SOMERS, Danielle (14 Upland Drive, Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire AL9 6PS, GB)
SOMERS, Danielle (14 Upland Drive, Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire AL9 6PS, GB)
| Distance alert apparatus comprising a portable handholdable base unit for a carer, and a remote unit for attachment to a person being cared for, the base unit including a first wireless transceiver for communication with the remote unit, an alert element, indication means for determining a direction of the remote unit, and a controller for selectively pre-setting a separation distance between the base unit and the remote unit; the remote unit having an elongate flexible belt for attachment around the waist of the said person and a belt hub provided on the belt, the belt hub including a lock for locking a disengagable end of the belt thereto so that the disengagable end covers a power switch to prevent access thereto, a first warning device, and a second wireless transceiver for communication with the base unit, the belt including a second warning device on its longitudinal extent; and activation means for activating the alert element of the base unit and the first and second warning devices of the remote unit when the separation distance is exceeded and/or when the belt is undesirably removed. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicator means includes a display for determining a direction of an alert signal outputted by the remote unit. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the indictor means is manually activatable by a user-interface on the base unit. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the manual activation activates only the indicator means, only the alert element and warning devices, and/or both dependent on an input duration by a user. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the user- interface of the indicator means is centrally provided within the display. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the alert element is incorporated in the indicator means. 7. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller includes a slide switch having three or more positions for selecting different distances. 8. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base unit includes an attachment device for releasably connecting the base unit to the carer. 9. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second warning device extends along at least a majority of a longitudinal extent of the belt. 10. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power switch is recessed into a back of the belt hub, and the disengagable end of the belt is slidable in a channel of the belt hub to cover the power switch. 11. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock of the belt hub is a combination lock. 12. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the belt comprises slash-resistant material which extends uninterruptedly along its longitudinal extent. 13. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the belt hub and belt are water-resistant. 14. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first warning device includes visual and audible alert elements. 15. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second warning device includes a plurality of visual alert elements spaced along the longitudinal extent of the belt. 16. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the alert element of the base unit includes a vibrational element. 17. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the belt hub includes a port for directly connecting the base unit. 18. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the port is a charging port for charging the base unit simultaneously with the remote unit. 19. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the remote unit includes a one-touch panic button for controlling the activation means to immediately energise the alert element and first and second warning devices. 20. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the panic button forms part of a visual alert element of the first warning device by covering light emitting elements of the visual alert element. 21. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base unit includes a pairing button and timer having a pre-set period for which the pairing button must be depressed in the vicinity of the remote unit to activate the apparatus. 22. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one further said remote unit, each remote unit having a different electronic identifier for identification with the base unit. 23. Distance alert apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the base unit includes an identifier circuit which activates the alert element and respective first and second warning devices when the electronic identifier associated with the specific said remote unit moves beyond the separation distance. 24. Distance alert apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. |
This invention relates to distance alert apparatus for a carer looking after a child or other person.
Monitoring devices for monitoring a location or position of a child have been suggested, and typically include a transmitter located in an item of clothing of the child, and a receiver for the carer to handle. The use of GPS to determine the position of a child has been used. However, this arrangement relies on a robust satellite network and the child not removing any item of clothing in which the transmitter is located.
The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.
According to the present invention, there is provided distance alert apparatus comprising a portable handholdable base unit for a carer, and a remote unit for attachment to a person being cared for, the base unit including a first wireless transceiver for communication with the remote unit, an alert element, indication means for determining a direction of the remote unit, and a controller for selectively pre-setting a separation distance between the base unit and the remote unit; the remote unit having an elongate flexible belt for attachment around the waist of the said person and a belt hub provided on the belt, the belt hub including a lock for locking a disengagable end of the belt thereto so that the disengagable end covers a power switch to prevent access thereto, a first warning device, and a second wireless transceiver for communication with the base unit, the belt including a second warning device on its longitudinal extent; and activation means for activating the alert element of the base unit and the first and second warning devices of the remote unit when the separation distance is exceeded and/or when the belt is undesirably removed.
Preferable and/or optional features are set forth in claims 2 to 23, inclusive.
The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a base unit and a remote unit of one embodiment of distance alert apparatus, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the base unit; Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the remote unit;
Figure 4 shows a substantially top plan view in part phantom of a belt hub of the remote unit;
Figure 5 shows a bottom perspective view of the belt hub; and
Figure 6 shows a rear side perspective view, in part phantom, of the belt hub and belt engaged therewith.
Referring to the drawings, there is shown one embodiment of distant alert apparatus 10 which comprises a portable and handholdable base unit 12 and a remote unit 14 which is releasably connectable to a waist of a person. The base unit 12 includes a, typically plastics moulded, base housing 16 having a grip portion 18 and a head portion 20. The housing 16 provides a cavity 22 for receiving a PCB 24 on which is mounted control circuitry, and a battery compartment 26 for receiving, preferably rechargeable, batteries 28.
Also provided on the PCB 24 within the base housing 16 is a wireless transceiver 30, charging element 32 for the batteries 28, and a controller 34 for selectively pre-setting a communication distance between the base unit 12 and the remote unit 14. In this embodiment, the controller 34 includes a slide switch 36 on a side of the base housing 16 having a plurality, in this case four, selectable distance-setting positions.
