Voice-activated personal alarm

• US 6,518,889 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management)
• Original Assignee: Dan Schlager, William B. Baringer
• Inventors: Schlager, Dan, Baringer, William B.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/728,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/539, 340/573.1, 340/933, 340/988, 340/989, 340/993, 340/995, 340/540, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 342/457
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/0005 by means of alarm devices for persons falling into the water, e.g. by signalling, by controlling the propulsion or manoeuvring means of the boat alarms responsive to presence of persons in a body of water in general G08B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/01 Determining conditions which influence positioning, e.g. radio environment, state of motion or energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0222 Message structure or message content, e.g. message protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• 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 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/088 by monitoring a device worn by the person, e.g. a bracelet attached to the swimmer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A voice-activated personal alarm includes a satellite global positioning receiver, a specific danger sensor, a voice activation circuit, and a radio transmitter. In a specific embodiment, the satellite global positioning receiver relies upon the U.S. Global Positioning System (“GPS”). In another specific embodiment, the radio transmitter is provided by a wireless telephone using an existing wireless communications network and therefore also provides a two-way voice communication channel. In a specific embodiment of the invention, a distress phrase such as “HELP!” spoken into a microphone is recognized and activates the radio transmitter to transmit the current global location. In another embodiment, the detection of a specific danger by the danger sensor also activates the transmission of the current global location.

Claims

1. A personal alarm system remote unit, comprising:

a navigational receiver for providing a location of the remote unit;

a voice-activated detector having an output signal that becomes active when a predetermined distress phrase is detected; and

a radio transmitter connected for transmitting the remote unit location when the output signal becomes active.

2. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 1, further including:

a sensor having at least one output signal and defining a sensor status; and

the radio transmitter also connected for transmitting the sensor status.

3. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 2, further including:

a threshold detector connected for receiving the sensor at least one output signal; and

the radio transmitter also connected for transmitting the remote unit location and the sensor status when the sensor output exceeds a predetermined threshold as determined by the threshold detector.

4. A personal alarm system, comprising:

a remote unit including,

a navigational receiver for receiving navigational information,

a demodulator for demodulating the received navigational information,

timing circuits for providing precise time-of-day information,

a voice-activated detector having an output signal that becomes active when a predetermined distress phrase is detected, and

a radio transmitter for transmitting the demodulated navigational information and the precise time-of-day information when the detector output signal becomes active; and

a base station including,

a radio receiver for receiving the demodulated navigational information, and the precise time-of-day information,

computational means connected for combining the received demodulated navigational information and the precise time-of-day information to determine a location of the remote unit,

a display for displaying the location of the remote unit, and an alarm activated by receipt of a transmission from the remote unit,

whereby, the remote unit location is displayed and an alarm is activated when the predetermined distress phrase is detected.

5. The personal alarm system as set forth in claim 4, further including a microphone connected to the voice activated detector for receiving a distress phrase.

6. A personal alarm system, comprising:

a remote unit including,

a navigational receiver for receiving navigational information defining a location of the remote unit,

a voice-activated detector having an output signal that becomes active when a predetermined phrase is detected, and

a radio transmitter for transmitting the remote unit location when the output signal is active; and

a base station including,

a radio receiver for receiving the remote unit location,

a display for displaying the location of the remote unit, and

an alarm activated by receipt of a transmission from the remote unit,

whereby, the remote unit location is displayed and an alarm is activated when the predetermined distress phrase is detected.

7. The personal alarm system as set forth in claim 6, further including a microphone connected to the voice activated detector for receiving a distress phrase.

8. A personal alarm system remote unit, comprising:

a radio transmitter and radio receiver for providing a two-way radio communication link;

a navigational receiver for providing a location of the remote unit;

a voice-activated detector having an output signal activated by the detection of a predetermined distress phrase;

the radio transmitter connected for transmitting the remote unit location when the output signal is activated; and

a microphone and speaker connected with the radio transmitter and receiver for providing a two-way voice channel via the two-way radio communication link.

9. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 8, wherein the radio transmitter and receiver comprise a wireless telephone for use with a wireless telephone network.

10. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 9, further including means connected to the output signal for initiating a wireless telephone call to a predetermined dedicated public safety help telephone number.

11. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 10, wherein the predetermined number is the 911 dedicated public safety help telephone number.

12. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 9, wherein the wireless telephone is a cellular telephone for use with a cellular telephone network.

13. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 9, wherein the wireless telephone is a personal communications services telephone for operation with a personal communications services telephone network.

14. A personal alarm system remote unit, comprising:

a navigational receiver for receiving navigational information;

a demodulator for demodulating the received navigational information;

timing circuits for providing precise time-of-day information;

a voice-activated detector having an output signal activated by the detection of a predetermined distress phrase; and

a radio transmitted for transmitting the demodulated navigational information, and the precise time-of-day information when the output signal is activated.

15. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 14, further including:

a sensor having at least one output signal and defining a sensor status; and

the radio transmitter also connected for transmitting the sensor status.

16. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 15, further including:

a threshold detector connected for receiving the sensor at least one output signal; and

the radio transmitter also connected for transmitting the remote unit location and the sensor status when the sensor output exceeds a predetermined threshold as determined by the threshold detector.

17. A personal alarm system remote unit, comprising:

a radio transmitter and radio receiver for providing a two-way radio communication link;

a navigational receiver for providing navigational information;

a demodulator for demodulating the received navigational information;

timing circuits for providing precise time-of-day information;

a voice-activated detector having an output signal activated by the detection of a predetermined distress phrase;

the radio transmitter connected for transmitting the demodulated navigational information, and the precise time-of-day information, when the output signal is activated; and

a microphone and speaker connected with the radio transmitter and receiver for providing a two-way voice channel via the two-way radio communication link.

18. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 17, wherein the radio transmitter and receiver comprise a wireless telephone for use with a wireless telephone network.

19. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 18, further including means connected to the output signal for initiating a wireless telephone call to a predetermined dedicated public safety help telephone number.

20. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 19, wherein the predetermined number is the 911 dedicated public safety help telephone number.

21. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 18, wherein the wireless telephone is a cellular telephone for use with a cellular telephone network.

22. The personal alarm system remote unit as set forth in claim 18, wherein the wireless telephone is a personal communications services telephone for operation with a personal communications services telephone network.