GB2448196A

GB2448196A - Alerting a community to security problems via SMS

Info

Publication number: GB2448196A
Application number: GB0709230A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Parween Gogna; Manohar Sangh
Original assignee: SERBAL GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: SERBAL GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 2007-05-14
Filing date: 2007-05-14
Publication date: 2008-10-08
Also published as: GB0709230D0

Abstract

The present invention allows registered users within a community, e.g. a neighbourhood, to warn each other of security problems, e.g. criminal activity. When an originating user 15 wishes to alert their community 70 of a security problem, they send a message, e.g. an SMS 17, to a central control system 50. The originating user 15 may use a panic button 80, 90 located within their home. The central control system 50 will recognise who the originator is and where they are, as well as what community 70 should be alerted. The central control system 50 will then send an SMS 13, 18, 19 to all of the relevant members 10, 20, 16 of that community 70.

Description

Community Security Alert System, Apparatus and Method

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to system, apparatus and method for alerting a registered group, such as a community, about a security situation, specifically, but not exclusively using a panic button, mobile phone and SMS (Short Message Service) text messages.

Background of the Invention

Crime rates and more importantly, violent crime rates have been rising since 2004 (according to recent United Kingdom Home Office Crime Statistics). More and more homes are broken into each year.

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes exist in some areas but are limited to what they can achieve where anecdotal evidence has shown they are complex to :. implement and time consuming to manage. * . ***.

There are also known panic button systems, such as those that come with a domestic alarm system, or that are used in sheltered housing which are fixed ** via a direct point to point link to a central office or central unit. These systems : ** alert the central unit only to an emergency in the home. * *

Brief Summary of the Invention

The present invention therefore seeks to provide a system, apparatus and method for alerting a registered group, such as a community, about a security situation, which overcomes, or at least reduces some of the above-mentioned

problems of the prior art.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides apparatus for alerting a registered group, such as a community, about a security situation, the apparatus comprising an activation means which can be activated by a person, a processor coupled to the activation means, wherein the processor is able to detect when the activation means has been activated by the person, memory, coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores at least one identifier and an output interface coupled to the processor, which is configured so that the processor can communicate the at least one identifier to a central control system; wherein the central control system, based on the identifier, can send an alert to at least one entity.

Preferably, the at least one entity may be registered in the same geographic area as the location of the activation means, or wherein the at least one entity may be nominated by the registered user of the activation means.

Also preferably, the apparatus further comprises a base station and the output interface may be coupled to the base station via a wireless link. Also the wireless link may be an IEEE 802.15 link. The base station may further comprise wireless router technology and may be coupled to the telecommunications network via a wireless link, wherein the wireless link may bean IEEE8O2.11 link. *... * S ****

Preferably either the base station or the output may be coupled to a telecommunications network. Also the telecommunications network may be the * Internet, PSTN or a mobile telephony network.

Also preferably, the activation means may be a push button, a switch, touch or light sensitive device.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a system for alerting a registered community about a security situation, the system further comprising an originating alert means which may be activated by a user and a central control system, wherein upon activation of the originating alert means by the user, the originating alert means sends a message to the central control system and then the central control system, based on the location of the originating alert means, sends an alert to at least one entity.

Preferably, the originating alert means may be an apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention.

Also preferably, the location of the originating alert means may be registered at the central control system by a registered user.

Also preferably, the location of the originating alert means may be known by using GPS.

Also preferably, the at least one entity may be registered in the same geographic area as the location of the originating alert means, or the at least one entity may be nominated by the registered user of the originating alert means.

1 Also preferably, the originating alert means may be a mobile phone and the message sent by the originating alert means to the central control systems may be an SMS text message. I..

Preferably, the at least one entity may be any one of the group of mobile 20 phone, telephone, email account, or display device and in the case where the at least one entity may be a mobile phone, the central control system may send : the outgoing alert using an SMS text message. *...

Further preferably the central control system may be implemented on a server machine with either a Windows or Unix operating system.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides a method for alerting a registered community about a security situation, the method comprising sending an originating alert using an originating alert means to a central control system, receiving the originating alert by the central control system and sending an alert by central control system to at least one entity.

Preferably the originating alert means may be an apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention.

Further preferably the location of the originating alert means may be registered at the central control system by a registered user.

Also preferably, the originating alert means may be a mobile phone and the message sent by the originating alert means to the central control systems may be an SMS text message.

