CA2878755A1

CA2878755A1 - Method of recording, monitoring, communicating, and preventing bullying events

Info

Publication number: CA2878755A1
Application number: CA2878755A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Jean-Francois Brunelle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-01-19
Filing date: 2015-01-19
Publication date: 2016-07-19

Abstract

The invention provides methods for recording, monitoring, communicating, and preventing bullying events. The Anti-Bullying device is a hand-held or wearable device that is activated when the situation requires. The user of the device will be able to record, monitor, and export the bullying event data.

Description

METHOD OF RECORDING, MONITORING, COMMUNICATING, AND
PREVENTING BULLYING EVENTS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a device that records, monitors, communicates, and prevents bullying events.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]
More and more cases of physical abuse are happening every day throughout the world, affecting thousands of people. In the Western world this form of bullying mostly impacts younger students, adolescents, women, and elderly individuals. Kids in daycare may be subjected to a bad fall or verbal abuse, and the event may be hidden from parents. Unfortunately no device exists today to prevent such abuse by recording, monitoring, and communicating these malevolent events. If parents today were provided with the location, date, and time of a bullying event involving their children they would be in a better position to avoid such event in the future.
Combining these results with a voice recording, images, and video the parents would be equipped with the perfect tool to prevent further bullying and prosecuting the bullies.
The concept also applies to violence against women, elderly individuals, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide ways of recording, monitoring, communicating, and preventing any form of bullying from happening.
The bullying can be of physical or verbal form.

[0004] The present invention may be constructed in the form of a handheld device, a device that attaches to the human body by any means, a wearable device imbedded within clothes, or a portable electronic device.

[0005] The present invention includes a software algorithm defined in such a way to trigger the recording and monitoring of the event. The algorithm will include but is not limited to the following parameters: user age, height, weight, gender, impact acceleration, impact force, impact momentum, and acoustic levels.

[0006] In one preferred form, the present invention's system architecture will include but is not limited to a casing, a printed circuit board, a power source, external ports, a wireless transmitter, a GPS, gyroscopes, accelerometers, acoustic sensors, force sensors, a recording device, an alarm button, and a camera. The combination of all or any of these components will be used to determine if the bullying event is worth recording and monitoring.

[0007] The present invention will be able to but is not limited to recording information such as date, time, voice, sounds, image, and video.

[0008] The present invention will be able to export or communicate the recorded audio, image, and video via any types of external ports, wireless technologies or cellular networks. Real-time transmission of an event would be made possible using cellular networks.

[0009] The device can be held in the hands, hidden on the body under clothes or can be imbedded in clothing.

[0010] The method of recording, monitoring, and communicating the bullying event may also be accomplished with the use of nanotechnology imbedded within clothing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
The present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms.
While the drawings illustrate and the specification describes certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that such disclosure is by way of example only. There is no intent to limit the principles of the present invention to the particular disclosed embodiments.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

[0011]
FIG.1 is an isometric view of the anti-bullying device incorporating the principles of the present invention, the device being composed of a casing, a printed circuit board, a power source, an external port, a wireless transmitter, a GPS, gyroscopes, accelerometers, acoustic sensors, force sensors, a recording device, an alarm button, and a camera.

[0012]
FIG.2 illustrates the different methods of attaching the device to the body, clothing, or a combination of both. The device may be attached in different locations to the body with a strap, placed inside clothing, or imbedded within the clothing itself.

[0013]
FIG.3 illustrates the different methods of communicating the results obtained via recording and monitoring.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENTS
Definitions

[0014] The term "bullying" as mentioned in the present invention bears the same meaning as intimidation, mistreatment, oppression, harassment, victimization, maltreatment, hounding, harrying, or combination thereof that is related to any form of abuse.

