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US 4,906,972 AGranted
Communication system for hazardous areas
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorDonald W. Spencer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A safety communications system for personel employed in hazardous areas is responsive to motion sensing, as well as to worker initiated check-in signals, for registering an alarm at a central station after an absence of input for a predetermined time period. Confirmation of check-in and emergency transmission is also provided to the worker as assurance of system operation and to provide a local alarm to guide rescue efforts.
Claims21
In a safety communications system for workers employed in hazardous areas, including a central station, and at least one remote station adapted to be carried by an individual worker,
- a transmitter and receiver in said central station,
- a transmitter and receiver in said remote station,
- said remote station having alarm signal means actuable by a worker and coupled to the remote transmitter, said alarm signal means being actuable to indicate a first emergency condition to said central station, and said remote station having check-in signal means actuable by said worker and also coupled to the remote transmitter, said check-in signal means being actuable to indicate a normal condition to said central station,
- said central station having alarm means coupled to the central station receiver and responsive to said indication of a first emergency condition for providing a central alarm, and
- alarm operating means coupled to the central station receiver and responsive to worker actuation of said check-in signal means, said central station alarm means being responsive to said alarm operating means after a predetermined time period in the absence of worker check-in,
- said central station being further provided with means coupled to the central station transmitter and responsive to reception of said first emergency condition indication by said central station receiver as well as responsive to absence of worker check-in for a predetermined time period for automatically transmitting a return signal to the remote station originating said indication of said first emergency condition or from which no-check-in was received, and
- means coupled to the remote station receiver for automatically providing a local confirmation signal to said worker on receipt of said return signal from the central station transmitter.
4 more elements
In a safety communications system for workers employed in hazardous areas, including a central station, and at least one remote station adapted to be carried by an individual worker,
- a transmitter and receiver in said central station, and
- a transmitter and receiver in said remote station,
- said remote station having check-in signal means actuable by said worker and coupled to the remote transmitter, said check-in signal means being actuable to indicate a normal condition to said central station,
- said central station having alarm means coupled to the central station receiver and responsive to worker actuation of said check-in signal means for bringing about a central alarm after a predetermined time period in the absence of worker check-in,
- said central station being further provided with means coupled to the central station transmitter and responsive to worker actuation of said check-in means as received at said central station receiver for automatically initiating transmission of a return signal, and
- means coupled to the remote station receiver for automatically providing a local confirmation signal to said worker on receipt of said return signal from the central station transmitter.
3 more elements
In a safety communications system for workers employed in hazardous areas, including a central station and at least one remote station adapted to be carried by an individual worker,
- a receiver in said central station, and
- a transmitter in said remote station,
- said remote station having check-in signal means actuable by said worker and coupled to the remote transmitter, said check-in signal means being actuable to indicate a normal condition to said central station,
- said central station having alarm means coupled to the central station receiver and responsive to worker actuation of said check-in signal means for bringing about a central alarm after a predetermined time period in the absence of worker check-in,
- said remote station having motion sensor means, and
- means responsive to said motion sensor means for sending signals from said remote to said central station indicative of motion as an automatic check-in,
- wherein central station alarm means provide an alarm in the predetermined absence of motion by said motion sensor means.
4 more elements
In a safety communications system for workers employed in hazardous areas, including a central station, and at least one remote station adapted to be carried by an individual worker,
- a receiver in said central station, and
- a transmitter in said remote station,
- said remote station having alarm signal means actuable by a worker and coupled to the remote transmitter for indicating an emergency condition to said central station,
- said central station having alarm means coupled to the central station receiver and responsive to said indication of an emergency condition for providing a central alarm,
- said remote station having motion sensor means, and
- means responsive to said motion sensor means for sending signals from said remote to said central station indicative of motion as an automatic check-in,
- wherein central station alarm means provide an alarm in the predetermined absence of motion by said motion sensor means.
4 more elements
In a safety communications system for workers employed in hazardous areas, including a central station, and a plurality of remote stations to be carried by individual workers,
- a transmitter and receiver in said central station, and
- a transmitter and receiver in said remote station,
- each remote station having alarm signal means actuable by a worker and coupled to the remote transmitter for indicating a first emergency condition to said central station, check-in signal means actuable by said worker and also coupled to the remote transmitter, said check-in signal means being actuable to indicate a normal condition to said central station, and a timer means responsive to worker actuation of said check-in signal means for bringing about a warning after a predetermined first time period during which a further check-in is expected,
- said central station having alarm means coupled to the central station receiver and responsive to said indication of a first emergency condition for providing a central alarm, and second timer means coupled to the central station receiver and responsive to worker actuation of said check-in signal means for bringing about a central alarm after a predetermined second time period longer than said first time period in the absence of worker check-in,
- said central station being further provided with means coupled to the central station transmitter and responsive to reception of said first emergency condition indication by said receiver as well as responsive to absence of worker check-in for a predetermined time period for automatically transmitting a return signal to the remote station originating said indication of said first emergency condition or from which no-check-in was received, and
- means coupled to the remote station receiver for automatically notifying said worker on receipt of said return signal from the central station transmitter.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.