Personnel monitoring man-down alarm and location system

• US 5,045,839 A
• Filed: 03/08/1990
• Issued: 09/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rand G. Ellis
• Original Assignee: Rand G. Ellis
• Inventors: Abrahams, Richard L., Rosenthal, James M., Ellis, Rand G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/490,334
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/531, 340/573, 340/566, 340/572, 340/686, 340/689, 340/693, 340/309.15
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0415 detecting absence of activity per se
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A personnel activity sensor and alarm system is provided which incorporates one or more remote personnel safety units each incorporating a multi-axis motion detector and reset timing and logic circuit coupled with a radio transmitter or transceiver. Under the command of the logic circuit, the radio automatically transmits an alarm signal and causes the circuitry to generate a local audio signal in the event of personnel inactivity for a predetermined period of time. This enables personnel assistance to be initiated without delay. A base station is also provided which incorporates a radio transceiver to which is coupled control logic circuitry for commanding transmission of radio integration and control signals to the radio receiver of the remote personnel units for acknowledgment of alert signal reception and for cancellation of the radio alarm signal to clear the radio channel for other activities. A computer and computer interface is also provided for computerized control of the entire system as well as for compiling data, monitoring personnel location, etc. This system is designed for use on conventional radio systems which may include relay of alarm signal through fixed or mobile repeaters and may be configured as part of a trunking radio radio system.

Claims

1. A personnel activity sensor and alarm system adapted to be worn by user personnel, comprising:

(a) a housing adapted to be attached to the user personnel and having therein motion sensor means being operative in any plane and capable of detecting motion of said housing and providing an electrical output signal reflecting any motion detected thereby;

(b) reset timer and control logic circuitry being located in said housing and being disposed to receive said electrical output signal of said motion sensor means and developing an electrical alert command signal responsive to the absence of detected motion of said housing for a predetermined period of time; and

(c) a portable radio transmitter being coupled in interactive relation with said reset timer and control logic circuitry and upon receiving said electrical alert command signal providing a radio alarm signal output indicating an emergency in response to said electrical alert command signal, whereby said radio alert signal output is transmitted only when said reset timer and control logic circuitry reaches an alarm condition.

2. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 1, including:

audio alarm means being coupled with said control logic circuitry for generation of local alert and alarm tones responsive to said electrical alert command signal.

3. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 2, wherein said audio alarm means comprises:

(a) an audio alarm generator being coupled for command with said control logic circuitry for generation of a local audio tone;

(b) an audio amplifier receiving and amplifying said local audio tone; and

(c) an audio transducer being connected in driven relation with said audio amplifier for generation of local audio tones as commanded by said control logic circuitry.

4. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 1, wherein:

said portable radio transmitter is a transceiver having transmit/receive switching coupled for transmit/receive command with said control logic circuitry.

5. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 4, including:

a code generator being coupled for command with said control logic circuitry and being coupled with said portable radio transmitter, said code generator generating an alert tone sequence for transmission by said portable radio transmitter.

6. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 4, wherein:

the receiver of said transceiver is coupled in radio signal data input relation with said control logic circuitry.

7. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 6, including:

a code decoder circuit being coupled to the output of said receiver and with a data input of said control logic circuitry, said decoder circuit decoding the signal from said receiver and inputting the decoder signal to said control logic circuitry.

8. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 1, including:

(a) a bandpass amplifier being coupled in signal receiving relation with said motion sensor means and being adapted to amplify a specific range of frequencies while rejecting other frequencies;

(b) a comparator circuit being coupled with the output of said bandpass amplifier and measuring the peak level of the bandpass amplifier output, said comparator circuit supplying reset commands responsive to predetermined peak level output of said bandpass amplifier; and

(c) a reset timer circuit being coupled with said comparator circuit and with a data input of said control logic circuitry, said reset timer circuit monitoring the time interval between reset commands.

9. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 1, including:

base station circuitry having a base radio transceiver including a base transmitter and receiver, transmit/receive switching and an antenna for receiving alarm signals from said portable radio transmitter, said base station incorporating alarm signal processing circuitry for selectively inducing said transmitter of said base station to transmit a control tone sequence to said receiver.

10. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 9, wherein said base station circuitry includes:

(a) base control logic circuitry being coupled in command relation with said base transmitter and with said transmit/receive switching and is operative to generate output signals for controlling the modes of said base station and remote units; and

(b) said base receiver receiving radio signals from said transmitter and being coupled in data input relation with said base control logic circuitry for inducing said control logic circuitry to selectively generate command signals according to said data input.

11. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 10, wherein said base station circuitry further includes:

a computer being coupled in data receiving and operation controlling relation with said base control logic circuitry, said computer having operational software for controlling operation of said personnel alert safety system.

12. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 1, including:

base station circuitry having a base radio transceiver including a base transmitter and receiver, transmit/receive switching and an antenna for receiving alarm signals from said portable radio transmitter, said base station incorporating alarm signal processing circuitry for selectively inducing said transmitter of said base station to transmit control tone sequence to said receiver.

