WO1996034484A2

WO1996034484A2 - Remote activity monitoring system and method

Info

Publication number: WO1996034484A2
Application number: PCT/GB1996/000983
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher John Dodd
Original assignee: Modern Vitalcall Limited
Priority date: 1995-04-25
Filing date: 1996-04-25
Publication date: 1996-10-31
Also published as: GB2298994A; GB9608630D0; WO1996034484A3; AU7070096A; GB9508337D0; GB2298994B

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for monitoring activity remotely, and especially, but not exclusively, for monitoring services provided at a residential or business property. The system comprises a telephone device and a message reception apparatus capable of detecting and/or capable of receiving a telephone call from the telephone device for logging an activity provided in the region of the telephone device.

Description

REMOTE ACTIVITY MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD

The present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring activity remotely, especially for monitoring services provided at a residential or business property.

Many services are not necessarily provided directly by a business itself or by a local authority or government department. Instead the services are sub-contracted to a specialist service provider. Such services may include, for example, cleaning services for a business, or various care services provided by a local authority or government department. In such cases it is desirable for the service provider to ensure that the relevant services are actually provided and to determine at what time the services are provided in order to audit the activities of employees or other service providers and to be able to assure the business or the like to which the services are provided that the services are being provided according to contract.

UK patent application no. 9310282.0 and corresponding international patent application no. PCT/GB93/01966 disclose a remote activity monitoring system and method. The entire disclosures of the above applications are herein incorporated for all purposes.

In the system and method of the above numbered applications, an input device is provided in a remote location via which unique identification codes, detailing, for example, the nature of the service provided as well as the person providing the service, are entered into a telephone device which forwards the data to a message reception apparatus via a telecommunications link. In another embodiment, a portable service provision monitoring device is carried by a service provider, such as a district nurse, and identifying data is entered into the device for later onward transmission by means of an access means, such as a machine readable card, which is kept at the location where the service is to be provided.

Each input device and/or access means is provided with unique identifying data so that the provision of services at that location can be monitored. The provision of an input device or access means at each location requires that the service provider must log the service whilst at that particular location.

Thus, in both embodiments an input device or an access means must be located at each site where a service is to be provided. Therefore, it is necessary to equip each site where a service is to be provided with an input device or access means. Access means or input devices are provided at each dwelling or building where a service is to be provided even those within close vicinity of one another, adding to the cost and complexity of such a network for remote activity monitoring.

Furthermore, in order to introduce a new site foe activity monitoring or an individual to whom a service is to delivered, it is typically necessary for an engineer to visit the site in order to install the input device or the access means. Where the access means is a machine readable card, the identifying details of this particular site, and/or individual, must be encoded onto the card prior to the card being delivered to the site. This delays and indeed may limit the extent of the provision of remotely monitored services to additional sites, or individuals.

Furthermore, where additional equipment such as an input device or access means are provided at a particular site, maintenance, repair or replace of such additional equipment can also be difficult to co-ordinate and time consuming. Therefore, a particular site may not be monitored for the provision of a service during this time.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate the problems of the known systems and to provide a system by which activities can be monitored, for example to determine and record that an activity has taken place, or to determine and record the timing and frequency of activities, and the period over which they take place.

According to the present invention there is provided a remote activity monitoring system comprising: a telephone device; and message reception apparatus capable of detecting and/or receiving a telephone call from the telephone device for logging an activity provided in the region of the telephone device.

The message reception apparatus preferably includes means for detecting and/or means for receiving a signal and/or a memory for storing data identifying the originating telephone number and/or the time the activity took place and or its duration.

The telephone device may be in the form of a telephone unit for use in an emergency system, the unit including a memory for storing one or more emergency telephone numbers, automatic dialling means and, preferably portable, transmitter means by which the dialling means can be activated to dial at least one of the one or more stored numbers. The transmitter means allows an incapacitated person carrying the transmitter to contact another person using a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to obtain help, for example in the case of injury or illness. Units of this kind find application, for example, in sheltered housing complexes which are generally occupied by elderly persons, where a central monitoring system can be used to co-ordinate the provision of assistance to persons occupying a number of separate properties.

Activities which the system according to the present invention may be used to monitor in the context of a residential property include the provision of services by a visiting provider. For example, for an elderly person in a visiting provider. For example, for an elderly person in a sheltered housing complex, services may be provided by a supplier of meals, a doctor or nurse, a hairdresser, a warden and so on. Each service provider is supplied with one or two telephone numbers, by which he or she or the service being provided can be identified. The system according to the present invention can be used to provide a record of the provision of the service, using a telephone at the location of the service receiver and the public switched telephone network (PSTN) .

The PSTN automatically generates a signal identifying the originating telephone number and transmits the identifying signal to the number dialled, for example immediately prior to transmitting a ringing tone. This is generally referred to as "calling line identification" (CLI).

