Hostage negotiation system

• US 6,442,240 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Professional Safety Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Professional Safety Incorporated
• Inventors: Otto, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Application Number:
  US09/411,410
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14-1-, 348/14.05, 348/14.07, 348/14.14, 348/143, 348/151, 348/153, 348/158-159, 379/37, 340/521, 340/540, 340/573.1, 340/573.4
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/14 Systems for two-way working H04N7/12, H04N7/173 take precedence

Abstract

A hostage negotiation system including a throw module and a command unit connected by a communication cable. The throw module includes at least one covert video camera hidden from view. The covert video camera provides a video signal to the command unit showing the current conditions that exist in the immediate area surrounding the throw module. The throw module further includes a covert microphone hidden within the throw module that transmits an audio signal including the sounds occurring the immediate vicinity of the throw module. The command unit receives the covert audio and covert video signals from the throw module and outputs the signals to a video monitor or other display device. Alternatively, the throw module can include a plurality of covert video cameras to provide a nearly 360° view of the area surrounding the throw module. In a system having multiple covert video cameras, the command unit includes a camera selector that allows a law enforcement agent to select between the various camera views.

Claims

1. A hostage negotiation system comprising:

a throw module including a first communication device;

a command unit connected to the throw module by a communication cable separate from a commercial land-wire telephone system, the command unit including a second communication device such that the first communication device communicates with the second communication device through the communication cable, the command unit including an internal battery and an external power connection for powering both the throw module and the command unit;

a plurality of covert video cameras concealed in the throw module, the covert video cameras each positioned to record and transmit a separate video signal from the throw module to the command unit; and

a covert microphone concealed within the throw module for receiving and transmitting an audio signal from the throw module to the command unit.

2. The hostage negotiation system of claim 1 wherein the throw module includes a main body portion having a generally rectangular configuration formed by a plurality of joined sidewalls, the hostage negotiation system further comprising a covert video camera positioned within each of the plurality of sidewalls, each covert video camera positioned to record and transmit a video signal from the throw module to the command unit.

3. The hostage negotiation system of claim 2 wherein the command unit includes a camera selector to select between the video signals transmit to the command unit by the plurality of covert video cameras.

4. The hostage negotiation system of claim 1 further comprising an infrared emitter mounted to the first communication device contained on the throw module, the infrared emitter generating infrared light.

5. The hostage negotiation system of claim 1 wherein the command unit includes a covert audio output port and a covert video output port such that the video signal received from the covert video camera and the audio signal received from the covert microphone are displayed and transmit to an external monitor through the covert audio port and the covert video port.

6. The hostage negotiation system of claim 1 wherein the covert video camera is concealed behind a face plate connected to a cover of the throw module, the covert video camera being positioned behind an access hole formed in the face plate.

7. The hostage negotiation system of claim 6 wherein the covert microphone is positioned behind the inner face plate attached to the cover of the throw module, the covert microphone being positioned behind an access hole formed in the face plate.

8. The hostage negotiation system of claim 1 wherein the command unit includes an external telephone cord and a dialing pad such that the command unit can be connected to a commercial land-wired telephone system.

9. The hostage negotiation system of claim 1 wherein the first communication device is a telephone handset and the second communication device is a hands-free headset.

10. The hostage negotiation system of claim 9 further comprising an on/off switch positioned between the headset and the command unit, the on/off switch being operable to selectively turn off a microphone contained in the headset.

11. A hostage negotiation system comprising:

a throw module having a cover member and a generally rectangular main body portion formed from a plurality of sidewalls, the throw module further including a first communication device;

a command unit connected to the throw module by a communication cable separate from a commercial land-wire telephone system, the command unit including a second communication device such that the second communication device can communicate with the first communication device through the communication cable;

a plurality of covert video cameras concealed in the throw module, each covert video camera positioned to record and transmit a video signal from the throw module to the command unit; and

a covert microphone concealed in the throw module for receiving and transmitting an audio signal from the throw module to the command unit.

12. The hostage negotiation system of claim 11 wherein one of the covert video cameras is concealed behind a face plate attached to the cover of the throw module.

13. The hostage negotiation system of claim 12 wherein a covert video camera is concealed within each side wall forming the main body portion of the throw module.

14. The hostage negotiation system of claim 12 wherein the command unit includes a camera selector such that the command unit can select between the plurality of video signals transmit to the command unit by the covert video cameras.

15. The hostage negotiation system of claim 14 wherein the command unit includes a covert video jack and a covert audio jack, the covert video jack and the covert audio jack providing a connection for an external monitor to display the audio signal and video signal received from the throw module.

16. The hostage negotiation system of claim 11 wherein the first communication device is a telephone handset and the second communication device is a headset.

17. The hostage negotiation system of claim 16 further comprising an on/off switch positioned between the headset and the command unit, the on/off switch being operable to selectively turn off a microphone contained in the headset.

18. The hostage negotiation system of claim 11 wherein the command unit includes an internal battery used to operate the plurality of covert video cameras and the covert microphone contained in the throw module.

19. The hostage negotiation system of claim 18 further comprising an external power supply port contained on the command unit, the external power supply port receiving a supply of external power to charge the internal battery contained within the command unit and operate the plurality of covert video cameras and the covert microphone contained in the throw module.