AU2003242478A1 - Personnel Alarm - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO:

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RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR: ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: KENNETH WALTER GOLDSWORTHY, GRAEME FRANCES DREW, MERVIN JAMES DREW DAVID CHRISTIAN HOFGESANG KENNETH WALTER GOLDSWORTHY LORD COMPANY, Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA.

PERSONNEL ALARM SYSTEM DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: AUSTRALIAN PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NUMBER 2002951068 FILED AUGUST 29, 2002 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

TITLE

"PERSONNEL ALARM SYSTEM" The present invention relates to a personnel alarm system.

A significant hazard for people on vessels at sea is the risk of falling or being washed over the side of the vessel. In many cases, if the fact that a person has fallen from the vessel into the sea is noticed quickly, the possibility of that person being lost at sea is relatively small. However, in some circumstances, for example on fishing vessels with a number of employees working on different parts of the ship, it is possible that a crew member could fall overboard without being immediately noticed. In a relatively short space of time, the vessel may have moved a sufficient distance from the overboard crew member, that the location of the crew member may be difficult to determine. Further, in rough sees or conditions of low visibility, the time before a crew member who has fallen overboard is at risk of being lost at sea could be very short.

The present invention relates to an alarm system for detecting the presence or absence of personnel within a pre-defined area. While the invention has been described with reference to sea vessels, it will be appreciated that it could have applications in other areas where it is necessary to track personnel movements.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided personnel alarm system comprising one or more stationary receiving means mounted relative to an area to be monitored and a portable transmitting means secured to each member of personnel of the area to be monitored, wherein each portable transmitting means transmits a notifying signal that can be detected by one or more of the stationary receiving means to indicate the presence of the member in the area and the or each stationary receiving means is connected to a central control unit having an alarm means, the alarm means being activated by the central control unit when said notifying signal is not received by one of the stationary receiving means within a predetermined time interval.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a personnel alarm system in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the Figure, there is shown a personnel alarm system 10, comprising one or more stationary receiving means mounted in an area to be monitored such as a vessel 16 and a portable transmitting means secured to each crew member to be monitored. The portable transmitting means are arranged to transmit a notifying signal to the stationary receiving means to indicate the presence of the portable transmitting means in the area. In the embodiment shown, the stationary receiving means comprise a plurality of fixed transceivers 12, mounted at various locations around the vessel 16. The portable transmitting means comprise portable transceivers 14, to be secured to each of the crew of the vessel 16. The personnel alarm system also includes a central control unit 18. The central control unit 18 is arranged to communicate with the fixed transceivers 12 by a suitable transceiving means. The cental control unit 18 includes a means of storing information regarding each of the portable transceivers 14 and fixed transceivers 12 on the vessel. The cental control unit 18 may be in the form of a computer with suitable software and a transceiving means to communicate with the fixed transceivers 12.

The portable transceivers 14 are arranged to be worn by the crew members and include a suitable power supply to power the transceiver operation, such as a battery.

The fixed transceivers 12 are arranged at locations around the vessel 16 such that any portable transceiver 14 on the vessel can communicate with at least one of the fixed transceivers 12. The location of the fixed transceivers 12 is therefore to be determined by the range over which the fixed transceiver 12 can communicate with a portable transceiver 14 and the physical layout of the vessel 16.

Each of the fixed transceivers 12 are arranged to transmit a periodic initialisation signal. Any portable transceiver 14 within range of the fixed transceiver 12 will receive the initialisation signal from the fixed transceiver 12 and transmit a return signal to the fixed transceiver 12. Each of the portable transceivers includes a processing means, such as a microprocessor, and has a unique identification code which is transmitted with the return signal so that the fixed transceiver 12 can identify which portable transceiver 14 is responding to the initialisation signal. The portable transceivers 14 are also able to operate in two modes of operation. While the portable transceiver 14 is receiving regular initialisation signals from a fixed transceiver 12, the portable transceiver 14 operates in a first or normal mode of operation. In the first mode of operation the period and output power of the return signal of the portable transceiver 14 is arranged to minimize power consumption and hence prolong the life of battery. If the portable transceiver 14 determines that it has not received an initialisation signal from a fixed transceiver 12 for a predetermined period of time, the portable transceiver 14 operates in a second or alarm operating mode, in which the portable transceiver 14 continuously transmits alarm signal until an initialisation signal is received. Also, in the second mode of operation, an enhanced signal with higher output levels is used to provide maximum opportunity of detection by a fixed transceiver 12.

Further, the portable transceivers 14 are arranged to transmit information relating to the status of the battery to the fixed transceivers 12 to allow detection of low battery conditions so that the batteries may be replaced. The initialisation signals transmitted by the fixed transceivers 12 are preferably transmitted alternately by the fixed transceivers 12 to avoid interference.

