Guard tour system incorporating a positioning system

• US 7,027,955 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Timekeeping Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Timekeeping Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Chriss, Dean, Markwitz, Barry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Carol S.W.
• Application Number:
  US10/279,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 702 81- 84, 702/108, 702/122, 702182-185, 702187-188, 235/375, 235/376, 235/382, 235/462.01, 235/383, 235/385, 340/5.71, 340/5.06, 340/825.27, 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 340/306
• US Class Current: 702/187
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman

Abstract

A guard tour system comprising a computer running a computer program that enables a variety of electronic hardware components to function as the guard tour system. It is contemplated that the computer program be multi-user and/or network compatible. The electronic hardware includes one or more touch button readers, or one or more positioning system receivers (such as a global or local positioning system receiver), or both; one or more downloaders for use with the touch button readers and global positioning system receivers; and optionally a plurality of touch memory buttons located along a guard tour. Each touch memory button includes preprogrammed information specific to its particular location. As a guard or night watchman progresses through the guard tour he or she either obtains a global positioning system location reading manually or automatically or reads the information stored within each touch memory button or both, using a hand-held, battery operated reader. The Global Positioning System allows for collection of various guard positioning information.

Claims

1. A computerized method of monitoring and evaluating guard patrols of one or more sites, comprising the steps of:

a) defining at least one checkpoint to identify at least one location to be patrolled by a guard;

b) defining at least one patrol record to compile information relating to said at least one location to be patrolled by the guard;

c) providing a positioning system to generate data relating to the location of the guard to be included as part of said information;

d) detecting said information obtained from said positioning system and said at least one location patrolled by the guard;

e) storing said information within said at least one patrol record; and

using said information to monitor and evaluate the guard patrol and the location of the guard when on a guard patrol.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step b comprises programming a computer with information describing records including said data relating to the location of the guard when on a guard patrol.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data relating to the location of the guard when on a guard patrol is stored within said at least one patrol record and is displayed in a graphical form to show the route of a guard patrol.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system comprises a global positioning system receiver.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system comprises a cellular transmission system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system is adapted to be configured within a downloader device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system is adapted to be configured within a reader device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system comprises a local area positioning system.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said reader device is carried by the guard when on a guard patrol and provides information selected from the group consisting of guard location information, guard tour information, guard route information, or combinations thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system is mounted in a vehicle used by the guard when on a guard patrol and provides information selected from the group consisting of vehicle position location information, vehicle path, vehicle speed, vehicle route information, or combinations thereof.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system provides data relating to the location of the guard when on a guard patrol selected from the group consisting of continuous position information, position information acquired at predetermined time or distance intervals, on demand position information, and combinations thereof.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said data relating to the location of the guard when on a guard patrol is analyzed with reference to a set of predetermined rules.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a violation of a said predetermined rule causes an exception condition to be generated.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said set of predetermined rules is selected from a group consisting of minimum/maximum time from a previous location, maximum permitted deviation from a prescribed route, maximum time for stops, maximum speed limit, and combinations thereof.

15. A data processing system for monitoring and evaluating guard patrols of one or more sites comprising:

a) a central computing device;

b) a device for gathering information obtained from one or more checkpoints during a guard patrol by a guard of one or more sites, said information gathering device comprising a positioning system for generating data relating to the location of the guard at any time when on a guard patrol; and

c) a system for downloading said information into said central computing device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said positioning system is selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system receiver, a cellular communication network, a local positioning system, and combinations thereof.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said positioning system is adapted to be configured within said downloading system.

18. A computer program product for use with a data processing system for monitoring and evaluating guard patrols of one or more sites, said computer program product comprising:

a) a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means therein to gather information from a positioning system relating to the location of a guard when on a guard patrol of one or more sites; and

b) a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means therein to selectively download said information into said data processing system.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein said positioning system is selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system receiver, a cellular communication network, a local positioning system, and combinations thereof.

20. The computer program product according to claim 18, further including computer readable program code means for defining at least one patrol record on a said computer readable medium to compile information from said positioning system relating to the location of a guard when on a guard patrol.

21. The computer program product according to claim 20, where said information relating to the guard patrol record is comprised of information selected from the group consisting of officer records, incident records, location records, clients, facilities, groups, locations, times at locations, routes, vehicle position, vehicle speed, and combinations thereof.

22. The computer program product according to claim 20, further including computer readable program code means for displaying said at least one patrol record and at least a map showing the route of the guard when on said guard patrol.

23. A method of applying rules for performing a guard patrol of one or more sites, the method comprising the steps of:

a) acquiring information from a positioning system which generates data relating to the location of a guard when on a guard patrol;

b) defining rules relating to performing a guard patrol, and

c) analyzing data from a guard patrol of a site based upon said location information of a guard when on a guard patrol to determine compliance with said rules.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said rules are selected from the group consisting of the minimum time from a previous location, maximum time from a previous location, maximum permitted deviation from a prescribed route, maximum time for stops, maximum speed limit, and combinations thereof.

25. The method according to claim 23, further including the step of determining at least one time range during which said rule is effective.

26. The method according to claim 23, further including the step of reporting an exception when a said defined rule is violated.

27. A data processing system for monitoring and evaluating guard patrols of one or more sites comprising:

a) a central computing device;

b) a device for gathering information obtained from one or more checkpoints during a guard patrol of one or more sites, said information gathering device comprising a positioning system for generating data relating to the location of a guard when on a guard patrol, a reader having a memory device in which said information is stored, and a downloader having a reader port that detects the placement of said reader within said reader port, wherein said downloader identifies the specific type of reader detected and implements the proper communication protocol for the specific type of reader to download said information to said central computing device; and

c) a system for downloading said information into said central computing device.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said positioning system is adapted to be configured within said reader.

29. A data processing system for monitoring and evaluating guard patrols of one or more sites comprising:

a) a central computing device;

b) a device for gathering information obtained from one or more checkpoints during a guard patrol of one or more sites, said information gathering device comprising a positioning system for generating data relating to the location of a guard when on a guard patrol, a reader having a memory device in which said information is stored, and a downloader having a reader port that detects the placement of said reader within said reader port, wherein said downloader identifies the specific type of reader detected and implements the proper protocol for the specific type of reader to download said information to said central computing device and wherein said downloader is coupled to said central computing device by a communication means selected from the group consisting of electrical cables, telephone lines, infrared transmission, cellular transmission, the Internet, radio frequency transmission and satellite transmission; and

c) a system for downloading said information into said central computing device.

30. A data processing system for monitoring and evaluating guard patrols of one or more sites comprising:

a) a central computing device;

b) a device for gathering information from one or more checkpoints during a guard patrol by a guard of one more sites, said information gathering device comprising a positioning system for generating data relating to the location of the guard when on a guard patrol and for automatically generating data relating to the location of the guard at any time when on a guard patrol at periodic intervals; and

c) a system for downloading said information into said central computing device.