MONITORING AND SIGNALLING SYSTEM INCLUDING APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING AND ANALYZING SIGNALS PRODUCED BY ACTIVITY MONITORING SENSORS

Apparatus for a monitoring and signalling system such as a home health car system includes a first sensor operative to monitor the entry and exit of an individual from a room (such as a bathroom), and other sensors operative to monitor usage of appliances such as lamps, televisions, refrigerators and telephones. Each sensor, upon monitoring an associated activity, produces and applies a signal to a microprocessor and causes an activity timer in the microprocessor to be set to either a first time period of about 1-2 hours (for an entry into the room) or a second time period of about 8-10 hours (for an exit from the room or for use of an appliance). The activity timer cycles through its associated time period and initiates an alarm sequence at the expiration of the time period for indicating a lack of activity. Thus, if an individual who has entered the room does not exit within the 1-2 hour period, or an appliance is not used for a period of 8-10 hours, an alarm sequence is initiated. In accordance with the present invention, the microprocessor operates to examine signals from the sensors and once the activity timer has been set to the 1-2 hour period by virtue of a first individual entering the room to prevent the timer from being set to the 8-10 hour period by virtue of use of an appliance by another individual while the first individual is in the room.