Personal locator system

• US 7,460,019 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Penny S. Henderson
• Original Assignee: Penny S. Henderson
• Inventors: Henderson, Penny S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/307,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A communications system for locating, tracking, and messaging between people, which preferably includes a satellite, global positioning satellites, ground monitoring units, and a portable-transmitter-receiver unit to locate and track objects and people. A communications satellite system can transmit and receive messages concerning the location and situation of an object or person. A location system may operate by way of global positioning satellites. The portable transmitter-receiver can activate a signal to the satellite system, which can inform the ground monitoring units that a person is in need of help. Each transmitter-receiver can contain memory that allows for identification of the wearer and can provide information such as address, medical problems, emergency contacts, etc.

Claims

1. A personal locator system comprising:

a portable transmitter-receiver having;

a position calculator capable of determining a position of the portable transmitter-receiver;

a satellite voice and data communicator operatively connected to the position calculator;

a display operatively connected to the position calculator and the satellite voice and data communicator;

a memory unit operatively connected to the position calculator and the satellite voice and data communicator capable of storing encrypted personal identification information including one or more selected from the group consisting of name, address, zip code, state, age, school district, place of employment, and medical information; and

a signaling button operatively connected to the memory unit, the position calculator, and the satellite voice and data communicator capable of initiating a silent signal comprising at least a portion of the encrypted personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver; and

a ground monitoring unit having;

a satellite voice and data communicator operatively connected to the portable transmitter-receiver satellite voice and data communicator capable of receiving the silent signal and processing the encrypted personal identification information and transmitting messages to the portable satellite voice and data communicator;

a display operatively connected to the satellite voice and data communicator and capable of displaying the personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver; and

a remote portable transmitter-receiver activator operatively connected to the ground monitoring unit satellite voice and data communicator capable of remotely initiating the portable transmitter-receiver broadcasting the silent signal comprising at least a portion of the encrypted personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver in one of;

a selected single portable transmitter-receiver, and a selected plurality of portable transmitter-receivers.

2. The personal locator system according to claim 1, wherein the position calculator comprises a GPS system.

3. The personal locator system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a search and rescue unit having;

a position calculator; and

an antenna operatively connected to the search and rescue unit position calculator, the antenna receiving position information from the portable transmitter-receiver.

4. The personal locator system according to claim 3, wherein the search and rescue unit includes a satellite communicator operatively connected to the search and rescue unit position calculator.

5. The personal locator system according to claim 3, wherein the search and rescue unit comprises an animal collar.

6. The personal locator system according to claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter-receiver further comprises a wrist band.

7. The personal locator system according to claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter-receiver further comprises a wrist watch.

8. The personal locator system according to claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter-receiver is all-weatherproof and includes a fish finder capable of locating dangerous fish proximate to the portable transmitter-receiver and transmitting a warning signal to the ground monitoring unit;

and wherein the ground monitoring unit satellite voice and data communicator is capable of broadcasting fish related information to other portable transmitter-receivers proximate the portable transmitter-receiver transmitting the warning signal.

9. The personal locator system according to claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter-receiver display includes both visual and audio displays.

10. The personal locator system according to claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter-receiver includes a camera.

11. The personal locator system according to claim 1, where

the ground monitoring unit satellite voice and data communicator is capable of broadcasting information to a selected plurality of portable transmitter-receivers, the information relating to at least one of:

weather information, emergency information, and hazard information.

12. The personal locator system according to claim 11, where the portable transmitter-receiver display is capable of displaying information comprising at least one of:

status information, weather information, audio information, and video information.

13. The personal locator system according to claim 1, where the portable transmitter-receiver is capable of receiving a signal notifying that the ground monitoring unit received the silent signal and providing a visual indicator to a user.

14. The personal locator system according to claim 8, where the portable transmitter-receiver is capable of receiving fish related information when the portable transmitter-receiver is within a predetermined distance of the located fish.

15. A method of locating a person comprising:

providing a portable transmitter-receiver having;

a position calculator comprising a GPS system capable of determining a position of the portable transmitter-receiver;

a satellite voice and data communicator operatively connected to the position calculator;

a display operatively connected to the position calculator and the satelite voice and data communicator;

a memory unit operatively connected to the position calculator and the satellite voice and data communicator capable of storing encrypted personal identification information including one or more selected from the group consisting of name, address, zip code, state, age, school district, place of employment, and medical information; and

a signaling button operatively connected to the memory unit, the position calculator, and the satellite voice and data communicator capable of generating a trigger to initiate a silent signal comprising at least a portion of the encrypted personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver; and

providing a ground monitoring unit having;