Preferably, the at least one entity may be any one of the group of mobile phone, telephone, email account, or display device and in the case where the :..::: at least one entity may be a mobile phone, the central control system may send the outgoing alert using an SMS text message. * ** * * * *** I

According to a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method for registering a user onto a community security alert system, the method further comprising providing a user with a login name and password, obtaining the registration details of the registered user, providing the user with a validation code, providing means for the user to use the validation code to validate their registration details and registering the user once the user has correctly inputted the validation code via the validation means.

Preferably the registration details may be any of name, address, postcode, credit card details, email address, mobile phone number.

Also preferably a confirmation of the login name and password may be sent to the user via email and the validation code may be sent to the user via the postal service.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One embodiment of the invention will now be more fully described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a community security system, according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the operation of a central control system forming part of the community security system of Figure 1 when there is a security situation; Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of a panic button device used with a community security system, according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and I. :.:::. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the internal architecture of the panic button device of Figure 3. * ** * * . *** * *.* *

Detailed Description of the Drawings

The present invention aims to unite neighbourhoods in a fight against intended crime and works by alerting communities through SMS (Short Message Service) text messaging of suspicious circumstances in and around where they live.

The community security system of the present invention uses a non laborious, non onerous system, device and method, which aim to alleviate this problem and offers a solution to a growing crime problem.

The present invention will aid in bringing together neighbourhoods and communities in a way that will be safe and create a strong deterrent to would-be criminals.

The last thing a criminal wants, is to know that they could be being watched by the house opposite to the one they are about to burgle and that police could already be on the way.

The benefits of the present invention are to give comfort to people that their communities and neighbourhoods are looking out for them. It also provides the comfort that in a real emergency, if it takes the Police too long to respond to an emergency, that neighbours, or other member of the local community, may intervene in that time to scare away would-be perpetrators.

In a brief overview of one embodiment of the present invention, there is shown in Figure 1 a community security system 60, which comprises a web server 40 and a central control system 50. It should be clear to someone skilled in the art that, in practice, the web server 40 and the central control system 50 could in fact be implemented on the same hardware, such a computer with a Windows or Unix operating system.

The web server 40 and the central control system 50 are coupled to a telecommunications network 30, such as the Internet, via two-way links 41 and 51 respectively. The web server 40 stores and operates a website (not shown) : of the present embodiment. S...

Also connected to the telecommunications network 30 via two way links 11, 21 are user residences 10, 20 (depicted as "house 1" and "house 2"). The user residences 10, 20 could be any type of domestic residencies, i.e. houses, flats, apartment blocks etc When a user wants to register, or subscribe to the community security system 60, the system 60 operates as follows: Al. A user located at a user residence 20 logs onto the website provided by the web server 40.

A2. The website (on web server 40) gives details of the community security system 60 and advises the user how to register and operate the community security system 60.

A3. The user registers their details, such as: Name, Address, Postcode, Email Address, Mobile Numbers, Land Line Numbers and Credit Card details (for payment and billing) and preferred password for future access to the community security system 60.

A4. Once the user has completed the registration process (as detailed in step 3 above), all user details are sent to and stored on the central control system 50.

A5. The central contro' system 50 then configures a customer profile, or record and then sends, by return, via the telecommunications network 30, email confirmation of the user's registration, including confirmation of the chosen login name and password, as well as instructions as to what steps the user is required to take next (see steps A6 and A7 below). The instructions will also advise the user that they will soon receive a verification code by post to the :. registered address. The email confirmation will also give easy to understand instructions on how to use the services of the community security system 60 (detailed further with reference to Figure 2) in an emergency or security situation.

A6. Once the verification code is received by the user in the post, they must then re enter the website, using the login and password they will already have and enter the verification code which will set them "live" on the community security system 60.

A7. The central control system 50 may also offer to send a pre-defined contact number to each of the registered user's (or subscriber's) mobile phones, which can be instantly saved in the phone's address book to aid in rapid "alert" message production. The registered user (or subscriber) can then quickly send an "alert!" message back into the central control system 50 when needed in the future (see Figure 2 below for more details).

If a user wishes to register, or subscribe to the community security system 60 and the user does not have a computer in their home which is connected to a telecommunications network 30 such as the Internet, then it should be clear to someone skilled in the art that they can subscribe via a such a computer at their place of work, the library or an Internet café. A user is required to have a mobile phone which is capable of sending and receiving SMS text messages to be able to use the community security system 60 of the present embodiment on a day to day basis.

It is envisaged that the central control system 50 could also send messages to a registered user using an email address or to a display device, such as a television or visual display unit (VDU). * *

The reason for sending the validation number by post, as opposed to email, is for security purposes and will greatly reduce the risk of people registering onto the community security system 60 for addresses that they do not live at. * S.. *

No resident registering on the community security system 60 will have access to any of the personal details of the other residents within their communities. All they will be advised of is the households (for example) street names and house numbers that form part of their post code community and where permitted by associates registered user, which of those are already members of the community security system 60.

In the event that a resident within a postcode community has seen something disturbing or someone acting suspiciously and wants to alert/warn their neighbours, all they have to do is send SMS Text alert which will do that for them. This process is described in more detail with reference to Figure 2 following.

In Figure 2 there is shown a schematic diagram of the operation of the central control system of Figure 1 when there is a security situation. Numbering wiil be used where appropriate as in Figure 1. There is shown the central control system 50, user residences 10, 15 and 20. There is also shown a mobile user 16 who is walking in the street, or is at the shops (for example) and has their mobile phone 17 in their pocket or handbag.

The operation of the central control system 50 in a security situation is described in the following steps: BI. A person (not shown) who is located at user residence 15 has encountered a situation that they feel they need to alert their neighbours to (that is other users of the community security system 60 who are located in the same geographic or postcode area).

B2. The person at user residence 15 sends an originating SMS Text "Alert!" 17 using their mobile phone to the central control system 50 using a designated alert number (given to them during the registration process detailed with reference to Figure 1 above). * ** * S S S** *

B3. The central control system 50 recognises the address that the mobile phone is registered at, so also knows what geographic or postcode community the person is part of. *.*. * *

B4. The central control system 50 then sends an SMS "alert!" 18, 19, 13 to each of the other users that are part of the originating persons geographic or postcode community. The SMS "alert!" could read as follows: "trouble at or near no 15 -be alert", for example.

B5. The originator of the alert (in this case the person at user residence 15) will also receive a SMS message saying that their SMS message has been received and an alert has been sent to their postcode community.

The user will have been given instructions as to how to use the service provided by the community security system 60, once they are registered and validated (see Figure 1 above). The main requirement is that they send an SMS Text message to the designated alert number in the event of criminal/suspicious activity within their immediate vicinity.

The community alert system 60 then receiving the SMS Text will recognise where the alert has been generated from and automatically send out an alert to all of the people that are registered within the originators postcode community, or who are within the same building, such as a hail on a student campus. The alert can be sent using an SMS text message to a phone number, to an email address and/or to a display device.

The people receiving the alert will know what address/room number within their postcode/building has raised the alert.

Therefore neighbours to house number 15 can then ensure that their homes :.::: are secured and where necessary, the police can be alerted.

It is also envisaged that if for example, a registered user has a GPS enabled phone, then if an alert is sent by the user of that phone to the central control system 50, then the outgoing "alert!" will go to registered users within the :.:::. geographic location of the phone, not the registered geographic location of the user.

It is also envisaged that during the registration process, users will be able to set up their own "personal" community list of mobile phone numbers; that is other people outside of their immediate geographic area that they would want an alert message to go to, that is, for example, a list of family members and/or partners.

Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of panic button device being used with a community security system, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. There is shown a panic button device 80 which is connected via a wireless link 100, such as a IEEE 802.15 or IEEE 802.11 link, to a base station device 90. The base station device 90 is in turn connected to the telecommunications network 30 via a two way fixed or wireless link 151 such as a IEEE 802.3 or IEEE 802.11 link. This connection may or may not require additional third party devices and/or services to facilitate access to the telecommunications network 30. There is also shown central control system 50 which is itself connected via two way link 51 to a telecommunications network 30. The telecommunications network 30 may be the Internet and/or PSTN (Public Switched Telephony Network) and/or a mobile telephony network, as required.

The base station device 90 is installed in homes in a location pursuant to providing good coverage of the home with the wireless link 100. Multiple base station devices 90 may be installed to cover larger residences. It is envisaged that the panic button device 80 and base station device 90 will be self installed byauser.

