Space area network

• US 6,822,568 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lawrence, Victor B., Gehlot, Narayan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/055,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20030137424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/571, 340/568.1, 340/574, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/988, 340/992, 340/541
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection

Abstract

A system and method for automatically maintaining the security of an area. In one embodiment of the invention, several space area network elements may be placed near or in a circular pattern around an area to be kept space, such as a school. The space area network elements are devices including sensors to sense the presence of an unwanted object such as a gun. The space area network elements may also include a wireless communication unit so that when the presence of an unwanted object or gun is sensed, a third party entity such as a the police may be alerted. The space area network elements also include inter-element communication units that allow the space area network elements to share information and form a space area network. Additionally, the space area network elements may include a positioning system unit that obtains data related to the position of the space area network. By way of the positioning system unit, position information may also be communicated to the third party entity.

Claims

1. A security system comprising:

a plurality of space area network elements adapted to be disposed proximate a safe location, each of said space area network elements including;

an unwanted object detector unit adapted to detect a presence of an unwanted object identifier unit disposed on an unwanted object, wherein said unwanted object identifier unit includes a positioning unit adapted to obtain position data related to the unwanted object;

a processor unit coupled to said unwanted object detector unit, and adapted to process data related to the presence of the unwanted object; and

inter-element communication units, each of said inter-element communication units being adapted to facilitate inter-element communication between said plurality of space area network elements such that a space area network is formed by said inter-element communication units such that information may be shared between said plurality of space area network elements;

a first data storage unit disposed proximate a first position, said first data storage unit adapted to store said data related to the presence of the unwanted object;

a second data storage unit disposed proximate a second position, said second data storage unit adapted to store said data related to the presence of the unwanted object; and

a data processing unit adapted to process the position data related to the unwanted object such that when the unwanted object moves from the first position to the second position, said data related to the presence of the unwanted object is automatically transferred from said first data storage unit to said second data storage unit.

2. The security system of claim 1, further comprising an interrogator unit disposed on one of said space area network elements;

wherein said unwanted object identifier unit is a receiver unit, and wherein said interrogator unit is adapted to transmit a signal to said receiver unit.

3. The security system of claim 2, wherein said receiver unit is a passive transponder unit.

4. The security system of claim 1, one of said plurality of space area network elements further including:

a space area network communication unit adapted to communicate the processed data related to the presence of the unwanted object to a third party entity;

wherein when said unwanted object detector unit detects the presence of the unwanted object, said space area network communication unit communicates position data related to the presence of the unwanted object to a third party entity.

5. The security system of claim 4, wherein said third party entity is chosen from the group consisting of the fire department, an emergency rescue squad and the police department.

6. The security system of claim 1, one of said space area network elements further including:

an element positioning unit coupled to said processor unit for obtaining position data related to said space area network.

7. The security system claim 6, wherein said element positioning unit is a global positioning system (GPS) unit.

8. The security system of claim 1, wherein said space area network communication unit is a wireless communication unit.

9. The security system of claim 1, wherein the unwanted object is a gun.

10. A method for providing security, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a presence of an unwanted object having an unwanted object identifier unit disposed thereon via an unwanted object detector unit disposed on at least one of a plurality of space area network elements, wherein said unwanted object identifier unit includes a positioning unit adapted to obtain position data related to the unwanted object;

processing data related to the presence of the unwanted object via a processor unit coupled to said unwanted object detector unit;

communicating between said plurality of space area network elements via inter-element communication units; and

wherein the presence of the unwanted object is detected when the unwanted object is located proximate said space area network;

and comprising the further steps of;

storing the data related to the presence of the unwanted object at a first data storage unit disposed proximate a first position;

processing said data related to the presence of the unwanted object with a data processing unit; and

transferring said data related to the presence of the unwanted object from said first data storage unit to a second data storage unit when the unwanted object moves from said first position to a second position, said second data storage unit being disposed proximate said second position.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a signal from an interrogator unit disposed on one of said space area network elements to said object identifier unit, said object identifier unit being a receiver unit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said receiver unit is a passive transponder unit.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

communicating the presence of the unwanted object to a third party entity via a space area network communication unit disposed on one of said space area network elements.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said space area network communication unit is a wireless communication unit.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said third party entity is chosen from the group consisting of the fire department, an emergency rescue squad and the police department.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

obtaining position data related to said space area network via an element positioning unit coupled to said processor unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said element positioning unit is a global positioning system (GPS) unit.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the unwanted object is a gun.