an action to be taken by the wearer depending on the current state. For example, if an accident state is determined, the hearing aid device (100) may select a caregiver voice guidance including questions (Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unresponsive; AVPU) for assessing the wearer's level of consciousness.

In addition, in step 1041-5, the hearing aid device (100) may generate a corresponding danger alarm if the wearer is determined to be in an accident state. In addition, in step 1042-5, the hearing aid device (100) may transmit the generated danger alarm to the first terminal (200) illustrated in FIG. 1 and the second terminal (300) and/or the management server (400) connected to the first terminal (200) via a network. Here, the danger alarm may include the location information of the wearer and the wearer's biometric data (including the wearer's body temperature, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation). Through this, the user of the first terminal (200), the second terminal (300), or the management server (400) (for example, including at least one of the 119 server and the 112 server) that has received the danger alarm corresponding to the accident state may take necessary measures for the wearer.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 13 described so far, the hearing aid device (100) has a feature of determining a preliminary state based on changes in the wearer's speed and posture based on the wearer's GPS information and movement data, and determining the wearer's final state (particularly, whether or not there is an accident) through the preliminary state and the wearer's location. In addition, by providing caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the wearer's state to the wearer through the hearing aid device (100), and furthermore, by transmitting a danger alarm containing the wearer's location information and biometric data to the outside in order to quickly respond to the accident state, there is an effect of enabling real-time monitoring and management of the wearer's health state.

FIG. 14 is a drawing illustrating one embodiment of a method in which the caregiver voice guidance provision unit (142) of FIG. 5 selects a voice appropriate for a state from the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145).

As described above, various types of multiple caregiver voice guidance can be stored in the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145), and the control module (140) can select an appropriate caregiver voice guidance in response to the status judgment result. The caregiver voice guidance can be set to a voice of a recognizable target when the wearer has a cognitive impairment, and can be set to, for example, the voice of one of the wearer's guardian, family, friend, acquaintance, caregiver, and medical staff in charge.

Referring to FIG. 14, the control module (140) may select a caregiver voice guidance by additionally considering location information in addition to the status judgment result. Here, the location information is the wearer's location information included in the GPS information acquired in step 102. For example, if the wearer is located at home, the caregiver voice guidance set to the voice of the person most related to the home may be selected. As another example, if the wearer is located at a workplace, the caregiver voice guidance set to the voice of the person most related to the workplace may be selected.

Here, relevance may mean the probability that the wearer will most frequently encounter that person in that location. For example, home may be most relatable to family or caregivers, work may be most relatable to friends, and hospital may be most relatable to attending medical staff. However, this is an example and the present invention is not limited thereto and may vary depending on the wearer's situation.

In this way, in one embodiment of Fig. 14, when the control module (140) selects a caregiver voice guidance, it considers the location information of the wearer in addition to the status judgment result, and selects the caregiver voice guidance with the voice of the person most closely related to the place where the wearer is located, thereby providing comfort and stability to a wearer with a cognitive impairment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a method in which the caregiver voice guidance provision unit (142) of FIG. 5 selects a voice appropriate for a state from the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145).

In Fig. 14, various guidance files recorded in various types of voices are stored in the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145). Accordingly, the control module (140) can select one caregiver voice guidance file corresponding to the status judgment result and the location information among the recorded files. In contrast, Fig. 15 shows an embodiment in which various guidance types and various types of voice samples are stored as separate information in the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145), and each guidance and voice sample is selected according to the status judgment result and the location information, and then the guidance type is implemented as the selected voice through voice artificial intelligence (AI).

Referring to Fig. 15, various types of guidance and various types of voice samples are stored as separate information in the caregiver voice guidance storage unit (145). The control module (140) selects one type of guidance corresponding to the status judgment result from various types of guidance, and selects one type of voice sample corresponding to the location information from various types of voice samples. Then, the guidance type is implemented with the voice selected through voice artificial intelligence (AI). Since implementing the guidance type with the voice selected through voice artificial intelligence is a known technology in which the AI analyzes the voice of a specific person through a voice sample and reproduces it as it is, a detailed description is omitted.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software (e.g., a program) including one or more instructions stored in a machine-readable storage medium. For example, a processor of the device may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the device to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, ‘non-transitory’ only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily in the storage medium.

According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between sellers and buyers as a commodity. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play StoreTM) or directly between two user devices. In the case of online distribution, at least a part of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as a memory of a manufacturer's server, a server of an application store, or an intermediary server.

Additionally, in this specification, a “part” may be a hardware component such as a processor or a circuit, and/or a software component executed by a hardware component such as a processor.

The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims described below rather than the detailed description above, and should be interpreted to include all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts.

