Automatic personnel monitoring system

• US 4,747,120 A
• Filed: 08/13/1985
• Issued: 05/24/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digital Products Corp.
• Original Assignee: Digital Products Corp.
• Inventors: Foley, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US06/765,343
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 A, 179/2 R, 179/2 AS, 340/825.36, 340/825.44, 340/825.49, 340/306, 340/573, 340/576, 379/38, 379/49, 379/92, 379/102, 379/104, 379/106, 379/97, 379/355, 379/359
• US Class Current: 379/38
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems

Abstract

A monitoring system for indicating the presence of a person at a remote location through a telephone line includes circuitry at a central location for automatically establishing a telephone link between the central and remote locations. A decoder at the remote location produces a verification signal in response to an action performed by the person whose presence is to be indicated. The decoder transmits the verification signal through the telephone line to the central location to indicate the presence of the person at the remote location.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring the presence of a person at a remote location through a telephone line, comprising:

means at a central location for automatically establishing a telephone link between the central and remote locations;

an object;

means for attaching said object to said person and indicating if said attachment has been tampered with; and

decoder means at the remote location said decoder means including means for receiving said object and means for producing a verification signal and transmitting the verification signal to said central location upon insertion of said object into said object-receiving means.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said decoder means includes means responsive to the insertion of said object for coupling said decoder means to said telephone line and for uncoupling a telephone at said remote location from said telephone line while said decoder means is coupled thereto.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said means responsive to the insertion of said object includes means for enabling and wherein said object includes means for operating said means for enabling.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for enabling includes a reed switch and wherein said means for operating includes a magnet for operating said reed switch.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for coupling and uncoupling includes a normally open switch and a normally closed switch.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said decoder means includes a power supply adapted to draw power from said telephone line, and means for connecting said power supply to the telephone line when said normally open switch is closed so that said power supply produces an output voltage when said normally open switch is closed, said means for coupling and uncoupling including means for closing said normally open switch upon insertion of said object into said object-receiving means.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said decoder means includes means for timing out a predetermined time period in response to the production of said output voltage maintaining said normally open switch closed and maintaining said normally closed switch open during said predetermined time and opening said normally open switch and closing said normally closed switch upon lapse of said predetermined time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said decoder means includes means for generating a security sequence and said means at said central location includes means for detecting said security sequence.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said means at said central location includes means for transmittiang a handshake signal via said telephone line and said means for generating a security sequence includes receiving means responsive to said handshake signal and transmitting means responsive to said receiving means.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for transmitting a handshake signal includes means for transmitting a single tone signal and wherein said receiving means includes a single tone receiver.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for transmitting a handshake signal includes means for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals and wherein said receiving means includes a dual-tone multifrequency receiver.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said decoder means includes means responsive to said dual-tone multifrequency receiver for converting a received dual-tone multifrequency signal into a decimal equivalent signal, and wherein said means for transmitting includes a tone generator responsive to said decimal equivalent signal for transmitting a corresponding single tone signal to the central location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said means for transmitting a handshake signal includes means for transmitting a plurality of dual-tone multifrequency signals from the central location, whereby said tone generator will transmit a plurality of said corresponding single tone signals to the central location.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said decoder means includes a first portion for generating said verification signal, a second portion for transmitting said verification signal to the central location, a power supply adapted to draw power from the telephone line, and a power distribution circuit for connecting said first and second portions to said power supply alternatively so that only one of said portions is connected to said power supply at any time.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said power distribution circuit includes a first switch for selectively connecting said first portion to said power supply and a second switch for selectively connecting said second portion to said power supply.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said power distribution circuit includes an inverter controlling said first switch in response to said verification signal, and a second inverter controlling said second switch in response to said first inverter.

17. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising a timer at the central location, said means at the central location for automatically establishing a telephone link being responsive to said timer.

18. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising means at the central location for providing observable indicia regarding whether the presence of the person at the remote location was indicated.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said object is carried by a bracelet.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said bracelet includes means for indicating if said bracelet has been tampered with.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said decoder means includes a sensor located proximate to said means for receiving an object for sensing said coded information when said object is inserted in said means for receiving an object.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said sensor includes a plurality of means having first and second states responsive to said coded information, and wherein said verification signal is produced in response to each of said means being in a predetermined one of said first and second states.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said plurality of means includes a plurality of oscillators.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said object includes at least one metallic member positioned at a predetermined location within said object, said means for receiving said object including means for positioning said object at a predetermined location with respect to said plurality of oscillators.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said metallic member causes at least one of said plurality of oscillators to change states when said object is inserted into said means for receiving an object.

