Monitoring apparatus and system

• US 10,555,125 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dillon James Korpman
• Original Assignee: Dillon James Korpman
• Inventors: Korpman, Dillon James
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US15/947,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20180295477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/10 Secret communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/28 Services making use of subscriber schedule information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A monitoring apparatus that provides multi-level monitoring of personal activities by a user. The monitoring apparatus includes a display, a user interface, a GPS location device, a timer or clock, and wireless or cellular communication transmitters or similar devices. The user designates one or more contacts who will be notified if certain pre-established monitoring conditions are met (e.g., if the user may be in trouble). When the pre-established monitoring conditions are met, the contacts are alerted and notified via phone, email, text, or similar means of communication, or combinations thereof, of the user'"'"'s location, contact information, and the state that caused the alert and notification.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a case with a front side;

a display located on the front side of the case;

a user interface coupled to the display, and further comprising at least one data entry mechanism;

a GPS tracking device located in the case;

a timer located in the case;

a wireless communication transmitter located in the case;

at least one microprocessor in the case and in electronic communication with the GPS tracking device and the timer and the wireless communication transmitter, wherein the microprocessor is configured to;

monitor at least one monitoring parameter to determine whether a threshold value of the at least one monitoring parameter is met or exceeded during a monitoring event or period for a user;

initiate contacting at least one previously established contact after the threshold value for the at least one monitoring parameter is met or exceeded;

alert the user that the contacting process has been initiated;

at the option of the user, delay or cancel completion of the contacting process, wherein the user has a limited amount of time to delay or cancel completion of the contacting process; and

if the user does not delay or cancel completion of the contacting process, automatically engage the wireless communication transmitters to contact the at least one previously established contact.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deactivation means comprises a deactivation code, a deactivation word, a biometric identifier configured to identify the user, or a combination thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further wherein the microprocessor is configured with an emergency alert function to notify said at least one previously established contact upon activation by the user.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication transmitters sends a phone call, an email, and/or a text message to said at least one previously established contact.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data entry mechanism comprises the display as a touchscreen display.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data entry mechanism comprises a keyboard or buttons on the case, or a microphone in the case.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring parameter comprises speed, time, and/or location.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring parameter comprises a speed of the monitoring apparatus as determined by changes in location of the apparatus over a period of time.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring parameter comprises a period of time.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring parameter comprises a specific time.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring parameter comprises a specific location.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring parameter comprises a location outside a specified boundary or geo-fenced area.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further wherein the threshold value comprises a maximum speed, a maximum period of time to arrive at a specified location, a maximum distance from the specified location;

a maximum distance from a specific route to the specified location, or a combination thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to notify the at least one previously established contact of the user'"'"'s location, the user'"'"'s contact information, the threshold value that triggered the means for contacting at least one emergency contact, or a combination thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a safety contact feature and a remote service, wherein the safety contact feature is configured to convey a request from the user to the remote service;

the request comprising an instruction for the remote service to perform at least one contact attempt to the user'"'"'s monitoring apparatus during a particular time or within a particular time window; and

the safety contact feature being further configured to notify the at least one emergency contact if the user fails to answer or otherwise respond to the at least one contact attempt.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the safety contact feature further comprises an emergency response by the user, wherein the emergency response appears innocuous, but is configured to trigger an alert to the at least one previously established contact.

17. A method of multi-level monitoring of personal activities, comprising the steps of:

initiating a monitoring event on a monitoring apparatus of a user as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one parameter is monitored to determine whether a threshold value is met or exceeded during the monitoring event;

initiating activation of contacting at least one emergency contact after the threshold value for the least one parameter is met or exceeded;

alerting the user that the contacting step will be activated; and

at the option of the user, delaying activation of the contacting step, wherein the user has a limited amount of time to delay activation of the emergency contact step.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user inputs the threshold value for the at least one parameter and initiates the monitoring event.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein delaying activation of the contacting step comprises entering a deactivation code into the monitoring apparatus, speaking a deactivation word into the monitoring apparatus, biometric identification of the user, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising activating an emergency alert to immediately notify the at least one emergency contact of an emergency situation.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein activating the emergency alert further comprises inputting into the monitoring apparatus an emergency activation code in response to alerting a user that the emergency contact step will be activated, further wherein, inputting the emergency activation code causes the monitoring apparatus to generate a false notification that the emergency contact step has been delayed or cancelled.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one emergency contact comprises a first responder.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the at least one parameter comprises a speed of the monitoring apparatus, a period of time, a location of the monitoring apparatus, a specified location, or a combination thereof; and

the threshold value comprises a maximum speed, a maximum amount of time to arrive at the specified location;

a maximum distance from the specified location;

a maximum distance from a specific route to the specified location, or a combination thereof.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising

a speed monitor notification that is sent to the user when the monitoring apparatus approaches a maximum speed;

and

an excessive speed notification that notifies the user, the at least one emergency contact, or both when the monitoring apparatus meets or exceeds the maximum speed.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the maximum speed is set by the at least one emergency contact, and the user is prevented from modifying the maximum speed.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the maximum speed is a function of the speed limit posted at the monitoring apparatus'"'"'s location.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising a safety contact feature and a remote service, wherein

the user submits a request to the remote service to perform at least one contact attempt to the user'"'"'s monitoring apparatus during a particular time or within a particular time window;

the contact attempt is made during the particular time or within the particular window; and

contacting the at least one emergency contact if the user fails to answer or otherwise respond to the contact attempt.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the safety contact feature further comprises an emergency response, wherein the emergency response appears innocuous, but sends an alert to the at least one emergency contact.