Abstract:
A non-lethal personal deterrent device and system. In the event of an attack by an assailant upon a victim, a device held in the hand of the victim takes a digital video and/or still image of the face of the assailant, flashes a strobe light upon the assailant, audio blasts the assailant with a warning message, obtains location information of the scene of the attack via a global positioning system (GPS), picks up audio interplay between the assailant and the victim, and transmits audio, video, and position information along with victim identification information to a receiver/processor center. The center relays the information to an operator for verification purposes which, in turn, immediately relays the information to a slam cam receptive police department thereby providing the police department with the advantage of having this information prior to responding to this emergency. Moreover, the information is valid evidence to be used by the police in apprehending the assailant, and by the district attorney at trial to obtain a conviction. Growing usage of the device shall widen its reputation as being a device that provides instantaneous and unstoppable transmission to responsive police of irrefutable evidence of identity of an assailant committing a crime. This reputation shall discourage potential assailants from attacking persons carrying a highly-visible slam cam in favor of others not as adequately protected.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to personal security and, more particularly, to a non-lethal, hand-held device and/or system which obtains and transmits data including location and assailant identification data to police for both immediate response and longer-term pursuit of the assailant if not immediately apprehended. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Far too many people have experienced, or have personal knowledge about, an attack or mugging during daylight or nighttime. Crimes of this nature in cities both large and small throughout the nation may seem on the increase. Obviously, the likelihood of such an unfortunate experience increases if one frequents dangerous neighborhoods. However, certain ordinary business activity, such as, for example, a landlord attempting to collect his/her rent, may require traveling through dangerous neighborhoods. Prior art deterrent devices include lethal or dangerous weapons such as handguns, knives, clubs, mace, etc. Unfortunately, these weapons can be wrestled-away by an assailant and used against the victim! Also, dangerous weapons such as pistols which are normally stored at a user&#39;s home when not being carried, if not properly controlled, can be taken by unauthorized individuals like children who can use them to accidentally injure or kill others. 
     Non-lethal prior art devices may therefore be more desirable for ordinary citizens to possess, at least from an overall safety viewpoint. Such devices include whistles, sirens, or other forms of alarms which can be limited in their usefulness under certain adverse conditions, for example, where the whistle cannot be heard above background noise. Some have resorted to being accompanied by attack dogs, e.g. German shepherd police-type dogs, but this approach then requires maintenance of that dog on a 24-hour, 7-day per week basis, which is not feasible for everyone. What is needed is an effective and non-lethal protection technique for use by ordinary citizens which can deter an attacker and simultaneously provide critical information to the local police when confronted. The present invention utilizes high technology capabilities to satisfy this need in a novel manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention include systems, methods, and apparatus for enabling a potential victim of a potential assailant to employ non-lethal, personal, deterrence techniques to deter or discourage an attack or challenge by the assailant. In a particular embodiment, a non-lethal, personal, deterrent system provides deterrent protection for a system user against a potential assailant. The system includes a portable device (termed a “slam cam”) including user ID, the device obtaining global positioning system (GPS) location-data specifying location of the device and assailant and obtaining an image such as, for example, a digital video image of the assailant. The digital video image may be obtained by a digital camera. A transmitter is integrated with the portable device for transmitting the user ID, location-data and digital video image to a dedicated receiving and processing center. The user ID, location-data and digital video image are relayed to a slam cam receptive police department and, if need be, from there to another police department nearest to the location, whereby department personnel can immediately respond. A slam cam receptive police department is one which has been predetermined by the slam cam user to have the capability to receive information which has its origins of transmission from the user&#39;s slam cam and which agrees to accept such information for police processing, response and/or relay to another police department closest to the location. The portable device is battery powered by rechargeable batteries and may be designed to resemble the shape of a highly visible videocam (the color could be “blaze orange” or the like). The handgrip of the device may include a compartment for the batteries. The system user operates the portable device by activating a switch such as depressing the button of a button switch. 
     In a further feature, a microphone may be affixed to the exterior of the portable device to convert sounds of voices of the user and/or the assailant along with any ambient or background sounds into electrical signals for transmission via the transmitter to the dedicated receiving and processing center. 
