Self-locating personal alarm system equipped parachute

• US 20040113794A1
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hawthorne Heights LLC (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Hawthorne Heights LLC (Allied Security Trust)
• Inventors: Schlager, Noah M., Schlager, Samuel H., Baringer, William B., Schlager, Dan
• Application Number:
  US10/695,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20040113794A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/0005 by means of alarm devices for persons falling into the water, e.g. by signalling, by controlling the propulsion or manoeuvring means of the boat alarms responsive to presence of persons in a body of water in general G08B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0255 System arrangements wherein the parent unit emits, i.e. the parent unit incorporates the emitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/088 by monitoring a device worn by the person, e.g. a bracelet attached to the swimmer
• 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 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 26/007 Wireless interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A parachute equipped with a self-locating personal alarm system remote unit includes a navigational receiver providing navigational information, a radio transmitter connected for transmitting the navigational information, and a circuit for activating the radio transmitter. In one embodiment the transmission of navigational information is voice activated. In another embodiment, the transmission is activated by depressing a panic button, while in a third embodiment, the transmission is activated by deployment of the parachute. In other specific embodiments, the radio transmitter is part of a wireless telephone permitting two-way voice communication, while the navigational information is provided by a GPS receiver and defines a location of the parachute. In yet other specific embodiments, the navigational information is an intermediate form and is transmitted to a base station where the computation of the parachute location is completed.

Claims

1. A personal alarm system remote unit equipped parachute, comprising:

a navigational receiver providing navigational information relating to the remote unit location;

a radio transmitter connected for transmitting the navigational information;

means for activating a transmission of the navigational information; and

a parachute containing the navigational receiver, the radio transmitter, and the transmission activating means.

2. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the transmission of navigational information is voice activated.

3. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the transmission of navigational information is activated by pressing a panic button.

4. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the transmission of navigational information is activated by deployment of the parachute.

5. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the navigational receiver is a wireless assisted GPS receiver.

6. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the navigational receiver is a hybrid GPS receiver.

7. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the navigational receiver is a GPS receiver.

8. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 7, wherein the navigational receiver provides demodulated GPS data and the radio transmitter transmits the demodulated GPS data and precise time-of-day information.

9. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 7, wherein the navigational receiver provides calculated time delay of arrival location information, permitting the radio transmitter to transmit a location of the remote unit equipped parachute.

10. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the radio transmitter is one of a cellular telephone, a PCS telephone, a satellite telephone and a wireless telephone.

12. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the alarm system remote unit is detachable from the parachute harness.

13. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, further including a GPS location display on the remote unit.

14. The alarm system remote unit equipped parachute of claim 1, wherein the alarm system remote unit is shock and water resistant.

11. A base station for receiving navigational information from an alarm system remote unit equipped parachute, and for displaying the parachute location.

15. A parachute for use with a self-locating personal alarm system remote unit, comprising:

a parachute having a harness;

the harness including means for attaching a self-contained self-locating personal alarm system remote unit; and

means for activating a held/attached remote unit when the parachute is deployed.

16. The parachute according to claim 15, wherein the attaching means is a pocket disposed on the harness, and a self-contained self-locating personal alarm system remote unit is placed within the pocket.

17. The parachute according to claim 15, wherein the attaching means is a fastener disposed on the harness, and wherein a self-contained self-locating personal alarm system remote unit is equipped with a compatible fastener for attaching to the harness.

18. A self-contained, self-locating alarm system remote unit for use with a parachute having means for activating the remote unit when the parachute is deployed.