Worker's personal alarm device

• US 8,952,805 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aurizon Operations Ltd. (Aurizon Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Aurizon Operations Ltd. (Aurizon Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Baines, Stephen, McMah, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/820,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20130162428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.12, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 246/167.A
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/06 for warning men working on the route
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen

Abstract

The present invention relates to a worker'"'"'s personal alarm device for generating alarms. The alarm device includes a health monitoring means for monitoring at least one health parameter relating to a worker. The device further includes a controller for generating an alarm subsequent to determining that the health parameter is indicative of unacceptable health. The controller also generates an alarm based upon one or more conditions relating to an allocated protection zone.

Claims

1. An alarm method for generating alarms with a personal alarm device, the method including the steps of:

receiving at least one health parameter relating to a worker;

generating an alarm subsequent to determining that the health parameter is indicative of unacceptable health; and

generating an alarm based upon a hazard being co-incident with or intersecting an allocated protection zone.

2. An alarm method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protection zone is allocated based upon the location of the personal alarm device.

3. An alarm method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of generating an alarm based upon the location of the personal alarm device relative to the protection zone.

4. An alarm method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of generating an alarm based upon the location of the personal alarm device relative to a hazard.

5. An alarm method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the health parameter includes any one or more of heart rate and body temperature.

6. An alarm method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of generating an alarm subsequent to either determining that the worker has undergone excessive acceleration or determining that the worker is unacceptably inactive for a prolonged period of time.

7. A worker'"'"'s personal alarm device for generating alarms, the alarm device including:

a health monitoring means for monitoring at least one health parameter relating to a worker; and

a controller for generating an alarm subsequent to determining that the health parameter is indicative of unacceptable health and for generating an alarm based upon a hazard being co-incident with or intersecting an allocated protection zone.

8. A worker'"'"'s personal alarm device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the health monitoring means includes one or more of a thermometer for measuring the worker'"'"'s temperature, a heart rate monitor for monitoring the worker'"'"'s heart rate, a blood pressure monitor for monitoring the worker'"'"'s blood pressure and a distress button whereby the controller generates an alarm upon manual activation of the distress button.

9. A worker'"'"'s personal alarm device as claimed in claim 7, including movement means for measuring movement characteristics of the alarm device.

10. An alarm method for generating an alarm with a personal alarm device, the method including the step of:

generating the alarm based upon a hazard being co-incident with or intersecting an allocated protection zone.

11. An alarm method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the protection zone is allocated based upon the location of the personal alarm device.

12. An alarm method as claimed in claim 10, further including the step of generating an alarm based on the location of the personal alarm device relative to the protection zone.

13. An alarm method as claimed in claim 10, further including the step of generating an alarm based upon the location of the personal alarm device relative to a hazard.

14. An alarm method as claimed in claim 10, further including the step of generating an alarm subsequent to determining that worker is of unacceptable health.

15. An alarm method as claimed in claim 10, further including the step of generating an alarm subsequent to either determining that the worker has undergone excessive acceleration or determining that the worker is unacceptably inactive for a prolonged period of time.

16. A worker'"'"'s personal alarm device for generating an alarm, the alarm device configured to:

generate the alarm based upon a hazard being co-incident with or intersecting an allocated protection zone.

17. A worker'"'"'s personal alarm device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the protection zone is allocated based upon the location of the personal alarm device.

18. A worker'"'"'s personal alarm device as claimed in claim 16, further including the step of generating an alarm based upon the location of the personal alarm device relative to the protection zone.

19. A worker'"'"'s personal alarm device as claimed in claim 16, further configured to generate an alarm based upon the location of the personal alarm device relative to a hazard.

20. A worker'"'"'s personal alarm device as claimed in claim 16, further configured to generate an alarm subsequent to:

determining that worker is of unacceptable health;

determining that the worker has undergone excessive acceleration;

or determining

that the worker is unacceptably inactive for a prolonged period of time.