26. The system of claim 2 wherein said means at said central location includes means for transmitting an audible instruction signal through the telephone link and through the telephone at the remote location to thereby instruct said person to insert said object into said object-receiving means.

27. The system of claim 7 wherein said decoder includes means for connecting said telephone at said remote location to said telephone line through said normally closed switch, whereby said telephone at said remote location will be decoupled from said telephone line during said predetermined time.

28. The system of claim 1 wherein said object is substantially inert.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein said object does not incorporate a power source.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein said decoder means includes a sensor for producing predetermined signals upon insertion of said object into said object-receiving means, and means for producing said verification signal in response to the production of said predetermined signals.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said object includes a portion of a bracelet and wherein said means for receiving an object includes means specifically configured to receive said portion of said bracelet.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said means for producing said verification signal includes logic means responsive to said predetermined signals.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said decoder means includes a toner generator for transmitting said verification signal to said central location.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said decoder means includes a power supply adapted to draw power from the telephone line and a power distribution circuit for providing power from said power supply to said sensor and said tone generator alternately so that power is supplied to only one of said sensor and said tone generator at any time.

35. A monitoring system for indicating the presence of a person at a remote location through a telephone line, comprising:

means at a central location for automatically establishing a telephone link between the central and remote locations;

decoder means at the remote location for producting a verification signal in response to an action performed by the person whose presence is to be verified and transmitting said verification signal through the telephone line to the central location to indicate the presence of the person at the remote location;

said decoder means including means for receiving an object and means responsive to the insertion of said object into said means for receiving an object for coupling said decoder means to said telephone line and for uncoupling said remote telephone from said telephone line while said decoder means is coupled thereto;

said means for coupling and uncoupling including a normally open switch and a normally closed switch;

said decoder means including a power supply, said power supply being sourced from the telephone line to produce an output voltage when said normally open switch is closed;

said decoder means including means for timing out a predetermined time period in response to the production of said output voltage, said normally open switch and said normally closed switch being responsive to said timing means;

said decoder means also including a further switch connecting said normally open switch and said normally closed switch to said power supply, and a logic gate controlling said further switch, said logic gate being responsive to said timing means.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said decoder means includes receiver means for receiving signals from the central location, and wherein said logic gate is further response to said receiver means for controlling said further switch.

37. A monitoring system for indicating the presence of a person at a remote location through a telephone line, comprising:

means at a central location for automatically establishing a telephone link between the central and remote locations; and

decoder means at the remote location for producing a verification signal in response to an action performed by the person whose presence is to be verified and transmitting said verification signal through the telephone line to the central location to indicate the presence of the person at the remote location;

said means at the central location for automatically establishing a telephone link including means for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals;

said decoder means including a dual-tone multifrequency receiver and means responsive to said dual-tone multifrequency receiver for converting a received dual-tone multifrequency signal into a decimal equivalent signal, said decoder means also including means for transmitting, said means for transmitting including a tone generator responsive to said decimal equivalent signal for transmitting a corresponding single tone signal to the central location;

said decoder means also including an input amplifier responsive to said dual-tone multifrequency signal transmitted from the central location and an output amplifier responsive to said single tone signal.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said decoder means includes a power supply and means for connecting one of said input amplifier and said output amplifier to said power supply.

39. A decoder for producing and transmitting a verification signal over a telephone line, comprising:

means for receiving an object;

coupling means responsive to the insertion of said object for coupling said means for supplying power to a telephone line and for uncoupling a telephone from the telephone line;

means for analysing said object to determine if a predetermined code is present on said object and for producing a verification signal in response to said analysis; and

communication means for transmitting said verification signal over the telephone line;

said coupling means being further responsive to said communication means for uncoupling said means for supplying power from the telephone line and for coupling the telephone to the telephone line.

40. The decoder of claim 39, additionally comprising power distribution means for connecting said means for analyzing and said communication means to said means for supplying power alternately so that only one of said means for analyzing and said communication means is connected to said power supply at any time, said means for supplying power being adapted to draw power from the telephone line.

41. The decoder of claim 39, further comprising means for receiving a handshake signal transmitted through the telephone line, and actuating said means for transmitting to transmit a security sequence over the telephone line.

42. A system for monitoring a plurality of persons in a community, each said person having an assigned remote location within the community, the system comprising:

(a) telephone dialer means at a central location for automatically initiating telephone calls from said central location via a telephone exchange serving the community to each of said remote locations, thereby periodically establishing a telephone link between the central location and each of said remote locations;

(b) instruction signal means for automatically providing an instruction signal perceptible to the monitored person at each said remote location while that remote location is linked to said central location, whereby the monitored person is instructed to perform a predetermined action resulting in transmission of return signals from the remote location to the central location via the telephone link; and

(c) test means at said central location for automatically testing the return signals from each of said remote locations to determine whether such return signals indicate that said predetermined action has been performed by the person assigned to that location.

