Movement monitor

• US 4,598,275 A
• Filed: 05/09/1983
• Issued: 07/01/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marc Industries, Inc. (O-I Glass, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Marc Industries, Inc. (O-I Glass, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ross, Clive, Devoy, Ralph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rowland, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lau, Chi K.
• Application Number:
  US06/492,669
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/825.36, 340/539, 340/521, 340/568, 340/506, 340/572, 340/825.44, 340/825.49, 340/825.54, 340/311.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A proximity monitoring system for individually identifying an object or person, and having a central information processor, and a signal receiver, several remote detectors in various locations at a distance from the information processor, each having a first transmitter for communicating with such processor and having a second transmitter and a receiver, and several individual personalized portable identifiers, each identifier having a continuously activated receiver, a signal transmitter which is normally de-activated, a battery pack, and a switch operated by the receiver in response to a signal from a detector, to switch the battery on to activate the transmitter, for emitting a personalized coded identification signal.

Claims

1. A proximity monitoring system for detecting and individually identifying the proximity of any object or person from a group of objects or persons, and comprising:

a central information processor, and processor signal receiver means connected thereto;

a plurality of remote detector modules adapted to be placed in various locations at a distance from said central information processor, each module having a module first transmitter means for communicating with said processor signal receiver means and having a module second transmitter means operable to emit a standard, uniform "switch-on" signal for communicating with any object or person to be identified in said group, in the immediate proximity of said module, and module receiver means for receiving a signal from any object or person to be identified in the immediate proximity of said module,

a plurality of individual personalized portable identifier units adapted to be associated with each said object or person in said group, each identifier unit comprising a continuously activated identifier receiver adapted to receive said uniform "switch on" signal when in the immediate proximity of any of said remote detector modules, a coded signal identifier transmitter which is normally de-activated, a battery power means, and switch means operated by the identifier receiver in response to any said uniform "switch on" signal from any said module second transmitter means of any of said remote detector modules when said identifier unit is in the immediate proximity of said module to connect said battery power means to said identifier transmitter thereby activating same for emitting a personalized coded identification signal to said module receiver means of said module; and

,

said module receiver means being operable, in response to a said coded identification signal, to cause said module first transmitter means to transmit a coded information signal to said processor signal receiver means, and,

and said processor signal receiving means being operable, in response to said coded information signal from said module first transmitter means, to cause said central information processor to process information corresponding to said coded information signal.

2. A proximity monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the personalized portable identifier unit is contained in a wrist band which is attachable to the person.

3. A proximity monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 in which the detector modules are operable whereby said module first transmitter means emits coded condition signals at predetermined time intervals in sequence, to the processor receiver means in said central information processor, whereby to monitor the condition and operability of each detector module at predetermined time intervals.

4. A proximity monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said module first transmitter means of each detector module emits a coded identification signal identifying its own location, and in addition, retransmits said coded information received from said personalized portable unit to said processor signal receiver means, whereby said central information unit receives a composite signal identifying said detector module, and also individually identifying the object or person located by said detector module.

5. A proximity monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said personalized portable identifier unit comprises a receiver, and a decoder, said receiver being connected to said decoder which is in turn connected to said switch means, and further including battery means connected continuously to said receiver and said decoder and to said switch means, and further including a digital encoder, connected in turn to a pulse code modulator, which is in turn connected to said transmitter means, wherein said switch means is connected to said encoder and said modulator and said transmitter means, whereby the same will be activated by said battery means as soon as said switch means is switched on by said receiver and decoder.

6. A proximity monitoring system as claimed in claim 5 wherein a said remote detector module comprises a first module transmitter means having a timer, which is in turn connected to a standard test encoder, which is in turn connected to an intermittent test transmitter, which is operable to deliver a test signal to said central information processor, and further includes a battery switch encoder which is in turn connected to a detector transmitter, which is in turn connected to antenna means, for continuously emitting a "switch on" signal to the receiver of any portable identifier unit within the proximity of said detector module, and said detector module further including a receiver, which is in turn connected to an identifier unit signal demodulator, which is in turn connected to signal transmission means, and having a module I/D encoder which is in turn connected to said signal transmission means and further having interrupt encoder means which is also connected to said signal transmission means, and said receiver means in said detector module being further connected to said intermittent test transmitter within said detector module, whereby said module receiver means may receive either a signal from a portable identifier unit, or a test signal from its own intermittent test signal encoder, and will then be responsive thereto to deliver either a signal containing the module I/D, and the identity of the portable identifier unit in its proximity, or the module I/D and its intermittent test signal, through said signal transmission means to said central information processor.

7. A detector module for use in association with a proximity monitoring system for detecting and individually identifying the proximity of any object or person of a group of objects or persons, of the type wherein a central information processor contains information concerning said detector module, and said group of objects or persons, and wherein said object or person is identified by an individually personally portable identifier unit, said remote detector module comprising:

module first transmitter means operable for communicating with said central information processor;

module second transmitter means operable to emit a standard uniform "switch on" signal to communicate with all personally portable identifier units in the immediate proximity of said module, and,

module receiver means operable to receive coded information signals from said personally portable identifier unit, for retransmission by said module first transmitter means to said central information processor.

8. A remote detector module as claimed in claim 7 including modular coded information signal means operable at predetermined time intervals, said module first transmitter means being operable to transmit said coded condition signals at said predetermined time intervals to said central information processor whereby to monitor the condition and operability of said detector module at predetermined time intervals.

9. A remote detector module as claimed in claim 7 including module coded identification signal means operable to deliver a module identification signal, said module first transmitter means being operable in response to receipt of a coded information signal from a said personally portable identifier unit, to transmit to said central information processor a coded identification signal identifying the location of that module, and said coded identification signal received from said personally portable identifier unit.

10. A personally portable individual identifier unit, for use in a proximity monitoring system for detecting and individually identifying the proximity of an object or person, said system having a plurality of remote detector modules, at spaced locations, adapted to communicate with said individual identifier units, and a central information processor, storing information regarding said remote detector modules, and said individual portable identifier units, said individual portable identifier unit comprising:

a continuously activated identifier receiver adapted to receive a standard uniform "switch on" signal from any said remote detector module, when in the immediate proximity thereof;

a coded signal identifier transmitter which is normally deactivated;

battery power means;

switch means connected with said battery power means, and operated by said identifier receiver in response to a said standard uniform "switch on" signal from a said remote detector unit to switch said battery means from off to on, whereby to activate said identifier transmitter, said identifier transmitter thereupon emitting a personalized coded identification signal to said remote detector module for retransmission to said central information processor.

11. A personally portable individual identifier unit, as claimed in claim 10 wherein said unit is contained in a wrist band which is attachable to the person.

12. A personally portable individual identifier unit wherein said unit is contained in an access card.

13. a personally portable individual identifier unit, which comprises a receiver, a decoder, said receiver being connected to said decoder, said switch means being connected to said decoder, battery power means connected continuously to said receiver and said decoder and said switch means, digital encoder means connected in turn to a pulse modulator, and which is in turn connected to said transmitter means, said switch means being connected to said encoder means and said modulalator and said transmitter means, whereby the same will be activated by said battery power means, as soon as said switch means is switched from off to on by said receiver and said decoder.