Proximity aware personal alert system

• US 20050280546A1
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anna Maria Kirchner, Christine Ganley, Don Ganley, Maura Junius
• Original Assignee: Anna Maria Kirchner, Christine Ganley, Don Ganley, Maura Junius
• Inventors: Junius, Maura, Ganley, Christine, Ganley, Don, Kirchner, Anna Maria
• Granted Patent: US 7,259,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0238 adding new units to the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/025 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses absence of reply signal after an elapsed time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article

Abstract

Disclosed is a proximity aware personal alert system including a first mobile transceiver unit and a second mobile transceiver unit in communication with the first mobile transceiver unit via an RF link where the second mobile transceiver provides an alarm indication when the first mobile transceiver has moved a predetermined distance from the second mobile transceiver unit. When the RF link is configured as a Bluetooth link, the first and second mobile transceiver units form a monitoring piconet where the second mobile transceiver unit provides the alarm indication when the first mobile transceiver unit moves beyond a distance of approximately ten meters from the second mobile transceiver unit. The first transceiver unit is worn by a monitored person such as a child and the second transceiver unit is worn by a monitoring person such as a parent of the child.

Claims

1. A proximity aware personal alert system comprising:

a first mobile transceiver unit; and

a second mobile transceiver unit in communication with the first mobile transceiver unit via an RF link, the second mobile transceiver providing an alarm indication when the first mobile transceiver has moved a predetermined distance from the second mobile transceiver unit.

2. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 1, wherein the RF link comprises a Bluetooth link, and wherein the first and second mobile transceiver units form a monitoring piconet.

3. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined distance is in the range of ten meters.

4. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 1, wherein the first mobile transceiver unit includes:

a first antenna;

a first transceiver operatively coupled to the first antenna; and

a first link manager controller operatively coupled to the first transceiver,

wherein the first antenna, the first transceiver and the first link manager are enclosed in a first housing of the first mobile transceiver unit.

5. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 4, wherein the first mobile transceiver unit further includes a first illumination source coupled to the first link manager controller and mounted to an exterior portion of the first housing.

6. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 5, wherein the first mobile transceiver unit further includes a first means for attaching the first mobile transceiver unit to a first body.

7. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 6, wherein the first means for attaching further includes a means for locking the first attaching means, the means for locking discouraging easy removal of the first mobile transceiver unit from the first body.

8. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 1, wherein the second mobile transceiver unit includes:

a second antenna;

a second transceiver operatively coupled to the second antenna; and

a second link manager controller operatively coupled to the second transceiver,

wherein the second antenna, the second transceiver and the second link manager controller are enclosed in a second housing of the second mobile transceiver unit.

9. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 8, wherein the second transceiver unit further includes:

a second illumination source operatively coupled to the second link manager controller;

a speaker operatively coupled to the second link manager controller;

a first button operatively coupled to the second link manager controller; and

a second button operatively coupled to the second link manager controller,

wherein the second illumination source, the speaker, the first button and the second button are mounted to an exterior portion of the second housing.

10. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 9, wherein the second mobile transceiver unit further includes a second means for attaching the second mobile transceiver unit to a second body.

11. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 9, wherein the alarm indication comprises a audible indication transmitted via the speaker.

12. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 9, wherein the alarm indication comprises a visual indication provided by the second illumination source.

13. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 8, wherein the second transceiver unit further includes:

a second illumination source operatively coupled to the second link manager controller;

a speaker operatively coupled to the second link manager controller;

a signal amplification device coupled to the second link manager controller;

a user accessible radio frequency range adjustment mechanism coupled to the signal amplification device; and

at least one button operatively coupled to the second link manager controller.

14. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 13, wherein the signal amplification device comprises a power amplifier.

15. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined distance can be selected by a user of the second mobile transceiver unit by adjusting the user accessible radio frequency range adjustment mechanism.

16. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 13, wherein the second transceiver unit further includes:

a power button operatively coupled to the second link manager controller; and

an acquire button operatively coupled to the second link manager controller,

wherein the second illumination source, the speaker, the power button, the acquire button and the user accessible radio frequency range adjustment mechanism are mounted to an exterior portion of the second housing.

17. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 16, wherein the second mobile transceiver unit further includes a second means for attaching the second mobile transceiver unit to a second body.

18. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 13, wherein the alarm indication comprises a audible indication transmitted via the speaker.

19. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 13, wherein the alarm indication comprises a visual indication provided by the second illumination source.

20. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 8, wherein the second transceiver unit further includes:

a controller electrically coupled to the second link manager controller, the controller including a processor and a memory coupled to the processor;

a second light source coupled to the controller;

a speaker coupled to the controller;

a first button coupled to the controller; and

a second button coupled to the controller,

wherein the second light source, the speaker, the first button and the second button are mounted to an exterior portion of the second housing.

21. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 20, wherein the second mobile transceiver unit further includes a second means for attaching the second mobile transceiver unit to a second body.

22. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 20, wherein the alarm indication comprises a audible indication transmitted via the speaker.

23. The proximity aware personal alert system of claim 20, wherein the alarm indication comprises a visual indication provided by the second light emitting diode.

24. A method for detecting when a first mobile transceiver unit has moved a predetermined distance from a second mobile transceiver unit, the second mobile transceiver unit including a controller having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the method comprising:

establishing a communication between the second mobile transceiver unit and at least one first mobile transceiver unit;

providing a first indication indicating successful communication establishment between the second mobile transceiver unit and the at least one first mobile transceiver unit;

transmitting a periodic request for a first identification to the at least one first mobile transceiver unit, the first identification providing an identity of the at least one first mobile transceiver unit; and

providing a second indication if a response to the periodic request for the first identification is not detected by the second mobile transceiver unit within a pre-selected time, the second indication indicating that the at least one first mobile transceiver unit has moved the predetermined distance from the second mobile transceiver unit.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

detecting actuation of a first button of the second mobile transceiver unit, actuation of the first button enabling power to the second mobile transceiver unit; and

detecting actuation of a second button of the second mobile transceiver unit after detecting actuation of the first button, actuation of the second button enabling establishment of the communication.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein establishing the communication comprises establishing a monitoring piconet, the monitoring piconet including Bluetooth enabled RF links between the second mobile transceiver unit and the at least one first mobile transceiver unit.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein establishing the monitoring piconet comprises:

causing an inquiry command to be transmitted in response to detecting actuation of the second button;

detecting receipt of a first data packet, the first data packet including the first identification and a first radio frequency operational parameter of the at least one first mobile transceiver unit;

causing a page command to be transmitted in response to detecting receipt of the first data packet, the page command including the first identification of the at least one first mobile transceiver unit;

detecting receipt of a second data packet transmitted in response to receipt of the page command, the second data packet including the first identification of the at least one first mobile transceiver unit;

causing a third data packet to be transmitted in response to detecting receipt of the second data packet, the third data packet including a second identification and a second radio frequency operational parameter of the second mobile transceiver unit;

detecting receipt of a fourth data packet transmitted in response to receipt of the third data packet, the fourth data packet including the first identification of the at least one first mobile transceiver unit and indicating that the first radio frequency operational parameter has been replaced by the second radio frequency operational parameter; and

causing a monitoring piconet address of the monitoring piconet to be assigned to the first mobile transceiver unit.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the first and second indications are selected from the group consisting of an audible indication provided by a speaker of the second mobile transceiver and a visual indication provided by a light emitting diode of the second mobile transceiver.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the first indication comprises an audible chirp, and wherein the second indication comprises an audible alarm.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising lockingly attaching the first mobile transceiver device to a monitored person and attaching the second mobile transceiver device to a monitoring person.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the predetermined distance is in the range of ten meters.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the pre-selected time comprises two seconds.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the pre-selected time is in the range of one second to five seconds.