     The transmitter includes an antenna and a wireless modem for modulating and demodulating information corresponding to the user ID, the video image and the electrical signals, thereby preparing them for cellular-styled broadcast from the antenna to the dedicated receiving and processing center. The receiving and processing center immediately relays the electrical signals to a monitor which can determine if the transmission represents a genuine attack or a false alarm. If the attack is genuine, the identification information, location-data, digital video image and electrical signals are immediately relayed to the slam cam receptive police department to enable police department personnel to view the assailant and to listen to any vocal exchange between the assailant and the system user to facilitate an appropriate or tailored response. Subsequently, the monitor also electronically forwards a bill for broadcast time to the user&#39;s pre-arranged billing address, which can be fixed fee or a function of broadcast time duration. 
     In yet a further feature, a warning mechanism may be integrated with the device for flashing a bright strobe light on the assailant as a deterrent and to facilitate the obtaining of the video image. The warning mechanism may include an audio warning; device for communicating a loud audio message to the assailant to the effect that the facial image of the assailant is being recorded and transmitted to the police. The message may be in English or any desired foreign language, controllable by the system user, and may be selected on the basis of the predominant ethnicity of the neighborhood in which the system user happens to be. The portable device also includes a computer control module for controlling operation of, and cooperation amongst, the digital camera, the strobe light, the audio warning, the microphone, the wireless modem and the location-data obtaining device. 
     It is thus a general object of the present invention to provide an improved, non-lethal, personal deterrent technique. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved portable, personal security system including a device which both deters would-be assailants by its recognizable appearance and reputation, and simultaneously communicates assailant/victim location information along with assailant and victim identification information ultimately to police. 
     It is thus advantageous to utilize embodiments of the present invention when undertaking activities in, or traveling through, neighborhoods which are likely to increase probabilities of being confronted with a would-be assailant. 
     Other objects and advantages shall become apparent after reviewing the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  includes an exemplary system block diagram of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary functional block diagram of components which may be included in a portable, handheld device in accordance with principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is an example of an external view the assembled portable, handheld device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary block diagram depicting communication paths utilized by the device of  FIG. 2  within the context of the system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary block diagram depicting computerized control operation of the device of  FIG. 2 ; and, 
         FIG. 5  is an exemplary block diagram of processing and monitoring functions depicted in FIG.  1 . 
     
    
    
     Subject matter presented for the first time in a particular figure shall be identified by a reference number within a range of numbers that are keyed to that particular figure; i.e.,  FIG. 1  includes reference numbers in the 100&#39;s range,  FIG. 2  includes reference numbers in the 200&#39;s range, etc. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG.  1 —System Block Diagram 
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary system block diagram of the present invention and/or how the present invention may be used in a suitable communication and response system. In an overview system presentation, in the upper left hand side of the diagram, an assailant such as an “attacker” or “mugger” or other undesirable person  101  confronts a victim (not shown) holding a “slam cam”  102 . The term “slam cam” is short-hand or marketing terminology intending to convey the idea of a camera that can withstand a heavy impact (a “slam”) and can still transmit images and audio. A secondary connotation may be that this camera can put an assailant in the “slammer” (penitentiary). The victim or slam cam user trains and activates slam cam  102  upon attacker  101  via audio-visual information-gathering link  108 . 
     The information generated by activation of slam cam  102  is instantaneously conveyed via telecommunication link  109  to a fixed-base receiver and processor  103 . There may be a group of stations comprising receiver and processor  103  and transmission link  109  may connect with the closest or most logistically-advantageous station in the group relative to the locus of the attacker/victim. Receiver and processor  103  receives and instantaneously processes the transmitted information (which may comprise video, audio, and other information—to be discussed below) received from link  109 , and instantaneously stores all or a portion of it in a database  104  via link  10 . 
