US4359723A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Personal monitoring device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-05-28
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Granted: 1982-11-16
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Expires: 2000-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A device for monitoring the physical activity of persons comprises a movement detector 8 electrically coupled to drive time-delay circuits [C2, R2, TR6, R6,][C4, R4, TR4, R5][C5, R7, TR8, R8,] the outputs of which are connected to drive an alarm device 10 such that in the presence of the movements detected by detector 8 the alarm device 10 is held in its OFF condition and is switched to its ON condition in the absence of such movements after a pertaining time-delay. The time-delay circuits are respectively arranged to provide time-delays of 30 seconds, 6 seconds, 40 seconds, with the first and second time-delay circuits being connected in series and the third time-delay circuit connected in parallel with the first two so that if the first timer circuit activates the alarm the second timer circuit provides a delay prior to latching of the alarm during which the alarm can be manually cancelled while the third timer circuit provides for fail-safe operation. The movement detector 8 comprises at least one tubular housing 5, containing a freely movable ball 5C and means for establishing an electrical output signal according to movement of the ball 5C or an acousto/electrical transducer or a mechanical/electric transducer. A pulse shaping and isolating circuit C1, R1 is located at the output of the detector 8 which provides pulses of predetermined amplitude and duration to the time-delay circuits within time intervals determined by the movement detector 8.
Inventors
- 👤 Ellis B. Cohen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 01:33
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B21/00; G08B21/02; G08B21/04; G08B21/0407; G08B21/0415; G08B25/00; G08B25/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
280 words
A device for monitoring the physical activity of persons comprising a movement detector electrically coupled to drive electrical time-delay means the output of which is connected to drive an alarm device the arrangement being such that the alarm device is held in its OFF condition in the presence of movements detected by the movement detector and is switched to its ON condition in the absence of such movements after a time delay determined by said time delay means, said movement detector comprising at least one tubular housing with a cylindrical side wall closed with end caps and containing a freely movable ball and means operable according to movement of the ball within the housing to establish an electrical signal representative of the physical activity of a said person at an output terminal connected to the input of said time-delay means, wherein said time-delay means comprises first and second time-delay circuits connected in series, the input of the first time-delay circuit being connected to the output terminal of the movement detector and the outputs of each of the first and second time-delay circuits being connected to the alarm device, said first time-delay circuit incorporating a manually-operable reset device and said second time-delay circuit being non-cancellable, the arrangement being such that if the first time-delay circuit activates the alarm the second time-delay circuit provides a time interval prior to its effecting latching of the alarm during which time interval the alarm can be manually cancelled by operation of said reset device, and said first time-delay circuit further includes means for automatically disabling the movement detector during the period that the first time-delay circuit produces a signal to turn on the alarm device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
280 words
A device for monitoring the physical activity of persons comprising a movement detector electrically coupled to drive electrical time-delay means the output of which is connected to drive an alarm device the arrangement being such that the alarm device is held in its OFF condition in the presence of movements detected by the movement detector and is switched to its ON condition in the absence of such movements after a time delay determined by said time delay means, said movement detector comprising at least one tubular housing with a cylindrical side wall closed with end caps and containing a freely movable ball and means operable according to movement of the ball within the housing to establish an electrical signal representative of the physical activity of a said person at an output terminal connected to the input of said time-delay means, wherein said time-delay means comprises first and second time-delay circuits connected in series, the input of the first time-delay circuit being connected to the output terminal of the movement detector and the outputs of each of the first and second time-delay circuits being connected to the alarm device, said first time-delay circuit incorporating a manually-operable reset device and said second time-delay circuit being non-cancellable, the arrangement being such that if the first time-delay circuit activates the alarm the second time-delay circuit provides a time interval prior to its effecting latching of the alarm during which time interval the alarm can be manually cancelled by operation of said reset device, and said first time-delay circuit further includes means for automatically disabling the movement detector during the period that the first time-delay circuit produces a signal to turn on the alarm device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
106 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movement detector comprises first and second mutually-perpendicular tubular housings each tubular housing having electrically conductive side walls electrically isolated from electrically conductive end caps and containing a freely movable electrically conductive ball for intermittently shorting the electrically conductive side walls to an electrically conductive end cap, the end caps of the first housing being electrically connected to the side wall of the second housing and the end caps of the second housing being connected together to form an input terminal for connection to a power supply, the side wall of the first housing forming said output terminal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said freely-movable electrically conductive ball is made of steel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal-establishing means is an acousto-electric transducer mounted on the tubular housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal-establishing means is a mechanical-electrical transducer mounted on the tubular housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
105 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said time-delay means further comprises a third time-delay circuit having its input connected to the output of the movement detector and its output connected to the input of the alarm device, said third time-delay circuit providing a time interval greater than the aggregate interval of the first and second time-delay circuits and including a manually-operable reset device ganged to the reset device of the first time-delay circuit and further including a key-operated cancellation device, the arrangement being such that the third time-delay circuit activates the alarm device in the event of failure of the first time-delay circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein an alarm-check circuit is connected in parallel with said manually-operable reset devices.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the reset devices and the alarm-check circuit are operated in common by a push-button switch, pulse operation of the push-button switch actuating the reset devices and hold down operation of the push-button switch actuating the alarm-check circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first, second and third time-delay circuits respectively provide 30 seconds, 6 seconds and 40 seconds time intervals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, including a signal shaping and isolating circuit connected between the movement detector and the time-delay means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said signal shaping and isolating circuit provides pulses of predetermined amplitude and duration to said time-delay means within time intervals determined by said movement detector.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-11-15 | 1986-05-17 | 1986-11-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-11-15 | 1990-05-17 | 1990-11-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-11-15 | 1994-05-17 | 1994-11-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |