ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

Electronic surveillance system (100) comprising an electronic surveillance bracelet (1) adapted to be secured around a limb of a wearer, the electronic surveillance bracelet (1) comprising an energy source (5), a processing unit (7), an identification generator (11), a localisation system (12), and at least one wireless communication system (9) adapted to communicate with a base station (15), characterised in that the wireless communication system (9) is adapted to receive communication from at least one further device (17) and to transmit a result of this communication to said base station (15) together with an identification signal generated by the identification generator (11).

Claims

1-22. (canceled)

23. Electronic surveillance system comprising an electronic surveillance bracelet adapted to be secured around a limb of a wearer, the electronic surveillance bracelet comprising an energy source, a processing unit, an identification generator, a localisation system, and at least one wireless communication system adapted to communicate with a base station wherein the wireless communication system is adapted to receive communication from at least one terrestrially-based further device and to transmit a result of this communication to said base station together with an identification signal generated by the identification generator.

24. Electronic surveillance system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one further device is a chemical sensor system adapted to carry out a test to detect a foreign substance such as alcohol, pharmaceuticals or drugs, said chemical sensor system being provided with a further wireless communication system adapted to communicate with said at least one wireless communication system in the electronic surveillance bracelet.

25. Electronic surveillance system according to claim 24, further comprising an interlock system adapted to be installed in a vehicle, the interlock system being adapted to communicate wirelessly with said electronic surveillance bracelet in order to permit or to prevent use of the vehicle based on a result of said test.

26. Electronic surveillance system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one further device is a wireless beacon adapted to be installed in a building.

27. Electronic surveillance system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one further device is a further electronic surveillance bracelet.

28. Electronic surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein each electronic surveillance bracelet is adapted to communicate an identification signal with the other electronic surveillance bracelet.

29. Electronic surveillance system according to claim 23, wherein the wireless communication bracelet comprises a memory adapted to store said result of communication with said at least one further device.

30. Electronic surveillance system according to claim 23, wherein the electronic surveillance bracelet comprises a motion sensor system, and wherein the processing unit is adapted to identify classes of movements of the electronic surveillance bracelet based on an output of the motion sensor system.

31. Method of performing electronic surveillance of an individual, comprising the steps of: providing an electronic surveillance system electronic surveillance bracelet adapted to be secured around a limb of a wearer, the electronic surveillance bracelet comprising an energy source, a processing unit, an identification generator, a localisation system, and at least one wireless communication system adapted to communicate with a base station wherein the wireless communication system is adapted to receive communication from at least one terrestrially-based further device and to transmit a result of this communication to said base station together with an identification signal generated by the identification generator; securing the electronic surveillance bracelet around a limb of a wearer; attempting to initiate communication between the electronic surveillance bracelet and the said at least one further device; initiating communication between the electronic surveillance bracelet and the base station; transmitting a result of said communication with said at least one further device, together with an identification signal generated by the identification generator, to a base station; receiving said result transmitted by the wireless communication system at the base station.

32. Method according to claim 31, wherein the electronic surveillance system is provided as a chemical sensor system adapted to carry out a test to detect a foreign substance such as alcohol, pharmaceuticals or drugs, said chemical sensor system being provided with a further wireless communication system adapted to communicate with said at least one wireless communication system in the electronic surveillance bracelet, and further comprising the steps of: performing a chemical test by means of the chemical sensor system; subsequently transmitting a result of said test to the electronic surveillance bracelet; and subsequently performing said step of transmitting a result of said test together with an identification signal generated by the identification generator to a base station.

33. Method according to claim 31, wherein the electronic surveillance system is provided with an interlock system adapted to be installed in a vehicle, the interlock system being adapted to communicate wirelessly with said electronic surveillance bracelet in order to permit or to prevent use of the vehicle based on a result of said test, and further comprising the steps of: performing a chemical test by means of the chemical sensor system; subsequently transmitting a result of said test to the electronic surveillance bracelet; subsequently transmitting said result of said test to said interlock system; and permitting or denying use of said vehicle.

34. Method according to claim 31, wherein the at least one further device is provided as a wireless beacon adapted to be installed in a building, and further comprising steps of: communicating with said wireless beacon; and transmitting a result of said communication to the base station.

35. Method according to claim 31, wherein the at least one further device is a further electronic surveillance bracelet, and further comprising steps of: receiving at said electronic surveillance bracelet an identification signal from the other electronic surveillance bracelet; and transmitting an identification signal received from the other electronic surveillance bracelet to the base station.