     Database  104  is monitored by human operators on a “24/7” basis (twenty-four hours and seven days per week basis) on monitor  105 . There is a staff of such operators and they are assigned to monitor  105  on a rotating basis or on an as-needed basis so that monitoring coverage is without lapse. Monitor  105  is electronically wired and/or telecommunicatively connected (fax, email, telephone, etc.) via link  112 A to a slam cam receptive police department  106 A. Police department  106   a  may be in a precinct which includes the user&#39;s residence or the user&#39;s business address, for example. If the location of the attack is also within this precinct, then police department  106 A provides direct response  114 A as shown on an emergency basis. However, if the location of the attack is outside this precinct, then police department  106 A contacts police department  106  which is closest to the location of the attack, via standard police-to-police communication infrastructure  112 . Police department  106  provides response  114  as shown on an emergency basis. Responses  114 A or  114  may take the form of radio-link dispatching one or more police department squad cars with sirens blaring (or in stealth mode if deemed desirable under the circumstances) in a manner familiar to most citizens. 
     Embodiments of the present invention are emergency tools to be used in emergency situations. However, business enterprises that provide products in accordance with the principles of the present invention may recoup their costs and seek a reasonable profit based on sale or license of the product to the user and based on time of usage. For example, monitor  105  may forward an electronic debit note (via email) to the user&#39;s billing address  107  which had been obtained at the time of sale or license of the device. The bill can be calculated based on a fixed fee or can be based on transmission or broadcast time duration. If embodiments of the present invention are marketed by a communications company, such as a telephone company, then slam cam charges could alternatively be included in the user&#39;s telephone bill. 
     FIGS.  2  and  2 A—Hand Operated Protector 
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary functional block diagram of components which may be included in a portable, handheld device in accordance with principles of the present invention.  FIG. 2A  is an example of an external view the assembled portable, handheld device of FIG.  2 . First of all, it can be seen that the external appearance of the device of this example may resemble a flashlight or some other non-lethal object, and certainly does not resemble a handgun. It is advantageous for the outward appearance of the device to resemble or connote a handheld video camera which could thereby convey the thought to a would-be assailant that his/her picture shall be taken if an assault is attempted. It is important that the outward appearance of the device not be perceived as a physical threat by the assailant to try to reduce the probability of the assailant violently reacting to a perceived physical threat. In other words, if the device looked like a handgun, then the assailant might use his/her handgun if one was being carried by the assailant. (It is to be understood that outward appearance of the hand held device of the present invention may assume virtually any non-threatening shape compatible with being held in one or two hands, and a barrel or flashlight shape is depicted herein in  FIG. 2A  solely for purposes of clarity of presentation.) 
     Conveyance of the non-lethal functionality of the handheld device to an assailant can be facilitated by making it very visible. Accordingly, its casing can be finished in a very bright color such as a day-glo “blaze orange” used by hunters in the forest or with which traffic cones are painted, etc. Other colors can also be used. An important goal is for the device to become highly recognizable as a non-lethal, “smart” camera which is able to capture and transmit images of an assailant to a secure location even if the device is destroyed, thereby deterring an assault by its very presence (much as a uniformed policeman might deter a problem which might otherwise manifest). 
     Starting at the upper left of the diagram of  FIG. 2 , the components in slam cam  102  and supported by or included within the casing of the handheld device of  FIG. 2A  include: lens  201 , digital camera  202 , audio microphone  213 , microphone cut-out switch  214 , wireless modem  203 , global positioning device  204 , antenna  205 , computer control  206 , user identification module (UID) chip  215 , strobe light bulb  207 , strobe light power  208 , on/off or thumb/button switch  209 , batteries/charger  210 , audio speaker  211 , and audio warning component  212 . Additional or fewer components could comprise slam cam  102  without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. Not all of these components are visible in  FIG. 2A ; for example, antenna  205  may be placed internal to the casing of the handheld device. The device is intended to be gripped by a hand of the user in a manner to permit easy operation of button switch  209  by the thumb or forefinger. 
