Mobile monitoring and alert system

• US 8,085,148 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ferno-Washington Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Monster Medic Incorporated (Monster Media LLC)
• Inventors: Reed, Jaime C., Foos, Samuel K., Fischer, Anthony S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Van T.
• Application Number:
  US12/268,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/571, 340/568.1, 340/540, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/10.1, 235/385, 235/492, 713/189
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

The present invention relates to monitoring and alert systems and methods of using the same. In particular, the present invention provides transportable and vehicle interchangeable monitoring and alert systems (e.g., comprising a receiver and one or a plurality of tags (e.g., for alerting an emergency medical services (EMS) responder (e.g., emergency medical technician (EMT), firefighter, or other type of responder) that an article has been left behind at a response scene)) and methods of using the same.

Claims

1. A monitoring and alert system comprising:

a) a receiver, wherein the receiver does not broadcast information over a radio frequency; and

b) one or a plurality of RFID tags, wherein the one or plurality of RFID tags are separately attached to one or a plurality of items, wherein the tags discontinuously broadcast unique identification information over a radio frequency at predetermined intervals independent of the receiver, said one or a plurality of RFID tags paired with the receiver such that the receiver recognizes the unique identification information independently broadcast by one or a plurality of paired tags;

wherein the receiver is configured to receive and process broadcasted unique identification information from one or a plurality paired tags, and not to receive or process radio frequency information broadcasted from non-paired tags; and

wherein the receiver, in the absence of the receiver receiving broadcast information from a paired tag in a predetermined period of time, identifies an item as being out of range of the receiver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system wirelessly tethers objects to a vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a 12V accessory outlet located in the vehicle is utilized to power the receiver.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the system is transportable from on vehicle to another.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle is an emergency vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification information broadcast by each tag is a number or a letter that uniquely identifies each item.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification information of each tag is transmitted once every 10 seconds.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver provides an audio and/or visual notification when an item is identified as being out of range of the receiver.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the item is an item used in an emergency vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the item is selected from the group consisting of a drug bag, a suction pump, an automated external defibrillator, a pulse oximeter, a monitor, a patient transport cot, a personal digital assistant, and a computer.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or plurality of tags transmit unique identification information at a frequency of 315 MHz.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitters comprise a power source, a radio frequency transmitter circuit and a microprocessor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the power source is a lithium battery.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the frequency transmitter utilizes amplitude shift keying (ASK) or carrier present carrier absent modulation.

15. A method of wirelessly tethering one or a plurality of items to a vehicle comprising:

a) providing;

a monitoring and alert system comprising;

i) a receiver, wherein the receiver is connected to the vehicle and does not broadcast information over a radio frequency; and

ii) one or a plurality of RFID tags, wherein the one or plurality of RFID tags are separately attached to one or a plurality of items, wherein the tags discontinuously broadcast unique identification information over a radio frequency at predetermined intervals independent of the receiver, said one or a plurality of RFID tags being paired with the receiver such that the receiver recognizes the unique identification information independently broadcast by one or a plurality of paired tags;

wherein the receiver is configured to receive and process broadcasted unique identification information from one or a plurality paired tags, and not to receive or process radio frequency information broadcasted from non-paired tags, and wherein when the receiver fails to receive a broadcasted signal from one or a plurality of paired tags the receiver provides an alert that an item is beyond a predefined distance from the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiver is connected to the vehicle via a 12V accessory outlet.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the alert comprises an audio alert.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the alert comprises a visual alert.