Mobile security system

• US 7,952,476 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henry, Coulter C. Jr., Causey, Mark Edward, Jones, Kevin W., Luu, Adrianne Binh, Andrus, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US11/844,594
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.17, 340/426.1, 340/426.2, 340/506, 340/517, 340/539.22, 340/539.25, 340/539.26, 340/541, 340/545.2, 340/545.1, 340/565
• US Class Current: 340/539.17
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A mobile security system is described herein. A detector communicates with a mobile device if an event has occurred. The event may be various types of events, such as fire or motion. Once the mobile device receives the communication of the event occurrence, the mobile device may, among others, sound an alarm or communicate with a central monitoring system to notify emergency services of the occurrence. The mobile device may also communicate with another communication device, such as another cell phone or a computer, using various forms of communication. The detector may be an integral part of the mobile device, i.e. fixed part of the mobile device, or may be detachable. The detector may also be wholly separate.

Claims

1. A mobile security system comprising:

a mobile security device comprising a cellular transceiver, wherein the mobile security device is configured to communicate with a cellular network; and

a first detector detachable from the mobile security device configured to detect a first indication of an event, wherein the first detector is configured to communicate with the mobile security device, wherein the first detector is configured to send a first event signal indicative of the first indication of the event to the mobile security device if the first detector detects an event, wherein the first detector is configured to directly communicate with the mobile security device and indirectly communicate with the mobile security device.

2. The mobile security system of claim 1, wherein the mobile security device is one of a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, and a laptop computer.

3. The mobile security system of claim 1, wherein the first detector is detachable from the mobile security device.

4. The mobile security system of claim 1, wherein direct communication comprises the first detector transmitting the first event signal directly to the mobile security device, and wherein indirect communication comprises the first detector transmitting the first event signal to a cellular network, wherein the first event signal is thereafter transmitted to the mobile security device via the cellular network.

5. The mobile security system of claim 1, wherein the first detector is configured to detect at least one of sound, heat, light, infrared, or vibration.

6. The mobile security system of claim 1, wherein the first detector sends the first event signal using one of a Bluetooth, cellular, and 802.x wireless communication protocol.

7. The mobile security system of claim 1, wherein the event is one of motion and fire.

8. The mobile security system of claim 1, wherein the mobile security device further comprises a camera to record one of video and picture.

9. The mobile security system of claim 8, wherein the camera is configured to activate and begin recording when the first detector sends the first event signal to the mobile security device.

10. The mobile security system of claim 9, wherein the recording is stored on the mobile security device or transmitted to the cellular network.

11. The mobile security system of claim 1, further comprising a second detector, wherein the second detector is configured to send a second event signal to the mobile security device and the first detector if the second detector detects the event, wherein the first detector is configured to retransmit the second event signal to the mobile security device.

12. The mobile security system of claim 11, wherein the first detector is configured to detect fire and the second detector is configured to detect motion.

13. The mobile security system of claim 11, wherein the first detector and the second detector are configured to detect both motion and fire.

14. A mobile security apparatus capable of communicating with a cellular network, the mobile security apparatus comprising:

a cellular telephone comprising a detachable detector, wherein the detector is configured to detect an event, wherein the detector is further configured to generate an event signal if the detector detects an event, wherein the cellular telephone activates an alarm upon generation of the event signal, wherein the detector is configured to provide a direct communication with the mobile security apparatus and an indirect communication with the mobile security apparatus.

15. The mobile security apparatus of claim 14, wherein the detector is configured to detect at least one of sound, heat, light, infrared, or vibration.

16. The mobile security apparatus of claim 14, wherein the event is one of motion and fire.

17. The mobile security apparatus of claim 14, wherein the alarm is sound.

18. The mobile security apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a camera to record one of video and picture.

19. The mobile security apparatus of claim 18, wherein the camera is configured to activate and begin recording when the detector sends a signal to the mobile device.

20. The mobile security apparatus of claim 19, wherein the recording is stored on the mobile device or transmitted to the cellular network.

21. The mobile security apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cellular telephone is further configured to communicate the occurrence of the generated event signal to a central monitoring station.

22. The mobile security apparatus of claim 21, wherein the central monitoring station is configured to contact at least one of a fire department or a police station if the generated event signal is verified.

23. The mobile security apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cellular telephone is further configured to communicate the occurrence of the generated event signal to a second communication device.

24. The mobile security apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second communication device is one of a second cellular telephone, a computer, and a personal data assistant.

25. The mobile security apparatus of claim 23, wherein the communication of the occurrence of the generated event signal to a second communication device is one of email, text message, multimedia message, and a telephonic communication.