EP1793352A2 - Mobile alarm device and surveillance system - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (7) has an interface (11), which is designed for a wireless communication with an identification marker (1). An interface (14) is designed for a wireless communication with a communication server (8). An alarm generator (13) is provided for transmission of an alarm over the latter interface. The alarm generator verifies a communication signal of the former interface and a signal between the identification marker and the mobile alarm device, if the distance between the mobile alarm device and the identification marker exceeds a preset distance. An independent claim is also included for a monitoring system with a mobile alarm device.

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to a mobile alarm device and a monitoring system with at least one mobile alarm device.

Mobile alarm devices are used, for example, in areas with high potential risks for employees, ie in the security monitoring of buildings and prisons, in psychiatry or in chemical and petrochemical plants, power plants, shipyards, industrial complexes, etc. The mobile alarm devices usually have an alarm button or the like, the manual operation of which triggers the transmission of an alarm signal to a security center. Examples of such mobile alarm devices are the personal emergency signal devices LBB 6065, 6066, 6031, 6033 or 6035 from Bosch Security Systems. The devices mentioned optionally include a so-called tear-off alarm. The tear-off alarm is an automatic alarm call and is generated as soon as a plug, which is connected, for example, to a keeper for the mobile alarm device, is pulled out of a socket of the mobile alarm device. If e.g. a detainee in a correctional facility tries to seize the mobile alarm device of a warden, is pulled out of the socket by the holding strap of the plug and automatically generates an alarm.

From the document WO 03/007257 A1 , which for formal reasons is probably the closest prior art, a portable alarm system is known. In one of the embodiments it is provided that a purse has a first portable device with a first communication module and a mobile phone has a second portable device with a second Communication module includes. In the event that the distance between the first communication module and the second communication module exceeds a threshold distance, an SMS or similar message is sent via the public mobile network to a receiver. For example, this message is transmitted to a bank to lock a credit card.

Disclosure of the invention

The inventive mobile alarm device with the features of claim 1 is formed in contrast to the known from the prior art alarm system for operation in a local monitoring system. While the known alarm system relies on public mobile telephone networks, the inventive mobile alarm device uses a local, so locally limited, private radio network. Preferably, the radio network is limited to a building or a building complex. Especially in the technical field of safety-related applications, e.g. In personal security applications, it seems unacceptable to transmit alarms over a public mobile telephone network whose availability is difficult to control. For example, short-term maintenance or network congestion of the public mobile telephone network could lead to a loss of the alarm signal.

According to the invention, the mobile alarm device has a first interface, which is designed for wireless communication with an identification mark. The wireless communication is preferably via electromagnetic waves, in particular radio transmission, or optical transmission, e.g. Infrared, or via ultrasound, or is designed as a capacitive or inductive distance measurement. For this purpose, the identification mark on a third interface for communication with the mobile alarm device.

This design makes it possible to replace the tethering tear-off alarm known from the prior art by a tape-free tearing alarm or a virtual tearing-off tape. On the one hand, there is an advantage over the cited prior art in that the real retaining strap can inadvertently get caught in a disruptive contour, such as a chair, a door knob or the like, and so far an alarm has often been triggered inadvertently. This source of potential False alarms are eliminated by the concept of the virtual tether. Another advantage is the fact that the virtual tether is invisible, since the required identification mark can be hidden, for example in a trouser pocket, worn.

When storing the mobile alarm devices according to the invention in a charging station, the order is increased because no longer hang a plurality of straps confused. Ultimately, the use of virtual tethers has the advantage that they can not be misused as a strangulation weapon, resulting in passive safety, e.g. increased in prisons.

The mobile alarm device has a second interface adapted for wireless communication with a communication server, the communication server comprising a fourth interface for wireless communication with the mobile alarm device. For example, the communication server is realized as a personal computer with a plug-in card designed as a fourth interface.

An alarm generator in the mobile alarm device is programmatically and / or circuitry designed to evaluate the communication signals of the first interface, so the communication signals between mobile alarm device and identification mark, and to check whether the distance between the mobile alarm device and the identification mark has exceeded a defined distance , The alarm generator is configured so that an alarm signal is sent via the second interface to the communication server, as soon as the evaluation and verification shows that the distance has exceeded a defined limit. The defined limit value can be set, for example, manually at the mobile alarm device, permanently programmed and / or transmitted from the communication server to the mobile alarm device. For example, an audible or silent alarm is triggered in response to the alarm signal. Preferably, for example, a short acoustic pre-alarm and / or vibration alarm is triggered at the alarm device, so that the user has the opportunity to report a false alarm. During the pre-alarm, the user alternatively or additionally has the possibility to reduce the distance between the mobile alarm device and the identification mark below the defined limit again and to prevent an alarm. In the event that the distance is not reduced accordingly, the alarm is triggered. For example, then as an initial step, an acoustic Monitoring via the alarm device are initiated to assess the current situation based on the acoustic information.