     With further reference to  FIG. 2 , digital camera  202  may be constructed from a charge-coupled-device (CCD) and supporting electronic and storage circuitry as known in the art. Such a camera is commercially available from numerous manufacturers and may be a 35 millimeter camera. Other digital cameras such as those having other lens sizes may be used. Lens  201  is operatively coupled to and integrated with digital camera  202  to enable the taking of focussed digital pictures (video and/or still images) of a subject—in this case an assailant. In most embodiments, lens  201  will be of the auto-focusing variety, although fixed focal length and manually-focusing lenses can also be used. The digital output from digital camera  202  is applied to modem (modulator/demodulator)  203  which operates upon the digital output to prepare it for wireless transmission via antenna  205  to which the modem is operatively coupled. Wireless modem  203  is known in the art, available commercially, and operable in multiple communication formats such as cellular, Bluetooth™; and the like. Global positioning system (GPS)  204  has the capacity to identify its current location through orbiting satellites with which it communicates via antenna  205 . GPS  204  is commercially available and will normally be in the form of an integrated circuit chip. GPS  204  may be similar to the types of systems currently deployed in handheld GPS receivers and/or selected automobiles. 
     At the lower left of  FIG. 2 , strobe light power module  208  energizes bulb  207  upon command. This illuminates the assailant in a powerful strobe beam while ensuring sufficient illumination to permit well-defined images to be captured by digital camera  202 . Digital camera  202  can be synchronized with strobe bulb  207  so that pictures are taken when the attacker is illuminated. And, adjacent module  208  is audio warning module  212  which includes electronic means for repetitively blasting a loud audio message over speaker  211  with which it is operatively coupled. For example, this audio message may be provided by way of a digital electronic audio or sound card. The card may contain the same message (e.g. “STOP: YOUR PICTURE IS BEING BROADCAST TO THE POLICE”) in various languages from which the preferred language(s) may be pre-selected by the user of slam cam  102 . Alternatively, the message may be repetitively broadcast in multiple languages, e.g., first in English, then in Spanish, then in Russian, etc., with repetition of that sequence. Cut out switch  214  operates to disconnect microphone  213  during the audio message to protect the microphone during the audio blasts. The strobe light and audio modules are commercially available. 
     In  FIG. 2A , lens  201  and strobe bulb  207  are shown in close mutual proximity, but they may alternatively be mounted on opposite sides of periphery  216  to add distance therebetween to reduce any optical artifacts. Likewise, audio speaker  211  and microphone  213  are shown in close mutual proximity, but they may also be alternatively mounted on opposite sides of periphery  216  to add distance therebetween to reduce any audio artifacts. 
     Operation of the various components and modules identified herein is controlled by computer control  206 . Rechargeable, or disposable batteries  210  power all of the components and modules, and such power is applied when switch button  209  is operated by the slam cam user in response to an aggression by an assailant. 
     FIG.  3 —Transmission Modes 
       FIG. 3  is an exemplary block diagram depicting communication paths utilized by the device of  FIG. 2  as employed in the system of FIG.  1 . Antenna  205 , orbiting telecommunications satellite  301 , and receiver/processor  103  are shown. Signal  302  communicatively couples antenna  205  and receiver processor  103 . Signal  303  communicatively couples antenna  205  and satellite  301 . And signal  304  communicatively couples satellite  301  and receiver/processor  103 . 
     Antenna  205  is shown broadcasting a cellular signal  302  directly to receiver and processor  103 . This signal may include, as one of its components, the digitized video image of the assailant obtained by digital camera  202  and lens  201  as modulated by modem  203 . In addition, this signal may include, as another of its components, an appropriately amplified and modulated (for example, amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, or pulse code modulation, etc.) audio signal, again using modem  203 . The audio signal is obtained by microphone  213 , amplified by a suitable amplifier (not shown), and modulated in modem  203 . And, this signal may also include as yet another of its components the user identification (UID) signal, i.e., the information identifying the person to whom this particular slam cam has been issued or sold. This information, for example, name, address, social security number, next of kin, (and even special medical information such as blood type, diabetic condition, hemophiliac condition, allergic reactions, etc.) may be coded into UID chip  215  by the vendor and/or purchaser at time of purchase of the slam cam. This permits the police department to almost instantaneously have access to the victim&#39;s critical information including critical medical information should emergency medical intervention be needed if the assailant injured the victim and rendered him/her unconscious while being repelled by the slam cam. If special medical information is coded into the slam cam, care should be taken to ensure that it is used only by the person to whom that information applies. 