36. Method according claim 35, further comprising steps of: comparing the identification signal received from the other electronic surveillance bracelet with a list of identification signals associated with individuals with whom the wearer is not allowed to interact; and if the identification signal received from the other electronic surveillance bracelet is comprised in said list, informing an authority and/or activating an audible and/or visual alarm on the wearer's electronic surveillance bracelet.

37. Method according to claim 36, wherein said comparison is carried out in the bracelet.

38. Method according to claim 36, wherein said comparison is carried out remotely and said alarm is activated in response to a command sent via said base station.

39. Method according to claim 31, further comprising the steps of: receiving communication from a plurality of said further devices; comparing a result of each of said communications with a database of further devices; and determining the location of the electronic surveillance bracelet based on said comparison.

40. Method according to claim 39, wherein a result of each of said communications comprises at least one identifier of the corresponding further device.

41. Method according to claim 40, wherein each identifier comprises at least one of: transmission frequency; type of signal encoding; protocols used; and at least one identification code such as an IP address, device name, type of device, network name.

42. Method according to claim 39, further comprising determining a relative signal strength between at least two signals received from corresponding further devices, this relative signal strength being compared with said database.

43. Method according to claim 39, wherein said database comprises information relating to the geographic location of a plurality of further devices and at least one of said identifiers associated with each further device.

44. Method according to claim 39, wherein said database comprises information relating to relative signal strength between at least two signals emanating from corresponding further devices, said relative signal strength being determined at a plurality of geographic locations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Further details of the invention are explained in the following description, in reference to the annexed figures, in which:

[0050] FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a surveillance system according to the invention in its most generic form;

[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates a variant of a surveillance system according to the invention, incorporating a vehicle interlock;

[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates a further variant of a surveillance system according to the invention;

[0053] FIG. 4 illustrates a yet further variant of a surveillance system according to the invention;

[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates the use of a surveillance system according to the invention for localization of the bracelet in the absence of usable GPS signals; and

[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates a simple embodiment of the principle illustrated in FIG. 5.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0056] FIG. 1 illustrates schematically an electronic surveillance system 100 according to the invention. Wireless links are illustrated in the figures by dashed lines.

[0057] Electronic surveillance system 100 comprises an electronic surveillance bracelet 1 comprising a body 3, here illustrated as a complete ring intended to be worn around the ankle or lower leg of a wearer. Other forms of bracelet 1 are known in the art and are equally applicable, such as those wherein body 3 is in the form of a box attached to the wearer's leg by a strap.

[0058] In the inside of body 3 is situated a power source 5, such as a rechargeable battery, a processing unit 7, a wireless communication system 9, an identification generator 11, a localisation system 12 such as a GPS (or similar) and/or beacon-based system for determining the location of the wearer of the bracelet 1, an optional motion sensor system 14, and an optional audible/visible alert module 13 comprising an alarm, flashing lights or similar.

[0059] Wireless communication system comprises one or more communication transponders 9, such as mobile telephone, 3G, 4G, WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared, radio, or any other convenient transponder, which may be integrated or situated separately in the wireless surveillance bracelet 1. This transponder is adapted to communicate with a base station 15, as is generally known, and also with at least one further device 17, as will become clear below. In the case of a local base station, i.e. one installed in a building, communication between the local base station 15 and communication transponder 9 would typically be via WiFi or short-range radio communication, whereas in the case of a central base station, which may simply be a mobile telephone network, a mobile telephone, 3G, 4G or similar connection would be typical. Both types of base station can naturally be integrated in the same system 100. Communication with further device 15 would typically be via WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared, a short-range radio link, or similar.

[0060] Identification generator 11 is of any convenient type, and may simply be a line of code executed by the processor 7 which contains the serial number or other identifying code of bracelet 1, or a location in a readable memory or on a storage medium with the same information stored therein. Alternatively, the identification generator 11 can be part of the wireless communication system 9, which identifies itself to the base station 15 as is standard during communication.

[0061] Further device 17 can be of any conceivable type, of which non-limiting examples and applications will be given below, and comprises a further wireless communication system (illustrated schematically by the antenna signal) adapted to communicate with the wireless communication system of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1.

[0062] In contrast to prior art systems, it is the wireless surveillance bracelet 1 which coordinates communication between the further device 17 and the base station 15, and also provides the required identification of the person under surveillance.

Alcohol/Drug/Pharmaceutical Detector

[0063] Further device 17 may be an alcohol, drug or pharmaceutical detector, either handheld, body worn, or stationary. Hand-held alcohol detectors, often known as breathalysers, are commonly available in electronic form, such as the SL-BLUE marketed by Soberlink, which is a commercially-available alcohol breath tester which comprises a Bluetooth link. Other breath, saliva, blood or urine-based testers for other substances, such as illegal drugs that the bracelet wearer is obliged not to take, or medication that the bracelet wearer is obliged to take, are equally applicable. Although the following description refers to an alcohol test, the same principle applies equally to any of the other tests mentioned.