The communication of the mobile alarm device with the communication server according to the invention is carried out within a local monitoring system, ie a monitoring system, which is set up exclusively or almost exclusively for the communication with a plurality of mobile alarm devices.

Preferred and / or advantageous embodiments of the invention are given by the features of the description and the subclaims.

In a preferred embodiment, the defined distance is less than 3 m, preferably less than 1.5 m. This radius allows the user to carry the mobile alarm device on the body and in the hand, for example, to make settings on the alarm device without an alarm is triggered.

Preferably, the communication of the mobile alarm device with the communication server takes place in a local radio network of the local monitoring system. Preferably, the radio network operates in the UHF or VHF range, preferably at frequencies reserved for "talkback" in pager or land-to-talk radio, or reserved for industrial, scientific and medical applications, e.g. 13.56 MHz, 27 MHz, 433 MHz, 868 MHz, 2.4 GHz. In particular, frequencies in the frequency range of 420 to 470 MHz or 146 to 174 MHz.

The first interface is preferably designed for bidirectional communication, in particular as a transceiver, ie as a transmitter and receiver combination. Preferably, the identification mark is equipped with a transceiver as a third interface. This embodiment allows the distance or presence monitoring of the identification mark by the mobile alarm device to be realized by a sequence of a request of the alarm device and an answer of the identification mark. In alternative embodiments, a time-synchronized message protocol is used between the identification tag and the mobile alarm device, this embodiment enabling power-saving operation.

A simplified embodiment provides that the identification mark only a transmitter (transmit-only), ie a transmitter, and the first interface as a receiver (receive-only), ie as a receiver, is formed, for monitoring the identification mark regularly, for Example every few seconds, sends out an identity signal, which is monitored by the alarm device.

According to the invention, a monitoring system with at least one of the previously described alarm device and at least one identification tag and / or a communication server is proposed. The identification mark with the third interface is exemplified as a key ring or pendant. On the one hand, the identification mark in this embodiment is conveniently stored in a pocket, for example in a trouser pocket. Second, the identification tag may be mechanically coupled to a keychain or item of protection so that an alarm is also sounded when the mobile alerting device remains on the carrier, but the keychain or item to be protected is spaced greater than the defined distance from the mobile alerting device occupies.

The communication server is equipped with a fourth interface, preferably designed as a personal computer, and is circuit-technically and / or program-technically designed for communication with the mobile alarm device. The communication between the second and fourth interfaces comprises a data communication for the transmission of the alarm. Preferably, the communication is bidirectional, so that signals from the communication server to the mobile alarm device can be transmitted. Optionally, it is provided that the communication also includes a transmission of voice information or text messages.

The loading and / or storage station is designed for receiving the mobile alarm device and / or the identification mark and serves in particular for charging the integrated accumulators. By a regulated storage of the identification marks in the charging station is avoided that the user take the identification mark home and forget or lose there.

In a preferred development of the monitoring system, an identification mark is assigned to exactly one mobile alarm device, so that the Alarm device evaluates and / or monitors only the communication signals with this associated identification mark. Such an assignment is implemented in particular by the assignment of addresses or identities (ID) to the identification mark and alarm device, wherein preferably both are assigned the same address.

Preferably, the charging station are formed together with the mobile alarm device and / or the identification mark programmatically and / or circuitry, so that when placed in the charging station, the alarm device and / or the identification mark is switched to an idle state. The idle state is triggered in particular by a rest command, which is transmitted from the charging station to the alarm device and / or the identification mark. In the idle state of the alarm device preferably no requests are sent to the identification mark and / or receive no replies from the identification mark. The idle state of the identification mark is preferably characterized in that a power-saving mode is turned on, from which the identification mark automatically wakes up after longer intervals at periodic intervals to receive wake-up commands from the alarm device and / or the charging station, or from the identification mark by pressing one the identification mark arranged wake-up button is awakened. Such a wake-up button can also be associated with other functions and e.g. be designed as an alarm button for a hidden alarm or as a programming button.