A vibratory alert device 38 is also included in the cavity 22 of the base housing 16, and this is connected to an activation circuit 40 on the PCB 24, controllable by the controller 34 based on an alert signal from the wireless transceiver 30.
The receiver part of the wireless transceiver 30 is able to receive signals of predetermined strength from the remote unit 14, thereby allowing a range to be set via the slide switch 36 and controller 34. Preferably, the range is selectable in increments of 25 metres. The transmission protocol may be radio frequency, but other wireless protocols or systems, such as Bluetooth RTM, Wi-Fi and microwave may be considered.
The base housing 16 further comprises a directional indicator 42 which includes a display 44 on the base housing 16 and a directional antenna provided as part of the receiver of the wireless transceiver 30. The directional antenna is more sensitive in certain directions than in others, and thus outputs a signal accordingly via indicator circuitry on the PCB 24 to the display 44. An example of a suitable antenna may be a Yagi antenna which has a quite pronounced directionality, whereby the source of a transmission can be determined simply by pointing it in the direction where the maximum signal level is obtained, or an algorithm can be used to determine the directionality based on typical signal strengths. However, other techniques and/or antennas can be considered.
The display 44 of the directional indicator 42 is preferably circular or elliptical and segmented. A plurality of light emitting devices on the PCB 24 below the display 44 can illuminate a segment 46 based on the determined direction of a signal received from the remote unit 14, thereby allowing a carer to track their charge.
To manually activate the directional indicator 42, a user-operable interface 45, in this embodiment being a button, is provided centrally on the display 44. Preferably, manual activation, such as by a press of long duration, only activates the directional indicator. However, a press of a shorter duration would activate not only the directional indicator, but also the alert element on the base unit as well as the warning devices on the remote unit as hereinafter described. Obviously, the above in terms of duration may be vice versa.
The alert element of the base unit 12, in addition to the vibratory alert device 38, includes a visual alerter 48. Beneficially, the visual alerter 48 is formed as part of the directional indicator 42. In this case, all or part of the display 44 may flash and/or change colour when an alert signal is received by the activation circuit 40. A further visual alerter may also be provided on another part of the base housing 16, for example, by the use of embedded LEDs.
The alert element of the base unit 12 also preferably includes an audible alerter 50, for example, by the incorporation of a sound emitting device, such as a speaker, on the PCB 24.
To energise and activate the distance alert apparatus 10, a power button 52 is provided on the base housing 16. A pairing circuit 54 on the PCB 24 is connected to the power button 52, and this includes a timer having a pre-set, typically non-adjustable, period. By depressing the power button 52 for a predetermined period as dictated by the timer, the pairing circuit 54 activates the wireless transceiver 30 to send a pairing request or handshake signal to the remote unit 14. Providing the remote unit 14 is within an initial pairing range, for example, one metre, then an acknowledgement signal is received in return from the remote unit 14 and wireless connection is established.
Turning now to the remote unit 14, this includes an elongate flexible belt 56 and a belt hub 58, in this case being securely and permanently attached at or adjacent to one end of the belt 56. The belt hub 58 includes a hub housing 60 in which is provided a battery compartment 62 and PCB 64 on which is mounted a hub controller 66. The belt hub 58 includes a recessed channel 68 in its rear surface and in the longitudinal direction of the belt 56. The channel 68 includes parallel opposing overhanging longitudinal edges 70 adapted to slidably receive a free end 72 of the belt 56 therealong as a close fit.
A lock 74 is provided on the belt hub 58 at the rear thereof and partway along the channel 68. Tines 76 of the lock 74 are controlled from within the belt hub 58 to project therefrom and to thus engage a lock plate 78 which extends over the channel 68 partway along its longitudinal extent. In this embodiment, the lock 74 is preferably a combination lock, but other kinds of lock can be considered. The lock controller 80 includes a lock user-interface 82 on a front of the belt hub 58, and advantageously this is a three button interface 84 having different colours whereby the combination is a colour order. A larger lock activation button 86 is also included next to the three button interface 84. Depressing the lock activation button 86 causes the tines 76 of the lock 74 to be extended by an actuator within the belt hub 58 and to thus engage the lock plate 78. The lock user-interface 82 is recessed into the front surface of the belt hub 58, and a hinged access cover 88 hides the lock user-interface 82 from view.
A power button 90 of the remote unit 14 is recessed into the belt hub 58 in a bottom surface of the channel 68. With the free end 72 of the belt 56 slidably received in the channel 68, the power button 90 is thus covered. With the lock 74 engaged whereby the tines 76 pass through apertures 92 in the belt 56, the belt 56 cannot be disengaged from the belt hub 58, and thus access to the power button 90 is prevented. The PCB 64 within the belt hub 58 includes a wireless transceiver 94 for receiving an activation signal from the activation circuit 40 of the base unit 12, and for outputting a monitoring signal to the base unit 12. The base unit 12 determines the remote unit's separation based on the strength of the monitoring signal. Beneficially, the monitoring signal may include a unique identifier to identify the remote unit 14. Consequently, more than one remote unit 14 can be utilised with the base unit 12. In this case, the directional indicator 42 and/or the alert element on the base unit 12 may be colour coded to differentiate between a plurality of the remote units 14. This may be accomplished by utilising differently coloured light emitting elements within the base unit 12. An identifier circuit 96 on the PCB 24 of the base unit 12 thus controls the requisite light emitting elements based on the received monitoring signal and the activation circuit 40, as necessity dictates.
