Monitoring method and system

• US 6,894,612 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Audio Alert Corporation
• Original Assignee: Audio Alert Corporation
• Inventors: Xydis, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/491,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20040252023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 340/505, 340/506, 340/516, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.21, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/825.49, 455/17, 455/66, 342/42, 342/44
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• 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 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0492 Sensor dual technology, i.e. two or more technologies collaborate to extract unsafe condition, e.g. video tracking and RFID tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A method and system (10) for directing relief to individuals (11) requiring emergency assistance includes each individual in a building (20) carrying a respective transponder (12). The transponders transmit a wireless emergency signal in response to actuation by an individual. A communication link (22) such as a local area network (LAN) runs throughout the building. Transceivers (14) located at known locations are connected to the link. Each transceiver has a unique identification and wirelessly receives an emergency signal transmitted by a transponder located within the vicinity of the transceiver. Each transceiver transmits the received emergency signal along with the unique transceiver identification to a controller (16) via the link. The controller processes a received emergency signal to determine the location of the individual requiring emergency assistance based on the unique identifications of the transceivers transmitting the emergency signal. The controller directs relief (19) to the determined location of the individual.

Claims

1. A system for directing relief to individuals in a building requiring emergency assistance, the system comprising:

a plurality of transponders, wherein each individual in the building carries a respective transponder, each transponder transmitting a wireless emergency signal in response to actuation by the individual carrying the transponder;

a hard wired communication link running throughout the building;

a plurality of transceivers located at known locations within the building, each transceiver connected with the communication link, each transceiver having a unique identification, each transceiver wirelessly receiving an emergency signal transmitted by a transponder located within the vicinity of the transceiver, each transceiver transmitting the received emergency signal along with the unique transceiver identification to the communication link; and

a controller connected with the communication link for receiving emergency signals transmitted from the transceivers, the controller processing a received emergency signal to determine the location of the individual within the building requiring emergency assistance based on the unique identifications of the transceivers transmitting the emergency signal, wherein the controller directs relief to the determined location of the individual requiring emergency assistance.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the hard wired communication link is a local area network (LAN) communication link.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the controller directs relief by transmitting a paging signal to relief personnel, the paging signal including information indicative of the location of the individual requiring emergency assistance.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

each transponder has a unique identification such that the individual carrying the transponder is uniquely identified, wherein the wireless emergency signal transmitted by the transponder contains the unique transponder identification, wherein the controller processes a received emergency signal to determine the identity of the individual within the building requiring emergency assistance based on the unique transponder identification.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein:

each transponder periodically transmits a wireless status signal containing the unique identification of the transponder, wherein each transceiver wirelessly receives status signals transmitted by transponders located within the vicinity of the transceiver, each transceiver transmitting received status signals along with the unique transceiver identification to the communication link, wherein the controller receives status signals transmitted from the transceivers via the communication link.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the controller processes the received status signals to determine the location and identity of the individuals within the building based on the unique transponder identification and the unique transceiver identifications.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the transponders transmit the wireless status signals asynchronously.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the transponders transmit the wireless status and emergency signals using radio-frequency communications.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the transponders transmit the wireless status and emergency signals using infrared communications.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

each transceiver listens for audio information in the vicinity of the transceiver upon receiving an emergency signal transmitted by a transponder located within the vicinity of the transceiver, wherein the transceivers provide the audio information to the controller via the communication link.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein:

each transceiver views visual audio information in the vicinity of the transceiver upon receiving an emergency signal transmitted by a transponder located within the vicinity of the transceiver, wherein the transceivers provide the visual information to the controller via the communication link.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein:

each transceiver measures signal strength of a received emergency signal, wherein each transceiver transmits information indicative of the signal strength of a received emergency signal to the communication link, wherein the controller processes a received emergency signal to determine the location of the individual within the building requiring emergency assistance based on the unique identifications of the transceivers transmitting the emergency signal and the signal strengths of the emergency signal received by the transceivers transmitting the emergency signal.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the controller includes a display monitor which displays a floor plan of the building, the display monitor displaying an icon on the displayed floor plan indicative of the determined location of the individual requiring emergency assistance in response to the controller processing a received emergency signal.

