Secure personnel monitoring system

• US 5,032,823 A
• Filed: 08/10/1990
• Issued: 07/16/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digital Products Corp.
• Original Assignee: Digital Products Corp.
• Inventors: Bower, David S., Garee, Donald E., Davies, Ronald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/566,307
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/572, 340/573, 340/533, 340/539, 340/531, 340/590, 340/596, 340/665, 340/666, 340/647, 340/652, 340/595, 340/598, 340/825.49, 340/825.54, 379/38, 379/40, 379/41, 379/51
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/14 checking the detection circuits

Abstract

A personnel monitoring system includes a tag worn by each monitored person. The tag repeatedly emits digital radio signals, and a predetermined bit in the signal changes with time according to a predetermined pattern. Monitoring apparatus detects the radio signals and sends an absence alarm signal if the signals cease. The monitoring apparatus detects spurious, forged signals which do not replicate the predetermined pattern of variation and provides a forgery alarm signal. The tag may be attached to the person by a strap bearing parallel electrical conductors. Attempts to remove the tag by servering the strap cause electrical contact between the conductors. Such contact triggers a detector, which in turn alters the ratio signal.

Claims

1. A personnel monitoring tab comprising:

(a) an object incorporating means for emitting a signal;

(b) fastening means for attaching said object to the body of a person to be monitored;

(c) indicative means having an tamper state and a non-tamper state, said indication means being switchable from said non-tamper state to said tamper state, indication means including means for altering said signal while in said tamper state;

(d) latch means for retaining said indication means in said tamper state after said indication means is switched into said tamper state; and

(e) sensor means for detecting detachment of said object from the body of the person and switching said indication means from said non-tamper state to said tamper state when said object is detached from the body, said latch means being operative to retain said indication means in said non-tamper state before said indication means is switched to said tamper state by said sensor means, said sensor means being inoperative to switch said indication means to said tamper state before said object is first attached to the body by said fastening means, whereby said indication means will be in said non-tamper state when said object is first fastened to the body of the person to be monitored.

2. A personnel monitoring tag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fastening means includes an elongated strap connected to said object and means for securing said strap about a part of the body, said sensor means including means for detecting severance of said strap.

3. A personnel monitoring tag as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for detecting severance of said strap includes a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor, said first and second conductors extending generally lengthwise along said strap in proximity to one another, said first and second conductors normally being out of contact with one another, and means for detecting electrical contact between said first and second conductors.

4. A personnel monitoring tag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indication means and said latch means include components disposed within said object, said indication means and said latch means being constructed and arranged so that said indication means cannot be reset from said taper state to said non-tamper state without opening said object and gaining physical access to said components.

5. A personnel monitoring tag as claimed in claim 4 wherein said object and said fastening means are constructed and arranged so that said object cannot be opened readily while said object is attached to the body of a person by said fastening means.

6. A personnel monitoring tag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said signal-emitting means includes means for providing a normal electromagnetic signal when said indication means is in said non-tamper state, said means for altering an electromagnetic signal including means for suppressing said normal signal.

7. A personnel monitoring tag as claimed in claim 6 wherein said indication means includes means for activating said signal-emitting means to emit a tamper electromagnetic signal different from said normal signal when said indication means is in said tamper state.

8. A security device comprising an elongated strap and means for detecting severance of said strap, said means for detecting severance including first and second electrical conductors extending generally lengthwise along said strap in proximity to one another, but normally out of contact with one another and means for detecting electrical contact between said first and second conductors, said means for detecting electrical contact between said conductors including means for maintaining said conductors at different potentials so that no current flows through said conductors while said conductors are out of contact with one another and means for detecting current flow in said conductors, whereby said current flow will indicate electrical contact between said conductors.

9. A security device as claimed in claim 8 further comprising an electrically insulating material disposed between said first and second conductors.

10. A security device as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of said first and second conductors is metallic.

11. A security device as claimed in claim 10 wherein said electrically insulating material is a polymeric material.

12. A security device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said insulating material includes a sheetlike insulator, wherein said first conductor includes a primary strip extending on a first side of said insulator, and said second conductor includes a primary strip extending on a second side of said insulator, so that said primary strips of said first and second conductors overlie one another on opposite sides of said sheetlike insulator.

13. A security device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said first conductor includes a secondary strip disposed on said second side of said insulator alongside said primary strip of said second conductor.

14. A security device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said second conductor has a secondary strip disposed on said first side of said insulator alongside said primary strip of said first conductor and overlying said secondary strip of said first conductor.

15. A security device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said insulator is less than about 0.005 mm thick.

16. A security device as claimed in claim 8 further comprising an object, means for fastening an object to said strap and means for fastening the strap to a body so that said strap secures said object to the body.

17. A security device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for detecting current flow in said conductors includes means for detecting momentary current flow and providing a signal indication of electrical contact only if said momentary current flow exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

18. A personnel monitoring system comprising:

(a) transmitter means for automatically sending a transmitted signal having a limited range and bearing a plurality of data bits each having a discrete value;

(b) fastening means for attaching said transmitter means to a person to be monitored;

(c) monitoring means for receiving a signal, recovering data bit values from the received signal, testing the recovered values to determine whether or not the received signal is a valid transmitted signal from said transmitter means, and issuing an indication that said person to be monitored is present in the vicinity of said monitoring means only if a valid signal is received,

said plurality of data bits including at least one preselected change bit, said transmitter means including change means for varying the value of each said change bit in said transmitted signal according to a predetermined pattern of variation, said monitoring means including change test means for determining whether the value of each said change bit in the received signal varies according to said predetermined pattern and inhibiting the indication that the monitored person is present if said change bit value does not vary in accordance with said predetermined pattern.

19. A personnel monitoring system as claimed in claim 18 wherein said plurality of data bits includes a plurality of identifying bits, and wherein said transmitter means includes means for providing predetermined constant values for said identifying bits in said transmitted signal.

20. A personnel monitoring system as claimed in claim 19 further comprising forgery detection means for determining that said monitoring means has received signal wherein the values of said identifying bits correspond to the constant identifying bit values of a valid signal but wherein the value of said at least one preselected change bit does not vary with time according to said predetermined pattern of variation, and providing a counterfeit signal indication upon such determination.

21. A personnel monitoring system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said transmitter means includes means for sending said transmitted signal as a series of bursts, said change means includes means for causing the value of each said change bit in said transmitted signal to alternate between a first value and a second value on successive bursts of said transmitted signal.

22. A personnel monitoring system as claimed in claim 21 wherein said change means includes means for varying the value of only one of said bits.