100: Hearing Aid Device
200: Terminal 1
300: Terminal 2
400: Management Server
110: Hearing Aid Module
120: Wearer data acquisition module
130: GPS information acquisition module
140: Control Module
150: Communication Module
160: Power module
121: Biometric data acquisition module
122: Movement data acquisition module

Claims (14)

In a hearing aid device that is worn by a wearer with a cognitive impairment, a part of which is inserted into the wearer's external auditory canal, and monitors and manages the wearer's condition,
base body;
A hearing aid module placed in the above base body that receives external sounds or voice guidance from a caregiver, amplifies them, and outputs them;
A wearer data acquisition module, which is inserted into the external auditory canal of the hearing aid module or is placed in the base body to acquire the wearer's biometric data and movement data;
A GPS information acquisition module arranged on the base body to acquire GPS information including the wearer's location information and time information; and
A control module that determines the condition of the wearer based on at least one of the acquired wearer data and GPS information, and selects and transmits voice guidance of the caregiver corresponding to the determination result to the hearing aid module;
Including,
The voice guidance of the above caregiver is set to the voice of the target that can be recognized by the wearer with the above cognitive impairment,
The above control module
After adding weights to the items of biometric data acquired by considering the wearer's underlying disease, the biometric data is compared with the standard value set for each item to calculate a status score.
Based on the above location information, the location is determined, and based on the above time information, the season is determined, and the determined location or season is compared with a preset fall accident risk location or preset fall accident risk season to determine whether to consider movement data.
If it is decided to consider the above movement data, the movement value according to the degree of movement is calculated, and the calculated movement value is added to the calculated condition score to calculate the total condition score, and the condition is determined to be one of normal, caution, and danger.
If you decide not to consider the above movement data, the total condition score is calculated based only on the above condition scores and the condition is judged to be one of normal, caution, and danger.
If the above-determined condition is a state of caution, a caregiver voice guidance including content guiding the wearer's current condition is selected and transmitted to the hearing aid module.
A hearing aid device characterized in that, when the above-determined condition is dangerous, a caregiver voice guidance including questions for assessing the level of consciousness of the wearer is selected and transmitted to the hearing aid module. In the first paragraph,
The above hearing aid module
An assistive hearing device comprising a microphone that receives the above sound or voice guidance and converts it into an electrical signal, an amplifier that amplifies the converted electrical signal, and a speaker that converts the amplified electrical signal into a controlled sound and outputs it. In the first paragraph,
A hearing aid device in which the voice guidance of the above caregiver is set to the voice of one of the wearer's guardian, family member, friend, acquaintance, caregiver, and medical staff. delete In the first paragraph,
The above cognitive impairment includes dementia, hearing aids. delete delete In the first paragraph,
The above control module
A hearing assistance device that determines a location deviation status through the acquired location information, selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined status, and transmits it to the hearing aid module. In Article 8,
The above hearing aid device is connected to an external terminal via wireless communication and has a communication module that transmits and receives data with the terminal;
Including more,
An auditory assistive device, wherein the control module generates a danger alarm when the device is judged to be out of position and transmits the danger alarm to the terminal through the communication module. In the first paragraph,
The above control module
A hearing assistance device that determines a schedule state based on the acquired time information, selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the determined state, and transmits it to the hearing aid module. In the first paragraph,
The above hearing aid device
A power module including a battery that supplies power to the hearing aid module and the control module, a wireless charging unit that receives wireless power and charges the battery, and a charging management unit that monitors the remaining amount of the battery and automatically performs wireless charging when the remaining amount is below a reference value;
A hearing aid device further comprising: In Article 11,
The above charging management unit
A hearing aid device that determines whether a location is capable of wireless charging using the location information when the remaining amount is below a reference value, and if the location is determined to be in a location where wireless charging is not possible, determines that a charging request state is required, and transmits a caregiver's voice guidance to the hearing aid module. In the first paragraph,
The above control module
The wearer's preliminary state is determined based on at least one of the change in the wearer's speed estimated through the GPS information acquired from the GPS information acquisition module and the external GPS information acquired from the GPS module of the external charger, and the change in the wearer's posture estimated through the movement data acquired from the wearer data acquisition module.
The wearer's location is determined through the acquired location information,
A hearing assistance device that determines a final state based on the determined wearer, the determined state, and the determined position, and selects a caregiver voice guidance corresponding to the final state and transmits it to the hearing aid module. In Article 13,
The above hearing aid device is connected to an external terminal via wireless communication and has a communication module that transmits and receives data with the terminal;
Including more,
An auditory assistive device, wherein the control module generates a danger alarm when the final state is determined to be an accident state and transmits the danger alarm to the terminal through the communication module.

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