The belt hub 58 includes a first warning device 98, which in this case comprises a visual alerter 100 having a plurality of high- intensity light emitting elements carried by the PCB 64 and arranged to display through a window opening 102 in a front of the belt hub 58, and an audible alerter 104 having a sound emitting device, such as a speaker also carried by the PCB 64. The hub controller 66 on the PCB 64 controls the wireless transceiver 94, first warning device 98 and lock 74.
The belt 56 is preferably formed of slash or cut resistant material, and may include embedded reinforcement 106, such as an uninterrupted braided metal strap extending from one end of the belt 56 which is permanently attached to the belt hub 58 to the disengagable end 72.
The belt 56 includes a second warning device 108, in this case being a plurality of light emitting elements, such as LEDs, provided in spaced relationship along the longitudinal extent of the belt 56. The second warning device 106 is separate of and spaced from the first warning device 98 in the belt hub 58. Advantageously, the aforementioned braided metal strap 104 may be utilised to mount and energise the light emitting elements 106. To this end, the metal braided strap or other conductor extends continuously along the whole or a major portion of the longitudinal extent of the belt 56 and electrically connects with the controller 66 in the belt hub 58. If the conductor is severed once the apparatus 10 is energised, the controller 66 outputs an alert signal activating the first warning device 98, second warning device 106 and the alert element 38, 48, 50 of the base unit 12 via the activation circuit 40 therein.
A panic button 110 is also included on the belt hub 58, mounted within the window opening 102 on at the front of the hub 58. To this end, the panic button 110 is preferably transparent or translucent to enable light transmission from the visual alerter 102. The panic button 110 controls the controller 66 to immediately output the alert signal activating the first warning device 98 on the belt hub 58, the second warning device 106 on the belt 56, and the alert element 38, 48, 50 of the base unit 12. As such, the panic button 110 forms part of the visual alerter 102, by protecting the light emitting elements of the visual alerter 102.
Since both the base unit 12 and the remote unit 14 preferably operate on battery power, these units are rechargeable to obviate the need to remove batteries. To this end, at least one of the base unit 12 and the remote unit 14 have at least one charging socket 112 for receiving a jack or plug of a mains-powered or vehicle-powered charger. By providing a connector 114, such as a USB port on the belt hub 58 and a USB plug on the base unit 12, the base unit 12 can be daisy-chained and thus simultaneously charged at the same time as the remote unit 14. This therefore prevents the need of having two separate chargers.
At least the remote unit 14 is water-resistant, enabling limited submersion and use when raining. Preferably, the base unit 12 is also water-resistant.
The base unit 12 also preferably includes an attachment device 116 for releasable attachment to the carer. This may include a clip for sliding onto a carer's belt 56 or pocket, and/or a wrist strap.
Although a slide switch is provided on the base unit for selectively setting a range of the remote unit, any other suitable range setting element can be utilised, such as an infinitely variable controller or a digital controller provided on the base unit and utilising a user-interface with a digital or electronic display. In the above-described embodiment, the slide switch has four positions, however, three positions or more than four positions can be considered. Although the directional indicator is described above as being segmented, any other suitable indicator means may be considered. For example, the indicator means may utilise strength of signal received from the remote unit, and as such the indicator may simply be a linear display indicating signal strength which would vary as the base unit is manually moved around. Consequently, as the base unit is moved into a stronger signal strength area, for example, being a straight line between the base unit and the remote unit, the display would show an increased strength, and as the signal weakens, for example, as the base unit or remote unit is moved away, then the display would show a decreased strength.
Preferably, the base unit and/or remote unit includes an average filter for stabilising a signal strength reading and for preventing or limiting false alarms.
Preferably, the remote unit also transmits battery life to the base unit. Once the battery life drops to a predetermined low level, an alarm sounds on the base unit to alert the carer to charge the remote unit or replace the batteries thereon.
It is thus possible to provide distance alert apparatus which utilises a base unit to monitor a signal from a remote unit. If the signal strength falls to below a predetermined level, alerts are activated both at the base unit and at the remote unit. If the signal should disappear, for example, by being completely out of range, then a connection between the base unit and remote unit is lost and local controllers on both units activate the alerts. It is also possible to provide a distance alert apparatus with a remote unit which includes a belt for wearing around a waist of the child or other dependent. The belt itself includes a highly noticeable warning device, and will activate if removed or severed. A base unit can also be provided which includes a directional indicator allowing a carer to track the remote unit. Beneficially, an alert element of the base unit is incorporated as part of the directional indicator. The remote unit is particularly advantageous by providing a power switch which is covered by a portion of the belt, thus preventing access once the belt is locked in place.
The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.