Calling line identification (CLI) systems forward the data identifying the originating number along the telephone line even before the telephone apparatus which has been called is answered. Usually, the data is a frequency shift key (FSK) modulated signal. A telephone device or other receiving apparatus is provided with a calling line identification circuit usually in the form of a semiconductor chip, which circuit is arranged to decode the signal into data which can be read on a display means. Calling line identification circuits are known to those skilled in the art and commercially available.

It is therefore not necessary for apparatus corresponding to the number dialled to answer the call in order to determine the source of the call. Thus the service provider on arriving at the location of the particular service receiver can dial a predetermined number to call the message reception apparatus or monitoring system in order to indicate to the system that the service provider has arrived and is about to provide the required service.

Once the service has been completed, the service provider can, if desired, dial a second number, or the first number a second time, to call the message reception apparatus or monitoring system again in order to indicate to the system that the service has been completed. In this way, the monitoring system is able not only to record that the required service has been provided and when, but can additionally record the length of time it has taken to provide the service.

The information available from the monitoring system can then be used, for example, for accounting purposes in order to levy a charge for the service, for medical purposes to monitor the frequency of visits, for time and motion studies to ensure an efficient service network, or to schedule the provision of services to one or more service receivers and/or by one or more service providers in an efficient manner as well as other applications apparent from the information contained herein.

The message reception apparatus may comprise a telephone apparatus. The telephone may be answered by an operator or may record a spoken message or, where the telephone apparatus displays the number of the caller, may be monitored visually or electronically to record the number of the caller and, answer the telephone. Different numbers, or the same number of different times, can of course be used to indicate the beginning and completion of the provision of a particular service and can be used to indicate the provision of different services.

The message reception apparatus and/or the telephone device may be adapted or arranged to terminate transmission of the signal from the telephone device. Means for such termination may be provided.

Ideally, the message reception apparatus will comprise telephone monitoring means for monitoring calls on a number of different telephone lines. Without answering the calls, the monitoring system can use the CLI signal to identify the origin of the call, that is the originating telephone number, and/or the number called to identify the category of service provided. The monitoring system may include data processing means which may be employed, for example, for interpreting, transmitting, recording, collating or modifying data.

The message reception apparatus or monitoring system will generally be located at a central monitoring station used to monitor calls from a number of properties or complexes, such as sheltered housing complexes.

Activities which might be monitored include, for example, the provision of services such as gardening, window cleaning, building, delivery and other services. The provider of the service is merely required to dial one or two numbers to indicate that the service has been provided or to indicate the start and end of the service provision. The use of two numbers, or one number at different times, is useful, for example, where the charge to be levied depends on the duration of the provision of the service. The record of the time of provision of a service is useful for scheduling the provision of services by a particular service provider or for general time management purposes, but is also useful when the service is required to be provided at a particular time, for example the delivery of a meal.

In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a remote activity monitoring method comprising the steps of: actuating a telephone device so that a signal identifying the telephone device is transmitted via a telecommunications link to a message reception apparatus;

detecting the signal in the message reception apparatus;

identifying the originating telephone device using the detected signal;

logging data identifying the telephone device.

The method may comprise determining the time of detection of the signal and/or the time of a second signal. The step of logging data identifying the time of the detected signal can be included.

The current invention does not require the provision of an input device or an access means situated at each location. Thus, the complexity and cost of providing service monitoring over a wide number of locations is significantly reduced. In addition, at the same time, the invention retains valuable anti-fraud features in that the service provider must necessarily be at the location where the service is to be provided in order to use the telephone at that location. Thus, the calling line identification data (CLI) confirms that the service provider is at that particular location and not elsewhere. The system and method of the invention provides a reduction in complexity, cost and requirements for repair and replacement. Furthermore, additional dwellings or buildings can be easily added to a remote activity monitoring system without the need to provide additional equipment or for an engineer to visit the site, or an individuals details or location details to be entered onto a machine readable card which must then be delivered to the site.

For a better understanding of the present invention and other advantages thereof and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

The figure shows a remote activity monitoring system which comprises a telephone device 2 connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 4 by way of which calls can be made to a monitoring system 6 or elsewhere.

The telephone device 2 may be a conventional telephone device or may be an emergency call telephone device of known type.

The monitoring system 6 incorporates means to detect calls made to any one of a predetermined selection of telephone numbers and to detect the calling line identification (CLI) signal generated by the PSTN in response to a call made by the telephone device 2. Different telephone numbers are provided for the monitoring system to identify the provision of different services and/or the start and end of the provision of certain service. The monitoring system 6 ideally incorporates or is linked to data processing means such as a computer 8 which contains a database of "clients" or service receivers, i.e those persons to who services are provided. The client database may contain, for example, the name, address and telephone number of each client, possibly together with other details, such as the nature and/or likely time or duration of the service to be provided and there is, therefore, no need to answer an incoming call in order to detect the source of that call, and thus the identity of the client, or to determine the nature of the service.