[0064] For instance, the bracelet wearer may be subject to an alcohol prohibition and be required to take a self-administered alcohol breath test periodically during the day, or in response to an SMS or telephone call instructing him to do so. With the system proposed by the invention, the alcohol breath tester communicates the test result with the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 via e.g. a Bluetooth or other convenient link. The electronic surveillance bracelet 1 then re-transmits the test result to base station 15, together with the identification signal generated by the identification generator 11. The electronic surveillance bracelet 1 thus positively identifies the person without requiring a specialised and customised alcohol breath tester. Since the Bluetooth (or similar) link only has a range of several meters, the risk of fraud (e.g. another person taking the test instead of the intended subject) is reduced since the tester must be very close to the electronic surveillance bracelet 1. The same considerations apply in respect of drugs and pharmaceuticals for which use or abstention is obligatory for the wearer.

[0065] FIG. 2 illustrates an extension of this concept. Please note that in this and subsequent figures, the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 is illustrated in simplified form, only the outer form thereof and wireless communication system 9 being shown.

[0066] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, further device 17 is, as indicated above, an alcohol, drug or pharmaceutical tester. Wireless surveillance system 100 further includes an interlock system 19 installed in a vehicle 21, which is adapted to permit or prevent starting of the vehicle based on certain parameters. Interlock system 19 comprises a further wireless communication system (illustrated schematically by the antenna symbol) adapted to communicate with the wireless communication system of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1.

[0067] For instance, as is known, the interlock system 19 may require an alcohol breath test to be carried out, and will not permit the vehicle to start until a negative breath test has been performed. In such a case, the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 communicates with the alcohol breath tester 17, receives the result from the tester 17, and communicates the result with the interlock system 19 together with the identity signal of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1. Interlock system 19 then permits or denies use of the vehicle 21 in the usual manner. It should be noted that the determination of whether to permit use of the vehicle 21 or not may take place either in the alcohol breath tester 17, the electronic surveillance bracelet 1, or the interlock system 19, the test results being transmitted in the system in an appropriate form. Furthermore, electronic surveillance bracelet 1 may also communicate the test result and/or the attempted use of vehicle 21 (determined e.g. by communication with the interlock system 19 while an alcohol test is carried out) to the base station 15. In the case of an attempted use of the vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, the relevant authorities can thus be notified. As such, a positive identification of the bracelet wearer can be effected when taking the test and attempting to start the vehicle, and the system 100 can use as many off-the-shelf components as possible.

[0068] The same principle applies in the case of drugs (illegal or legal) or pharmaceuticals. For instance, the bracelet wearer may be required to take mood-altering medication before driving a car, or conversely may be prohibited from driving after having taken a medication due to bad side effects. All of these conditions can be coordinated by the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 and/or by the interlock system 19.

[0069] Furthermore, in the case in which the bracelet wearer is not present in the vehicle, the interlock can be programmed to allow the vehicle to start, thus not restricting its use for non-bracelet-wearers.

[0070] A further aspect of controlling the behaviour of the wearer of the bracelet, which may be used in combination with or separate from interlock system 19, involves the use of optional motion sensor system 14, comprising one or more motion sensors such as accelerometers. The movement of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 as measured by the motion sensor system 14 is distinctive for various movements and activities which can be classified by an appropriate algorithm run by the processing unit 7. This algorithm classifies the motion of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 into one or more categories, such as (but not limited to) stationary, sleeping, walking, loitering, jogging, running, sprinting, playing sport, attempting to remove bracelet, walking drunk or on drugs, moving in vehicle, driving a vehicle and so on. These categories can be transmitted to the competent authorities, for instance as an independent check on an alcohol or drugs prohibition, to provide a quick response in case of an attempt to remove a bracelet, or to assist in finding a fugitive wearing an electronic surveillance bracelet 1. In its simplest form, the processing unit 7 can simply detect drunken movement such as staggering, and transmit a corresponding notification to the relevant authorities.

Proximity to Other Electronic Surveillance Bracelets

[0071] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which further device 17 is simply another electronic surveillance bracelet 1 belonging to another wearer.

[0072] In certain cases, individuals placed under electronic surveillance are also subject to prohibitions on meeting with certain other individuals, such as criminal associates. In the case in which both of these individuals are subject to electronic surveillance and thus wear electronic surveillance bracelets, this prohibition can be enforced.

