Location Recording System

• US 20080174484A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobit Telecom Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mobit Telecom Ltd.
• Inventors: Katz, Daniel A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,855,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.07
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/0005 by means of alarm devices for persons falling into the water, e.g. by signalling, by controlling the propulsion or manoeuvring means of the boat alarms responsive to presence of persons in a body of water in general G08B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/06 Emergency
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0246 involving frequency difference of arrival or Doppler measurements G01S5/02685 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/088 by monitoring a device worn by the person, e.g. a bracelet attached to the swimmer

Abstract

The present invention discloses a communication system and method for determining and recording the geographical location of an object attached with a short range wireless device, over a wide area, in a vicinity of a radio beacon that can be located by a remote control station, upon establishing or interrupting a wireless connection between said wireless device and said radio beacon. One embodiment of the invention relates to a system for search and rescue of a man overboard (person overboard), a quite frequent and fatal accident at sea.

Claims

1. A communication system and method for determining and recording the geographical location of an object attached with a short range wireless device (SRWD), over a wide area, in a vicinity of a radio beacon (RB) in which a unique data is stored, said RB configured to detect said SRWD signals and transmit an alarm message including said unique data, upon identifying a predefined alert status, wherein a remote control station (RCS) is configured to receive said alarm message and locate said RB, and consequently locate said SRWD, and record said SRWD location coordinates and status and said unique data and time of record, comprising:

a) a SRWD attached to each object whose location wished to be recorded, including;

a transmitter;

control circuitry to activate the transmitter periodically and/or upon an input.

b) a RB including;

a memory for storing the unique data;

a transmitter configured to transmit alarm messages;

a receiver configured to detect SRWD signals;

a controller to control the communications with the RCS and with the SRWD;

c) a RCS including;

a receiver or a plurality of receivers configured to receive alarm messages from said RB and determine its geographical location;

means to record and display the RB and SRWD location coordinates, status, said unique data, and time of record.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the SRWD obtains sensors to measure at least one of the following parameters, signaling an alert status if any of these measured parameters reaches a predefined condition or value:

a) immersion in water;

b) salt water;

c) hydrostatic pressure;

d) air pressure;

e) mechanical shock;

f) acceleration;

g) inclination;

h) heart beat rate;

i) blood pressure;

j) activation of “

panic”

(SOS) button;

k) temperature;

l) concentration of carbon monoxide or other gases;

m) blood sugar level;

n) electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) signal.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the SRWD periodically transmits signals, and when the RB ceases to detect these signals for a predefined period of time, it interprets that as an alert status and transmits an alarm message.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the SRWD further comprises a memory to store a unique data, and said unique data is embedded in the signals transmitted by the SRWD and/or in the alarm message transmitted by the RB, and the RCS is configured to decode this data, if transmitted.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein a local control station (LCS) is connected to the RB, configured to monitor the communications between the RB and the SRWD, and optionally also the communications between the RB and the RCS, said LCS configured to detect an alert status, then output an alarm and record the present location and time, comprising:

a) a computer including;

a CPU, a non volatile memory and a display;

b) an output device configured to render audible and/or visual alarm indications;

c) a navigation receiver such as GPS;

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the communication between RB and RCS is either direct or over a network, possibly obtaining access points or gateways or relays, being terrestrial and/or maritime and/or airborne and/or satellite borne.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said SRWD and/or RB are configured to relay or retransmit signals that arrive from another SRWD and/or RB in their vicinity.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the RB further comprises a second receiver and the RCS further comprises a transmitter, said transmitter and receiver configured to communicate with each other, and said RCS configured to acknowledge the RB upon receiving an alarm message, and wherein said RB further obtains:

a) an output device, configured to indicate said acknowledgement; and

/or

b) a controller function to stop transmitting an alarm message upon been acknowledged by the RCS.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the RB further comprises a second transmitter and the SRWD further comprises a receiver, said transmitter and receiver configured to communicate with each other, said RB configured to acknowledge said SRWD upon transmitting an alarm message, and wherein the SRWD further obtains:

a) an output device, configured to indicate said acknowledgement; and

/or

b) a control circuitry function to stop signaling the RB to transmit an alarm message upon been acknowledged by the RB.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the RB and/or SRWD further comprise an input device, enabling an operator to cause the RB to transmit a “

cancel alarm”

message.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the RB controller suspends the transmission of an alarm message for a predetermined period of time, and an input device, at the RB and/or at the SRWD, is configured to enable an operator to cancel the current alarm message transmission.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the SRWD further comprises an input device that upon activation, the SRWD is configured to transmit a “

test signal”

to the RB, and wherein the RB further comprises an output device, configured to indicate that the “

test signal”

was received.

