Gravestones or Memorials

• US 20080198030A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mark John Pringle
• Original Assignee: Mark John Pringle
• Inventors: Pringle, Mark John
• Application Number:
  US11/915,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20080198030A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/687
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 13/00 Monuments; Tombs; Burial vaults; Columbaria
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 13/003 Funeral monuments, grave sites curbing or markers not making part of vaults E04H13/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/12 by the breaking or disturbance of stretched cords or wires
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention provides a memorial assembly (10) including a memorial structure (11) and a security device (16) secured to the memorial structure (11). The security device (16) includes a sensing device for sensing disturbance of the memorial structure (11). The security device (16) also includes a transmitter operatively connected to the sensing device, to generate a wireless alarm signal in response to sensing of disturbance of the memorial structure (11) by the sensing device. The invention also provides a memorial security system which includes the memorial assembly (10) and also a transceiver module which receives the wireless alarm signal and which produces at least one notification message, such as a telephonic text message to prespecified notification address.

Claims

23. A memorial assembly which includes:

a memorial structure, which is of composite construction;

a security device secured to the memorial structure, the security device including a sensing device for sensing disturbance of the memorial structure, and a transmitter operatively connected to the sensing device to generate a wireless alarm signal in response to sensing of disturbance of the memorial structure by the sensing device, the sensing device being configured to generate the alarm signal in response to separation of two parts of the memorial structure.

24. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 23, which includes an electronic processor connected to the sensing device and to the transmitter, to process electronic signals received from the sensing device, and to cause the transmitter to transmit an alarm signal in response to sensing of disturbance of the memorial structure, the processor being configured to generate unique identification information for inclusion in the alarm signal, to enable identification of the particular security device from which an alarm signal originates.

25. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 24, in which the sensing device includes an orientation sensor which is configured to sense the orientation of at least part of the memorial structure, and to cause generation of the alarm signal when the measured orientation of at least part of the memorial structure falls outside of prespecified orientation parameters.

26. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 25, in which the orientation sensor is a tilt sensor for sensing when a part of the memorial structure on which the tilt sensor is mounted is tilted by more than a prespecified angle from an operative position, the orientation sensor being configured to trigger generation of an alarm signal if the part of the memorial structure on which the tilt sensor is mounted is tilted by more than 45°

from its operative position.

27. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 26, in which the memorial structure comprises a headstone portion which is supported on and secured to a base portion, the tilt sensor being mounted on the headstone portion to sense tilting of the headstone portion.

28. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 23, in which the memorial structure includes a headstone portion and a base portion on which the headstone portion is supported, the sensing device being fixedly secured to the memorial structure such that it senses displacement or removal of the headstone portion relative to the base portion.

29. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 28, in which the headstone portion is secured to the base portion by at least one securing rod, each rod being received in a pair of complementary aligned passages provided in the base portion and the headstone portion respectively, each passage in the base portion intruding from an operatively upper face of the base portion, and each passage in the headstone portion intruding from an operatively lower face of the headstone portion, the upper and lower faces of the base portion and the headstone portion abutting, when the memorial structure is in its operative condition, the sensing device including a separation sensor having an elongated casing which is fixedly secured in complementary aligned passages in the headstone portion and the base portion, the casing having a zone of weakness more or less aligned with the abutment between the base portion and the headstone portion, the separation sensor being configured to sense damage, such as breakage, of the casing in the zone of weakness and, in response thereto, to trigger generation of the alarm signal.

30. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 27, in which the security device includes a tracking device which is located in the headstone portion, so that it moves with the headstone portion if the headstone portion is removed, the tracking device producing a tracking signal for facilitating location of the headstone portion.

31. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 30, in which the tracking device is fixedly secured to the headstone portion, to inhibit unauthorised removal of the tracking device.

32. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 23, in which the transmitter is configured for transmitting a radio frequency alarm signal to a remote station.

33. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 32, in which the transmitter is configured to transmit the alarm signal to at least one mobile telephone device.

34. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 23, in which the transmitter is arranged to transmit an electronic text message to at least one specified address.

35. The memorial assembly as claimed in claim 24, which includes a mobile power source, such as a battery, connected to both the sensing device and the transmitter, and in which the transmitter is configured for producing a radio frequency alarm signal with a localised range, to transmit the alarm signal to a transceiver module located in relative proximity to the memorial assembly.

36. A memorial security system which includes:

a memorial assembly as claimed in claim 23;

a transceiver module located within range of the transmitter of the memorial assembly, to receive the alarm signal and to produce at least one notification message to prespecified notification address.

37. The memorial security system as claimed in claim 36, in which the transceiver module includes a mobile telephone communication module for communicating the notification signal to each prespecified notification address via a cellular telephone network, and which includes an information database having stored thereon an identification information of each of a plurality of security devices, as well as at least one notification address associated with each security device, the system being operable to identify unique identification information in any alarm signal generated by a security device, and to interrogate the database to establish each associated notification address.

38. The memorial security system as claimed in claim 37, in which the transceiver module is installed at a memorial site so that it is within range of at least one security device mounted on a memorial structure at that memorial site, the transceiver module having a communication means for communicating the notification signal or the alarm signal to a remote control station.

39. The memorial security system as claimed in claim 38, which includes a plurality of transceiver modules installed at respective memorial sites, each transceiver module being operable to transmit notification signals or alarm signals to the control station.

40. The memorial security system as claimed in claim 36, which includes a notification messaging arrangement for sending a text notification message to each prespecified notification address.

41. The memorial security system as claimed in claim 40, in which the notification messaging arrangement is configured for generating telephonic text messages.

42. A method of securing a memorial structure of composite construction, which method includes:

attaching a security device to the memorial structure;

monitoring the memorial structure by the security device, to sense separation of two parts of the memorial structure; and

automatically generating an alarm signal in response to measurement of separation of the parts of the memorial structure by the security device.

43. The method as claimed in claim 42, which comprises generating the alarm signal in response to sensing that a part of the memorial structure on which the security device is mounted has been tilted beyond prespecified parameters.

44. The method as claimed in claim 42, which includes sending an electronic text message to at least one prespecified notification address in response to generation of the alarm signal.