     Antenna  205  may further receive global positioning information from satellite  301  via signal  303  which is demodulated in modem  203  and utilized in GPS  204 . This useful positioning mechanism operates in accordance with known principles governing global positioning systems that are commercially available, for example, systems similar to those installed in certain selected automobiles today. Antenna  205  then broadcasts this positioning information (street name, near intersection such and such, alleyway such and such, etc.) to receiver/processor  103  via signal  302  which forwards such positioning information to monitor  105 . If the positioning information is determined by monitor  105  to be bona fide and not a false alarm, the information is immediately forwarded to slam cam receptive police department  106 A and, if need be, from police department  106 A to local police department  106 . This predetermined location/position information enables the police to head in the proper direction, without floundering, and thus arrive on the scene as promptly as possible. In addition, capability may be included in the system of the present invention to take advantage of existing cellular networks to create a communication path  303 / 304  through satellite  301  by any of those signal(s) which would normally use direct path  302 . This alternative path through the satellite could be invoked automatically as a back up transmission path, if the handheld device determined that there was a communication breakdown via direct path  302 . 
     FIG.  4 —Slam Cam Operation 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary block diagram depicting operation of the device of  FIG. 2  under computerized control. At the left of the diagram, slam cam button  209  is operatively coupled by way of bus or conductive connection  400  to a number of components, namely: computer control  206 , microphone  213  and cut out switch  214 , digital camera  202 , wireless modem  203 , global positioning system  204 , user identifier  215 , strobe light  208 , and audio warning  212 . The same group of modules are also operatively coupled by bus  402  and bus  404  to each other as may be necessary for proper functioning of the device. Computer control  206  comprises processor  406  and memory  408 . Computer control  206  may be a microprocessor such as those made commercially available by companies such as Intel. Memory  408  may include local read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), cache memory, etc. as well as a main memory data storage facility (not shown) with which it is connected by a telecommunications link. Processor  406  and memory  408  communicate with each other over bus  404  using protocols known in the art such as ethernet, IDE, SCSI, and the like. 
     In operation, the slam cam user/victim (not shown) presses button  209  while aiming lens  201  at the assailant (not shown). This activates a signal powered by batteries  210  over power and/or signal line  400  to the components specified above thereby activating certain of those components which had not previously been powered-on by more permanent connections to batteries  210 . Microphone  213  is thereby enabled to detect any sounds in the immediate vicinity and sends signals representative of those sounds over bus  402  to wireless modem  203  which modulates those signals prior to broadcasting them over antenna  205 . Digital camera  202  is likewise enabled to start taking digital pictures of the assailant and whatever background scene upon which its lens  201  is trained. Digital camera  202  sends digital signals over bus  402  to computer control  206  as may be necessary for processing and to wireless modem  203  which modulates those digital signals prior to broadcasting them over antenna  205 . Wireless modem  203  is activated to enable it to modulate signals received over bus  402  from other components and to demodulate signals received by way of antenna  205 . 
     Depending upon the type of global positioning system being employed, GPS  204  may previously have been energized or it may be energized by operation of button  209  to enable it to receive signals coming from satellite  301  (via antenna  205  through modem  203  which demodulates the signals prior to GPS  204  receiving them) representing global positioning information. GPS  204  then utilizes those signals and communicates with computer control  206  over bus  404  as may be necessary to provide any processing power required to calculate accurate position information. GPS  204  then sends a signal representing local position information over bus  402  to modem  203  which modulates that signal prior to broadcasting it over antenna  205  as signal  302  directly to receiver and processor  103 . As previously described, monitor  105  receives and verifies such information and then forwards such position information to slam cam receptive police  106 A. 
     UID chip  215  is energized by operation of button  209  and it provides user identification signals over bus  402  to modem  203  for broadcast via antenna  205  to receiver and processor  103  and ultimately to a police department as earlier described. However, instead of a dedicated ID chip, UID  215  may alternatively be information stored in a dedicated portion of memory  408 , where such user identification information is stored at the time of purchase of the slam cam. In that case, the information is provided from memory  408  via bus  404  and bus  402  to modem  203  for broadcast via antenna  205  for eventual utilization by a police department as earlier described. 
