Networked personal security system

• US 7,495,562 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.), The Telesis Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Telesis Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Monroe, David A
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US11/617,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20070164872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/539.12, 340/693, 340/825.49, 340/825.54, 701/213, 701/214
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A personal alarm system can be worn or carried by the user, may be activated at any time by the user and/or may be automatically activated to send a signal to any remote monitoring station on the network. The device identifies the user as well as the user'"'"'s location within the monitored area. The alarm-sending unit is designed to fit within a box the size of a small cell phone or pager. The unit includes an ID memory for identifying the user, is programmable and has an on-board processor for generating a signal to a wireless transmitter for sending the signal to a to a local receiver for inputting the signal onto the network. A centralized, networked RF receiver is used with the personal alarm unit and one or more of these RF receivers may be installed in order to provided adequate coverage of the monitored area. The signals generated by the personal alarm are received by the RF receiver(s) and decoded, whereupon the system processor assembles a message, packetizes it as necessary, and sends it to one or more monitoring stations via the intervening network and network interface. The signals may be digitized where desired. A beacon generator may be used to identify location of the portable unit. The system may also employ a GPS generator to identify location.

Claims

1. A portable wireless device including an activation switch for generating a signal and a transmission system for transmitting the signal to a remote wireless receiver, the portable wireless device comprising:

An identification signal generator associated with the portable wireless device for including in the signal an identification component for uniquely identifying the portable wireless device; and

A location signal generator associated with the portable wireless device for providing location information whereby a location of the uniquely identified portable wireless device can be identified by identification of a location of a wireless receiver in proximity to the portable wireless device, the wireless receiver being configured for receiving a wireless signal from the portable wireless device;

a wireless signal transmitter associated with the portable wireless device, the wireless signal transmitter being configured to provide a wireless signal for receipt by the wireless receiver, the wireless signal conveying the location signal; and

a surveillance camera associated with at least one of the following;

the portable wireless device, the wireless receiver, a location of the portable wireless device, and a location of the wireless receiver,

the surveillance camera being adapted to provide surveillance image data to an Ethernet network for transmission to a remote recipient.

2. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the location signal generator is located in the portable wireless device.

3. The portable wireless device of claim 2, wherein the location signal generator comprises a global positioning system (GPS) signal generator.

4. The portable wireless device of claim 1, further including:

a. A wireless signal transmitter associated with the device;

b. A wireless signal receiver associated with the remote location.

5. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the location signal generator is in the local wireless receiver.

6. The portable wireless device of claim 4, wherein the location signal generator comprises a global positioning system (GPS) signal generator.

7. The portable wireless device of claim 4, wherein the location signal generator comprises a programmable address store for programming the location of the local wireless receiver.

8. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the transmission system and receiver are an RF transmitter and RF receiver.

9. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the portable wireless device further includes a microphone for transmitting audio signals.

10. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the location signal generator includes a beacon signal generator located in the vicinity of the receiver for sending beacon signal to the portable wireless device, and wherein the portable wireless device is adapted for retransmitting the beacon signal with the identification signal as a component of the generated signal for defining the location of the portable wireless device whenever a signal is generated thereby.

11. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the transmission system and the receiver are an IR transmitter and receiver.

12. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the transmission system and the receiver are an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver.

13. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the portable wireless device includes a plurality of activation switches, each adapted for defining a specific type of emergency condition.

14. The portable wireless device of claim 12, further including a fire signal switch, a police signal switch and a medical emergency signal switch.

15. The portable wireless device of claim 9, wherein the beacon signal is generated whenever an activation switch is engaged.

16. The portable wireless device of claim 9, wherein the beacon signal is automatically generated on a periodic, repetitive basis.

17. The portable wireless device of claim 9, wherein the beacon signal is generated by an activation signal generated transmitted from the local wireless receiver to the portable wireless device.

18. The portable wireless device of claim 9, the portable wireless device further including a memory for storing the last received beacon signal.

19. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is housed in a wall appliance.

20. The portable wireless device of claim 19, wherein the wall appliance is an interactive network appliance.