[0073] In the illustrated case, a first electronic surveillance bracelet 1 and a second electronic surveillance bracelet 1, 17 constituting further device 17 in respect of the first electronic surveillance bracelet 1 are in sufficient proximity that wireless communication can take place via respective wireless communication systems 9 (e.g. via Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiFi or similar). Each electronic surveillance bracelet 1, 17 when communicating with the other, transmits its own identification signal, a result of this communication (e.g. the identification signal which has been received) then being transmitted to the competent authorities via base station 15 together with the identification signal of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 performing the transmission. These identification signals are then compared to a database 23 of meeting prohibitions, and if a prohibited meeting is determined to be taking place, the relevant authorities are alerted. In the case in which one or more of the electronic surveillance bracelets 1 comprises an alert module 13, the base station 15 can transmit a command to the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 to activate an audible or visual alert, thereby disrupting the prohibited meeting, if such action is indeed desirable.

[0074] Alternatively, the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 can be pre-programmed with a database of prohibited meetings, the alert module 13 being then actuated if desirable by the processing unit 7 of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1, and/or the relevant authorities can be alerted to the prohibited meeting.

[0075] In the case in which the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 is out of contact with base station 15, a record of communications with other electronic surveillance bracelets can be stored in a memory for subsequent transmission to the relevant authorities when communication with the base station 15 is re-established. For instance, the time and duration of meetings between bracelet-wearing individuals can be recorded for subsequent re-transmittal.

Alert Button

[0076] A similar principle can be applied to a so-called alert button used as a further electronic device 17. In the case that the wearer of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 has health problems that would require immediate assistance, he may carry such an alert button which, in response to pressing a button alerts authorities that the wearer is undergoing a medical emergency. The result of communication in this case is a signal indicating that the button has been pressed. This concept has been used for a long time in combination with a conventional base station, mobile telephone or similar, however combination of such an alert button with an electronic surveillance bracelet 1 eliminates the need for further apparatuses in the case in which the patient already wears such an electronic surveillance bracelet 1.

[0077] This principle can also be applied in the case of enforcement of a restraining order. The protected person who the restraining order is intended to protect can be given an alert button. Activation of the alert button by the protected person while the electronic surveillance bracelet is in range can then be used to signal breach of the restraining order and that the protected person is in danger. This also serves to reduce fraud in reported breach of restraining orders, since the alert button needs to be in wireless communication range with the electronic surveillance bracelet, otherwise pressing the button will have no effect. The same principle can also be applied to enforcing prohibitions on the wearer of the electronic surveillance bracelet in respect of visiting certain premises, such as a shop, a casino or similar, since such an alert button can be given to the establishment and situated at the reception desk or cash register.

[0078] Furthermore, the alert button can be adapted so as to communicate with the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 when it is in range and to identify itself thereto even in the case in which the alert button has not been activated. This can be used to detect breach of a restraining order of which the protected person is not in fact aware, such as in a stalking situation, or to nevertheless inform the authorities of the proximity of the protected person and the subject of the restraining order even if the protected person has for whatever reason not been able to manually actuate the alert button. In this case, the result of the communication with the alert button is an indication of it being in communication range with the bracelet 1. Alternatively, such an arrangement permits to distinguish between mere proximity between the two people, which may not be absolutely prohibited, and actual danger to the protected person in which case he or she can actuate the alert button.

[0079] It should also be noted that the alert button may also emit a signal if the bracelet 1 is in communication range, to alert the protected person to the proximity of the bracelet wearer.

Proximity Beacon

[0080] In a further embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 4, further device 17 is a proximity beacon such as a Bluetooth transponder, WiFi router, RFID portal or similar. GPS or other satellite signals are difficult or impossible to receive indoors, particularly in buildings constructed of metal, which act as a Faraday cage.

[0081] By using one or more such beacons, the location of the wearer in e.g. his home, workplace, or the confines or a prison, can be determined even in the absence of usable GPS signals, and communication between electronic surveillance bracelet 1 and the proximity beacon 17 can be communicated by the bracelet to the base station 15, e.g. via a mobile telephone link. It should be noted that this scheme is distinct from a conventional local base station system, wherein the local base station communicates the proximity of the bracelet 1 to the relevant authorities, e.g. via Internet, wired telephony, mobile telephony or other radio link. Off the shelf or specialised wireless routers, Bluetooth transponders, existing RFID shop portals and so on can be used, and the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 can be programmed to identify these transponders by their serial number, ID name, IP address or other identifying code, and can retransmit this code to the base station 15 together with the identification signal of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1. These transponders, if connected to a phone line or to the Internet, may also act as an auxiliary base station, transmitting information received from the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 to the relevant authorities.

