Abstract:
The present invention is to provide a monitoring system including a plurality of motion sensing carpets and a monitoring device (e.g., a computer) electrically connected to one of the motion sensing carpets serving as a control unit while all the other motion sensing carpets directly or indirectly joined to the control unit serves as auxiliary units. The monitoring device is able to carry out a topology algorithm and then establish a topology matrix of the motion sensing carpets in a stepwise manner so as to obtain the relative location of each motion sensing carpet. When any of the motion sensing carpets is subjected to pressure caused by a senior member or child in the family toppling over thereon (e.g., an accident) and generates a sensing signal, the monitoring device can rapidly know from the topology matrix the exact location of the accident according to the sensing signal.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a monitoring system, more particularly to a monitoring system including a plurality of motion sensing carpets and a monitoring device (e.g., a computer) electrically connected to one of the motion sensing carpets serving as a control unit while all the other motion sensing carpets directly or indirectly joined to the control unit serves as auxiliary units. The monitoring device is able to carry out a topology algorithm and then establish a topology matrix of the motion sensing carpets in a stepwise manner so as to obtain the relative location of each motion sensing carpet. When any of the motion sensing carpets is subjected to pressure caused by a senior member or child in the family toppling over thereon and generates a sensing signal, the monitoring device can rapidly know from the topology matrix the exact location of the accident according to the sensing signal. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The population pyramid is changing worldwide as a result of declining birth rate and improvements in the medical environment. The percentage of the elderly population, in particular, has risen significantly. In 1950, a senior citizen was reared by an average of twelve people in the labor force. As the population pyramid changes, however, the ratio of the latter to the former is lowered on a yearly basis such that the burden on the labor force is increasing. In Taiwan, for example, the aforesaid ratio has dropped to 7:1 and is estimated to reach 2.7:1 in twenty years. More attention, therefore, should be paid to the physical and mental health and medical care of the elderly. In fact, how to create an environment where the aged can lead comfortable, cheerful, and carefree lives while those in the labor force are allowed to devote themselves to work without having to worry about the wellbeing of their senior family members is a subject that concerns us all. 
         [0003]    Physiological aging takes place as we grow old. An aged person not only may respond more slowly to the outside world, but also may become less capable of performing various body movements. In many cases, physiological aging can cause inconvenience to a person&#39;s daily life, especially a sick person&#39;s. Such inconveniences may also give rise to danger and hence should be dealt with seriously. An elderly person, when not tended to, may topple over, bump into an object by accident, or even collapse to the ground due to a sudden physiological condition. To prevent the foregoing scenarios, in which the danger may escalate without timely help, more and more importance is attached to domestic safety, telecare, and like issues, and because of that, related applications and technologies are being developed rapidly. A notable example of products developed to cope with the aforesaid scenarios is the motion sensing carpet. 
         [0004]    Typically, a conventional motion sensing carpet is provided therein with a sensor module. When subjected to pressure, the sensor module sends a sensing signal to a monitoring device (e.g., a computer) in order for a caregiver (e.g., a family member in the labor force who is in charge of caregiving or a professional in a nursing home) to know via the monitoring device the current activity of the elderly person being monitored and take necessary actions as soon as an abnormal condition is identified. While a conventional motion sensing carpet is indeed helpful in notifying a caregiver of the emergence of an accident, it has limitations in use. When a conventional motion sensing carpet is laid over a small area, a caregiver spotting an abnormal condition through the monitoring device can go to the carpeted area at once to provide necessary assistance, but if a conventional motion sensing carpet is laid extensively in a house, or even in a large nursing home of several stories and with differently-sized partitioned areas on each floor, a caregiver spotting an abnormal condition through the monitoring device will have problem identifying the location of the abnormal condition, let alone reaching the site at the earliest possible time to deal with the situation. The problem can be solved to a certain degree by dividing the large area into a plurality of small ones, monitoring each small area with a separate monitoring device, and using a host device to collect the information gathered by each monitoring device. This solution, though feasible, will not work well if the entire area to be monitored is not sufficiently divided; however, if the entire area is overly divided, the cost of purchasing the monitoring devices will be considerable, which is by no means ideal. 
