Emergency assistance beacon signal methodology and system for law enforcement, emergency and military personnel

• US 7,940,166 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konstantinos Koliopoulos
• Original Assignee: Konstantinos Koliopoulos
• Inventors: Koliopoulos, Konstantinos
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US12/154,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 340/471, 340/472, 340/982, 340/983
• US Class Current: 340/471
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies

Abstract

The present invention relates to an emergency assistance beacon signal methodology for law enforcement, emergency and military personnel by which such personnel who encounter an imminent need for assistance or rescue while on duty in a vehicle, may utilize such methodology to invite the assistance or rescue of other such personnel. Upon a first personnel determining that assistance or rescue is needed, the first personnel activate a powerful light element attached to a such that the powerful light directs a beam of light upwardly and non-horizontally from the vehicle. Upon a second personnel recognizing the beam of light, travels to a general area of the beam of light to locate the first and provides first personnel assistance or rescue. In another embodiment of the present invention, an emergency assistance beacon signal system includes a) a roof-mountable emergency signal device for mounting on the roof of a law enforcement, emergency or military vehicle, the device including an upwardly, non-horizontally directed powerful light source having at least one upwardly, non-horizontally directed beam of light adapted to be energized by an activation mechanism operable by a personnel who is using the vehicle; and, b) the activation mechanism in proximity to and operable by the officer who is using the vehicle.

Claims

1. An emergency assistance beacon signal methodology for law enforcement, emergency and military personnel by which such personnel who encounter an imminent need for assistance or rescue while on duty in a vehicle, may utilize such methodology to invite the assistance or rescue of other such personnel, which comprises:

a.) upon a first law enforcement, emergency or military personnel determining that assistance or rescue is needed, said first law enforcement, emergency or military personnel activating a powerful light element attached to a law enforcement, emergency or military vehicle such that said powerful light element directs a plurality of beams of light upwardly and non-horizontally from said vehicle wherein said light beams form patterns having at least two features such that a first pattern feature is color and a second pattern feature is inclination of said light beams relative to each other; and

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b.) upon a second law enforcement, emergency or military personnel recognizing said beam of light, traveling to a general area of said beam of light to locate said first law enforcement, emergency or military personnel and providing said first law enforcement, emergency or military personnel assistance or rescue.

2. The methodology of claim 1 wherein said powerful light element is activated by said first law enforcement, emergency or military personnel by an activation mechanism selected from the group consisting of a vehicle-mounted activation system, a personnel-mounted wireless activation mechanism and a combination thereof.

3. The methodology of claim 1 whereupon, before use of said powerful upwardly and non-horizontally directed light signal, a publicity program is engaged in to advise law enforcement, emergency or military personnel implicit meaning of an upwardly directed light beam emanating from a light source of a law enforcement, emergency or military vehicle.

4. The methodology of claim 1 wherein said powerful light element includes a housing and a plurality of cylinders surrounding said plurality of light beams.

5. The methodology of claim 1 in which said upwardly and non-horizontally directed light beams is caused to move in a variable pattern.

6. The methodology of claim 4 in which said variable pattern imports a changing angularity to the light beams.

7. The methodology of claim 6 wherein each of said plurality of beams are differently colored.

8. The methodology of claim 7 in which said differently colored beams are periodically inclined with respect to each other.

9. The methodology of claim 1 wherein upon activation of said powerful light element, said methodology further includes a wireless transmission to a remote control center signaling the need for personnel assistance or rescue.

10. An emergency assistance beacon signal system for law enforcement, emergency and military personnel by which such personnel who encounter an imminent need for assistance or rescue may utilize said system to invite the assistance or rescue of other such personnel, which comprises:

a) a roof-mountable emergency signal device for mounting on the roof of a law enforcement, emergency or military vehicle, said device including an upwardly, non-horizontally directed powerful light element having a plurality of upwardly, non-horizontally directed beams of light forming patterns having at least two features such that a first pattern feature is color and a second pattern feature is inclination of said light beams relative to each other, wherein said plurality of light beams are adapted to be energized by an activation mechanism operable by a law enforcement, emergency and military personnel who is using said vehicle; and

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b) said activation mechanism in proximity to and operable by said law enforcement, emergency and military officer who is using said vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said activation mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle-mounted activation system, a personnel-mounted wireless activation mechanism and a combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said activation mechanism is a vehicle-mounted activation system.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said activation mechanism is a personnel-mounted wireless activation mechanism.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said personnel-mounted wireless activation mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a modified cell phone, a hand-operable remote control with personnel attachment means and a voice activated mechanism.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said upwardly, non-horizontally directed beam of light has a variable color pattern.

16. The system of claim 10 in wherein said upwardly, non-horizontally directed beams of light are moveable in a variable pattern.

17. The system of claim 16 in wherein each of said plurality of light beams are differently colored.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said differently colored beams are periodically inclined with respect to each other.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein said system activation mechanism further includes a wireless transmission means for transmission to a remote control center to signal the need for personnel assistance or rescue.

20. The system of claim 10 wherein said system further includes transmission means from at least one remote control center to said signal device for remote activation thereof.

21. The methodology of claim 10 wherein said powerful light element includes a housing and a plurality of cylinders surrounding said plurality of light beams.