In a preferred development of the monitoring system, it is provided that the mobile alarm device is designed to recognize a plurality of identification marks and to transmit information about recognized identification marks to the communication server, preferably in real time, or to store them for later transmission. In particular, the alarm device is designed for selective recognition, that is to say for distinguishing, the identification marks. This training opens up a large number of possible applications: Identification marks can be arranged stationarily in a building to be monitored, which emit continuously or intermittently transmission signals with their identity. For example, in a hospital, identification tags may be placed behind each door or in each patient room. As soon as an alarm device comes close to a sending identification mark, ie within the defined distance, the identity of the identification mark becomes transmitted via the alarm device to the communication server. The communication server determines the current position of the alarm device based on the identity of the identification mark and the sending alarm device via stored records in a database. In this way, for example, the guard of a guard or the entry of a nurse can be monitored in a hospital room. In response to the detected position of the alarm device, for example, the nurse call of a patient can be automatically deactivated. Alternatively, the device can be used if there is a cost accounting for each care act on a patient or a person in need of care, with the device automatically recording the care expenses to be billed. On the other hand, an emergency call can be automatically issued by the communication server if alarm messages are missing in the wake, or if the nurse has not arrived in the patient's room after a defined time after the nurse call is triggered.

Alternatively or additionally, the identification mark is designed to communicate with a plurality of alarm devices and / or other functional modules. This design allows, for example, that the identification mark communicates with a door opener, so that a door is automatically actuated when the identification mark transmitted to the door opener own identity and the identity for opening and / or closing the door, for example, authorized by the communication server , Another option is a "door guard" to monitor if in need of assistance, e.g. People with dementia who are equipped with an identification tag, leave the home environment through a secure door. The same facility could also be used to monitor an open sentence. In both cases, as soon as an identification tag holder attempts to traverse a secure entry or exit, an alarm could be automatically triggered.

In a preferred embodiment, the identification tag comprises a transmitter and / or transceiver as a third interface and preferably a control device. The control device is designed in particular as a microcontroller and comprises a preferably non-volatile memory in which the address and / or identity (ID) of the identification mark is stored. The programming of the identity is preferably done by transmitting the identity of the mobile Alarm device and / or from the communication server and / or from the charging station and / or is initiated by pressing the programming button on the identification mark.

The programming of the identity can have a permanent or a temporally limited validity, so that, for example, "day passes" can be generated, ie identification marks whose identity is valid for one day. Alternatively or additionally, "replacement passports" can also be generated, for example temporary passports for employees who have forgotten their own identification mark. In continuation of this idea can be provided that the daily or replacement passports are temporarily registered in the mobile alarm devices, wherein after a defined period, the registration expires, or the identity of the identification marks are automatically deleted when stored in the charging station. It is preferably provided that the mobile alarm devices automatically change from the temporary registration of a daily or replacement passport to the registration of the original identification mark. To distinguish between the temporarily registerable identities and / or identification marks certain addresses or address ranges can be reserved.

Preferably, the third interface of the identification mark is designed as a transmitter or transceiver and preferably operates in a frequency range of about 40 kHz, for example in the range of 30 to 60 kHz or in a license-free RFID and / or ISM frequency band in the range of 13, 56 MHz or Range around 100 kHz .. In particular, an inductive transmission, preferably using a ferrite antenna is used. This design has the advantage that the energy consumption of the identification mark can be kept low. In one possible development, the identification mark is formed as a passive unit which receives the energy for the transmission of signals and / or the energy for modulation of the emitted by the alarm device transmission field by induction from the transmission field of the alarm device.

In an advantageous development, the alarm device has a slave control device and a master control device, wherein the slave control device is coupled to the first interface in terms of programming and / or circuitry. This training allows a special power-saving operation by the evaluation of the communication signals of the first interface and the distance detection is formed autonomously in the slave control device. The master control device is first informed and / or awakened from a particular energy-saving idle state as soon as the slave control device has registered that the distance between the mobile alarm device and the identification mark has exceeded a defined distance.

Fig. 1

ein Blockdiagramm eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels einer Identifikationsmarke;

Fig. 2

ein Blockdiagramm eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer Überwachungsanlage mit mobiler Alarmvorrichtung und Identifikationsmarke.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the figures. Showing:

Fig. 1

a block diagram of a first embodiment of an identification mark;

Fig. 2

a block diagram of an embodiment of a monitoring system with mobile alarm device and identification mark.

Corresponding parts are provided in the drawings with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic block diagram, a first exemplary embodiment of an identification mark 1 for use in a surveillance installation, e.g. for prisons, psychiatric institutions, security guards, isolated workers, public / private service workers or public transport operators, social workers, bailiffs, debt collection agencies, teachers, nurses, etc.