         [0005]    In summary of the above, a conventional motion sensing carpet allows a caregiver to rapidly know the occurrence of an accident, but if the carpet is applied to an extensive area, the caregiver may find it difficult to locate the accident at once and hence cannot get to the site of the accident as soon as possible. It is important, therefore, for those in the industry to design a monitoring system of motion sensing carpets. It is desirable to define a topology matrix for the motion sensing carpets in use so that a caregiver not only can be alerted to the emergence of an accident promptly, but also can locate the accident without delay. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In view of and in order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the conventional motion sensing carpets, the inventor of the invention incorporated years of practical experience in the industry into extensive research and experiment and finally succeeded in developing a monitoring system of motion sensing carpets as disclosed herein. 
         [0007]    The present invention provides a monitoring system of motion sensing carpets. The monitoring system includes a plurality of motion sensing carpets and a monitoring device (e.g., a computer). Each of the motion sensing carpets is provided with a control module, a storage module, a sensor module, and a plurality of information transmission modules, wherein: the control module is separately electrically connected to the storage module, the sensor module, and the information transmission modules; the storage module stores an identification tag; the sensing module generates a sensing signal when the motion sensing carpet is subjected to pressure; the control module can read the identification tag, receive the sensing signal, and send the identification tag or the sensing signal to an adjacent motion sensing carpet through one of the information transmission modules; and the information transmission modules are provided at the periphery of the motion sensing carpet, correspond to different pieces of position information respectively, and, when the motion sensing carpet is joined with another motion sensing carpet, can connect with and transmit information to and from the corresponding information transmission module of that other motion sensing carpet. The monitoring device stores a queue and a topology matrix and is electrically connected to one of the motion sensing carpets such that the motion sensing carpet electrically connected with the monitoring device serves as a control unit while all the other motion sensing carpets, which are directly or indirectly joined to the control unit, serve as auxiliary units. The monitoring device carries out a topology algorithm whereby the monitoring device sequentially enters into the queue all the identification tags obtained by searching and establishes the topology matrix of the motion sensing carpets in a stepwise manner so as to obtain the relative location of each motion sensing carpet. When any of the motion sensing carpets is subjected to pressure and generates a sensing signal, the monitoring device can know from the topology matrix the actual location of the motion sensing carpet generating the sensing signal. Thus, by means of the topology algorithm, the relative location of each motion sensing carpet is obtained, and the monitoring device can know from the topology matrix the actual location of the motion sensing carpet which generates a sensing signal because of an applied pressure. For example, if a senior member or a child in the family topples over on one of the motion sensing carpets, the exact location of the accident can be rapidly known according to the sensing signal. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The objectives as well as the technical features and effects of the present invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  schematically shows the connections between the major elements of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  schematically shows how the motion sensing carpets of the present invention are joined to one another; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing the major steps of the present invention; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a conceptual diagram showing how a queue and a topology matrix are established by the topology algorithm of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention provides a monitoring system of motion sensing carpets. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the monitoring system includes a plurality of motion sensing carpets  2  and a monitoring device  3  (e.g., a computer) so that a caregiver can know the exact locations of the motion sensing carpets  2  through the monitoring device  3 . The motion sensing carpets  2  are of the same specifications and are each provided with a control module  21 , a storage module  22 , a sensor module  23 , and a plurality of information transmission modules  24 . In each motion sensing carpet  2 , the control module  21  is electrically connected to the storage module  22 , the sensor module  23 , and the information transmission modules  24  in order to transmit signals to and from the storage module  22 , the sensor module  23 , and the information transmission modules  24 ; the storage module  22  stores an identification tag  221  corresponding to the motion sensing carpet  2 ; the control module  21  can read the identification tag  221  from the storage module  22 ; and when the motion sensing carpet  2  is subjected to pressure, the sensor module  23  generates a sensing signal and sends the sensing signal to the control module  21 . 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the motion sensing carpets  2  are rectangular, and the information transmission modules  24  of each motion sensing carpet  2  are respectively provided at the four sides of the motion sensing carpet  2  and correspond respectively to different position information (e.g., upper side, lower side, left side, and right side). In this preferred embodiment, each information transmission module  24  includes a digital input pin and a digital output pin (not shown) so that, when two motion sensing carpets  2  are joined to each other, the digital input pin of one of the two motion sensing carpets  2  can be connected with the digital output pin of the other motion sensing carpet  2  in order for the one of the two motion sensing carpets  2  to know that it is joined with an adjacent motion sensing carpet  2 . In practice, however, the configuration of the information transmission modules  24  is not limited to the foregoing; other equivalent configurations are also feasible to enable the information transmission modules  24  of each motion sensing carpet  2  to know if the motion sensing carpet  2  is joined with another motion sensing carpet  2 . When two motion sensing carpets  2  are joined together, these two adjacent motion sensing carpets  2  can transmit information to and from each other through the connected information transmission modules  24 . In other words, when the plural motion sensing carpets  2  are joined together and all the corresponding information transmission modules  24  are connected, the control module  21  of any motion sensing carpet  2  can send the identification tag  221  of the motion sensing carpet  2  or a received sensing signal through one of the information transmission modules  24  of the motion sensing carpet  2  to another motion sensing carpet  2  after reading the identification tag  221  or receiving the sensing signal. 
