GB2392057A

GB2392057A - Personal security alarm

Info

Publication number: GB2392057A
Application number: GB0219991A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Kielty Bell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-16
Filing date: 2002-08-29
Publication date: 2004-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2022-08-29
Also published as: GB2392057B; GB0219109D0; GB0221260D0; GB0221262D0; GB0219991D0

Abstract

A personal security alarm combines a radio frequency transmitter 1, worn or carried by the user which works in conjunction with a larger unit, also carried by the user 2. Both the RF transmitter and the unit each have buttons which if pressed activate the unit to take a time and location geographical "fix" on the alarm through the Global Positioning Satellite System and send that data by means of cell phone networks (GSM) to a defined recipient, 3 (website/webportal) and onwards to a PC (Internet link),4 or a mobile phone, 5. The alarm can also be directly or indirectly activated by a defined alarm recipient of the data, 5, so that they may request a time and location "fix" from the alarm user. Direct access is through Voice and/or text message to the alarm; indirect is through the intermediary of an Internet website, 3 and/or a Call Centre routed through the website.

Description

1 2392057

PERSONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATOR MK1

The invention relates to a personal security communicator that may be carried or worn by an individual and a. used to transmit a signal through mobile communications devices to a land line and/or mobile telephone and b. allow a land line or mobile telephone to locate the invention by dialing its security code.

This invention addresses the fear that parents are experiencing when their young children are not in their sight. Electronic tags are being used internationally to check on the location of day release prisoners and minor offenders and, in Japan and parts of the USA, both children and pet animals are tagged so that through the telephone and computer/satellite fixes their owners can keep track of them.

This invention is a two way system. By picking up their home phone or mobile, the parents will be able to dial a number and receive a relatively exact fix (street name intersection or better) on where their child ( wearing or carrying the invention) is at that moment. The child - if feeling threatened or in any way wanting to call out to their parents will be able to press a "call button"- this will set up a signal (wireless operated transmission) that will place an automatic phone call to the home and/or mobile of the parent.

Computer software together with the cell phone WAP system will

communicate with the parent telling them the present location of the child and noting the time of transmission. Knowing where the child is, the parent will then be able to decide on appropriate action - i.e. either go to that location and contact the child or contact someone near that location. As a last resort they will contact the police - the time saved and the last known location of the child will be of immense value in finding the child and the general use of such a Health and Public Safety invention can help deter any potential kidnappers.

The invention is designed to overcome any psychological resistance to wearing it on the part of the children by making it a "desirable status object" (e.g. by incorporating a working watch face together with a multi colored designer strap into the invention; or in the case of a carried object a unique design of a toy or toy animal; or by creating a removeable Velcro backed "patch" which houses the "tag transmitter" component of the invention and which may be temporarily fixed to any part of the childs clothing and removed for laundering of the clothing.) The invention will incorporate an interface device (micro-controller) that will read the location of the invention from the GPS receiver and when triggered commands the "communicator" to connect through the cell telephone system to a phone number (or numbers) programmed into the "communicator" chip.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described: 1. The tea transmitter. This is in the form of a watch that is worn on the wrist or any small object (such as a toy) that may be carried in a pocket or bag or a removable "patch". The tag transmitter has two buttons - the first to switch the invention on and to provide contact with the "communicator", the second to initiate the sending out of the emergency signal.

2. The Communicator. Incorporates an interface device (micro-controller) that will read the location of the invention from the GPS receiver and when triggered (by the pulse generating tag transmitter) command the communicator to connect through the cell telephone system to a phone number (or numbers) programmed into the "communicator" chip.

3. The telecommunications server. Agreements will be established with reputable servers to offer clients this child monitoring service. Through existing and improving technology, the servers will be able to locate a signal from the invention with increasingly accurate precision and pass this along with maximum efficiency to the number(s) their clients, the parents, provide. The information will offer not only a specific location of the signal but also an exact time of its transmission. This information will be kept on log for an agreed period of time to be available to parents and/or police.

4. The land line home and/or mobile telephone. Client parents will contract with communication servers for this additional "child protection" service. The preferred embodiment of the service will allow the parents to receive information (through WAP) on their mobile phone showing either a text location or map defining the whereabouts of their child. The intention is to help parents feel safer when their children are visiting friends, relatives, or simply playing where they cannot be directly and easily seen. It will also give the children a more secure feeling by realising that at the push of a couple of buttons their parents will be alert to their situation. On receiving a relayed emergency signal from the invention, the parent will be able to decide whether to investigate themselves, ask a person they know to be in that location to investigate for them or, as a last resort, contact the police with the time of transmission and its location.

Note: At this time - because of the prevailing Data Protection laws currently in force in the UK - the use of a GPS module is required for accurate location of the invention; however should a waiver to these laws be introduced (allowing for say, GSM location) or any other more efficient means of location of the invention become available, the intention of this patent is that the innovative property rights of this invention will still be legally retained by the applicant.

5. a Tag transmitter b. Tag receiver c. GPS receiver d. GSk1 transmitter/receiver Operation: The tag transmitter "a" when pressed once sends an RF signal which activates the communicator unit ("b", "c" and "d") Mom sleep mode.

By pressing the tag transmitter again a second RF signal is sent to the communicator.

The second signal is received by the tag receiver "b" instructing the GSM transmitter "d" to dial a pre-programmed telephone number and transmit Me location data contained in the GPS receiver "c".

Alternatively, the communicator can be brought Mom sleep mode by the GSM receiver "d" on receipt of a telephone call. The GPS receiver "c" will then relay data for its present location to the GSM transmitter "d" which will then be transmitted to the caller.

Claims

f CLAIMS

I. A Personal Security Communicator (PSC) comprising of a Tag Transmitter working in conjunction with a physically separate unit, The Communicator.
2. The PSC as claimed in Claim 1. comprising of a remote Radio Frequency

transmitter that triggers The Communicator.
3. The PSC as claimed in Claim I that comprises of The Communicator, a case enclosing electronic components that when triggered establish a time and geographical location ("fix") of the device to be made and that data to be transmitted to an external receiver.
4. The PSC as claimed in Claim I that allows the receiver of the transmitted data to re-contact the PSC either by voice, text or other means to confirm the transmitted data or to request further updating of data from the PSC.
5. The PSC as claimed in Claim I that allows The Communicator unit to function in the manner prescribed in the preceding claims but being triggered by a button on the The Communicator unit and without the need of being triggered by the Tag Transmitter.
6. The PSC as claimed in Claim 1 where the accidental or deliberate extension of the preset distance between the Tag Transmitter and the The Communicator will cause an automatic transmission of data to a receiver.
7. The PSC as claimed in Claim I where the Tag Transmitter may be fixed or worn on the users body or clothing or carried in a pocket or any other manner physically independent of The Communicator.
8. A PSC as claimed in any preceding claim which is made from metal, plastics material or chemicals or any combination of these materials.
9. A PSC substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.