Multi-hazard alarm system using selectable power-level transmission and localization

Abstract

A personal alarm system includes a monitoring base station and one or more remote sensing units in two-way radio communication. An electronic handshake between the base station and each remote unit is used to assure system reliability. The remote units transmit at selectable power levels. In the absence of an emergency, a remote unit transmits at a power-conserving low power level. Received field strength is measured to determine whether a remote unit has moved beyond a predetermined distance from the base station. If the distance is exceeded, the remote unit transmits at a higher power level. The remote unit includes sensors for common hazards including water emersion, smoke, excessive heat, excessive carbon monoxide concentration, and electrical shock. The base station periodically polls the remote units and displays the status of the environmental sensors. The system is useful in child monitoring, for use with invalids, and with employees involved in activities which expose them to environmental risk. Alternative embodiments include a panic button on the remote unit for summoning help, and an audible beacon on the remote unit which can be activated from the base station and useful for locating strayed children. In another embodiment, the remote unit includes a Global Positioning System receiver providing location information for display by the base station.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation application that claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 493,935 entitled “MULTI-HAZARD ALARM SYSTEM USING SELECTABLE POWER-LEVEL TRANSMISSION AND LOCALIZATION,” filed on Jul. 25, 2006, which is a continuation application that claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 695,560, entitled “SELF-LOCATING ALARM SYSTEM EQUIPPED PARACHUTE,” filed on Oct. 27, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 216,033, entitled “PORTABLE, SELF-LOCATING SMART DEFRIBILLATOR SYSTEM,” filed on Aug. 10, 2002, which is a continuation-in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 010,971, entitled “SELF-LOCATING ALARM SYSTEM EQUIPPED PARACHUTE,” filed on Dec. 4, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 728,167, entitled “VOICE-ACTIVATED PERSONAL ALARM”, filed on Dec. 1, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0034]It is an advantage of the present invention to periodically test system integrity by exchanging an electronic handshake and giving an alarm in the event of failure.

[0035]It is also an advantage of the present invention to prolong the remote unit battery life by transmission at low power in the absence of a defined emergency.

[0036]It is also an advantage of the present invention that the system is able to detect and give alarm for a number of common and dangerous hazards.

[0037]It is a further advantage of the present invention to permit rapid and precise location of the remote unit which is equipped with a GPS receiver.

Problems solved by technology

These hazards include the child's wandering away from a safe or supervised area, water emersion, fire, smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning and electrical shock.

The remote unit of most child monitoring systems is typically quite small and the available space for a battery is therefore quite limited.

Though the use of very low power electronic circuits has made possible the use of smaller batteries, a battery's useful life is still very much a factor of its physical size, which, as stated above, is limited because of the small size of a typical remote unit.

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