Security tracking system

• US 5,790,022 A
• Filed: 09/09/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George Delvecchio, Maurice E. Moore Jr
• Original Assignee: George Delvecchio, Maurice E. Moore Jr
• Inventors: Moore, Maurice E. Jr., Delvecchio, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/711,118
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/518, 340/571, 340/572, 340/573, 340/825.36, 340/825.37, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/16 using amplitude comparison of signals derived sequentially from receiving antennas or antenna systems having differently-oriented directivity characteristics or from an antenna system having periodically-varied orientation of directivity characteristic
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19608 Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A security tracking system including a transmitter adapted to transmit a signal upon the actuation of an activation means by a user. An antenna is adapted to receive the signal via free space. Also included is a receiver coupled to the antenna and adapted to generate discrete compass point data from the signal. Coupled to the receiver is a processor adapted to calculate from the discrete compass point data a location of the transmitter. A mapping mechanism, video monitoring mechanism, alarm, telecommunication mechanism, and adjustable light are governed by the processor to afford both emergency and non-emergency utility.

Claims

1. A security tracking system comprising:

transmitter means adapted to transmit a signal upon the actuation of an activation means by a user;

antenna means adapted to receive the signal via free space;

receiver means coupled to the antenna means and adapted to generate discrete compass point data from the signal;

processing means connected to a coupling means, the coupling means adapted to accept the discrete compass point data from the receiver means and further allow the transmission thereof to the processing means, the processing means adapted to calculate from the discrete compass point data a location of the transmitter means; and

said transmitter means further comprising a plurality of the activation means each adapted to selectively transmit a different signal whereby the user may select one of a plurality of different responses; and

adjustable lighting means situated on an elevation means separate from the transmitter means for illuminating the location of the transmitter means upon actuation of the activation means.

2. A security tracking system comprising:

transmitter means adapted to transmit a signal upon the actuation of an activation means by a user;

antenna means adapted to receive the signal via free space;

receiver means coupled to the antenna means and adapted to generate discrete compass point data from the signal;

processing means connected to a coupling means, the coupling means adapted to accept the discrete compass point data from the receiver means and further allow the transmission thereof to the processing means, the processing means adapted to calculate from the discrete compass point data a location of the transmitter means; and

adjustable lighting means situated on an elevation means separate from the transmitter means for illuminating the location of the transmitter means upon actuation of the activation means.

3. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the receiver means comprises:

a summer means operatively coupled to the antenna means and adapted to gauge the signal intensity and further generate a time dependent accumulation of signal intensities in the form of an analog signal, and

a direction finding processor coupled to the summer, the direction finding processor adapted to sample the analog signal thereby providing the plurality of discrete compass point data.

4. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 and further comprising alarm means for emitting an audible alarm upon the actuation of the activation means.

5. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 and further comprising telecommunication means for dialing a designated number and further providing an audio message upon the actuation of the activation means.

6. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the transmitter means comprises a wrist watch for wearing by a user.

7. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the transmitter means comprises a pager for wearing by a user, wherein the activation means comprises a pull cord and associated switch adapted to actuate upon the removal thereof.

8. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the antenna means comprises a plurality of direction finding antennas each comprising of a plurality of dipoles operatively coupled in pairs, each pair connected to an impedance matching means for converting a first impedance of each dipole to a second lower impedance and further allowing the passage of the received signal therethrough.

9. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the coupling means comprises a plurality of serial input ports each with an associated driver operatively coupled thereto for allowing connecting with the processing means, each serial input port coupled to the receiver means.

10. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 9 and further comprising a mouse driver and an associated port for allowing the utilization of a conventional mouse.

11. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the coupling means comprises a modem with an associated driver operatively coupled thereto, the modem adapted to receive the discrete compass point data via free space from a transmitter coupled to the receiver means.

12. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the processing means is adapted to obviate erratic data from a predetermined array of the compass point data thus providing an accurate array, the processing means further adapted to average a plurality of the accurate arrays thereby affording a multiplicity of plot points defining a vector path for identifying the location of the transmitter means.

13. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the processing means is adapted to discontinue receipt of the compass point data upon the calculation of the location of the transmitter means and further a mapping means is included for continuously displaying a last calculated location of the transmitter means.

14. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the transmitter means is adapted to continuously transmit the signal upon the actuation of the activation means and further the processing means is adapted to continuously receive compass point data and continuously calculate the location of the transmitter means thereby allowing the tracking of the transmitter means upon the moving thereof.

15. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 and further comprising mapping means coupled to the processing means for viewing the location of the transmitter means.

16. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein each transmitter includes a microphone for transmitting audio signals received therefrom via free space and further including audio monitoring means coupled to the processing means for listening to and recording audio signals generated in the vector path.

17. A security tracking system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the transmitter means comprises a plurality of transmitter modules each including a transmitter adapted to transmit a first radio frequency upon the actuation of a first activation means and a second radio frequency upon the actuation of a second activation means, wherein each module transmits an identification code upon the first actuation and second actuation thereof;

and wherein the processing means is further adapted to identify via the identification code which transmitter module has actuated.