After each fixed transceiver 12 receives return signals from any portable transceivers 14 within range, the fixed transceiver 12 transmits this information to the central control unit 18. Each of the fixed transceivers 12 also has a unique identification code so that the central control unit 18 can identify which fixed transceiver 12 the central control unit 18 is receiving information from. The central control unit 18 can thereby determine whether each of the portable transceivers 14 on the vessel 16 is working correctly.

If the central control unit 18 determines that none of the fixed transceivers 12 have reported the presence of a particular known portable transceiver 14, then the central control unit 18 activates an alarm means (not shown), such as a horn, to indicate an alarm condition which would occur, for example, if a crew member fell overboard.

The central control unit 18 may also include a display means, such as a computer monitor which could display which portable transceiver 14 has been identified as not detected. The absence of any signal from a known fixed transceiver will also trigger an alarm condition, however a different alarm means may be used in this case.

The central control unit 18 may also be connected to other equipment to perform additional actions on determination of an alarm condition. The central control unit 18 may be able to shutdown the engines of the vessel 16 to prevent the vessel 16 moving further away from the position at which a crew member may have been lost overboard. Also, the central control unit 18 may log the coordinates of the vessel 16 at the time the alarm condition occurred by interfacing with a suitable GPS system.

Further, the central control unit 18 may also be able to activate an EPERB.

The central control unit 18 may also be arranged such that a region around a particular fixed transceiver 12 is defined as an excluded area. The central control unit 18 is then arranged to activate an alarm condition if a particular portable transceiver 14 is detected by said particular fixed transceiver 12. This may be used to control movement of the crew members around the vessel 16. For example, if certain unauthorised personnel are detected by a fixed transceiver 12 adjacent the engine room, an alarm condition may be generated.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention

Claims (11)

1. A personnel alarm system comprising one or more stationary receiving means mounted relative to an area to be monitored and a portable transmitting means secured to each member of personnel of the area to be monitored, wherein each portable transmitting means transmits a notifying signal that can be detected by one or more of the stationary receiving means to indicate the presence of the member in the area and the or each stationary receiving means is connected to a central control unit having an alarm means, the alarm means being activated by the central control unit when said notifying signal is not received by one of the stationary receiving means within a predetermined time interval.

2. A personnel alarm system in accordance with claim a, wherein each portable transmitting means comprises a portable transceiver and the or each stationary receiving means comprises a fixed transceiver, the or each fixed transceiver being arranged to transmit an initialisation signal at predetermined intervals which is received by the portable transceivers and the portable transceivers being arranged to transmit said notifying signal in the form of a return signal generated on receiving the initialisation signal.

3. A personnel alarm system in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the portable transceivers operates in one of two modes such that in the first mode the portable transceiver determines that it is receiving the initialisation signals at said predetermined intervals from the fixed transceivers and transmits return signals, and in the second mode, the portable transceiver determines that it is not receiving the initialisation signals at said predetermined intervals and the portable transceiver transmits a continuous alarm signal until the initialisation signals are received.

4. A personnel alarm system in accordance with claim 3, wherein each of the portable transceivers are powered by a battery and return signals are transmitted at a lower output power relative to the continuous alarm signal to conserve battery power.

A personnel alarm system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the portable transceivers are arranged to transmit information regarding the remaining battery power of the battery to the central control unit and the central control unit is arranged to notify users of the system when said battery needs to be replaced.

6. A personnel alarm system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein each portable transmitting means has a unique identification code which is transmitted with the notifying signal such that the central control unit can determine which members are present in the area.

7. A personnel alarm system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the central control unit includes a monitor which is arranged to display details of any member of personnel determined to be not within the area.

8. A personnel alarm system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the personnel alarm system is located on a vessel and the central control unit is arranged to shutdown the engines of the vessel on determining that one of the members of personnel are not within the area.

9. A personnel alarm system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the personnel alarm system is located on a vessel and the central control unit is arranged to log the location of the vessel on determining that one of the members of personnel are not within the area.

A personnel alarm system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the personnel alarm system is located on a vessel and the central control unit is arranged to activate an EPERB on determining that one of the members of personnel are not within the area.

11. A personnel alarm system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein regions around one or more particular stationary receivers are defined as excluded areas in relation to one or more particular members of personnel, the central control unit being arranged to activate the alarm if the notifying signal of the portable transmitters of said particular members of personnel are received by said particular stationary receivers. DATED THIS 2 8 TH DAY OF AUGUST 2003. KENNETH WALTER GOLDSWORTHY, GRAEME FRANCIS DREW, MERVIN JAMES DREW DAVID CHRISTIAN HOFGESANG By their Patent Attorneys LORD COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.