         [0015]    Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the monitoring device  3  stores a queue  31  and a topology matrix  32  and is electrically connected to one of the motion sensing carpets  2 . The motion sensing carpet  2  electrically connected with the monitoring device  3  functions as a control unit  2 A. All the other motion sensing carpets  2 , which are either directly or indirectly connected to the control unit  2 A, serve as auxiliary units  2 B. The monitoring device  3  of the present invention can drive the control module  21  of each motion sensing carpet  2  to detect the information transmission modules  24  of the motion sensing carpet  2 . Then, based on the detection results, and by means of the breadth-first search (BFS) algorithm and the first-in first-out technique, the monitoring device  3  sequentially establishes the queue  31  corresponding to the motion sensing carpets  2 . In the meantime, the monitoring device  3  also establishes, in a stepwise manner according to the queue  31 , the topology matrix  32  composed of all the motion sensing carpets  2 . Once the queue  31  and the topology matrix  32  are established, the monitoring device  3  can rapidly determine the location of any motion sensing carpet  2  that generates a sensing signal. 
         [0016]    The process flow of the operation of the present invention is detailed below with reference to  FIG. 3 , which is a flowchart showing the major steps, in conjunction with the reference numerals in  FIG. 1 . According to the topology algorithm of the present invention, the monitoring device  3  performs the following steps: 
         [0017]    ( 101 ) The monitoring device  3  drives the control module  21  of the control unit  2 A to sequentially detect the information transmission modules  24  of the control unit  2 A in order to determine whether any of the information transmission modules  24  is connected with one of the information transmission modules  24  of an adjacent auxiliary unit  2 B. If no, step ( 102 ) is executed; if yes, step ( 103 ) is executed. 
         [0018]    ( 102 ) According to the position information of the information transmission module  24  being detected, the monitoring device  3  enters a vacancy tag (e.g., the code 0) into the corresponding position in the topology matrix  32 . Then, step ( 105 ) is executed. 
         [0019]    ( 103 ) The monitoring device  3  sends a search request to the adjacent auxiliary unit  2 B through the information transmission module  24  being detected, in order for the auxiliary unit  2 B to send a search response to the monitoring device  3  according to the search request after receiving the search request. The search response includes the identification tag  221  corresponding to the auxiliary unit  2 B and the position information of the information transmission module  24  receiving the search request. Then, step ( 104 ) is executed. 
         [0020]    ( 104 ) After receiving the search response, the monitoring device  3  stores the identification tag  221  into the queue  31  in order and, based on the position information in the search response, enters the identification tag  221  into the corresponding positon in the topology matrix  32 . Then, step ( 105 ) is executed. 
         [0021]    ( 105 ) The monitoring device  3  determines whether all the information transmission modules  24  of the control unit  2 A have been detected. If no, the process returns to step ( 101 ); if yes, step ( 106 ) is executed. 
         [0022]    ( 106 ) The monitoring device  3  determines whether there is a next identification tag  221  in the queue  31 . If yes, step ( 107 ) is executed; if no, the process ends. 