The monitoring system 6, or the computer 8, can also be used to set up a care plan or service plan for each client and to schedule visits by carers or other service providers in accordance with the plan. Because each service provider contacts the monitoring system 6 and gives details of the service provision it is relatively straightforward to monitor service provision and to compare the actual service provision with the schedule. The monitoring system 6, or the computer 8, can provide reports on visits to clients and/or actual service provision as compared with the schedule as required.

If desired, the monitoring system 6, or the computer 8, can carry out further tasks. For example, given a database of service providers and their availability, the monitoring system or computer can schedule the dates and times of visits to clients by the various service providers and, on confirmation of the service being provided in the manner described above, can issue an invoice or the like as required.

A monitoring system can be configured to maintain an on going watch in order to check that a particularly important service has been provided on time. For example, the provision of an insulin injection is one that requires timely provision. If the service has not been provided on time the system can be arranged, by the provision of monitoring means in the data processing means for example, to generate a reminder or an alarm call as appropriate.

Alternative embodiments of the invention can be envisaged by those skilled in the art from the information contained herein, all such alternative embodiments are intended to lie within the scope of this application.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A remote activity monitoring system comprising: a telephone device; and, message reception apparatus capable of at least detecting a telephone call from the telephone device for logging an activity provided in the region of the telephone device.

2. A remote activity monitoring system according to claim 1 comprising: a telephone device; and, message reception apparatus capable of detecting and/or capable of receiving a telephone call from the telephone device for logging an activity provided in the region of the telephone device.

3. A remote activity monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2 in which the telephone call is transmitted via a telecommunications link which automatically generates a signal identifying the originating telephone and transmits the identifying signal to the number dialled.

4. A remote activity monitoring system according to claim 3 in which the telecommunications link is provided by a public switch telephone network (PSTN)

5. A system according to claim 3 or 4 in which a signal identifying the originating telephone number is transmitted to the number dialled immediately prior to transmitting a ringing tone.

6. The system according to any preceding claim in which the telephone device is provided at the location of the individual who is to receive a service in connection with the activity.

7. A system according to any preceding claim which the message reception apparatus includes means for detecting and/or means for receiving a signal identifying the originating telephone number.

8. A system according to any preceding claim in which the message reception apparatus includes means for determining the time at which the telephone call is transmitted.

9. A system according to any preceding claim in which the message reception apparatus includes a memory for storing data identifying the originating telephone number and/or for storing data identifying the time at which the telephone call was made.

10. A system according to any preceding claim in which the message reception apparatus comprises a telephone apparatus.

11. A system according to claim 10 in which the telephone apparatus is adapted to be answered by an operator or to record a spoken message.

12. A system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the telephone apparatus is arranged so that the number of the caller may be monitored electronically, or displayed and monitored visually, to record the number of the caller.

13. A system according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the telephone apparatus is arranged to electronically monitor or display the time of the call so that it may be monitored visually, in order to record the time of call.

14. A system according to any preceding claim in which the message reception apparatus is adapted to detect and/or to receive telephone calls directed to different numbers.

15. A system according to any preceding claim in which the message reception apparatus comprises telephone monitoring means for monitoring calls on a number of different telephone lines.

16. A system according to any preceding claim in which the monitoring system uses a calling line identification (CLI) signal to identify the origin of the call.

17. A system according to any preceding claim in which the monitoring system uses the number called to identify the category of service provided.

18. A system according to any preceding claim in which the monitoring system includes data processing means for processing data derived from the signal detected at the message reception apparatus.

19. A system according to any preceding claim in which the message reception apparatus is located at a central monitoring station and arranged to monitor calls from a number of locations.

20. A system according to any preceding claim in which the telephone device is in the form of a telephone unit for use in an emergency system, the unit including a memory for storing one or more emergency telephone numbers, automatic dialling means and transmitter means by which the dialling means can be activated to dial at least one or more of the stored numbers.

21. A system according to claim 20 in which the transmitter means is portable.

22. A system according to any preceding claim in which the system is used to monitor the provision of services.

23. A remote activity monitoring system substantially as described herein with reference and/or as illustrated in the accompanying figure.

24. A remote activity monitoring method comprising the steps of: actuating a telephone device so that a signal identifying the originating telephone device is transmitted via a telecommunications link to a message reception apparatus; detecting the signal in the message reception apparatus; identifying the origin of the telephone call using the detected signal; logging data identifying the telephone device.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the message reception apparatus comprises means for determining the time of the detection of the signal.

26. A method according to claim 24 or 25 in which the step of logging data identifying the time of the detected signal is included.

27. A method according to any preceding claim in which the activity monitored is a service and if the service has not been provided at a predetermined location at a predetermined time, means are provided for generating a reminder and/or an alarm signal.

28. A method substantially as described herein with reference to and/or illustrated in the accompanying Figure.