SECURITY SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING DISTURBANCES IN A BUILDING

• US 20160358393A1
• Filed: 05/25/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rustin B. Penland
• Original Assignee: Rustin B. Penland
• Inventors: PENLAND, Rustin B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,332,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19652 Systems using zones in a single scene defined for different treatment, e.g. outer zone gives pre-alarm, inner zone gives alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/007 by trapping
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A security system that includes a camera, a monitor, and a storage compartment for a defensive instrument installed in a room in a building. The storage compartment is associated with a camera that can record video and audio of occurrences or happenings in the room. The storage compartment is configured to communicate with a mobile device via a communications protocol and is electronically associated with at least two activation mechanisms: one that is activated for non-emergency situations, and another that is active for emergency situations. In both cases, the camera is direct to record video and audio of the situation, but in the emergency situation, the camera transmits the video and audio to other parts of the building to provide individuals located therein with real time information regarding the emergency situation. The second activation mechanism further provides access to a defensive instrument that is located in the storage compartment.

Claims

1. A security system for identifying a disturbance in a room of a building, the system comprising:

a camera and monitor in a number of rooms of the building that are usually occupied by individuals, with the camera normally being inactive while being positioned and located to record and transmit viewing of a substantial portion or all of the room when the camera is activated, with the camera able to record both sights and sounds occurring in the room only when activated, and with the monitor engageable to receive transmissions from one or more cameras of other occupied rooms; and

a storage compartment for a weapon located in one or all of the rooms, the storage compartment configured to communicate with a mobile device via a communications protocol and being in electronic association with at least two manual activation mechanisms, a first one associated with activation of the system for a non-emergency situation and a second one associated with activation of the system for an emergency situation;

wherein the storage compartment detects the mobile device and tracts movement of the mobile device within the range of the communications protocol;

wherein the first activation mechanism is manually activatable by an authorized individual to indicate a non-emergency disturbance and, when engaged, activates the camera in the room so that events occurring in the room during the disturbance are recorded and notifies the building and user of the mobile device the non-emergency disturbance; and

wherein the second activation mechanism is manually activatable by the authorized individual to indicate an emergency situation in the room and, when sequentially or simultaneously engaged after or when the first activation mechanism is engaged, activates the camera, opens the storage compartment to provide access to the weapon therein and generates an alarm that indicates that an emergency situation exists in the room to the building and the user of the mobile device, with the camera, only when activated by the second activation mechanism, allowing video and audio of the events in the room to be simultaneously recorded and transmitted to the monitors of at least adjacent or nearby rooms to provide the occupants of those rooms information regarding the emergency situation and to the user of the mobile device to provide the user information regarding the emergency situation.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each room of the building includes a camera, monitor, storage compartment and first and second activation mechanisms.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second activation mechanisms are mounted on the storage compartment.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second activation mechanisms are mounted on a wireless remote that is maintained in the room with the storage compartment.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second activation mechanism is a button, keypad, finger print sensor, smart card sensor or acoustic sensor.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the acoustic sensor detects a gunshot, an explosion, a breaking window, or noise having a certain decibel level or frequency.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a smoke or fire sensor associated with the storage compartment.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein access to the second activation mechanism is provided after the first activation mechanism is activated.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the storage compartment comprises communication capabilities accessible after the first activation mechanism is activated.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising additional cameras located in hallways, stairs, elevators, or doors providing access to the building to view those areas and transmit video and audio of activities thereby.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the additional cameras are provided on a monitor that displays video and audio of the events occurring in the room where the disturbance is located.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the monitors further comprise a microphone for recording sounds near the monitor.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the additional cameras are activated when the second activation mechanism is activated.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the video and audio of the camera in the room in which the emergency situation exits and the video and audio of the additional cameras in the hallways, stairs, elevators, or doors providing access to the building are transmitted to a security office.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the security office is a principal'"'"'s office, a school security office or a police station.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second activation mechanism transmits information to lock down doors, stairwells or elevators nearby the room in which the emergency situation exits or in a section of the building nearby the room in which the emergency situation exits to contain the emergency situation.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the weapon is a handgun, stun gun, club or bat, tear gas or pepper spray, and the mobile device is a smart phone, smart tablet or smart watch.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the storage compartment is configured to communicate with a registered mobile device.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the registered mobile device is registered with the system via an application installed on the mobile device or a website associated with the system.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communications protocol is WiFi, Bluetooth, 802.11, Bluetooth, radio frequency systems such as 900 MHz, 1.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems, infrared, GSM, GSM plus EDGE, CDMA, quadband, and/or any other suitable protocol.

21. A method for operating the system according to claim 1, the method comprising:

operatively configuring each camera and monitor in each room to normally be inactive;

activating a camera to record both sights and sounds occurring in the room during the non-emergency disturbance when the first activation mechanism is manually activated by the authorized person but without simultaneous transmitting the recorded sights and sounds to other rooms;

activating a camera to record both sights and sounds occurring in the room and to transmit the recorded sights and sounds to the adjacent or nearby rooms during the emergency situation when the second activation mechanism is manually activated by the authorized person;

engaging the monitors in adjacent or nearby rooms to receive transmissions of the camera that is in the room experiencing the emergency situation to provide the occupants of the adjacent or nearby rooms with information regarding the emergency situation and the room in which the emergency situation is occurring;

establishing communicating between the storage compartment and a mobile device carried by one or more persons in the room; and

tracking movement of the mobile device within the range of the communications protocol.

22. The method according to claim 21, which further comprises opening the storage compartment after the second activation mechanism is manually activated to provide access to the weapon therein while also generating an alarm that indicates that the emergency situation exists in the room.