Systems and apparatus for personal security

• US 20050275542A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Weekes
• Original Assignee: David Weekes
• Inventors: Weekes, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,088,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A personal security device is provided. The device includes a wireless transmitter operable to transmit information pertaining to a user to a monitoring network. The device also includes a sensor for sensing removal of the transmitter from the user'"'"'s person. The device further includes a manager initiating transmission of a signal to the monitoring network when the sensor senses that the transmitter has been removed from the user'"'"'s person.

Claims

1. A personal security device comprising:

a wireless transmitter operable to transmit information pertaining to a user to a monitoring network;

a sensor for sensing removal of the transmitter from the user'"'"'s person; and

a manager initiating transmission of a signal to the monitoring network when the sensor senses that the transmitter has been removed from the user'"'"'s person.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor senses removal of the transmitter from the user'"'"'s person by detecting the absence of a bio-metric signal from the person.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the biometric signal comprises at least one of a bio-potential, a pulse, a heartbeat, and body temperature.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a harness for securing the transmitter to the user'"'"'s person.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the harness is formed at least partially of a ballistic material.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the harness comprises a closure for securing the harness about the user'"'"'s person, and the sensor comprises a closure sensor operable to sense whether the closure is in a position allowing removal of the harness from the user'"'"'s person.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the closure sensor is operable to sense at least one of:

whether a closure lock is in an unlocked state;

whether complementary portions of the closure are in an open state;

whether a button is in an unbuttoned state; and

whether a zipper is in an unzipped state.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises a harness sensor operable to sense a breach of integrity of the harness.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising at least one conductive line extending across at least a portion of the harness, the harness sensor sensing a breach of integrity of the harness by sensing an open circuit between the ends of the conductive line.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the conductive line comprises at least one of:

an electrically conductive line, and a light conductive line.

11. The device of claim 8, further comprising a user input device, the user input device comprising an input for canceling the signal.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the information comprises information related to a location of the user.

13. A personal security system comprising:

a monitoring network; and

at least one personal security device, the device comprising;

a wireless transmitter operable to transmit information pertaining to a user to the monitoring network;

a sensor for sensing removal of the transmitter from the user'"'"'s person; and

a manager initiating transmission of a signal to the monitoring network when the sensor senses that the transmitter has been removed from the user'"'"'s person.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor senses removal of the transmitter from the user'"'"'s person by detecting the absence of a bio-metric signal from the person.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the biometric signal comprises at least one of a bio-potential, a pulse, a heartbeat, and body temperature.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a harness for securing the transmitter to the user'"'"'s person.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the harness is formed at least partially of a ballistic material.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the harness comprises a closure for securing the harness about the user'"'"'s person, and the sensor comprises a closure sensor operable to sense whether the closure is in a position allowing removal of the harness from the user'"'"'s person.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the closure sensor is operable to sense at least one of:

whether a closure lock is in an unlocked state;

whether complementary portions of the closure are in an open state;

whether a button is in an unbuttoned state; and

whether a zipper is in an unzipped state.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises a harness sensor operable to sense a breach of integrity of the harness.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising at least one conductive line extending across at least a portion of the harness, the harness sensor sensing a breach of integrity of the harness by sensing an open circuit between the ends of the conductive line.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the conductive line comprises at least one of:

an electrically conductive line, and a light conductive line.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising a user input device, the user input device comprising an input for canceling the signal.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the information comprises information related to a location of the user.

25. The system of claim 13, wherein the monitoring network comprises at least one monitor placed on a vehicle, the monitor operable to receive the signal.

26. The system of claim 13, further comprising an authenticator for accessing data from the manager.