Area security system

• US 5,793,290 A
• Filed: 02/29/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RF Technologies, Inc. (Microwave Techniques LLC)
• Original Assignee: RF Technologies, Inc. (Microwave Techniques LLC)
• Inventors: Schoeckert, Kurt P., Eagleson, James G., Ahlf, Paul R., Zong, Hua, Scharpf, Peter G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US08/608,678
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/572, 340/528, 340/539, 340/693, 455/100
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A security system for monitoring movement of persons in a secured area including set openings which includes area and opening monitors, tag units and an alarm system. The tag unit has special end clamp members which securely clamp an attachment strap to a housing for attaching the unit to a person. Tampering with the connection creates an alarm state. The tag unit includes a dual transmitter continuously transmitting very low frequency (VLF) signal and transmitting a very high frequency (VHF or UHF) signal only if the tag unit is tampered with. The opening monitor includes VLF receivers responsive to a VLF signal and transmitting an alarm signal to an opening alarm system to prevent unauthorized exit. Authorized personnel have a deactivation unit for timed receiver disabling for moving the person through the opening. The UHF transmitter is activated upon unauthorized tampering with the attached tag. A bank response alarm includes a plurality of distributed VHF or UHF receivers which responds to the VHF or UHF signal of any tag unit. A deactivation control is provided to authorized personnel to permit attachment and removal of the tag unit. Other interlocks may be provided including visual and/or audible alarms, tag identification and, data recording.

Claims

1. A personal monitor for attachment to the limb of a person and having a size appropriately related thereto, comprising a molded outer small housing for abutting attachment to the person, a transmitting unit within said housing including a programmable memory establishing a transmission circuitry and an antenna adapted to transmit radio frequency signals, said transmitting unit having circuit contacts exposed on diametrically opposite side walls of said housing, an elongated strap member having opposite free ends, said housing having a first and second tubular opening including said opposite side walls for receiving of said free ends of said strap member, said tubular openings including clip members movable between a release position for insertion of said free ends and an engaged position securing said strap in abutting engagement with said housing side walls and said contacts, said strap member having at least one conductor embedded therein and spaced in accordance with said contacts and interconnecting with said contacts and thereby completing said transmission circuitry, a locking unit within said tubular openings and said clip members to secure said free ends of said strap member in engagement with said contacts, and said transmitting unit including a unique transmitter operable in response to release of said locking means to transmit a unique alarm signal.

2. The personal monitor of claim 1 wherein said locking unit includes a structure for urging said strap member from said contacts and operable upon release positioning of said clip member to effectively force the free end from said engaged contacts and thereby activating said transmission circuitry.

3. The personal monitor of claim 1 wherein said housing includes an exterior exposed wall and wherein said first tubular opening includes an overlying stop wall extending laterally from the housing side wall whereby said strap member is inserted within said opening in abutting engagement with said stop wall, said second tubular opening being exposed from the exterior exposed wall of said housing whereby said strap member is adapted to be extended around the limb and through said second opening for firm attachment to the limb and then locked in place, said strap member being severable along said second tubular opening.

4. The personal monitor of claim 1 wherein said transmitting unit is operable to transmit a first signal having a low frequency and alternatively a second signal having a very high frequency, said transmitting unit being activated to generate said second signal upon movement of said clip member to a release position.

5. The personal monitor of claim 4 wherein said transmitting unit initiates transmission of said first signal upon completion of the transmission circuitry by said mounting strap member and continues such a transmission with said strap in place.

6. A monitoring security system for monitoring movement of a person with respect to a secured area, comprising a tag unit including a housing and a mounting strap unit for attaching of the housing to a limb of the person, a transmitter unit within said housing and including a first frequency transmitter transmitting a first signal having very low frequency and a second frequency transmitter transmitting a second signal having a very high frequency, said strap unit and housing having interlocking circuitry connections between the housing and the strap unit and operable to activate said first transmitter to transmit a first signal having a selected very low frequency signal encoded to a particular transmitter unit and interconnected to the second transmitter to activate the second transmitter in response to removal of the strap unit with respect to said housing, at least one first receiver responsive to said first signal and located adjacent selected exit/entrance opening to the restricted area, a plurality of second receivers responsive to said second signal and adapted to be distributed throughout the area to be secured, a low frequency controller coupled to said first receiver for establishing alarm conditions in the presence of the first transmitter in any tag unit within the secured area, a high frequency controller connected to said second receivers and each being responsive to receiving of said second signal within a select area adjacent said second receivers to establish an alarm condition, each of said low frequency and high frequency controllers including an alarm response circuitry, and each including a processor encoded to said first signal and to said second signal respectively and assigned within a secured area and operable to activate said alarm response circuitry, each of said low frequency and high frequency controllers including a by-pass unit operable to de-activate the alarm response circuitry of the respective controller for a predetermined by-pass interval and thereby to allow controlled removal of said housing and the exit and entry with respect to the secured area, and a deactivation unit for selectively deactivating said by-pass unit of said low frequency and high frequency controllers.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said deactivation unit generates tag encoded signals for said tag units, said low frequency controller including means for identifying the coded signal and operable in response thereto to deactivate said low frequency controller for the encoded tag unit, and to simultaneously transmit said encoded tag signal to said high frequency receiver to deactivate said high frequency controller for said tag unit.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said secured area includes at least one exit/entrance opening including a door assembly, a door monitor operable in response to the position of said door assembly between an open and closed state, said first controller being inter-connected to said door monitor to limit an alarm state to a selected position of the door assembly.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said door monitor responds to an initial opening of the door assembly.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said door assembly is part of an elevator assembly, said door monitor being interconnected to said low frequency controller to prevent closing of said elevator door assembly in response to an alarm state.

11. The system of claim 8 including a positive door lock secured to each selected door assembly, said door lock being activated in response to establishing of an alarm state and maintaining said selected door assembly locked for a selected period.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein each of said door assemblies includes at least two exit/opening receivers orthogonally oriented to maintain response independent of the orientation of the first transmitter unit within the range of the exit/opening receiver.

13. The system of claim 6 wherein each of said low frequency and high frequency controllers includes an antenna connected to the receiver connected thereto and an antenna supervisory circuitry and establishing an alarm state in response to any antenna fault condition of said antenna and receiver connected to said controller.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said low frequency controller responds to a fault condition in the event activity is not detected within an approximately one-half second to take first action and to establish an alarm state after approximately one second, and said high frequency controller provides a corresponding response to any high frequency malfunction or fault condition to take first action after approximately two seconds and to establish an alarm state after approximately five seconds.