[0015] The term "wearable" as mentioned in the present invention designates any device that can be attached to the body, attached to clothing, imbedded within clothing, or a combination thereof.
Invention

[0016] The device 2 in FIG.1 comprises a casing 4 that is made of two mating components.
The casing can be made from aluminum, carbon fiber, plastic or any other material which would provide weight savings. The preferred device would be weighing between 10g to 200g at the most.
The preferred size would be 2.5in (length) x 1.2in (width) x 0.3in (thickness) but it is not the intent to provide limitations.

[0017] The device 2 in FIG.1 shows a printed circuit board 6 including electronics components such as a power source, a wireless transmitter, a GPS, gyroscopes, accelerometers, acoustic sensors, force sensors, a recording device, an external port 8, an alarm button 12, and a camera 10.

A combination of these components or all components may be used in different variants as part of the final product. The intent of the invention is not to limit its design by using only these components, but to show an example of how it can be accomplished.

[0018] The preferred external port 8 as shown in FIG.1 is a USB port. This is only an example since the intent is not to limit the invention to a single type of port. Many other types of port could provide satisfactory results.

[0019] The preferred wireless technology selected for this invention is Bluetooth. This is only an example since the intent is not to limit the invention to only a single wireless technology. Any other wireless technologies providing satisfactory results may be integrated within the device. The user-activated alarm button 12 will trigger an audible alarm as well as initiating communication with a pre-determined person via cellular networks.

[0020] FIG.2 illustrates different methods of attaching the device. The device may be attached to different parts of the body using a strap 26, inserted within clothing 28, or imbedded within clothing 30. The preferred but not limited to locations are the shoulders, upper torso, or the hips since these locations gather optimal results. Pockets made within clothing on the shoulder, torso, or hips area would be a good way to conceal the device. Another option would be to imbed the electronics functions within the clothing itself using nanotechnology.

[0021] The method of communicating the results is shown in FIG.3. When the device experiences an external force the gyroscope, accelerometer, acoustic sensors, and force sensors or a combination thereof will be activated and used to determine if such force is high enough to trigger the recording mechanism. If the force exceeds a pre-determined threshold the recording mechanism will record the time, date, images, sounds, voice, a video, or a combination thereof.
The force threshold will be determined based on the user age, gender, height, and weight. A study was done involving children and women of different sizes and ages in order to determine the most efficient way possible to trigger the event recording. A GPS may be used to locate the exact location where the event took place.

[0022] As shown in FIG.3, the preferred methods of communicating the recorded information is via a USB port, via wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, or via cellular networks. The USB port could be connected to a PC, MAC, or any portable electronic devices. Charging possibilities would also be provided via the USB port. Handheld devices such as cell phones, smart phones, and tablets would be able to connect to the device using Bluetooth or cellular networks.
The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention.
Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The inventor hereby states its intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
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Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-bullying device comprising:
a casing, a printed circuit board, a power source, an external port, a wireless transmitter, a recording device, an alarm button, a camera, and various sensors such as a GPS, gyroscopes, accelerometers, acoustic sensors, and force sensors.

2. An anti-bullying device as claimed in claim 1, said device that records, monitors, communicates, and prevents bullying events.

3. An anti-bullying device as claimed in claim 1, said device that records and communicates date, time, sound, voice, image, and video.

4. An anti-bullying device as claimed in claim 1, said device using a software algorithm including parameters such as user age, height, weight, gender, acoustic levels, impact acceleration, impact force, and impact momentum.

5. An anti-bullying device as claimed in claim 1, said device attaching to the human body, hidden within clothing, or imbedded within clothing.

6. An anti-bullying device as claimed in claim 1, said external port to be used for charging the device.

7. An anti-bullying device as claimed in claim 1, said device to include an audible alarm button.

8. A device as claimed in claim 2, said device communicating the bullying event using external ports, wireless technologies, and cellular networks.

9. A device as claimed in claim 2, said device communicating the bullying event information to a smart phone, a cell phone, a tablet, or a computer.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8, said smart phone, cell phone, or tablet to manage the bullying information using an application.

11. A device as claimed in claim 8, said computer to manage the bullying information using a software application.