Tag for electronic personnel monitoring

• US 5,504,474 A
• Filed: 07/18/1994
• Issued: 04/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elmo i-tech Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Elmo i-tech Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Libman, Vadim, Givati, Joseph, Dovrat, Doron, Reisman, Yoav
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US08/276,571
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/573, 340/574, 340/575, 340/576, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• 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

Abstract

A tag for use with an electronic monitoring system for monitoring an object, which includes a housing enclosing electronic circuitry which includes a transmitter for transmitting a signal to a location remote from the tag, two straps connected to the housing and including an open electrical circuit, and a mechanism for mechanically and electrically connecting and locking the housing to a limb of the user which includes a base member and a cover member which, when forced together with the ends of the two straps between them, bring about an irreversible mechanical locking and simultaneously close the circuit running through the straps, preferably in a circuitous manner. In another embodiment, a secondary transmitter located in one of the straps transmits to a receiver located in the housing. Analysis of the received signals provides an indication of the proximity of the secondary transmitter to the object being monitored.

Claims

1. A tag for use with an electronic monitoring system for monitoring an object, comprising:

(a) a housing having electronic circuitry enclosed thereto, said electronic circuitry including a primary transmitter for transmitting a signal to a location remote from said tag;

(b) a first strap member having a free end and an end which is attached to said housing, said first strap member including a first portion of an electrical circuit, said first strap member including a plurality of longitudinally arranged pairs of first strap holes;

(c) a second strap member having a free end and an end which is attached to said housing, said second strap member including a second portion of said electrical circuit, said second portion of said electrical circuit being electrically connected to said first portion of said electrical circuit so as to form a circuit which is electrically continuous except that said electrical circuit is electrically open near said free end of said second strap member, said second strap member including at least two pairs of longitudinally arranged second strap holes corresponding to said first strap holes, said second strap member further including at least one pair of contacts corresponding to said first strap holes, each of said contacts electrically connected to one end of said electrical circuit, said contacts being located between said second strap holes, said second strap member further including a secondary transmitter, said housing further including a short range receiver for receiving signals transmitted by said secondary transmitter, the tag further including means for analyzing said signals transmitted by said secondary transmitter and received by said short range receiver and for determining whether said secondary transmitter is in the immediate vicinity of the object being monitored and for providing an indication when said secondary transmitter is not in the vicinity of the object, said means being located in said housing; and

(d) means for mechanically and electrically connecting and locking said housing around a limb of the object being monitored, said means including;

(A) a base member including at least two pairs of longitudinally arranged hollow base member protrusions located so as to correspond to said at least two pairs of longitudinally arranged second strap holes and dimensioned to fit within said at least two pairs of second strap holes and first strap holes; and

(B) a cover member including at least two pairs of longitudinally arranged cover member protrusions located so as to correspond to said at least two pairs of longitudinally arranged second strap holes and dimensioned to fit within said at least two pairs of longitudinally arranged hollow base member protrusions, said cover protrusions including means for locking such that when said cover protrusions we inserted into said hollow base member protrusions said base member and said cover member are permanently locked together, said cover member further including means for electrically connecting at least one of said at least one pair of contacts, so that when said base member hollow protrusions are passed through said at least two pairs of second strap and first strap holes and said cover member protrusions are inserted into said base member protrusions said housing is substantially simultaneously mechanically and electrically connected around a limb of the object being monitored, said signal of said primary transmitter being related to said electrical connection.

2. A tag as in claim 1, wherein said first strap and said second strap are permanently connected to said housing.

3. A tag as in claim 1, wherein said first strap and said second strap are integrally formed with said housing.

4. A tag as in claim 1, wherein said first and said second portions of said electrical circuit include an electrical conductor mounted on a flexible substrate.

5. A tag as in claim 1, wherein said first portion of said electrical circuit is in the form of a tortuous electrical conductor.

6. A tag as in claim 5, wherein said second portion of said electrical circuit is in the form of a tortuous electrical conductor.

7. A tag as in claim 1, wherein said first portion of said electrical circuit is in the form of a tortuous electrical conductor.

8. A tag as in claim 1, wherein said second portion of said electrical circuit is in the form of a tortuous electrical conductor.