GB2319872A

GB2319872A - Child safety system

Info

Publication number: GB2319872A
Application number: GB9624994A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil Sharp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-11-30
Filing date: 1996-11-30
Publication date: 1998-06-03
Also published as: GB9624994D0

Abstract

A child safety system comprising a child's unit 1 and a guardian's unit (9, Fig 3), wherein at least one of said units comprises a proximity sensor 16 and the other of said units comprises a proximity beacon 41 and at least one of said units comprises means 21, (34) for alerting said child and/or said guardian when a predetermined distance between said units is exceeded. The child's unit also includes a motion sensor 14, and anti-tamper wire (7, Fig.1), and a belt and buckle (3,5) for securing the unit to a child. An alert is produced in the guardian's unit if a predetermined motion is sensed, or if the anti-tamper wire is broken or if the buckle is undone. Two-way communication may be provided between the two units.

Description

CHILD SAFETY SYSTEM This invention relates to a child safety system.

Children, particularly young children, require a considerable amount of attention from guardians, parents or child minders. In particular, it is generally considered necessary for wakeful children to be within sight of, and in the direct eyeline, of the parent, guardian or child minder at all times. This is, of course, often difficult to achieve, especially when an adult has more than one child. However, whenever the child or children are not in the direct eyeline of the parent, guardian or childminder there is a chance that the child will wander off, perhaps stray onto roads, be abducted, fall into a pond or swimming pool or be subjected to other potentially life threatening situations.

The present invention at least partially attempts to relieve a parent, guardian or child minder's worry in such situations.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a child safety system which comprises a child's unit and a guardian's unit wherein at least one of said units comprises a proximity sensor and the other of said units comprises a proximity beacon and at least one of said units comprises means for alerting said child and/or said guardian when a predetermined distance between said units is exceeded.

Preferably, the predetermined distance can be altered.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a child safety system which comprises child's unit and a guardian's unit wherein said child's unit comprises a motion sensor and at least one of said units comprises means for alerting said child and/or said guardian of a predetermined motion.

If desired, said predetermined motion can comprise an absence of motion for a predetermined time. This can be of particular value if, for example a child falls over and is rendered unconscious or becomes trapped in, for example a hole.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a child safety system which comprises a child's unit and a guardian's unit, wherein each unit comprises a transmitter and receiver and at least one of said units further comprises activating means whereby two way communication is made available by activating the activating means at either unit.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a child safety system which comprises a child's unit and a guardian's unit wherein said child's unit comprises an anti tamper wire, a belt, a buckle, a buckle receiving slot, and at least one of said units comprises means for alerting said child and/or said guardian if said buckle is removed from said buckle receiving slot or said anti tamper wire is broken.

Preferably, each unit is enclosed in a plastic case which is advantageously substantially shock proof and preferably substantially waterproof.

Advantageously, the alerting means comprises a speaker which is preferably controlled by a central processing unit which produces a predetermined digital signal for a predetermined circumstance.

Preferably, battery low indicators are provided for each unit.

Other modifications and/or improvements are envisaged such as the addition of a wrist band which should be worn by the child. The action of waving the wrist band in front of the child's unit would activate an alarm at the guardian's unit.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a child's unit which forms part of one embodiment of a child safety system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the components of the child's unit of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a schematic block diagram of the components of a guardians' unit which is designed to operate with the child's unit shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of parts of the child's unit of Figures 1 and 2 and the guardian's unit of Figure 3 connected together.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a child's unit which comprises a child's receiver/transmitter device 1 enclosed in box 2 attached to a belt 3. The belt 3 comprises an adjuster 4 for adjusting the length of the belt 3, and a buckle 5. A buckle receiving slot 6 is provided in the box 2.

An anti-tamper wire 7 extends along the belt 3 between the child's receiver/transmitter device 1 and the buckle 5. Transmitting and receiving antennae 8a and 8b are also arranged along belt 3 and connected to the child's receiver/transmitter device 1.

Referring now to Figure 2 there is shown a schematic block diagram of components which make up the child's receiver/transmitter device 1, which is enclosed in box 2.

A transmitter 11 is linked to the antenna 8a for transmitting processed signals from a central processing unit 12. Signals are generated by a proximity sensor 13, a motion sensor 14, an anti-tamper device 15, a reset device 16, and by verbal communications via microphone 17 which are converted into digital signals by analogue-to-digital converter 18.

The processed signals may also be relayed via a digital-to-analogue converter 20 to a speaker 21.

A receiver 22 is linked to an antenna 8b for receiving signals from the guardians1 receiver/transmitter device 9 (Fig.3). Processed signals received by receiver 22 are transferred to the central processing unit 12 and may be relayed to speaker 21 via a digital-to-analogue converter 20.

