Remote confinement monitoring station and system incorporating same
First Claim
1. A monitoring station for use in a remote confinement system, said station comprising:
- a telecommunications camera connectable to a central station by way of a communications link, said camera defining an image field viewed by said camera;
mechanical locating means for locating a person at a location within said image field such that the face of the person substantially fills said image field;
means for generating a trip signal in response to a flow of breath from the person when the person is located by said locating means at said location, andcontrol means responsive to said trip signal for enabling an image of the person to be viewed at said central station.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote confinement system is provided which includes a monitoring station having a telecommunications camera and a breath flow responsive actuating means which may form part of an alcohol breath tester. The actuating means is mounted to position the face of a person blowing thereinto facing the camera such that a properly focused, centered identifying image of consistent scale and devoid of background will be formed. Where the confinee is subject to restrictions on the use of alcohol the actuating means may form part of an alcohol breath tester which preferably has a visual display that is also included in the image field of the camera. The operation of the camera is conditioned on the commencement of the delivery of a breath sample. When a proper breath sample is provided, the camera forms and transmits at least one image to a central office by way of a communications link for interruption. At the central office the received images are compared with file data to determine whether a specified confinee is present at the remote location where the monitoring station is located as well as the result of the breath test if one is required.
209 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A monitoring station for use in a remote confinement system, said station comprising:
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a telecommunications camera connectable to a central station by way of a communications link, said camera defining an image field viewed by said camera; mechanical locating means for locating a person at a location within said image field such that the face of the person substantially fills said image field; means for generating a trip signal in response to a flow of breath from the person when the person is located by said locating means at said location, and control means responsive to said trip signal for enabling an image of the person to be viewed at said central station.
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2. A monitoring station for use in a remote confinement system, said station comprising:
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(a) a telecommunications camera connectable to a central station by way of a communications link, said camera defining an image field viewed by said camera; (b) mechanical locating means for locating a person at a specific location within said image field such that the face of the person substantially fills said image field; (c) an alcohol breath tester for determining the blood alcohol content of a person, said tester including means responsive to the delivery of a breath sample thereinto for generating a first trip signal, and (d) control means responsive to said trip signal for enabling an image of the person to be viewed at said central station whereby viewing of background images at said central station is avoided. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A monitoring system comprising:
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(a) a central station; (b) at least one monitoring station connectable to said central station by way of a communications link, said monitoring station including; (i) a telecommunications camera defining an image field viewed by said camera; (ii) means for locating a person at a location within said image field such that the face of the person substantially fills said image field, and (iii) breath flow responsive actuating means for generating a trip signal in response to a flow of breath from the person when the person is located by said locating means at said location, and (c) control means responsive to said trip signal for enabling an image of the person to be viewed at said central office. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A monitoring system comprising:
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(a) a central station; (b) at least one monitoring station connectable to said central station by way of a communication link, said monitoring station including; (i) an alcohol breath tester for determining the blood alcohol content of a person, said tester including means responsive to the delivery of a breath sample thereinto for generating a first trip signal, and (ii) a telecommunications camera connected to said breath tester and having a field of view directed generally toward said tester, said telecommunications camera requiring receipt of said first trip signal to initiate at least one of, forming and transmitting, a first image of a person using said breath tester. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for monitoring from a central station confinees confined at a remote location equipped with an alcohol breath tester for determining the blood alcohol content of a person based on a breath sample delivered into the tester and further equipped with a telecommunications camera connected to said central location by way of a communications link, said method comprising the steps of:
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forming an image with the camera, said image including said person and the display of the breath tester, said image being formed in response to the delivery of breath into said tester, and transmitting said first and second images to the central station by way of the communications link to determine; (i) whether said person is a specified confinee who is present at the remote location, and (ii) at least one of, the presence of alcohol in the person'"'"'s breath and the concentration of alcohol in the person'"'"'s blood. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A method for monitoring from a central station confinees at a remote location equipped with an alcohol breath tester for determining the blood alcohol content of a person based on a breath sample delivered into the tester and further equipped with a telecommunications camera connected to said central station by way of a communications link, said method comprising the steps of:
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forming at least two successive images at the remote location using the camera, a first of said images including at least said person, a second of said images including at least the display of the tester, said first image being formed in response to the delivery of breath into said tester, said second image being formed subsequently to said first image following a time delay without further action required on the part of said person, and transmitting said first and second images to the central station by way of the communications link to determine; (i) whether said person is a specified confinee who is present at the remote location, and (ii) at least one of, the presence of alcohol in the person'"'"'s breath and the concentration of alcohol in the person'"'"'s blood.
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41. A monitoring station for use in a remote confinement system, said station comprising:
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a telecommunications camera defining an image field viewed by said camera; mechanical means for locating the head of a person at a specific location within said image field such that the face of the person substantially fills said image field, and actuating means connected to said camera, said actuating means being responsive to a flow of breath from said person to generate a trip signal, said telecommunications camera requiring receipt of said trip signal to initiate at least one of, forming and transmitting an image of said person.
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42. A monitoring station for use in a remote confinement system, said station comprising:
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(a) an alcohol breath tester for determining the blood alcohol content of a person, said tester including means responsive to the delivery of a breath sample thereinto for generating a first trip signal, and (b) a telecommunications camera connected to said breath tester, said camera defining an image field viewed by said camera directed generally toward said tester, said telecommunications camera requiring receipt of said first trip signal to initiate at least one of, forming and transmitting, a first image of a person using said breath tester. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A monitoring system comprising:
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(a) a central station; (b) at least one monitoring station connectable to said central station by way of a communications link, said monitoring station including; (i) a telecommunications camera defining an image field viewed by said camera; (ii) mechanical means for locating the head of a person at a location such that, at least one of, the face and head of the person substantially fills said image field, and (iii) actuating means connected to said camera, said actuating means being responsive to a flow of breath to generate a trip signal, said telecommunications camera requiring receipt of said trip signal to initiate at least one of, forming and transmitting an image of said person to said central station.
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59. A monitoring station for use in a remote confinement system, said station comprising:
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a telecommunications camera connectable to a central office by way of a communications link, said camera defining an image field viewed by said camera; mechanical locating means for locating a person at a location within said image field; signal generating means operably connected to said mechanical locating means for enabling viewing said image field at said central location only if said person is located therein. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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63. A monitoring station for use in a remote confinement system, said station comprising:
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a telecommunications camera connectable to a central office by way of a communications link, said camera defining an image field viewed by said camera, and means operably connected to said camera for generating a signal in response to a flow of breath from a person for enabling an image of the person to be viewed at said central office.
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Specification