Networked Personal Security System

• US 20070164872A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.), The Telesis Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Inventors: Monroe, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,495,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/574
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A personal alarm system can be worn or carried by the user, may be activated at any time by the user and/or may be automatically activated to send a signal to any remote monitoring station on the network. The device identifies the user as well as the user'"'"'s location within the monitored area. The alarm-sending unit is designed to fit within a box the size of a small cell phone or pager. The unit includes an ID memory for identifying the user, is programmable and has an on-board processor for generating a signal to a wireless transmitter for sending the signal to a to a local receiver for inputting the signal onto the network. A centralized, networked RF receiver is used with the personal alarm unit and one or more of these RF receivers may be installed in order to provided adequate coverage of the monitored area. The signals generated by the personal alarm are received by the RF receiver(s) and decoded, whereupon the system processor assembles a message, packetizes it as necessary, and sends it to one or more monitoring stations via the intervening network and network interface. The signals may be digitized where desired. A beacon generator may be used to identify location of the portable unit. The system may also employ a GPS generator to identify location.

Claims

1. A personal alarm device of the type including an activation switch for generating a signal and a transmission system for transmitting the signal to a remote location, the device comprising:

a. An identification signal generator associated with the portable unit for including in the generated signal an identification component for uniquely identifying the portable unit; and

b. A location signal generator associated with the alarm device whereby the location of the uniquely identified portable unit may be identified by the location of the receiver receiving the signal from the portable unit.

2. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the location signal generator is in the portable unit.

3. The portable alarm device of claim 2, wherein the location signal generator comprises a global positioning system (GPS) signal generator.

5. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the location signal generator is in the local wireless receiver.

8. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the transmission system and receiver are an RF transmitter and RF receiver.

9. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the portable unit further includes a microphone for transmitting audio signals.

10. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the location signal generator includes a beacon signal generator located in the vicinity of the receiver for sending beacon signal to the portable unit, and wherein the portable unit is adapted for retransmitting the beacon signal with the identification signal as a component of the generated signal for defining the location of the portable unit whenever a signal is generated thereby.

11. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the transmission system and the receiver are an JR transmitter and receiver.

12. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the transmission system and the receiver are an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver.

13. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the portable unit includes a plurality of activation switches, each adapted for defining a specific type of emergency condition.

14. The portable alarm device of claim 12, further including a fire signal switch, a police signal switch and a medical emergency signal switch.

15. The portable alarm device of claim 9, wherein the beacon signal is generated whenever an activation switch is engaged.

16. The portable alarm device of claim 9, wherein the beacon signal is automatically generated on a periodic, repetitive basis.

17. The portable alarm device of claim 9, wherein the beacon signal is generated by an activation signal generated transmitted from the local wireless receiver to the portable unit.

18. The portable alarm device of claim 9, the portable unit further including a memory for storing the last received beacon signal.

19. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is housed in a wall appliance.

20. The portable alarm device of claim 1, wherein the wall appliance is an interactive network appliance.

4. The portable alarm device, further including:

a. A wireless signal transmitter associated with the device;

b. A wireless signal receiver associated with the remote location.

6. The portable alarm device of claim 4, wherein the location signal generator comprises a global positioning system (GPS) signal generator.

7. The portable alarm device of claim 4, wherein the location signal generator comprises a programmable address store for programming the location of the local wireless receiver.

21-40. -40. (canceled)