Non-lethal personal deterrent device

• US 6,876,302 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Steeves, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son
• Application Number:
  US10/341,025
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/574, 340/521, 340/541, 89/11.1, 89/10.8, 222/1, 222/153.11, 222/78
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0087 the high-energy beam being a bright light, e.g. for dazzling or blinding purposes F41H13/0056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19621 Portable camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/004 using portable personal devices hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellent gases or chemicals F41H9/10

Abstract

A non-lethal personal deterrent device and system. In the event of an attack by an assailant upon a victim, a device held in the hand of the victim takes a digital video and/or still image of the face of the assailant, flashes a strobe light upon the assailant, audio blasts the assailant with a warning message, obtains location information of the scene of the attack via a global positioning system (GPS), picks up audio interplay between the assailant and the victim, and transmits audio, video, and position information along with victim identification information to a receiver/processor center. The center relays the information to an operator for verification purposes which, in turn, immediately relays the information to a slam cam receptive police department thereby providing the police department with the advantage of having this information prior to responding to this emergency. Moreover, the information is valid evidence to be used by the police in apprehending the assailant, and by the district attorney at trial to obtain a conviction. Growing usage of the device shall widen its reputation as being a device that provides instantaneous and unstoppable transmission to responsive police of irrefutable evidence of identity of an assailant committing a crime. This reputation shall discourage potential assailants from attacking persons carrying a highly-visible slam cam in favor of others not as adequately protected.

Claims

1. A non-lethal, personal, deterrent system providing deterrent protection for a system user against an assailant, said system comprising a portable device including identification information of said user, said device obtaining global positioning system location-data specifying location of said device and said assailant and obtaining an image of said assailant;

a transmitter integrated with said portable device for transmitting said identification information, said location-data and said image to a dedicated receiving and processing center;

means for immediately relaying said identification information, said location-data and said image to a police department nearest to said location, whereby personnel of said department can immediately respond; and

said device including a switch activatable by said user to operate said system, said switch being configured to;

prevent or make difficult de-activation of said switch by said assailant, thereby allowing said device to continue to operate should assailant gain control of said device; and

,

be de-activated remotely by said police department.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a warning mechanism integrated with said device for flashing a bright strobe light on said assailant as a deterrent and to facilitate the obtaining of said image.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein:

said portable device comprises a digital camera for obtaining said image, and,

said transmitter comprises an antenna and a wireless modem for modulating and demodulating said identification information and digital information corresponding to said image in preparation for broadcast from said antenna to said dedicated receiving and processing center.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said portable device includes a digital camera for obtaining said digital image.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said relaying means further comprises:

a monitor which can determine if said transmission represents a genuine attack or a false alarm;

if said genuine attack, said monitor including means for immediately relaying said identification information, said location-data, and said image to said police department to, enable said personnel to view said assailant at said location to facilitate appropriate response of said personnel.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said device is battery powered by rechargeable batteries.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said device is designed to resemble shape of a videocam or flashlight, a compartment for said batteries located inside the handgrip of said device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said image is a digital video image.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said digital video image is a digital video facial image.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said identification information relaying means includes monitor means for forwarding a bill representing broadcast time charges to a pre-arranged billing address of said user.

11. A method for providing a user/victim with non-lethal, personal, protection from an attack by an assailant comprising:

obtaining and having available identification information of said user/victim;

obtaining global positioning system location-data specifying location of said attack;

obtaining a video image of said assailant;

establishing a dedicated receiving and processing center;

transmitting said identification information, said location-data, and said image to said receiving and processing center;

verifying the validity of said identification information, said location-data, and said image to obtain validated information;

forwarding said validated information to a police department for response and preventing said assailant from readily stopping while allowing said police department to remotely stop, said information obtaining said location-data obtaining, said video-image obtaining, said establishing, and said transmitting.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

flashing a bright strobe light on said assailant as a deterrent and to facilitate the obtaining of said image.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said image is a digital video image.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said digital video image is a facial image.

15. A device associated with a user of said device for providing deterrent protection against an assailant of said user by obtaining police intervention comprising:

a digital camera for taking a picture of said assailant;

an antenna;

a modem for modulating signals from said camera for broadcast over said antenna to said police;

a global positioning system for determining location of said device and for broadcasting said location over said antenna for use by said police; and

said device including a switch activatable by said user to operate said system, said switch being configured to;

prevent or make difficult de-activation of said switch by said assailant thereby allowing said device to continue to operate should assailant gain control of said device; and

,

be de-activated remotely by said police department.

16. The device of claim 15 further comprising:

identification information of said user; and

,

means for transmitting said identification information of said user for use by said police.

17. The device of claim 16 further comprising:

a strobe light; and

,

means for flashing said strobe light upon said assailant in synchrony with operation of said digital camera.

18. The device of claim 15 further comprising:

rechargeable batteries for energizing said computer control component and said other components of said device.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the casing of said device is constructed from hardened plastic and capable of being handheld.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein said casing is brightly colored.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein said brightly colored casing is blaze-orange color.