Each panic button device 80 and/or base station device 90 has a unique serial number printed on the back of the unit, which could be entered during web registration by the user, the web registration process as previously described :: 20 withreferencetoFigurel.

If a user has an emergency or sees a security situation, the user pushes the panic button, generating an "alert!" signal, which is sent to the base station device 90. The base station device 80 uses the "alert!' signal to generate a message, for example using SMS, which is then sent to the central control system 50. The "alert!" message contains an identifier, or unique serial number, of the panic button device 80.

When the central control system 50 receives an alert!" message from the base station device 90, the central control system 50 matches the identifier of the panic button device 80 to records kept within the central control system 50 of registered users in order to find the address or location of the panic button device 80 that has been activated. The central control system 50 then uses the address, or location of the panic button device 80 to discover the other registered users within the geographic location of the panic button device 80.

The central control system 50 then generates broadcast messages 101, 102 twhich are sent, for example by SMS, to the registered users in the geographic area 70 associated with the originator of the message. The geographic area 70 contains residencies 10, 20 where the registered users are located. The broadcast messages 101, 102 are sent to a mobile phone or other registered device (such as a display panel, computer or TV).

Therefore each registered user in the geographic area 70 would receive a broadcast message 101, 102 based on the originator's particular geographic identifier (for further details see description with reference to Figure 4 below).

Messages could also be sent to members of a registered user's "family group" list. This is particularly helpful in the scenario of an elderly person, the family group could contain details of a son or daughter who would like to be made aware of the fact the registered user is worried about a particular security situation.

Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the architecture of the panic button and base station devices of Figure 3. There is shown a panic button device 80, which comprises a panic button 81 and its associated circuitry 82, which is coupled internally to a processor 85, which is in turn coupled to memory and an :.:::. output interface 83. The memory 84 contains a previously programmed unique identifier which is associated with the location of the push button device 80.

The processor 85 receives a signal from the push button circuitry 82 when the push button 81 has been activated (the processor 85 may also poll the push button circuitry 82 to see if it has been activated).The processor 85 then communicates with the base station device 90 via the output interface 83. The output interface 83 communicates to the base station device 90 via a wireless link 100, for example an IEEE 802.15 or IEEE 802.11 link. It should be clear to the skilled person that in addition to the remote push button device 80, that the base station device 90 may itself also include the push button device 80 capabilities integrated into the same unit. The advantage of having the wireless interface is that it is envisaged that more than one push button device 80 may be coupled to a base station device 90 at any one time. This, for example, may reduce the cost of each push button device 80. This is especially advantageous in a student campus environment, or on a business campus, or science park for

example.

The base station device 90 comprises a processor 91, which is internally coupled to memory 90 and an output interface 92. The output interface 92 communicates with telecommunications network 300 via a two way link 200.

The two-way link 200 may be for example IEEE 802.3 or for example may be another link such as IEEE 802.11. The telecommunications network 300 may be the Internet and/or PSTN and/or a mobile telephony network, as required.

The memory 93 is used to store any programs, identification information or push button device information as required. The processor receives the incoming signal from the push button device 80, via its input interface 94. Again the processor could poll the push button device for an activation signal (it :.:: should be clear to a person skilled in the art that the polling rate would have to be of high enough frequency in order that any activation of the push button 81 would be detected quickly).

The base station device 90 communicates the activation of the push button 81 :.:::. via its output interface 92 to a central control server (not shown) coupled to the telecommunications network 300. The base station device 90 could use a SMS text "Alert!" to communicate the activation.

This alert message would then be relayed to registered users in the same geographic area as the panic button user and/or or "family group" members, as previously described.

Therefore, the community security system of the two previously described embodiments can be used when a resident within a community is witnessing a person from outside, or even within, their community acting in a way that could be construed as "with criminal intent". This resident, simply by sending a single SMS Text alert using their mobile phone or via activation of a panic button device, could alert all of their neighbourhood community of the issue which in turn would enable other members of their neighbourhood community to become aware and as/when/where required contact the police to intervene.

Registered users could receive the alert on their mobile phones using SMS, or to an email address or to a display device such as a television or VDU.

It is envisaged that the community security system, device and method of the present invention may also be used in Business Campuses or shared office buildings, Residential Housing Developments, Homes for the mentally and physically impaired, Schools, Colleges and Universities. The community security system may be implemented by students creating student communities set up by school, college or university campus. The Universities offering a community security system very similar to the one detailed with reference to the two embodiments herein described, but much more closely focused on student community security.

