Fall alert system with magnetically operable switch

Claim 1

A human monitoring device for alerting monitoring personnel located at a remote location that a monitored person may have fallen, said device comprising: (a) an enclosure, said enclosure being manufactured from a non-ferromagnetic material and having an opening in one wall; (b) a source of magnetic field secured inside said enclosure proximate a first side of said opening in said enclosure; (c) a magnetically operable switch secured inside said enclosure proximate a second side of said opening in said enclosure, said magnetically operable switch being positioned so that it is substantially parallel to said source of magnetic field, the output of said magnetically operable switch changing from a first state to a second state in the presence of said magnetic field; (d) shunting means selectively positioned between said source of magnetic field and said magnetically operable switch, said shunting means operating to divert said source of magnetic field away from said magnetically operable switch; (e) a harness having two ends, one end of said harness being attached to said shunting means, the remaining end of said harness being secured to said monitored person in a manner whereby said shunting means is withdrawn from said opening in said enclosure if said monitored person exceeds a predetermined range of movement with respect to said monitoring device, said movement causing said magnetically operable switch to change to said second state; and, (f) alerting means for sending a signal to said remote location when said magnetically operable switch changes from said first state to said second state to alert said monitoring personnel that said monitored person may have fallen.