Child safety device

• US 6,650,241 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harold G. Osborne, Ilya Kovnatsky, Richard C. Osborne
• Original Assignee: Harold G. Osborne, Ilya Kovnatsky, Richard C. Osborne
• Inventors: Kovnatsky, Ilya, Osborne, Richard C., Osborne, Harold G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung
• Application Number:
  US09/747,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20010030607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/531, 340/539, 340/568
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units

Abstract

A perimeter monitoring system intended for the enhanced safety of children includes a receiver communicating with a plurality of transmitters worn by the monitored individuals within a predefined perimeter area surrounded by a perimeter loop antenna. A periodic transmission is sent by each transmitter to the receiver as confirmation that the child is presently within the desired area. The system will alarm the operator and provide an indication identifying any one of the monitored children that either leaves the predefined perimeter or enters a restricted area.

Claims

1. A perimeter monitoring system for detecting and monitoring the presence of at least one monitored device within at least one perimeter, comprising:

said at least one monitored device comprising;

a transmitter having;

an identification generator for providing a unique identification stream corresponding to said transmitter;

a random interval generator for minimizing collisions of concurrent transmissions from multiple montiored device by aperiodically activating said identification generator at random intervals; and

an RF upconverter and at least one antenna for transmitting said unique identification stream as a unique identification signal at the random intervals; and

a receiver for detecting at least one monitored device having;

a loop antenna with a conductor situated along at least one perimeter forming the loop;

an RF downconverter for receiving said transmitted signal from the antenna and outputting said unique identification stream;

an identification decoder for detecting said unique identification stream;

at least one timer responsive to said identification decoder and associated with said unique identification stream; and

a timeout detector;

whereby said timer is reinitialized upon the receipt of said identification stream and said timeout detector produces an alarm signal when said timer reaches a predetermined threshold as an indication that said at least one monitored device is no longer within said at least one perimeter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter further comprises a self-diagnostic module for detecting a defective condition within the transmitter and generating an alarm signal accordingly.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a plurality of perimeter loops of wire superimposed upon each other, circumscribing the monitored area.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said antenna further comprises a plurality of inner loops superimposed upon each other, circumscribing at least one separate monitored area within the perimeter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification stream includes an error check.

6. The system of claim 5, whereby said error check is a cyclical redundancy check.

7. The system of claim 1, whereby said identification generator further includes an identification means for setting unique identification.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an antenna controller for controlling power and frequency of said unique identification stream at the RF upconverter.

9. The system of claim 1, whereby the antenna loop creates a path for magnetic current induced by at least on transmitter within the monitored perimeter and where the receiver detects a change in magnetic current once at least one transmitter exits the perimeter to which the timeout detector is responsive.

10. A child motoring system comprising at least one transmitter co-located with each child, for transmitting a unique identification signal, and at least one receiver for detecting said unique identification signal comprising:

the transmitter having;

a randomly activatable identification generator for providing a unique identification stream corresponding to said transmitter at random intervals; and

an RF upconverter and antenna for transmitting said unique identification stream as a unique identification signal; and

said receiver having;

a loop antenna with a conductor situated along at least one monitored perimeter forming the loop;

an RF downconverter for receiving and RF downconverting said transmitted signal to output said unique identification stream;

an identification decoder for detecting said unique said identification stream and providing an output indicative of the successful receipt of said unique identification stream; and

a timing means for intializing upon said indication and for proving an alarm signal when the duration reaches a predetermined threshold.