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:.,:: It will be appreciated that although only two particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, various modifications and improvements can be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. * S. * . . ***. *..* * .

Claims

Claims: 1. Apparatus for alerting a registered group, such as a

community, about a security situation, the apparatus comprising: an activation means which can be activated by a person; a processor coupled to the activation means, wherein the processor is able to detect when the activation means has been activated by the person; memory, coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores at least one identifier; and an output interface coupled to the processor, which is configured so that the processor can communicate the at least one identifier to a central control system; wherein the central control system, based on the identifier, can send an alert to at least one entity.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one entity is registered in the same geographic area as the location of the activation means.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one entity is nominated by the registered user of the activation means.
4. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus I: further comprises a base station.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the output interface is coupled to the base station via a wireless link.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the wireless link is an IEEE 802.15 link.
7. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein either the base station or the output is coupled to a telecommunications network.
8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet, PSTN or a mobile telephony network.
9. An apparatus according to any of claims 4 to 8, wherein the base station further comprises wireless router technology and is coupled to the telecommunications network via a wireless link.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the wireless link is an IEEE 802.11 link.
11. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the activation means is a push button.
12. An apparatus according to any of claims I o 10, wherein the activation means is a switch, touch or light sensitive device.
13. A system for alerting a registered community about a security situation, the system further comprising: an originating alert means which may be activated by a user; and a central control system, wherein upon activation of the originating alert means by the user, the originating alert means sends a message to the central control system and then the central control system, based on the ::::. location of the originating alert means, sends an alert to at least one entity.
14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the originating alert means is an apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 12.
15. A system according to claim 13, wherein the location of the originating alert means is registered at the central control system by a registered user.
16. A system according to claim 13, wherein the location of the originating alert means is known by using GPS.
17. A system according to any of claims 13 to 16, wherein the at least one entity is registered in the same geographic area as the location of the originating alert means.
18. A system according to any of claims 13 to 17, wherein the at least one entity is nominated by the registered user of the originating alert means.
19. A system according to any of claims 13 to 18, wherein the originating alert means is a mobile phone.
20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the message sent by the originating alert means to the central control systems is an SMS text message.
21. A system according to any of claims 13 to 20, wherein the at least one entity is any one of the group of mobile phone, telephone, email account, or display device. * *
22. A system according to claim 21, wherein in the case where the at least one entity is a mobile phone, the central control system sends the outgoing alert using an SMS text message.
23. A system according to any of claims 13 to 22, wherein the central control :.:::. system is implemented on a server machine with either a Windows or Unix operating system.
24. A method of alerting a registered community about a security situation, the method comprising: sending an originating alert using an originating alert means to a central control system; receiving the originating alert by the central control system; and sending an alert by central control system to at least one entity
25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the originating alert means is an apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 12. 1 7-
26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the location of the originating alert means is registered at the central control system by a registered user.
27. A method according to claim 24, wherein the location of the originating alert means is known by using GPS.
28. A method according to any of claims 24 to 27, wherein the at least one entity is registered in the same geographic area as the location of the originating alert means.
29. The method according to any of claims 24 to 28, wherein the at least one entity is nominated by the registered user of the originating alert means.
30. A method according to any of claims 24 to 29, wherein the originating alert means is a mobile phone. * *
31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the message sent by the originating alert means to the central control systems is an SMS text message.
32. A method according to any of claims 24 to 31, wherein the at least one entity is any one of the group of mobile phone, telephone, email account, or display device.

**.*** * *
33. A method according to claim 32, wherein in the case where the at least one entity is a mobile phone, the central control system sends the outgoing alert using an SMS text message.
34. A method of registering a user onto a community security alert system, the method further comprising: providing a user with a login name and password; obtaining the registration details of the registered user; providing the user with a validation code; providing means for the user to use the validation code to validate their registration details; and registering the user once the user has correctly inputted the validation code via the validation means.
35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the registration details are any of name, address, postcode, credit card details, email address, mobile phone number.
36. A method according to claim 34, further comprising sending a confirmation of the login name and password to the user via email.
37. A method according to claim 34, wherein the validation code is sent to the user via the postal service.
38. A system, method and apparatus for alerting a registered community :. about a security situation according to any of Figures 1 to 4, specifically with

reference to the description. *.I. S..

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