13. A personnel activity sensor and alarm system comprising:

(a) at least one remote personnel unit comprising;

(1) motion sensor means being operative in any plane and capable of detecting motion and providing an output signal reflecting any motion detected thereby;

(2) control circuitry receiving said output signal of said motion sensor means and developing an alert command signal responsive to the absence of detected motion for a predetermined period of time; and

(3) a portable radio transceiver being coupled in interactive relation with said control circuitry and providing a radio alert signal output in response to said alert command signal; and

(b) a base station comprising;

(1) a base station transceiver for receiving radio signals from and transmitting radio signals to each of said remote personnel units, said base station transceiver incorporating transmit/receive switching circuitry for the transmitter and receiver circuits thereof;

(2) control circuitry being coupled in command relation with said base station transmitter circuit and with said transmit/receive switching circuit and being coupled in signal data input relation with said base station receiver circuit, said control circuitry inducing said base station transmitter circuit to transmit command signals to said control circuitry of said remote personnel units;

(3) a computer interface circuit being coupled with said control circuitry; and

(4) a computer being coupled with said computer interface circuitry and being disposed in controlling relation with said control circuitry.

14. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 13, including:

audio alarm means being coupled with said control logic circuitry for generation of local alert and alarm tones responsive thereto.

15. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 14, wherein said audio alarm means comprises:

(a) an alarm generator being coupled for command with said control logic circuitry for generation of a local audio tone;

(b) an audio amplifier receiving and amplifying said local audio tone; and

(c) an audio transducer being connected in driven relation with said audio amplifier for generation of audio tones as commanded by said control logic circuitry.

16. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 13, wherein:

said portable radio transmitter is a transceiver having transmit/receive switching coupled for transmit/receive command with said control logic circuitry.

17. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 16, including:

a code generator being coupled for command with said control logic circuitry and being coupled with said portable radio transmitter, said code generator generating an alert tone sequence for transmission by said portable radio transmitter.

18. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 16, wherein:

(a) the receiver of said transceiver is coupled in radio signal data input relation with said control logic circuitry; and

(b) a code decoder circuit being coupled to the output of said receiver and with a data input of said control logic circuitry, said decoder circuit decoding the signal from said receiver and inputs the decoder signal to said control logic circuitry.

19. A personnel activity sensor and alarm system adapted to be worn by user personnel, comprising:

(a) at least one remote personnel unit comprising;

(1) a housing adapted to be attached to the user personnel and having therein motion sensor means being operative in any plane and capable of detecting motion of said housing and providing an electrical output signal reflecting any motion detected thereby;

(2) reset timer and control logic circuitry being located in said housing and being disposed to receive said electrical output signal of said motion sensor means and developing an electrical alert command signal responsive to the absence of detected motion of said housing for a predetermined period of time; and

(3) a portable radio transmitter being coupled in interactive relation with said reset timer and control logic circuitry and upon receiving said electrical alert command signal providing a radio alarm signal output indicating an emergency in response to said electrical alert command signal, whereby said radio alert signal output is transmitted only when said reset timer and control logic circuitry reaches an alarm condition; and

(b) a base station comprising;

(1) a base station transceiver for receiving radio signals from and transmitting radio signals to each of said remote personnel units, said base station transceiver incorporating transmit/receive switching circuitry for the transmitter and receiver circuits thereof; and

(2) control circuitry being coupled in command relation with said base station transmitter circuit and with said transmit/receive switching circuit and being coupled in signal data input relation with said base station receiver circuit, said control circuitry inducing said base station transmitter circuit to transmit command signals to said control circuitry of said remote personnel units.

20. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 19, including:

(a) a computer interface circuit being coupled with said control circuitry; and

(b) a computer being coupled with said computer interface circuitry and being disposed in controlling relation with said control circuitry.

21. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 20, including:

audio alarm means being coupled with said control logic circuitry for generation of local alert and alarm tones responsive thereto.

22. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 20, wherein said audio alarm means comprises:

(a) an alarm generator being coupled for command with said control logic circuitry for generation of a local audio tone;

(b) an audio amplifier receiving and amplifying said local audio tone; and

(c) an audio transducer being connected in driven relation with said audio amplifier for generation of audio tones as commanded by said control logic circuitry.

23. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 20, wherein:

said portable radio transmitter is a transceiver having transmit/receive switching coupled for transmit/receive command with said control logic circuitry.

24. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 20, including:

a code generator being coupled for command with said control logic circuitry and being coupled with said portable radio transmitter, said code generator generating an alert tone sequence for transmission by said portable radio transmitter.

25. The personnel activity sensor and alarm system of claim 20, wherein:

(a) the receiver of said transceiver is coupled in radio signal data input relation with said control logic circuitry; and

(b) a code decoder circuit being coupled to the output of said receiver and with a data input of said control logic circuitry, said decoder circuit decoding the signal from said receiver and inputs the decoder signal to said control logic circuitry.