Wireless security system

• US 6,369,710 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Poticny, David Margin, Shober, R. Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/534,851
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.4, 340/573.3, 340/573.6, 340/572.1, 340/5.92, 340/10.1, 340/505, 340/539
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/086 by monitoring a perimeter outside the body of the water

Abstract

A system provides a mobile transmitter and a plurality of boundary tags for receiving communication from the mobile transmitter. Preferably the mobile transmitter is coupled to a mobile unit, which can be an inanimate object capable of moving or being moved, or a living being. The boundary tags mark the boundaries of an area within which the mobile unit is allowed to move. The mobile transmitter transmits a signal to a boundary tag. The system determines if the mobile transmitter has come into proximity of a boundary tag by receiving a reflected modulated signal from the boundary tag. If the mobile transmitter has come into proximity of a boundary tag a response is generated. The response can be a stimulus or an alert, or both. The response can be generated at a central control station, or at a mobile transceiver that includes the mobile transmitter and a mobile receiver. In one embodiment, the boundary tag modulates a reflection of the signal transmitted by the mobile transmitter. This reflected modulated signal can be received by either the mobile transmitter or by the central control station. In an alternative embodiment invention, the boundary tag records the receipt of the signal from the mobile transmitter. The central control station transmits a second signal to the boundary tag. The boundary tag modulates a reflection of the second signal to produce the reflected modulated signal, which is then received at the central control station. Optionally, the boundary tags may have unique identifiers. The system could then include a processor programmed to determine if the mobile transmitter is in proximity of a boundary tag whose unique identifier matches one of the predetermined unique identifiers. The processor can be located in the central control station, or in the transceiver, or in another location in the system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mobile transmitter;

a plurality of boundary tags for receiving communications from the mobile transmitter, at least one of the plurality of boundary tags having a unique identifier; and

a mobile transceiver that comprises the mobile transmitter and a mobile receiver; and

a central control station for communicating with the receiver, the central control station comprising a processor programmed to determine if the transmitter is communicating with at least one boundary tag whose unique identifier matches at least one predetermined unique identifier.

2. A system comprising:

a mobile transmitter;

a plurality of boundary tags for receiving communications from the mobile transmitter, at least one of the plurality of boundary tags has a unique identifier; and

a processor in communication with the transmitter, the processor programmed to determine if the transmitter is communicating with at least one boundary tag whose unique identifier matches at least one predetermined unique identifier.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a mobile transceiver that comprises the mobile transmitter and a mobile receiver.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a stimulus generator responsive to the receiver.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising an alert generator responsive to the receiver.

6. The system of claim 3, further comprising a central control station for communicating with the receiver.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the central control station further comprises an alert generator.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising a central control station for communicating with at least one of the plurality of boundary tags.

9. A system comprising:

a mobile transmitter;

a plurality of boundary tags for receiving communications from the mobile transmitter; and

a central control station for communicating with at least one of the plurality of boundary tags, the central control station comprises a receiver for receiving a reflected modulated signal from the at least one of the plurality of boundary tags.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of boundary tags has a unique identifier; and

the central control station comprises a processor programmed to determine if the mobile transmitter is communicating with at least one boundary tag whose unique identifier matches at least one predetermined unique identifier.

11. A system comprising:

a mobile transmitter;

a plurality of boundary tags for receiving communications from the mobile transmitter; and

a central control station for communicating with at least one of the plurality of boundary tags, the central control station comprises a transceiver for transmitting a signal to the at least one of the plurality of boundary tags and for receiving a reflected modulated signal from the at least one of the plurality of boundary tags.

12. A method of operating a security system having a plurality of boundary tags and a central control station, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal from a mobile transmitter;

receiving the first signal using at least one boundary tag of the plurality of boundary tags;

determining if the mobile transmitter has come into proximity of the at least one boundary tag by receiving a reflected modulated signal from the at least one boundary tag;

providing a response when the mobile transmitter comes into proximity of the at least one boundary tag; and

receiving the reflected modulated signal at the central control station.

13. A method of operating a security system having a plurality of boundary tags and a central control station, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal from a mobile transmitter;

receiving the first signal using at least one boundary tag of the plurality of boundary tags;

determining if the mobile transmitter has come into proximity of the at least one boundary tag by receiving a reflected modulated signal from the at least one boundary tag;

providing a response when the mobile transmitter comes into proximity of the at least one boundary tag;

recording the receipt of the first signal at the at least one boundary tag;

transmitting a second signal from the central control station to the at least one boundary tag;

receiving the second signal at the at least one boundary tag; and

receiving the reflected modulated signal at the central control station.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of determining if the mobile transmitter has come into proximity of at least one boundary tag comprises determining whether the at least one boundary tag received the second signal.

15. A method of operating a security system having a plurality of boundary tags and a central control station, and the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal from a mobile transmitter;

receiving the first signal using at least one boundary tag of the plurality of boundary tags at least one of the plurality of boundary tags has a unique identifier;

determining if the mobile transmitter has come into proximity of the at least one boundary tag by receiving a reflected modulated signal from the at least one boundary tag, the reflected modulated signal includes the unique identifier;

providing a response when the mobile transmitter comes into proximity of the at least one boundary tag.

16. The method of claim 15,

further comprising the step of determining if the unique identifier matches at least one predetermined unique identifier; and

the step of providing the response when the mobile transmitter comes into proximity of the at least one boundary tag comprises providing the response when the unique identifier matches at least one predetermined unique identifier.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of transmitting the unique identifier to a central control station.

18. The method of claim 17,

further comprising the step of determining if the unique identifier matches at least one predetermined unique identifier;

and

wherein the step of providing the response when the mobile transmitter comes into proximity of the at least one boundary tag comprises providing the response when the unique identifier matches at least one predetermined unique identifier.