13. A system according to claim 3, wherein the RB further comprises an input device enabling at least two choices, and an output device, one of said input choices is assigned as “

test”

, and while set to “

test”

, when the RB ceases to detect the signals of the SRWD for a predefined period of time, said output device is configured to indicate that, wherein said “

test”

choice is prevented to be set permanently, by mechanical and/or electronic means.

14. A system according to claim 8, wherein the RB and/or SRWD further comprise an input device that upon activation, the RB is configured to transmit a “

test alarm”

message, and the RCS is configured to acknowledge the “

test alarm”

message to the RB, and wherein the RB further comprises an output device, configured to indicate that the “

test alarm”

message was acknowledged by the RCS.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein the location of the RB is determined locally, by an integrated navigation sensor such as GPS or GLONASS or Galileo, or at the RCS, by means such as Doppler deviation detection, or a combination thereof.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein the location determining of the SRWD is refined by measuring the distance and/or direction between SRWD and RB, at the SRWD or at the RB.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein the RB transmitter is compatible with receivers installed onboard satellites, such as SARSAT or COSPAS or COSPAS-SARSAT or ARGOS.

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein the RB transmitter is a 406 MHz transmitter compatible to the COSPAS-SARSAT search and rescue system, and its unique data transmitted in the alarm message is according to one of the following formats:

an Emergency Position Indicating Radio beacon (EPIRB) for maritime use;

or

an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) for aviation use;

or

a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) for portable use.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the RB alarm message includes a “

man over board”

message encoded in the 406 MHz Beacon Message.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein the SRWD transmitter is referred to as a homing device, detecting its signal by a compatible receiver, in order to locate its place.

21. A system according to claim 1, wherein the SRWD is attached to objects from the following group:

persons;

animals;

pets;

vehicles;

containers;

goods;

valuables;

mailed/delivered items;

weapons;

ammunition;

hazardous materials.

22. A short range wireless device (SRWD), for determining and recording the geographical location of an object attached with said SRWD, over a wide area, in a vicinity of a radio beacon (RB) in which a unique data is stored, said RB configured to detect said SRWD signals and transmit an alarm message including said unique data, upon identifying a predefined alert status, wherein a remote control station (RCS) is configured to receive said alarm message and locate said RB, and consequently locate said SRWD, and record said SRWD location coordinates and status and said unique data and time of record, comprising:

a) a transmitter;

b) control circuitry to activate the transmitter periodically and/or upon an input.

23. A radio beacon (RB), for determining and recording the geographical location of an object attached with a short range wireless device (SRWD), over a wide area, in a vicinity of said RB in which a unique data is stored, said RB configured to detect said SRWD signals and transmit an alarm message including said unique data, upon identifying a predefined alert status, wherein a remote control station (RCS) is configured to receive said alarm message and locate said RB, and consequently locate said SRWD, and record said SRWD location coordinates and status and said unique data and time of record, comprising:

a) a memory for storing the unique data;

b) a transmitter configured to transmit alarm messages;

c) a receiver configured to detect SRWD signals;

d) a controller to control the communications with the RCS and with the SRWD;

24. A remote control station (RCS), for determining and recording the geographical location of an object attached with a short range wireless device (SRWD), over a wide area, in a vicinity of a radio beacon (RB) in which a unique data is stored, said RB configured to detect said SRWD signals and transmit an alarm message including said unique data, upon identifying a predefined alert status, wherein said RCS is configured to receive said alarm message and locate said RB, and consequently locate said SRWD, and record said SRWD location coordinates and status and said unique data and time of record, comprising:

a) a receiver or a plurality of receivers configured to receive alarm messages from said RB and determine its geographical location;

b) means to record and display the RB and SRWD location coordinates, status, said unique data, and time of record.