14. A system for monitoring the location and identity of individuals within a building and for directing relief to those individuals requiring emergency assistance, the system comprising:

a plurality of transponders, wherein each individual carries a respective transponder, each transponder having a unique identification such that the individual carrying the transponder is uniquely identified, each transponder periodically transmitting a wireless status signal containing the unique transponder identification, each transponder transmitting a wireless emergency signal containing the unique transponder identification in response to actuation by the individual carrying the transponder;

a hard wired communication link running throughout the building;

a plurality of transceivers located at known locations within the building, each transceiver connected in series with the communication link, each transceiver having a unique identification, each transceiver wirelessly receiving status and emergency signals transmitted by transponders located within the vicinity of the transceiver, each transceiver transmitting received status and emergency signals along with the unique transceiver identification to the communication link; and

a controller connected with the communication link for receiving status and emergency signals transmitted from the transceivers, the controller processing the received status and emergency signals to determine the location and identity of the individuals within the building based on the unique transponder identification and the unique transceiver identifications, wherein the controller directs relief to individuals requiring emergency assistance based on the emergency signals received from the transponders carried by those individuals.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the hard wired communication link is a local area network (LAN) communication link.

16. A method of directing relief to individuals in a building requiring emergency assistance, the building having a hard wired communication link running throughout the building, the method comprising:

each individual in the building carrying a respective transponder;

transmitting a wireless emergency signal from a transponder in response to actuation by the individual carrying the transponder;

providing a plurality of transceivers at known locations within the building, each transceiver having a unique identification;

connecting each transceiver with the communication link,

wirelessly receiving with the transceivers an emergency signal transmitted by a transponder located within the vicinity of the transceivers;

transmitting from the transceivers the received emergency signal along with the unique transceiver identification that received the emergency signal to the communication link;

connecting a controller with the communication link;

receiving with the controller the emergency signals transmitted from the transceivers via the communication link;

processing with the controller a received emergency signal to determine the location of the individual within the building requiring emergency assistance based on the unique identifications of the transceivers transmitting the emergency signal; and

directing relief to the determined location of the individual requiring emergency assistance.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein:

the hard wired communication link is a local area network (LAN) communication link.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein:

the step of directing relief includes transmitting a paging signal from the controller to relief personnel, the paging signal including information indicative of the location of the individual requiring emergency assistance.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein:

each transponder has a unique identification such that the individual carrying the transponder is uniquely identified, wherein the wireless emergency signal transmitted by the transponder contains the unique transponder identification.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the step of processing with the controller a received emergency signal includes determining the identity of the individual within the building requiring emergency assistance based on the unique transponder identification.

21. A method of directing relief to individuals requiring emergency assistance located in a building having a local area network (LAN) running throughout the building, said method comprising the steps of:

disposing an individual in the building carrying a transponder having a unique identification and having an emergency button for activation by the individual;

disposing a plurality of transceivers having a unique identification at known locations within the building;

establishing communication between the transponder and the transceivers via radio frequencies;

connecting each of the transceivers with the LAN;

connecting a controller via the LAN for storing individual information associated with the transponder and the unique identification for the transponder and the transceiver;

establishing communication between each of the transceivers and the controller over the LAN;

activating the transponder by pressing the emergency button;

transmitting an emergency radio frequency (RE) signal from the transponder including the unique identification of the transponder in response to the individual activating the transponder;

detecting the emergency RF signal with at least one of the transceivers located within the vicinity of the transponder;

transmitting a hardwire emergency signal from the transceiver detecting the emergency RE signal over the LAN to the controller including the unique identification of the transceiver and the unique identification of the transponder;

receiving the hardwire emergency signal with the controller via the LAN;

determining the individual information based upon the unique identification of the transponder and the location of the individual within the building based on the unique identification of the transceiver detecting the emergency RE signal; and

transmitting a paging signal including location information of the emergency from the controller to relief personnel for directing relief to the vicinity of the transponder emitting the emergency RF signal.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the step of transmitting the paging signal is further defined as transmitting an alpha numeric page to a pager carried by the relief personnel.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 further comprising the step of converting the alpha numeric page into text to indicate the location of the emergency to the relief personnel.

24. A method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising the step of activating an microphone in the vicinity of the transceiver detecting the emergency RF signal to record audio of the emergency.

25. A method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising the step of activating a camera in the vicinity of the transceiver detecting the emergency RF signal to record video of the emergency.