System for providing personal security via event detection

• US 6,294,993 B1
• Filed: 07/06/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory A. Calaman
• Original Assignee: Gregory A. Calaman
• Inventors: Calaman, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/347,575
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/573, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/531
• US Class Current: 340/539.18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0216 Alarm cancellation after generation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and data structure for providing personal security, including a sophisticated system of component technologies designed to provide automatic detection and communication of its wearer'"'"'s distress to appropriate emergency help regardless of the user'"'"'s location on Earth. The device will appear to be a piece of attractive, though inexpensive jewelry. For those situations where the user is either the subject of the distress situation but has the luxury of time and wherewithal to explicitly initiate the process, or where the user is a witness to a non-user'"'"'s personal distress situation, the system will also allow its user to manually initiate the distress resolution process through manipulation of a four-button sequence. The inverse will also be true—the user will be able to manipulate a different four-button sequence to cancel a distress resolution process in progress. Analogous to an insurance policy, the apparatus will provide “automatic coverage” for the situations and at the times that the user least expects to need it.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing personal security to an individual comprising:

an event sensor;

a positioning system;

a message generation system, said message generation system connected to said event sensor and said positioning system, and generating an emergency message in an official language spoken in the geographic location; and

a communication system, wherein said communication system communicates said emergency message to an emergency services provider.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said power system comprises a kinetic power generator and a power storage device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said power system comprises a kinetic power generator and a power storage device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said positioning system comprises a positioning system antenna and a positioning system chipset.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said communication system comprises a communication system antenna and a communication system chipset.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said positioning system comprises a Global Positioning System.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said message generation system generates said emergency message in an official language spoken in the geographic location.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a database update port.

9. An apparatus for providing personal security to an individual comprising:

means for sensing an emergency event;

positioning means for detecting a geographic location of said emergency event;

means for generating an emergency message based on said emergency event and said geographic location, said message generating means including means for generating said emergency message in an official language spoken in said geographic location; and

means for communicating said emergency message to an emergency services provider.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said event sensing means is an electrogalvanic sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said powering means further comprises a means for generating kinetic power and means for storing power.

12. Tree apparatus of claim 9, wherein said event sensing means is an electrogalvanic sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said positioning means further comprises a antenna and a transceiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said communicating means further comprises a antenna and a transceiver.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said positioning means is a Global Positioning System.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for allowing said individual to manually generate said emergency message.

17. A method for providing personal security to an individual comprising:

sensing an emergency event;

determining a geographic location of said emergency event;

generating an emergency message, said emergency message being based on said emergency event and said geographic location and being generated in an official language spoken in the geographic location; and

transmitting said emergency message to an emergency services provider.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said determining, generating, and transmitting comprises employing kinetic power.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said sensing comprising an electrogalvanic sensor.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said determining comprises employing a positioning system antenna and chipset.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said transmitting comprises employing a communication system antenna and chipset.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said determining comprises a Global Positioning System.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising allowing said individual to manually generate and cancel said emergency message.

24. A method for providing personal security to an individual comprising the steps of:

sensing an emergency event;

determining a geographic location of said emergency event;

generating an emergency message, said emergency message being based on said emergency event and said geographic location, and being generated in an official language spoken in the geographic location; and

transmitting said emergency message to an emergency services provider.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of providing power for said steps of determining, generating, and transmitting.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of providing power comprises generating kinetic power and storing said power.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said event sensing step comprises employing an electrogalvanic sensor.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said determining step comprises employing a positioning system antenna and chipset.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said transmitting step comprises a communication system antenna and chipset.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein said determining step comprises employing a Global Positioning System.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of allowing said individual to manually generate and cancel said emergency message.