WO2018187046A1

WO2018187046A1 - System for warnings and alerts

Info

Publication number: WO2018187046A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/023893
Authority: WO
Inventors: Magdelene BASNIGHT; Shelia BASNIGHT
Original assignee: Basnight Magdelene; Basnight Shelia
Priority date: 2017-04-06
Filing date: 2018-03-22
Publication date: 2018-10-11

Abstract

A system for alerting a protected party of the presence of a retrained party that includes: a first bracelet adapted for the protected party, where the first bracelet includes a mechanism to detect the presence of the retrained party and a mechanism to alert authorities and a second bracelet adapted for the restrained party, where the second bracelet transmits a constant signal to a communications network. The first bracelet and second bracelet are paired via the communications network. A navigation token is also provided to the protected party, where the navigation token includes a mechanism to detect the presence of the retrained party. The mechanism for detection may include a graphical display on the first bracelet or a graphical display on the token. The protected party may use a panic button on the first bracelet or on the navigation token to alert authorities.

Description

SYSTEM FOR WARNINGS AND ALERTS

By Magdalene Basnight and Shelia Basnight

CROSS- REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present PCT patent application claims priority benefit of the U.S. Utility patent application 15480754, filed on 06-APR-2017, entitled SYSTEM FOR WARNINGS AND ALERTS. The contents of this related Utility application are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes to the extent that such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith or limiting hereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a system to assist and warn a protected party of a restrained party's presence in proximity thereto.

Description of Related Art

Protective orders or restraining orders provide a court to enforce injunctions that help protect an individual from harassment from at least one second individual. These protective orders or restraining orders may come be temporary or permanent, but the primary object is to restrain the harassing party from a protected party. Typically, these orders are related to domestic violence within a family and assist in controlling abusive activities of an abusive person. These orders are sometimes difficult to enforce because of lack of information as to the location of an abusing individual. Many times these individuals had previous family contact with the protected party and therefore may have access to the individual's home and know the whereabouts of the protected individual. The protected individual may be stalked and then sometimes attacked without any warning. Further, the protected party may lack any means to immediately alert authorities of violation of the protective order. The abusive encounters may occur due to the inability to report violation of the protective order. Many times the abuser is violent and therefore physical harm may come to the protected party.

As a result some system of electronically monitoring abusers or restrained individuals have been developed. One such system as described in U.S. Patent No. 5266944 to Carroll. The Carroll system discloses an electronic monitoring system that monitors the abuser compliance with the protective order, where the abuser wears an ankle bracelet and central electronic monitoring is established at particular residence. One drawback to this system is that the system fails to provide portability for the protective party. Another similar tracking system is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6972684 to Copley. Copley discloses a system for monitoring the location of individuals who wear a wearable monitoring device. The wearable device supplies the location of the individual wearing the device. The location is monitored through a GPS system and computing network system tracking the location of the individual. Yet another U.S. Patent No. 7098795 to Adamczyk. This system provides a notification of the whereabouts of the restrained party through GPS and wireless network system transferring alerts to user contacts. The system is described as a subscription system and provides alerts to abuser via a telephone or via the internet.

As shown further development of monintoring systems specifically designed for providing alerts for such restrained parties and protecting protected parties could provide newer or novel techniques for accomplishing these goals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system for alerting a protected party of the presence of a retrained party that includes: a first bracelet adapted for the protected party, where the first bracelet includes a means to detect the presence of the retrained party and a means to alert authorities and a second bracelet adapted for the restrained party, where the second bracelet transmits a constant signal to a communications network. The first bracelet and second bracelet are paired via the communications network. A navigation token is also provided to the protected party, where the navigation token includes a means to detect the presence of the retrained party. The means to detect the restrained party may include a graphical display on the first bracelet or a graphical display on the token. The means to alert authorities may include a panic button on the first bracelet or on the navigation token.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 depicts a navigation token used in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 depicts a first bracelet for use by a protected party.

Figure 3 depicts a second bracelet for use on a restrained party.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this invention relates to a system for alerting a protected party of the presence of a restrained party through use of paired bracelets and one worn by each party that are subject to a restraining order. The restraining order identifies a restrained party and this party is be required to wear a bracelet at all times to transmit a constant signal to a communications network. This communication network constantly receives the signals from the restrained party's bracelet. The bracelet is required for use upon imposition of a restraining order. A second bracelet is provided for the protected party, where the second bracelet includes a graphical display in the form of a screen that detects the presence of the restrained party's bracelet. Upon detection, the protected party may depress a button in the form of a panic button on the bracelet. This alerts the authorities that a possible breach of the restraining order is about to take place. Authorities can then be alerted of the location of the protected party and therefore prevent an altercation that could occur because of the breach of the restraining order.

The present invention is depicted in the drawings in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Figure 1 depicts a token 20 that may be attached to the user's keyring that provides a graphical display 21 along with a panic button 22. This display 21 alerts upon the approach of an individual wearing a bracelet 40 as depicted in Figure 3. The bracelet 40 is for application on a restrained individual. This bracelet 40 transmits a consistent signal to a communication network alerting a central monitoring station of the restrained party's location at all times. A paired bracelet 30 is shown in Figure 2, bracelet 30 receives alerts from the communications network of the location of bracelet 40. If bracelet 40 comes within a predetermined distance to bracelet 30, the user of bracelet 30 is alerted through the alerts on the graphic display 34 and on the token 20. As such the protected party has two means of being alerted of the presence of the restrained party using bracelet 40. The panic button is available on bracelet 30, button 32 along with button 22 on the token 20. Upon depression of either button an alert is transmitted through a central monitoring system alerting authorities of the possible breach of the restraining order.

Several procedures could be implemented upon the placement of an alert. One such procedure is for the authorities to proceed to the location of the restrained party to intercept the restrained party before breach of the restraining order. Another could be transmitting communications with the protected party to confirm application of the alert through the panic button. After confirmation, the authorities may dispatch to the location of the protected party. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system for alerting a protected party of the presence of a retrained party comprising: a) a first bracelet adapted for the protected party, where the first bracelet includes a means to detect the presence of the retrained party and a means to alert authorities;

b) a second bracelet adapted for the restrained party, where the second bracelet transmits a constant signal to a communications network; and c) a navigation token, where the navigation token includes a means to detect the presence of the retrained party.

2. The system according to claim 1, where the means to detect the restrained party includes a graphical display on the first bracelet.

3. The system according to claim 1, where the means to alert authorities includes a panic button on the first bracelet.

4. The system according to claim 1, where the means to alert authorities includes a panic button on the navigation token.