APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION REGARDING A MISSING PERSON TO A MONITORING STATION

• US 20070182548A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: George Raad
• Original Assignee: George Raad
• Inventors: Raad, George
• Application Number:
  US11/622,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20070182548A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0297 Robbery alarms, e.g. hold-up alarms, bag snatching alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

An apparatus and system for locating a person includes a G.P.S. cellular watch removably secured to the person, which acts as a mobile transmitter. When panic buttons on the watch are depressed simultaneously, a location signal is emitted by the watch so that a remote Emergency Control Center (ECC) is informed of the person'"'"'s location, the panic buttons also automatically starting a photo/video recorder, images from which can be viewed in the ECC, as well as an audio microphone, which allows the ECC to listen, record and save all sounds received by the microphone. The watch face also comprises a security code pad, with a corresponding key pad entry also unique to that apparatus, to lock or unlock the band from the user'"'"'s wrist, without which entry the apparatus cannot be removed from the person.

Claims

1. A portable GPS transmitter configured to be mounted to a user comprising:

activation means for sending, when the activation means is activated, a GPS location signal indicating a position of the user to a remote monitoring unit;

video, audio and photo recording means for providing visual and audio recordings from the portable GPS transmitter, the video, audio and photo recording means automatically being activated when the activation means is activated;

locking means for removably securing the attachment means of the portable GPS transmitter to the user, the locking means being displaceable only through entry of a locking code unique to the portable GPS transmitter; and

attachment means for connecting the portable GPS transmitter to the user, a housing being connected to the attachment means for mounting the activation means, the locking means and the video, audio and photo recording means thereon.

2. The GPS transmitter of claim 1, wherein the activation means further comprises a first panic button and a second panic button, which, when depressed simultaneously, sends the GPS location signal indicating the position of the user to the remote monitoring unit and activates the video, audio and photo recording means.

3. The GPS transmitter of claim 2, wherein the first and the second panic buttons are provided on opposed faces of the housing.

6. The portable GPS transmitter of claim 1, wherein power for the portable GPS transmitter is supplied by a battery.

7. The portable GPS transmitter of claim 6, wherein the battery is a long life battery.

8. The portable GPS transmitter of claim 7, wherein the long life battery is a lithium or watch battery.

9. The portable GPS transmitter of claim 7, wherein the long life battery is rechargeable.

10. The portable GPS transmitter of claim 1, wherein the GPS portable transmitter, the signal forwarded from the GPS Satellite receiver and the activation signal from the Emergency Control Center are configured to operate on a radio frequency, and the GPS location signal transmitted by the GPS portable transmitter is transmitted on a radio frequency.

11. The portable GPS transmitter of claim 1, wherein the GPS portable transmitter, the signal forwarded from the GPS Satellite receiver and the activation signal from the Emergency Control center are configured to operate on a cellular telephone network, and the GPS location signal transmitted by the GPS portable transmitter is transmitted on the cellular telephone network.

4. A portable GPS transmitter configured to be mounted to a user comprising:

signal receiving means for receiving an activation signal from a remote monitoring unit and activating the portable GPS transmitter;

locking means for removably securing the attachment means of the portable GPS transmitter to the user, the locking means being displaceable only through entry of a locking code unique to the portable GPS transmitter;

video, audio and photo recording means for providing visual and audio recordings from the portable GPS transmitter, the video, audio and photo recording means automatically being activated when the activation signal from the remote monitoring unit has been received;

GPS signal transmitting means for sending a GPS location signal indicating a position of the user to the remote monitoring unit when the portable GPS transmitter is activated; and

attachment means for connecting the portable GPS transmitter to the user, a housing being connected to the attachment means for mounting the signal receiving means, the locking means, the GPS signal transmitting means and the video, audio and photo recording means thereon.

5. The portable GPS transmitter of claim 4, wherein the attachment means used to connect the portable GPS transmitter is an adjustable band having a first end and a second end, whereby the second end of the band can be inserted into and received by the first end of the band to form a connected band around a neck or wrist of the user, the connected band securing the portable GPS transmitter to a wrist or neck of the user.

12. A system for ascertaining the location of a person, comprising:

a watch assembly for being attached to a watchband for extending around a wrist of a user, the watch assembly comprising activation means for sending, when the activation means is activated, a GPS location signal indicating a position of the user to a remote monitoring unit, and video, audio and photo recording means for providing visual and audio recordings from the watch assembly, and locking means for removably securing the attachment means of the watch assembly, the locking means being displaceable only through entry of a locking code unique to the watch assembly; and

a monitoring unit at a location remote from the portable G.P.S. transmitter;

whereby, when the activation means is activated, the video, audio and photo recording means automatically begins to forward the visual and audio recordings from the watch assembly to the monitoring unit.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the GPS location signal is configured to operate on a radio frequency.

14. The portable GPS transmitter of claim 12, wherein the GPS location signal and the visual and audio recordings from the watch assembly are configured to operate on a cellular telephone network.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the monitoring unit remote from the GPS portable transmitter is a mobile monitoring unit.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the activation means further comprises a first panic button and a second panic button, which, when depressed simultaneously, sends the GPS location signal indicating the position of the user to the monitoring unit and activates the video, audio and photo recording means.