43. A system for monitoring a plurality of persons in a community, each said person having an assigned remote location within the community, the system comprising:

(a) telephone dialer means at a central location for automatically initiating telephone calls from said central location via a telephone exchange serving the community to each of said remote locations, thereby periodically establishing a telephone link between the central location and each of said remote locations;

(b) instruction signal means for automatically providing an instruction signal perceptible to the monitored person at each said remote location while that remote location is linked to said central location, whereby the monitored person is instructed to perform a predetermined action resulting in transmission of return signals from the remote location to the central location via the telephone link;

(c) test means at said central location for automatically testing the return signals from each of said remote locations to determine whether such return signals indicate that said predetermined action has been performed by the person assigned to that location; and

(d) a plurality of identifying objects, one such identifying object being associated with each of the persons to be monitored, and means for attaching each said identifying object to the associated person and indicating if such attachment has been tampered with;

said test means including means for determining whether the identifying object associated with the persons assigned to a particular remote location has been employed to generate the return signals received from that remote location.

44. A system as claimed in claim 43 further comprising decoder means at each of said remote locations for producing a predetermined verification signal upon engagement with the decoder means of the identifying object associated with the person assigned to that location, said means for determining whether said identifying object assigned to the person has been used to generate the return signal including means for detecting said predetermined verification signal.

45. A system as claimed in claim 44 wherein each said decoder means includes means for disabling a telephone at the remote location so that said telephone is disabled when said predetermined verification signal is transmitted.

46. A system as claimed in claim 45 wherein said means for providing an instruction signal includes means for transmitting an audible instruction signal from said central location via each said telephone link to said telephone at the remote location.

47. A system as claimed in claim 44 wherein said identifying objects do not include power sources.

48. A system as claimed in claim 43, further comprising means at said central location for recording said return signals.

49. A method of monitoring a plurality of persons in a community, each said person having an assigned remote location within the community, the method of comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically initiating telephone calls from a central location to each of said remote locations via a telephone exchange serving the community to thereby periodically establish telephone links between the central location and each of said remote locations;

(b) instructing the person assigned to the remote location to perform a predetermined action resulting in transmission of return signals from the remote location to the central location via the telephone link by automatically providing an instruction signal perceptible to the person at each said remote location while that remote location is linked with the central location; and

(c) automatically monitoring and testing at said central location said return signals from each of said remote locations to determine whether the predetermined action has been performed by the person assigned to that location.

50. A method of monitoring a plurality of persons in a community, each said person having an assigned remote location within the community, the method of comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically initiating telephone calls from a central location to each of said remote locations via a telephone exchange serving the community to thereby periodically establish telephone links between the central location and each of said remote locations;

(b) instructing the person assigned to the remote location to perform a predetermined action resulting in transmission of return signals from the remote location to the central location via the telephone link by automatically providing an instruction signal perceptible to the person at each said remote location while that remote location is linked with the central location;

(c) automatically monitoring and testing at said central location said return signals from each of said remote locations to determine whether the predetermined action has been performed by the person assigned to that location; and

(d) providing each said person with an identifying object and attaching each said object to the parolee so that tampering with said attachment can be detected,

said step of testing the return signals from each remote location including the step of determining whether the identifying object was used in generating the return signals.

51. A method as claimed in claim 50 further comprising the steps of providing decoder means at each said remote location for producing a predetermined verification signal upon engagement with the decoder means of the identifying object secured to the person assigned to that location, said step of testing the return signals including the step of detecting the presence or absence of said predetermined verification signal.

52. A method as claimed in claim 51 wherein said step of providing an instruction signal includes the step of transmitting an audible signal from said central location to each remote location through a telephone at each remote location.

53. A method as claimed in claim 52 further comprising the step of automatically disabling said telephone at each remote location so that the telephone is disabled when the verification signal is produced at that location, whereby the person at that location cannot hear the verification signal through the telephone.

54. A method as claimed in claim 51 further comprising the step of generating a security sequence in each said decoder means, transmitting said security sequence to said central location via the telephone link and detecting said security sequence to thereby verify that said decoder means is connected at the remote location.

55. A method as claimed in claim 54 further comprising the step of transmitting a handshake signal from said central location to each said remote location via the telephone link, said step of generating a security sequence in the decoder means including the step of translating the handshake signal transmitted from the central location according to a predetermined translation scheme.

56. A method as claimed in claim 55 further comprising the step of varying the handshake signal transmitted from said central location, whereby the security sequence generated in each said decoder means will also vary.

57. A method as claimed in claim 50, further comprising the step of recording said return signals at said central location.