PERSONAL SECURITY AND TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20120157037A1
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pragmatus Mobile LLC (Pragmatus)
• Original Assignee: Pragmatus Mobile LLC (Pragmatus)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Mark, Hoffman, Judd, Hoffman, Ann, Doe, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,466,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• 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 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A signaling system is provided for rendering an alarm for an individual in distress combined with a locating and tracking system to thus alert and direct appropriate personnel to the needs of the individual in distress and to monitor the location of that individual. The system comprises a portable signaling unit, a remote alarm switch device, a central dispatch station, and makes use of a wireless communication system. The portable signaling unit and the remote alarm switch may be adapted to be worn at different locations on the person'"'"'s body. The remote alarm switch way be concealed in the form of a wristband or in the form of any other object such as a broach, pendant, or keychain.

Claims

1. A portable signaling unit comprising:

a transmitter adapted to transmit a first signal via a cellular network;

a first receiver adapted to receive a second signal via the cellular network; and

a second receiver adapted to receive a third signal other than the first signal and second signal, wherein the third signal is other than a cellular network transmission.

2. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 wherein the third signal is a radio signal.

3. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 wherein the third signal includes encoded data from a transmitting device.

4. The portable signaling unit of claim 3 further comprising a decoder adapted to decode the encoded data from the third signal.

5. The portable signaling unit of claim 4 wherein the transmitter transmits a signal in response to the encoded data.

6. The portable signaling unit of claim 3 wherein the transmitter transmits a signal in response to the encoded data.

7. The portable signaling unit of claim 6 wherein the encoded data represents the actuation of a user interface on a transmitting device.

8. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 wherein the third signal includes data and the transmitter transmits a signal in response to the data.

9. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 wherein the portable signaling unit further comprises circuitry that determines if the third signal is being received by the second receiver.

10. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 further comprising circuitry adapted to determine if a transmitting device transmitting the third signal is within a predetermined range of the portable signaling unit.

11. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 wherein the second receiver is adapted to receive a periodic signal from a transmitting device transmitting the third signal.

12. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 further comprising circuitry adapted to store a telephone number.

13. The portable signaling unit of claim 12 further comprising circuitry that dials the telephone number in response to an event.

14. The portable signaling unit of claim 13 further comprising a user interface and the event is actuation of the user interface.

15. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 further comprising circuitry adapted to dial a telephone number using the transmitter in response to data received from the third signal.

16. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit signals representing data and a user'"'"'s voice.

17. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a microcontroller;

a speaker;

a microphone; and

a display.

18. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 further comprising circuitry that stores a unit identifier.

19. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 wherein the portable signaling unit has a standby mode to conserve power.

20. The portable signaling unit of claim 19 wherein the portable signaling unit leaves the standby mode in response to a signal received by the first receiver.

21. The portable signaling unit of claim 19 wherein portable signaling unit leaves the standby mode in response to a signal received by the second receiver.

22. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 further comprising a display wherein the display is adapted to display a text message received by the portable signaling unit via the first receiver.

23. The portable signaling unit of claim 1 wherein the third signal is from a device in proximity to the portable signaling.

24. A cellular device for communicating voice and data other a cellular network, the cellular device comprising:

a transmitter and a first receiver adapted to transmit cellular signals via the cellular network; and

a second receiver adapted to receive a signal from a device in proximity to the cellular device and the signal including first data;

wherein the signal is other than the cellular signals

wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit second data in response to the receipt of the first data.

25. The cellular device of claim 24 further comprising:

a circuit adapted to store a unit identifier;

wherein the transmitter is adapted to establish a connection with the cellular network to transmit location data representing the location of the cellular device, the identifier, and the second data.

26. The cellular device of claim 24 wherein the cellular device has a standby mode to conserve power.

27. The cellular device of claim 26 wherein the portable signaling unit leaves the standby mode in response to a signal received by the first receiver.

28. The cellular device of claim 26 wherein the cellular device leaves the standby mode in response to a signal received by the second receiver.

29. The cellular device of claim 24 further comprising a display wherein the display is adapted to display a text message received by the cellular device via the first receiver.

30. The cellular device of claim 24 wherein the portable signaling unit is adapted to receive a security code to put the portable signaling unit into service.