Duress alarm system for clothing

• US 9,342,971 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Security Systems Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Riley, James, Markham, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US12/334,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20100148975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,710 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/574, 340/665, 340/571, 482/121, 482/124, 116/84
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0297 Robbery alarms, e.g. hold-up alarms, bag snatching alarms

Abstract

An article of clothing includes a sensor attached to a fabric body for detecting forces applied to the fabric body. A processor is attached to the fabric body and is communicatively coupled to the sensor. The processor receives signals from the sensor, analyzes the signals, and discerns therefrom whether a physical attack is occurring on a wearer of the fabric body. The processor emits a distress signal if it is discerned that an attack is occurring.

Claims

1. An article of clothing, comprising:

a fabric body;

a directional sensor attached to the fabric body and configured to detect forces applied to the fabric body; and

a processor attached to the fabric body and communicatively coupled to the directional sensor, the processor being configured to;

receive signals from the directional sensor;

analyze the signals and discern therefrom whether a physical attack is occurring on a wearer of the fabric body and, based on the information from the directional sensor, to identify a direction in which the forces are applied to the fabric body; and

emit a distress signal to a radio frequency transceiver carried by the wearer if it is discerned that the attack is occurring, wherein the radio frequency transceiver responds to the distress signal by transmitting a radio frequency alarm signal to a monitoring agent, the alarm signal having a greater power than the distress signal.

2. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the processor includes a signal conditioning circuit and a microcontroller, the signal from the directional sensor being an analog sensor signal, the signal conditioning circuit being configured to convert the analog sensor signal to a digital sensor signal.

3. The article of clothing of claim 1 further comprising a matrix of sensors is attached to the fabric body, the processor being configured to discern from the signals from each sensor of the matrix of sensors whether a wearer of the fabric body is being physically attacked based at least in part on information from the directional sensor.

4. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to discern from the signals whether the fabric body is being grabbed or pulled based at least in part on information from the directional sensor.

5. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the directional sensor comprises at least one of a strain gauge, a transducer and a capacitive sensor.

6. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the distress signal has a transmission range of less than one mile.

7. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein the fabric body comprises a shirt, the directional sensor being disposed on a front of the shirt, the processor being disposed on a lateral side of the shirt and adjacent to a bottom hem of the shirt.

8. A personal alarm arrangement, comprising:

a fabric body;

a directional sensor attached to the fabric body and configured to detect forces applied to the fabric body;

a processor attached to the fabric body and communicatively coupled to the directional sensor, the processor being configured to;

receive signals from the sensor;

discern from the signals whether a wearer of the fabric body is being assaulted and, based on the information from the directional sensor, to identify a direction in which the forces are applied to the fabric body; and

emit a radio frequency distress signal if it is discerned that the wearer is being assaulted; and

a radio frequency transceiver carried by the wearer configured to receive the distress signal and respond thereto by transmitting a radio frequency alarm signal to a monitoring agent, the alarm signal having a greater power than the distress signal.

9. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the processor includes a signal conditioning circuit and a microcontroller, the signal from the directional sensor being an analog sensor signal, the signal conditioning circuit being configured to convert the analog sensor signal to a digital sensor signal.

10. The arrangement of claim 8 further comprising a matrix of sensors is attached to the fabric body, the processor being configured to discern from the signals from each sensor of the matrix of sensors whether a wearer of the fabric body is being assaulted.

11. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured to discern from the signals whether the fabric body is being grabbed or pulled.

12. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the directional sensor comprises at least one of a strain gauge, a transducer and a capacitive sensor.

13. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the distress signal has a transmission range of less than one mile.

14. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the fabric body comprises a shirt, the directional sensor being disposed on a front of the shirt, the processor being disposed on a lateral side of the shirt and adjacent to a bottom hem of the shirt.

15. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein the radio frequency transceiver comprises a cellular mobile telephone, police radio and military radio.

20. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the transceiver is configured to be carried within a pants pocket of pants worn by the wearer.

16. A personal alarm method, comprising the steps of:

providing an article of clothing including a fabric body having a directional sensor and a processor;

using the directional sensor to detect a force applied to the fabric body;

transmitting signals from the directional sensor indicative of the force;

receiving the signals at the processor;

discerning from the signals whether a wearer of the fabric body is being assaulted and, based on the information from the directional sensor, to identify a direction in which the forces are applied to the fabric body;

emitting a radio frequency distress signal if it is discerned that the wearer is being assaulted; and

receiving the distress signal at a radio frequency transceiver carried by the wearer and responding thereto by transmitting a radio frequency alarm signal from the transceiver to a monitoring agent, the alarm signal having a greater power than the distress signal.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the processor includes a signal conditioning circuit and a microcontroller, the signal from the directional sensor being an analog sensor signal, the method including using the signal conditioning circuit to convert the analog sensor signal to a digital sensor signal.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the article of clothing further includes a matrix of sensors, the discerning step including discerning from the signals from each of the sensors whether a wearer of the fabric body is being assaulted.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the discerning step includes discerning from the signals whether the fabric body is being grabbed or pulled.