a satellite voice and data communicator operatively connected to the portable transmitter-receiver satellite voice and data communicator capable of receiving the silent signal and processing the encrypted personal identification information and transmitting messages to the portable satellite voice and data communicator;

a display operatively connected to the satellite voice and data communicator and capable of displaying the personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver; and

a remote portable transmitter-receiver activator operatively connected to the ground monitoring unit satellite voice and data communicator capable of remotely generating the trigger to initiate the portable transmitter-receiver broadcasting the silent signal comprising at least a portion of the encrypted personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver in one of;

a selected single portable transmitter-receiver, and a selected plurality of portable transmitter-receivers;

locally receiving the trigger by the portable transmitter-receiver;

operating, in response to the trigger, the GPS system determining the location of the person;

transmitting the silent signal by the portable transmitter-receiver to the ground monitoring unit at a remote location via a satellite including the determined location of the person, a unique identifier, and at least a portion of the encrypted personal identification information;

receiving by the ground monitoring unit at the remote location the transmitted determined location of the person, the unique identifier, and the encrypted personal identification information;

displaying at the remote location the determined location of the person, information related to the unique identifier, and the personal identification information; and

verbally communicating with the person via the satellite.

16. The method of locating a person according to claim 15, further comprising:

at the remote location generating the trigger.

17. The method of locating a person according to claim 15, further comprising:

locally generating the trigger.

18. The method of locating a person according to claim 15, further comprising:

the person being located transmitting visual information via the satellite.

19. The method of locating a person according to claim 15, further comprising:

the person transmitting via the satellite a distress silent signal to the remote location.

20. The method of locating a person according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving at a search and rescue location a person position indicating signal from the person being located;

determining from the person position indicating signal the location of the person relative to the search and rescue location.

21. The method of locating a person according to claim 20, further comprising:

locally transmitting the person position indicating signal to the search and rescue location.

22. The method of locating a person according to claim 20, further comprising:

operating a GPS system determining the position of the search and rescue location;

transmitting to the search and rescue location the determined location of the person.

23. The method of locating a person according to claim 22, further comprising:

at the search and rescue location generating the trigger.

24. The method of locating a person according to claim 22, wherein the step of transmitting to the search and rescue location the determined location of the person comprises transmitting the determined location of the person from the remote location.

25. The method of locating a person according to claim 15, further comprising:

broadcasting information from the remote location to the person.

26. The method of locating a person according to claim 25, wherein the step of broadcasting information comprises:

transmitting the trigger from the remote location to a plurality of persons;

receiving at the remote location a plurality of transmitted determined locations of the persons;

selecting a subset of persons based on the transmitted determined locations;

broadcasting information to the selected subset of persons.

27. The method of locating a person according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

transmitting by the ground monitoring unit to the portable transmitter-receiver a signal notifying that the ground monitoring unit received the silent signal.

28. A personal locator system comprising:

a portable transmitter-receiver having;

a position calculator capable of determining a position of the portable transmitter-receiver;

a satellite voice and data communicator operatively connected to the position calculator; and

a display operatively connected to the position calculator and the satellite voice and data communicator; and

a fish finder capable of locating dangerous fish proximate to the portable transmitter-receiver and transmitting a warning signal; and

a ground monitoring unit having;

a satellite voice and data communicator operatively connected to the portable transmitter-receiver satellite voice and data communicator, the satellite voice and data communicator capable of receiving the warning signal and broadcasting fish related information to other portable transmitter-receivers proximate the portable transmitter-receiver transmitting the warning signal; and

a display operatively connected to the satellite voice and data communicator; and

a remote portable transmitter-receiver activator operatively connected to the ground monitoring unit satellite voice and data communicator capable of remotely initiating the portable transmitter-receiver position calculator, determining a position of the portable transmitter-receiver and broadcasting the position of the portable transmitter-receiver in one of;

a selected single portable transmitter-receiver, and a selected plurality of portable transmitter-receivers.

29. The personal locator system according to claim 28, where the position calculator comprises a GPS system.

30. The personal locator system according to claim 28, where the dangerous fish are sharks.

31. The personal locator system according to claim 28, where the portable transmitter-receiver display includes both visual and audio displays.

32. The personal locator system according to claim 28, where the portable transmitter-receiver includes a camera.

33. The personal locator system according to claim 28, where the ground monitoring unit satellite voice and data communicator is capable of broadcasting information to a selected plurality of portable transmitter-receivers, the information relating to at least one of:

weather information, emergency information, and hazard information.

34. The personal locator system according to claim 28, where the portable transmitter-receiver display is capable of displaying information comprising at least one of:

status information, weather information, audio information, and video information.

35. The personal locator system according to claim 28, where the portable transmitter-receiver is capable of receiving fish related information when the portable transmitter-receiver is within a predetermined distance of the located fish.