The identification mark 1 comprises a transmitting and receiving chip (transceiver) 2, which is connected via an interface 3 to a microcontroller (not shown). The interface 3 comprises a control line μC interface and a bidirectional data line DATA. Furthermore, the transmitting and receiving chip 2 is connected to a power source 4, which is designed as a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. To implement the communication with an alarm device, the transmitting and receiving chip 2 is connected to a receiving antenna 5 and to a transmitting antenna 6, which are designed, for example, as a coil wound around a ferrite rod. Optionally, the identification mark 1 comprises a button (not shown) serving as an alarm button for Triggering of an alarm and / or is designed as a programming button for initializing a programming of the microcontroller.

• Frequenz: 37 kHz und 45 kHz
• Reichweite: 1 - 3 m
• Versorgungsspannung: 2,0 - 3, 2 V
• Stromverbrauch: 200 µA (Empfang), 95 µA (Stand-By), 2-100 mA (Senden)

The identification mark 1 is designed for an inductive transmission, in particular in a range of 30 to 60 kHz. One possible selection for the transmitting and receiving chip 2 is the transceiver IC XE1209 from Xemics with the following data:

• Frequency: 37 kHz and 45 kHz
• Range: 1 - 3 m
• Supply voltage: 2.0 - 3, 2 V
• Power consumption: 200 μA (receive), 95 μA (stand-by), 2-100 mA (send)

Alternatively, the sending and receiving chip 2 may be preceded by a further receiving chip, which has a very low energy consumption (eg Austriamicrosystems AS 3931 with a power consumption of less than 10 μA), which activates the transmitting and receiving chip 2 otherwise in the energy-saving quiescent mode as soon as possible eg a request is made from the alarm device.

A further alternative for the transmitting and receiving chip 2 is the use of components that use the IEEE 802.15.4 / Zigbee standard and operate in the range of 868 MHz or 2.4 GHz or the NFC (Near Field Communications) standard in the range of 13, 56 MHz use.

As alternative, but less preferred solutions for the transponders, transmitters or receivers of the identification mark and / or the alarm device are: Bluetooth, WiFi, WLAN, HiperLAN / 2, WPAN, HomeRF, RFID, LibertyLink (Aura), nanoID / Nanonet. In addition, it is possible to build from standard components communication modules for the alarm device and / or the identification mark, for example in the frequency range 868 MHz, 433 MHz, 27 MHz or 13, 56 MHz.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a surveillance system comprising an identification tag 1, a mobile alarm device 7, a communication server 8 and a loading and / or storage station 9.

The identification mark 1 could be formed analogously to the identification mark 1 in FIG. 1, but is somewhat modified in FIG. 2. The identification mark 1 comprises a transceiver 2 with a combined transmitting and receiving antenna 5/6, wherein the transceiver 2 is connected via an interface 3 to a microcontroller 10. Both transceiver 2 and microcontroller 10 are powered by a battery 4.

The mobile alarm device 7 is configured as a two-way pager wireless communication device for communication over the wireless interface 14 with the communication server 8 and includes a main microcontroller (not shown) for control. As a functional group for realizing the monitoring of the identification mark 1, the mobile alarm device 7 has a transceiver 11 which is designed as a first interface for communication with the identification mark 1, in particular with the transceiver 2. The transceiver 11 is designed analogously to the transceiver 2. The transceiver 11 is connected via an interface 12 to a microcontroller 13. The microcontroller 13 is designed as a slave relative to the main microcontroller (master), not shown, of the alarm device 7.

The loading and / or storage station 9 comprises receptacles for a multiplicity of identification marks 1 and alarm devices 7.

In operation, the mobile alarm device 7 sends via the transceiver 11 and 2 a request to the identification mark 1, which answers this request by a response. Either request or response includes information about the identity ID of the identification tag 1, so that it is ensured that only one of the identification device 1 associated with the alarm device 7 can send a valid response. By evaluating the response in the microprocessor 13, the distance between identification mark 1 and alarm device 7 is determined and checked whether the determined distance has exceeded a limit for a maximum distance. Alternatively, the presence or absence of the identification mark 1 is detected, whereby the absence is equated with the exceeding of a limit value for a maximum distance, namely the transmission or reception radius. If the limit for the distance is exceeded, a message in the form of an interrupt request to the main microcontroller of the alarm device 7 is sent to the Send message to the user and possibly passes on the second interface 14 to the communication server 8 for information processing further processing.