Rechargeable batteries 23 provide a self-contained power source. An outlet 24 is provided for external charging of the rechargeable batteries 23.

Referring now to Figure 3 there is shown a schematic block diagram of the components which make up the guardian's receiver/transmitter device 9 which is enclosed by box 10.

A receiver 30 is linked to an antenna 31 for receiving processed signals from the child's receiver/transmitter device 1. The processed signals received by receiver 30 are transferred to a central processing unit 32. Processed signals may be relayed via a digital-to-analogue converter 33 to a speaker 34.

Verbal communications made via microphone 37 are converted to digital signals by analogue-to-digital converter 36, and may be made available by operations of switch 35.

Proximity beacon means 41 are also provided. A transmitter 38 is linked to central processing unit 32 for transmitting processed signals to the child's receiver/transmitter device 1.

Batteries 39 provide a self contained power source.

An outlet 42 is provided for external charging of the battery 39.

Figure 4 shows the box 2 of child's receiver/transmitter device 1 engaged with box 10 of the guardian's receiver/transmitter device 9. The boxes 2, 10 can only be engaged with each other in one orientation. Retaining ridges 50 in the front face 51 of box 2 engage with retaining ridges 53 in the front face 52 of box 10. A release mechanism 54 is provided which, when activated by buttons 58 lowers ridge 57 thereby releasing box 10 from box 2.

The inner sides of front faces 51 and 52 are lined with an arrangement of switches 55 and magnets 56 making up the device (16, 40). Each switch is arranged opposite a corresponding magnet 56 so that when the front faces 51, 52 are brought into close proximity with each other, the switches close. Note that the switches 55 will not close unless there is a corresponding magnet 56, so that if another unit were brought into close proximity with a different arrangement of switches 55 and magnets 56, some or all of the switches 55 would remain open. Some of the switches 55 are closed by negative polarisation and others by positive polarisation.

In use, the arrangement as shown in Figure 1 would be strapped around the waist of a child by belt 3.

Shoulder straps may also be incorporated, but are not shown in this embodiment. The buckle 5 is inserted into buckle receiving slot 6, which retains the buckle 5.

The parent or guardian of the child then releases the guardian's unit from the child's unit by pressing button 58. A switch now opens which initialises both the guardian's unit and the child's unit.

The guardian's unit is retained by the guardian or parent.

In the event that the child wanders more than a predetermined distance from the guardian's unit, an audible warning is relayed to the parents through the speaker 34 of the guardian's unit. An audible warning would also be relayed to the child through speaker 21.

In the event that the child is motionless for a predetermined time, an audible warning is relayed to the parent through speaker 34 of the guardian's unit. An audible warning may also be relayed to the child through speaker 21.

In the event that the belt 3 is cut or if the buckle 5 is removed from buckle receiver 6 without the parent's unit attached (or in close proximity) to the child's unit an audible warning is relayed to the parent through speaker 34 of the guardian's unit. An audible warning may also be relayed through the speaker 21 of the child's unit.

In the event that communication is required between the child and parent, a switch may be depressed on either side of the parent's unit or child's unit which would provide two way communication so that, if the child was in distress, depression of switch 19 would be unnecessary for two way communication.

It will be noted that the relative positions of the switches and magnets 55 and 56 in the parent's unit and the child's unit can be made unique for each child safety system thereby reducing the ability of a kidnapper to inactivate the child's unit with a guardian's unit from a different child safety system.

Claims

1. A child safety system which comprises a child's unit (1) and a guardian's unit (9), wherein at least one of said units (1, 9) comprises a proximity sensor (16) and the other of said units (1, 9) comprises a proximity beacon (41) and at least one of said units (1, 9) comprises means (21, 34) for alerting said child and/or said guardian when a predetermined distance between said units (1, 9) is exceeded.

2. A child safety system which comprises a child's unit (1) and a guardian's unit (9), wherein said child's unit (1) comprises a motion sensor (14) and at least one of said units (1, 9) comprises means (21, 34) for alerting said child and/or said guardian of a predetermined motion.

3. A child safety system which comprises a child's unit (1) and a guardian's unit (9), wherein each unit comprises a transmitter (11, 38) and receiver (22, 30) and at least one of said units (1, 9) further comprises activating means (19, 37) whereby two way communication is made available by activating the activating means (19, 37) at either unit (1, 9).

4. A child safety system which comprises a child's unit (1) and a guardian's unit (9) wherein said child's unit (1) comprises an anti tamper wire (7), a belt (3), a buckle (5), a buckle receiving slot (6), and at least one of said units comprises means (21, 34) for alerting said child and/or said guardian if said buckle (5) is removed from said buckle receiving slot or if said anti tamper wire is broken.