         [0023]    ( 107 ) The monitoring device  3  reads the next identification tag  221  in the queue  31  and sends a search command to the auxiliary unit  2 B corresponding to the identification tag  221 , in order for this auxiliary unit  2 B to sequentially detect its information transmission modules  24  according to the search command and either send to the monitoring device  3  a vacancy response including the position information of the information transmission module  24  being detected or send a search request to an adjacent auxiliary unit through the information transmission module  24  being detected and then relay a search response to the monitoring device  3 . Upon completing the detection of all of its information transmission modules  24 , this auxiliary unit  2 B sends a completion response to the monitoring device  3  and enters a non-responsive state, in which the auxiliary unit  2 B will not send any search response to the monitoring device  3  if a search request is subsequently received from another auxiliary unit  2 B. 
         [0024]    ( 108 ) Upon receiving the vacancy response, and according to the position information of the information transmission module  24  being detected in the vacancy response, the monitoring device  3  enters the vacancy tag into the corresponding position in the topology matrix  32 . Or upon receiving the search response, the monitoring device  3  stores the identification tag  221  in the search response into the queue  31  in order and, based on the position information in the search response, enters the identification tag  221  into the corresponding position in the topology matrix  32 . The process returns to step ( 106 ) if the monitoring device  3  receives the completion response. 
         [0025]    To enable more intuitive understanding of the topology algorithm of the present invention, or more particularly the actual process in which the queue  31  and the topology matrix  32  are established by the BFS algorithm and the first-in first-out technique, an example is given below with reference to the conceptual diagram of  FIG. 4 , the reference numerals in  FIG. 1 , and the relationship between the joined motion sensing carpets  2  in  FIG. 2 , so as to shed light on the steps of establishing the queue  31  and the topology matrix  32 . In  FIG. 4 , the motion sensing carpets  2  in the left column that are marked with “upper right-to-lower left” hatching lines and the motion sensing carpets  2  corresponding to the circled identification tags  221  in the middle column are detecting their respective information transmission modules  24 . On the other hand, the motion sensing carpets  2  in the left column of  FIG. 4  that are marked with “upper left-to-lower right” hatching lines are in the non-responsive state. To begin with, the monitoring device  3  stores the identification tag  221  corresponding to the control unit  2 A (in this example, the motion sensing carpet  2  with the identification tag  221  of No.1) into the queue  31  and also enters the identification tag  221  of the control unit  2 A into the corresponding position in the topology matrix  32 . Then, the monitoring device  3  drives the control module  21  of the control unit  2 A to detect the auxiliary units  2 B joined to the control unit  2 A, starting from the upper side of the control unit  2 A to the right side, the lower side, and left side, in that order. If no auxiliary unit  2 B is detected at a certain position, the monitoring device  3  enters the code 0 into the corresponding position in the topology matrix  32 . If an auxiliary unit  2 B is detected at a certain position, the monitoring device  3  enters the identification tag  221  corresponding to the auxiliary unit  2 B into the queue  31  and also into the corresponding position in the topology matrix  32 . 
         [0026]    Once the control unit  2 A has detected all of its information transmission modules  24 , the monitoring device  3  reads the next identification tag  221  in the queue  31  and drives the auxiliary unit  2 B corresponding to this identification tag  221  (in this example, the motion sensing carpet  2  with the identification tag  221  of No. 9), in order for the control module  21  of this auxiliary unit  2 B to detect the auxiliary units  2 B joined to this auxiliary unit  2 B, starting from the upper side of this auxiliary unit  2 B to the right side, the lower side, and left side, in that order. After this auxiliary unit  2 B has detected all of its information transmission modules  24 , the monitoring device  3  sequentially reads the following identification tags  221  in the queue  31  (in this example, the identification tags  221  of Nos. 5, 3, 8, 7, 4, 6, and 2, in that order) in order to sequentially drive the corresponding auxiliary units  2 B to detect their respective information transmission modules  24 . The foregoing process stops after the auxiliary units  2 B corresponding to all the identification tags  221  in the queue  31  have finished detecting their respective information transmission modules  24 . 
         [0027]    Through the topology algorithm described above, the relative locations of all the motion sensing carpets  2  can be obtained, and the monitoring device  3  can know from the topology matrix  32  the actual location of any motion sensing carpet  2  that is subjected to pressure and hence generates a sensing signal. Thus, if an elderly family member or child accidently falls on any of the motion sensing carpets  2 , the location of the accident can be rapidly known according to the sensing signal. 
         [0028]    While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.