Child protection system

• US 7,164,354 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Justin Panzer
• Original Assignee: Justin Panzer
• Inventors: Panzer, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US11/042,502
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.15, 340/539.13, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/539.15
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child

Abstract

A child monitoring system is provided for facilities and areas where parents and children generally enter and exit together, but are likely to become separated while in the facility or area. Using devices on a child'"'"'s person coupled with monitoring devices on exit and entry ways, parents may be alerted in the event that a child wanders off or is the subject of an abduction attempt. Upon crossing a monitoring point, an alarm is triggered to alert parents and public safety officials of an unauthorized exit attempt. Thus with this system, a monitored child can not leave a monitored location (e.g., store, museum, etc) alone nor without the child'"'"'s parent or guardian.

Claims

1. A child protection system for use in a facility in conjunction with monitoring units that are placed on a person, the monitoring units having a radio frequency tag attached thereto, each tag including an antenna for use in detecting the presence of the monitoring unit by receiving an interrogation signal and returning a response signal, and an integrated circuit connected to the antenna for storing a tag identification and for outputting the tag identification with the response signal upon interrogation of the tag in the facility, the child protection system preventing the person from leaving the facility alone or without a designated escort and comprising:

a registration device for registering and de-registering the monitoring unit with the tag identification, user information and security codes near an entrance or exit of the facility;

a first radio frequency reader for monitoring a zone in the facility for disturbances in the form of a response signal caused by the presence of the radio frequency tag within the zone, said first radio frequency reader outputting an interrogator output signal upon detection of the radio frequency tag in the zone via the response signal, the interrogator output signal including the tag identification stored in the integrated circuit;

a local server communicatively coupled to the registration device and the first radio frequency device, said local server including a local database that stores information about the first radio frequency reader, the tag identification, the user information and the security codes, at the facility;

a system-wide server communicatively coupled to said local server, said system-wide server including a subscriber database that stores information about the facility and other such facilities that use the child protection system including user information and current registrations; and

an alarm triggered upon the detection of the radio frequency tag of a registered monitoring unit in the zone to prevent the person from leaving the facility alone or without the designated escort.

2. The child monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said registration device includes a communication device for entry of the user information and the security codes from the escort.

3. The child monitoring system of claim 2, wherein said registration device further includes a second radio frequency reader that monitors a second zone adjacent said communication device for disturbances in the form of a response signal caused by the presence of the radio frequency tag within the second zone, said second radio frequency reader outputting an interrogator output signal to said local server upon detection of the radio frequency tag in the second zone via the response signal, the interrogator output signal including the tag identification stored in the integrated circuit.

4. The child monitoring system of claim 2, wherein said communication device is a kiosk.

5. The child monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the tag identification includes tag information of an escort tag associated with the radio frequency tag.

6. A method for preventing a person carrying a monitoring unit from secretly leaving a first facility without a predetermined escort of the person, comprising:

registering the monitoring unit;

matching the registered monitoring unit to the person and to the predetermined escort, with both the person and the escort being located within the first facility and the person wearing the registered monitoring unit;

associating a security code to the registered monitoring unit;

continuously monitoring entry and exit ways of the first facility for the registered monitoring unit;

detecting the registered monitoring unit near one of the monitored entry and exit ways;

sending an alarm to prevent the person from leaving the first facility;

identifying the person and the escort matching the registered monitoring unit; and

deregistering the registered monitoring unit upon receipt of the associated security code as authorization to allow the person to leave the first facility with the escort without setting the alarm.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the steps of registering the monitoring unit and deregistering the registered monitoring unit are provided at the first facility.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising monitoring a matching monitoring unit associated with the monitoring unit carried on the person, the matching monitoring unit being carried by the escort and including the associated security code.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising registering the matching monitoring unit at the first facility.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising communicating information associated with the registered monitoring unit between the first facility and a central server, and registering the monitoring unit at a second facility based on the associated information.

11. The method of claim 6, before the step of registering the monitoring unit, further comprising initializing the monitoring unit, including opening a record for the person, entering information relating to the person and the predetermined escort, entering an identification of the monitoring unit, and entering a security code into the record.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of matching the monitoring unit includes matching the information, identification and security code entered during the step of initializing the monitoring unit to the person and the predetermined escort registering the monitoring unit.

13. A system for preventing a person carrying a monitoring unit from secretly leaving a first facility without a predetermined escort of the person, comprising:

means for registering the monitoring unit;

means for matching the registered monitoring unit to the person and to the predetermined escort, with both the person and the escort being located within the first facility and the person wearing the registered monitoring unit;

means for associating a security code to the registered monitoring unit;

means for continuously monitoring entry and exit ways of the first facility for the registered monitoring unit;

means for detecting the registered monitoring unit near one of the monitored entry and exit ways;

means for sending an alarm to prevent the person from leaving the first facility;

means for identifying the person and the escort matching the registered monitoring unit; and

means for deregistering the registered monitoring unit upon receipt of the associated security code as authorization to allow the person to leave the first facility with the escort without setting the alarm.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for registering the monitoring unit and deregistering the registered monitoring unit are provided at the first facility.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for monitoring a matching monitoring unit associated with the monitoring unit carried on the person, the matching monitoring unit being carried by the escort and including the associated security code.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for registering the matching monitoring unit at the first facility.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for communicating information associated with the registered monitoring unit between the first facility and a central server, and means for registering the monitoring unit at a second facility based on the associated information.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for initializing the monitoring unit, including means for opening a record for the person, means for entering information relating to the person and the predetermined escort, means for entering an identification of the monitoring unit, and means for entering a security code into the record.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for matching the entered information, identification and security code to the person and the predetermined escort registering the monitoring unit.