     Strobe light  208  and audio warning  212  are energized over bus  400  by operation of button  209  and shall continue to blinding-flash and audio-blast until shut off. Button  209  may be designed with a mechanical catch (not shown) that prevents, or makes very difficult, disengagement of the button switch by the assailant or anyone other than the slam cam operator who knows how to turn off the device, thereby allowing the device to continue to operate and transmit even if control of the device is lost. In addition to the victim knowing how to disengage button switch  209 , it may be programmed to be shut off by computer control  206  via bus  404  and bus  402  after a specified period of time, or it may be shut off remotely by signals received by antenna  205  from police department  106 A or from monitor  105 . 
     FIG.  5 —Block Diagram—Receiver, Processor, Monitor, Police Dept. 
       FIG. 5  is an exemplary block diagram of computer system  520  which represents functionality that can be used in whole or in part within receiver/processor  103 , monitor  105  and police department  106 A of FIG.  1 . Computer system  520  is shown comprising computer  522 , display  512 , keyboard  514 , cursor control (mouse)  516 , and communication interface  518 . 
     First, consider receiver and processor  103  which comprises communication interface  518  and computer  522  only. Display  512 , keyboard  514 , and mouse  516  are not needed in receiver and processor  103  because no human interactive monitoring is performed at this stage of the signal communication. Communication interface  518  may comprise an antenna, demodulator, and amplifier (not shown) to receive, demodulate and amplify the signals received from antenna  205  in the slam cam. The signals are multiple and varied as they represent visual information from camera  202 , audio information from microphone  213 , positioning information from GPS  204 , as well as user information from UID  215 . Depending upon the type of transmission for each of these signals, multiple demodulators in communication interface  518  may be needed. Computer  522  includes processor  502  and memory such as main memory  504 , ROM  506  and auxiliary storage device  508  (cache, RAM, etc.). The processing of signals received by communication interface  518  is accomplished in computer  522 . The information processed from these signals comprises database  104  which can be housed on main memory  504  located at the site of receiver and processor  103  or can be located elsewhere. 
     Next, consider monitor  105  which may comprise all of the components of FIG.  5 . The database information is of no particular value unless it is being monitored on a continuous basis because an unwanted attack can happen at any time of day or night on any day of the week. Thus, in monitor  105  (which may comprise multiple terminal screen monitors), human operators continuously observe display  512 , utilizing keyboard  514  and cursor control  516  to read the information inputs received via communication interface  518  (where bus  111  may be any suitable communication link such as the Internet, and intranet or local area network, or other hard wire or telecommunication connection). The human operators then verify the information as being bona fide and not a false alarm and send the appropriate information over network connection  112 A to police department  106 A. Connection  112 A can likewise be any suitable network connection such as the Internet, an intranet or local area network (LAN) or other hard wire or telecommunication connection. Connection  112  can be any standard police-to-police communication infrastructure. 
     Finally, consider the mechanism in police department  106 A for observing the informational inputs received. It likewise may need a full complement of capability including all of the components shown in FIG.  5 . Police personnel observe the emergency call placed on its terminal screen  512  and thereby receive the user ID information, the location of the crime information, a video and/or still picture of the assailant on its terminal screen in real time, and a sound presentation of what is happening at the scene of the attack. Police personnel from police department  106 A (or  106  as may be the case) immediately dispatch a patrol car nearest that location to provide police services as needed. 
     While several illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art. For example, although at least the digital camera and GPS components are significant to operation of the present invention, other features may not be. Accordingly, miniaturization of the device, utilizing fewer than all features disclosed herein and/or based on technological miniaturization advances of any of the components in the slam cam, is included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, such a miniaturized slam cam may be worn rather than carried by the user, for example, on the wrist like a wristwatch, or perhaps on a hat (e.g. similar to a flashlight in a miner&#39;s hat), or in a jacket lapel, or otherwise associated with such user. These and other variations and alternative embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.