Buddy communicator

• US 20020145522A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kevin Pembroke
• Original Assignee: Kevin Pembroke
• Inventors: Pembroke, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US09/826,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145522A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls

Abstract

A person-to-person communication system intended to be used in pairs for transmitting and receiving an alarm signal in a noisy environment and to alert a user in other than an audible way. The system comprises a pair of matching interactive devices wearable on the person of respective users co-operating as a team. Each of these communication device comprises a transmitter and a receiver, a control device connected to the receiver, an emergency activation device, and a sensory unit intended to be worn by the user and coupled to its body. The sensory unit is capable of generating a sensory output observable by the user in a noisy environment. The emergency activation device is readily accessible by the user and allows for rapid transmission of an alert signal. A preferred embodiment of the invention is a watch-like device intended to be worn on a wrist of the user and able to generate tactile vibrations to alert the user of an emergency situation.

Claims

1. A person-to-person emergency alerting system, comprising a pair of matching interactive communication devices wearable on the person of respective users co-operating as a team, each said interactive communication device comprising:

a transmitter and receiver for sending a remote signal to, and receiving a remote signal from, the respective receiver and transmitter of the other device of said pair;

an emergency activation device readily accessible by the user and operable in response to rapid activation by said user to send a said remote signal from said transmitter to said other device of said pair;

a sensory device that when a said communication device is worn by a said user can be directly coupled to the body of the user so as to generate a sensory output observable by said user in a noisy environment; and

a control unit connected to said receiver for activating said sensory device in response to the receipt of said remote signal from said other device of said pair.

2. A person-to-person emergency alerting system as in claim 1, further including coding means, wherein said remote signal is a coded signal.

3. A person-to-person emergency alerting system as in claim 1 wherein said remote signal is a RF signal.

4. A person-to-person emergency alerting system as in claim 1 wherein each one of said communication devices is attached to a strip band and worn on a wrist of said user.

5. A person-to-person emergency alerting system as in claim 1 wherein said sensory output generated by said sensory device consists of tactile vibrations.

6. A person-to-person emergency alerting system as in claim 5 wherein said sensory device includes a movable probe controlled by said control unit and capable of partially extending outside a core of said communication device to generate said tactile vibrations.

7. A person-to-person emergency alerting system as in claim 5 wherein said sensory device uses piezoelectric means to generate said tactile vibrations.

8. A person-to-person emergency alerting system as in claim 1 wherein said control unit includes a timing means capable of automatically switching said sensory device off.

9. A person-to-person emergency alerting system as in claim 1, employed as a part of a door bell system for hearing impaired person, wherein existing door bell means are adapted to activate one of said communication devices upon activation of said door means by a visitor, said communication device sending a remote signal to be received by said other matching device of the pair and worn by said hearing impaired person.

10. A communications and emergency alerting system employing a finite number of matching interactive communication devices configured to work in a network, each said device wearable on the person of respective users co-operating as a team and comprising:

a transmitter and receiver for sending a remote signal to, and receiving a remote signal from, the respective receiver and transmitter of any other device of said system;

an emergency activation device readily accessible by the user and operable in response to rapid activation by said user to send a said remote signal from said transmitter to said other device of said system;

a sensory device that when a said communication device is worn by a said user can be directly coupled to the body of the user so as to generate a sensory output observable by said user in a noisy environment; and

a control unit connected to said receiver for activating said sensory device in response to the receipt of said remote signal from said other device of said system.