In 2019 Patently Apple revealed Apple's first "Fall Detection" patent. Since then there's been a series of granted patents (01 and 02) and an update to cover crash detection.  Last week, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that specifically covered Fall Detection in context with

Apple Watch: Context Aware Fall Detection

Apple's patent covers systems, methods, devices and non-transitory, computer-readable media relating to electronically determining whether a user has fallen using a mobile device.

In an aspect, a method includes: receiving, by a mobile device, sensor data obtained by one or more sensor over a time period, where the one or more sensors are worn by a user; determining, by the mobile device, a context of the user based on the sensor data; obtaining, by the mobile device based on the context, a set of rules for processing the sensor data, where the set of rules is specific to the context; determining, by the mobile device, at least one of a likelihood that the user has fallen or a likelihood that the user requires assistance based on the sensor data and the set of rules; and generating, by the mobile device, one or more notifications based on at least one of the likelihood that the user has fallen or the likelihood that the user requires assistance.

Implementations of this aspect can include one or more of the following features.

In some implementations, the sensor data can include location data obtained by one or more location sensors of the mobile device.

In some implementations, the sensor data can include acceleration data obtained by one or more acceleration sensors of the mobile device.

In some implementations, the sensor data can include orientation data obtained by one or more orientation sensors of the mobile device.

In some implementations, the context can correspond to the user bicycling during the time period. 

In some implementations, the second context can correspond to the user walking during the second time period.

In some implementations, the second context can correspond to the user playing at least one of basketball or volleyball during the second time period.

In some implementations, generating the one or more notifications can include: transmitting a first notification to a communications device remote from the mobile device, the first notification including an indication that the user has fallen.

In some implementations, the communications device can be an emergency response system. 

In some implementations, determining the likelihood that the user has fallen and/or the likelihood that the user requires assistance can include: determining, based on the sensor data, that a distance traveled by the user prior over the period of time is greater than a first threshold value; determining, based on the sensor data, that a variation in a direction of impacts experienced by the user over the period of time is less than a second threshold value; determining, based on the sensor data, that a rotation of the user's wrist over the period of time is less than a third threshold value; and determining that the user has fallen and/or requires assistance based on the determination that the distance traveled by the user prior over the period of time is greater than the first threshold value, the determination that the variation in a direction of impacts experienced by the user over the period of time is less than the second threshold value, and the determination that the rotation of the user's wrist over the period of time is less than the third threshold value.

In some implementations, determining the likelihood that the user has fallen and/or the likelihood that the user requires assistance can include: determining, based on the sensor data, that a magnitude of an impact experienced by the user over the period of time in a first direction is greater than a first threshold value; and determining that the user has fallen and/or requires assistance based on the determination that the magnitude of the impact experienced by the user over the period of time in the first direction is greater than the first threshold value.

In some implementations, the method can further include: receiving, by the mobile device, second sensor data obtained by the one or more sensor over a second time period; determining, by the mobile device, a second context of the user based on the second sensor data; obtaining, by the mobile device based on the second context, a second set of rules for processing the sensor data, where the second set of rules is specific to the second context; determining, by the mobile device, at least one of a likelihood that the user has fallen and/or a likelihood that the user requires assistance based on the sensor data and the second set of rules; and generating, by the mobile device, one or more second notifications based on at least one of the likelihood that the user has fallen or the likelihood that the user requires assistance.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 below is a diagram of an example system for determining whether a user has fallen and/or may be in need of assistance; FIG. 4A is  a diagram of example sensor data obtained by Apple Watch; FIG. 5 & 7 are diagrams of example bicycles (leisurely and racing bikes) with the rider wearing an Apple Watch.

Apple's patent FIG. 8 below is a flow char diagram of an example process for generating and transmitting notifications.

For more details, review Apple's patent application number US 20230084356. The patent's emphasis on bike falls makes sense because it's common for bikers to be loners compared to other sports that usually involve teams and teammates that could call for help in an emergency fall.

Apple Inventors

• Sriram Venkateswaran: CoreMotion
• Parisa HosseinZadeh: Senior Software Engineer
• Vinay Majjigi: System Engineering and Algorithm Design
• Yann Jerome Julien Renard; No LinkedIn Profile available

In 2019 Patently Apple covered a Facebook testimonial from a son about how he received a notice from his father's Apple Watch that he was in a bad fall and called emergency services on his behalf. The notification to the son contained an Apple Map to guide him in finding where his Dad and bike accident occurred.  

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