Method and apparatus for securing a facility

• US 9,564,041 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clifton Eugene Dedeaux
• Original Assignee: Clifton Eugene Dedeaux
• Inventors: Dedeaux, Clifton Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Albert
• Application Number:
  US14/605,464
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 340/287, 340/539.11, 340/539.16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/12 Manually actuated calamity alarm transmitting arrangements emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm, activators, e.g. details of alarm push buttons mounted on an infrastructure

Abstract

Method and apparatus for a security alert system for communicating a security event to users by means of a full mesh network topology. The mesh network includes a plurality of remote units, receiver units, emergency box units, and teacher/hallway units strategically placed throughout a facility. Each remote unit has a plurality of buttons thereon wherein a button is designated for a specific type of problem, for example, an intruder, a gun carrying intruder, a medical emergency, or a fight. If a user presses one of the designated buttons the other members of the mesh network, including a receiver unit being monitored by security personnel, are immediately notified of the type and the location of the problem within the facility.

Claims

1. A security alert system for use in a facility having rooms, hallways, and other areas, comprising:

a) a remote unit carried by each of selected users in assigned areas of the facility, each said remote unit having a display for receiving messages, a button for sending a signal when actuated for a specific type of an emergency condition, each said remote unit being programmed to include a distinct programmed message identifying the assigned area when the button is actuated;

b) an emergency box unit mounted in each of a number of locations within the facility, each said emergency box unit having a display for receiving messages, a button for sending a signal when actuated for a specific type of an emergency condition, each said emergency box unit programmed for the specific location thereof, said emergency box unit having a light on an outside thereof to indicate when flashing that said emergency box unit is transmitting an emergency message thereby visually indicating to emergency responders that they have arrived at the location where the emergency message originates;

c) a receiver unit located within an administrative area of the facility to be monitored by security personnel and adapted for receiving and displaying all messages being transmitted from any unit, each message indicating which remote unit issued the message, said receiver unit having a display for receiving messages;

d) all of said units forming a mesh network wherein each unit is in wireless communication with all other units in said network so that all units receive and display all messages; and

,

e) wherein all of said units are adapted to be programmed to interact with all other units in said network.

2. The security alert system of claim 1, in which each said remote unit and each said emergency box unit has at least four buttons, a first button for indicating an intruder in the facility, a second button to indicate an incident involving a weapon, a third button to indicate a fight has broken out, and a fourth button to indicate a medical emergency.

3. The security alert system of claim 2, in which each said remote unit has a light to indicate when a message is received that an evacuation should take place.

4. The security alert system of claim 3, in which each said remote unit and each said receiver unit is adapted for inputting memory into said remote unit and said receiver unit.

5. The security alert system of claim 4, in which each said remote unit is adapted for being worn by a user.

6. The security alert system of claim 5, in which each said remote unit has a cover with an attached photo identification for identifying the user thereof.

7. The security alert system of claim 6, in which a said remote unit is worn by a user stationed in a hallway of said facility for observing high traffic areas where an emergency is more likely to happen.

8. The security alert system of claim 7, in which the facility is a school and the users are faculty and staff of said school.

9. The security alert system of claim 8, wherein said receiver unit has an evacuation button thereon so that when said evacuation button is actuated an evacuation message is sent to at least one selected said remote unit.

21. The security alert system of claim 1, in which each said emergency box unit contains a said remote unit therein.

10. A method for providing security alerts for use in a facility having rooms, hallways and other areas, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a remote unit to be carried by each of selected users in assigned areas of the facility, each remote unit having a display for receiving messages, a button for sending a signal when actuated for a specific type of an emergency condition, each remote unit being programmed to include a distinct programmed message identifying the assigned area when the button is actuated;

b) mounting an emergency box unit in each of a number of locations within the facility, each emergency box unit having a display for receiving messages, a button for sending a signal when actuated for a specific type of an emergency condition, each emergency box unit programmed for the specific location thereof, the emergency box unit having a light on an outside thereof to indicate when flashing that the emergency box unit is transmitting an emergency message thereby visually indicating to emergency responders that they have arrived at the location where the emergency message originates;

c) providing a receiver unit located within an administrative area of the facility to be monitored by security personnel and adapted for receiving and displaying all messages being transmitted from any unit, each message, indicating which remote unit is issued the message, the receiver unit having a display for receiving messages;

d) forming all of the units into a mesh network wherein each unit is in wireless communication with all other units in said network so that all units receive and display all messages; and

,

e) programming all of the units to interact with all other units in the network.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of providing at least four buttons on each remote unit and in each emergency box unit, a first button for indicating an intruder in the facility, a second button to indicate an incident involving a weapon, a third button to indicate a fight has broken out, and a fourth button to indicate a medical emergency.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of providing a light on each remote unit to indicate when a message is received that an evacuation should take place.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of adapting each remote unit and each receiver unit for inputting memory into the remote unit and the receiver unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each remote unit is worn by a user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing a cover for each remote unit with an attached photo identification for identifying the user thereof.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the remote unit is worn by a user stationed in a hallway of the facility for observing high traffic areas where an emergency is more likely to happen.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the facility is a school and the users are faculty and staff of said school.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of providing an evacuation button on the receiver unit so that when the evacuation button is actuated an evacuation message is sent to at least one selected remote unit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein when any area of the facility is swept by emergency personnel, the emergency personnel can program one of the receiver units to send an evacuation signal to a selected remote unit worn by the user assigned to the selected area to evacuate the selected area.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of adapting each remote unit and each receiver unit for alerting the user that a message is being received from another remote on the network.

22. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of providing a remote unit inside the emergency box unit.