The communication between identification mark 1 and alarm device 7 is preferably carried out by inductive transmission, between alarm device 7 and communication server preferably at frequencies reserved for "back-talk" in passenger radio or land radio and / or in the ISM band, ie in areas which are suitable for industrial, scientific or medical applications are reserved. The communications can be encrypted. Preferably, a malfunction warning device is provided which, in environments with interference signals that interfere with communication between alarm device 7 and communication server 8 or identification tag 1, issues a warning to the user and / or the communication server 8 and / or prompt the user, alarm device 7 and identification tag 1 close together.

To save power, it is advantageous that all transmissions are as short as possible, so that the transceivers 11 and 2 are activated only for a short time and are otherwise in a power-saving idle state. Short transmissions can be achieved for example by high baud rates and a short code protocol. Alternatively, it is also possible to begin the transmissions initially with low transmission power and switch to higher transmission powers in the absence of a response. Also, an automatic sleep mode at certain times, such as at night, is conceivable. Preferably, a possibility is provided that the identification mark transmits a message about a low battery level to the alarm device 7 and / or the communication server 8 and / or that the alarm device 7 transmits a low battery level to the communication server 8. Alternatively or additionally, an optical and / or acoustic battery indicator is provided on the identification mark 1 or the alarm device 7.

When storing the identification mark 1 and / or the alarm device 7 in the charging station 9, the voltage-supplying accumulators are charged. About the detection of the charging voltage, an idle state is activated, in which the transceivers 11 or 2 are turned off. The removal of the identification mark 1 and / or the alarm device 7 is also detected via the charging voltage and the transceivers 2 or 11 are activated again. In particular, in the case that identification mark 1 and / or alarm device 7 have a non-rechargeable battery for power supply, a sleep state can be activated by transmitting a "sleep" command. In idle state, only a few times per minute, for example, every 30 seconds, the transceivers 11 or 2 are switched to transmit or receive. In this temporary active state, it is checked whether there is a wake-up command. If no wake-up command is detected, the transceivers 11 or 2 are deactivated again. The wake-up command is broadcast over a period of time that extends in time over at least two phases of the active state, for example, over 30 seconds, so as to ensure that the wake-up command is "not overslept". Preferably, the alarm device 7, a rechargeable and the identification mark 1, a non-rechargeable power supply. In this case, the resting state is activated or deactivated in the alarm device 7 via the detection of the charging voltage. When deactivating or activating the idle state of the alarm device 7, a sleep or wake-up command is automatically transmitted from the alarm device 7 to the identification mark 7 in order to also put them into the state of rest or to wake them.

In addition, it can be provided that the identification mark 1 and / or the alarm device 7 has an interface to a mobile telephone network or a telephone, for example with Bluetooth or NFC interface, so that as soon as the reception area of the communication server 8 is left, passed alarm signals over the public telephone network can be.

Claims (10)

Mobile alarm device (7)
with a first interface (11) designed for wireless communication with an identification tag (1),
a second interface (14) adapted for wireless communication with a communication server (8), the communication of the mobile alarm device (7) with the communication server (8) being performed within a local monitoring system,
and with an alarm generator (13) which is designed to emit an alarm via the second interface (14) as soon as it is detected via the evaluation of the communication signals of the first interface (11) that the distance between the mobile alarm device (7) and the Identification mark (1) has exceeded a defined distance. Mobile alarm device (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that the defined distance is less than 1.5 m. Mobile alarm device (7) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the communication takes place in a local radio network of the local monitoring system. Mobile alarm device (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first interface (11) is designed for bidirectional communication. Monitoring system characterized by at least one mobile alarm device (7) according to one of the preceding claims combined with at least one identification tag (1) and / or at least one communication server (8) and / or at least one charging station (9). Monitoring system according to claim 5, characterized in that the at least one identification mark (1) of the at least one alarm device (7) is assigned individually and / or unmistakably. Monitoring system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the charging station (9) together with the mobile alarm device (7) and / or the identification mark (1) are program-technically and / or circuit-wise designed, so that when placed in the charging station (9) the alarm device (7) and / or the identification mark (1) is / are switched to an idle state. Monitoring system according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the mobile alarm device (7) is designed to detect a plurality of identification marks (1) and to store information about recognized identification marks (1) in its own memory and / or to the communication server (8) and / or that the identification mark (1) is designed to communicate with a plurality of alarm devices (7) and / or other functional modules. Monitoring system according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the identification mark (1) has a transmitter or transceiver (2) as a third interface, which is designed for an inductive transmission. Monitoring system and / or mobile alarm device in each case according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the alarm device (7) with the first interface (11) programmatically and / or circuit-coupled slave control device (13) and a master control device.

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