[0082] Such an arrangement can be used to enforce a prohibition on being present in certain locations, such as particular shops, casinos, schools, airports, barracks, seaports, railway stations and so on. Such locations often have existing Wi-Fi transponders, RFID portals as antitheft measures, and so on, and it is thus a simple matter to visit these locations to determine what usable transponders are already present, and to record them the appropriate database 23 and/or in the bracelet 1 itself. In the case that such items are not already present at a location, a proximity beacon can be placed therein.

Localisation by Means of Ambient Electromagnetic Transmission

[0083] The same basic principle discussed above in respect of a proximity beacon can be applied can be applied more generally and used to localise the wearer of the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 more generally, even in the absence of usable GPS satellite signals. The modern world is populated with large numbers of identifiable transponders, particularly in urban areas, which generate what is often known as electromagnetic pollution. Such transponders include Wi-Fi routers 17a, RFID portals 17b in shops, mobile telephone masts 17c, and even radio or television masts 17d. Each of these has at least one identifier such as a transmission frequency, type of signal encoding, protocols used, or at least one identification code such as an IP address, network name or similar.

[0084] A wireless security bracelet 1 situated at any given location will usually be able to receive signals from, i.e. receive communication from, at least one, normally several, such transponders. By knowing the location of such transponders and their identifying information (such as frequency, network name, IP address, or any other identifying code) and the relative signal strengths thereof as received by the wireless security bracelet 1, the location of the wearer of the wireless security bracelet 1 can be determined to a greater or lesser degree of accuracy depending on the number and type of devices 17 within the range of the wireless security bracelet 1.

[0085] A database 23 of such devices 17 can be built up over time, both through a priori knowledge, such as of mobile telephone towers, and by taking measurements in various locations to determine the approximate location of the various devices from which signals can be received and the signal strengths at a number of given locations. The database can be used to generate a map with which can be used to carry out triangulation based on the relative signal strengths of the signals received.

[0086] Such a system is particularly useful in highly built-up areas in which GPS signals cannot always be reliably received, and yet a large number of mobile telephone towers, Wi-Fi transponders and so on are present and identifiable. The database can be enhanced by taking real-world measurements of absolute and relative signal strengths at multiple geographic locations, thereby reducing errors relating to reflection of signals off of structures.

[0087] FIG. 6 illustrates this principle in its simplest form, for the determination of the presence and location of the wearer of an electronic surveillance bracelet 1 in a building 20. Building 20 comprises 3 stories, basement 20a, ground floor 20b, and first floor 20c. By arranging two Wi-Fi routers or Bluetooth transmitters 17a1 and 17a2 on different floors, such as in the basement 20a and on the first floor 20c, these positions being recorded in database 23 or in the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 itself, the relative strengths of the signals received at the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 emanating from each of the transmitters 17a1, 17a2 permits localisation of the wearer of the bracelet 1 within the building 20 with a reasonable degree of accuracy. If signals are not received from either of the transmitters 17a1, 17a2, the wearer is probably no longer within building 20. This simple arrangement has practical use for instance in the case in which the wearer of the bracelet is obliged to be at his place of work in one part of the building 20, such as the basement 20a, between certain times of the day. For instance, if the signal strength received from transmitter 17a2 is 20% of that received from transmitter 17a1, the wearer is almost certainly on the first floor 20c. Likewise, if the signal strength received from transmitter 17a1 is 20% of that received from transmitter 17a2, the wearer is almost certainly in the basement 20a.

[0088] To improve the accuracy, measurements of the absolute and relative signal strengths may be taken at various locations within building 20, this information being entered into database 23.

[0089] Essentially, extension of this general concept to non-GPS localisation of the wearer of a surveillance bracelet 1 within a wider area is simply a matter of entering more transmitters into the database 23, and is enhanced by taking actual measurements.

[0090] It goes without saying that the same electronic surveillance bracelet 1 can communicate with multiple, different further devices 17, of any type and of any number. As a further example, further device 17 may be a wireless door lock and the electronic surveillance bracelet 1 may communicate therewith to allow or deny access to a building, access-controlled area of a building, container, vehicle or other enclosed space.

[0091] Although the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, variations thereto are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. In particular, it is noted that further device 17 can be of any imaginable type in addition to those mentioned in detail above, such as but not limited to: [0092] a mobile telephone, smart phone, tablet computer or similar which the bracelet wearer is required to keep on their person and not give to third parties; [0093] a so-called connected bracelet comprising physiological sensors; [0094] a medical device for monitoring the health of the wearer.