Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
,
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION: This application claims priority from
US provisional application # 62/937916 filed November 20, 2019, the entirety
of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TITLE: Security Flashlight, Computing Device and Video Recorder
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to flashlights for use by security personnel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Security guards, policemen and night watchmen, hereafter referred to
collectively as security
personnel, are professionals who are charged with the task of overseeing the
physical security of
buildings and locations. The task often requires the security personnel to
patrol vacant portions
of buildings which are often poorly lit, particularly at night. As an aid to
assist them in their
endeavors, security personnel are often issued flashlights to assist them in
illuminating dark
locations should the need arise. They are also often provided with a
communication device such
as a two-way radio or mobile phone. During the operation of their duties,
security personnel
may face situations where they may run into conflict with other people or face
a potential
dangerous situation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
flashlight for
use with a security system having a server coupled to a wireless network, the
server having a file
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,
,
for containing video and other data. The flashlight includes a housing having
a tubular battery
compartment containing a battery, the tubular battery compartment coupled to a
head portion.
The head portion of the flashlight contains a light, a video camera, a mobile
computing device, a
touch screen, a photosensor, a wireless network adapter, a GPS unit and a
plurality of physical
buttons. The mobile computing device is operatively coupled to the light,
video camera, touch
screen, photosensor, GPS unit, wireless network adapter and plurality of
physical buttons. The
light is oriented to project a beam of light out of the head portion and the
video camera is
configured to record a video image which is in alignment with the beam of
light. The touch
screen is configured to display a record icon for activating the video camera
causing it to record
the video image onto an onboard memory card. The flashlight has physical
buttons for turning
on the light, the video camera, mobile computing device and the wireless
network adapter being
configured to stream the video image to the server whether the light has been
turned on or not,
without recording the video image to the onboard memory unless the record icon
is engaged.
The device is capable of being located by GPS even when it is turned off
unless GPS has been
manually disabled in the device settings.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to
those
skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification
proceeds, the invention is
herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, which
includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles
of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flashlight made in accordance with one
aspect of the present
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invention showing the battery housing coupled to the head portion.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the flashlight of figure 1 showing the head
portion disconnected
from the battery housing and showing the battery cap disconnected from the
battery housing.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the head portion of the flashlight shown in
figure 1.
Figure 4 is a front view of the head portion of the flashlight shown in figure
1.
Figure 5 is a side view of the head portion of the flashlight shown in figure
1.
Figure 6 is back view of the head portion of the flashlight shown in figure 1.
Figure 7 is a schematic view of the mobile computing device, camera, GPS unit
and wireless
communication module contained within the flashlight shown in figure 1.
Figure 8 is a schematic view of the flashlight shown in figure 1 used in
combination with a
wireless server network.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
the different
figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to figures 1, a flashlight made in accordance with the present
invention is
shown generally as item 10 and consists of a tubular battery housing 12
mounted to a head
portion 14. Battery housing 12 has a battery cap 16 which is removable from
housing 12 in
order to replace the batteries (not shown) contained within housing 12. Head
portion 14 has
front end 18 which houses a head lamp (light) 20. As best seen in figure 2,
the flashlight can be
disassembled by decoupling battery housing 12 from head portion 14. Battery
cap 16 can be
unscrewed from threaded end 21 to access the battery compartment contained
within housing 12.
Housing 12 has threaded end 22 which is configured to mate to threaded sleeve
24 formed on
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,
head 14. Threaded sleeve 24 forms a recess 26 on the end of head portion 14.
Referring now to figure 3, head portion 12 contains a mobile computing device,
a GPS
unit, a video camera and a wireless communication module for communication
with a central
wireless server as shall be better described later. Head portion 12 also
includes a video
touchscreen 28 and a cluster of physical buttons 30. Touchscreen 28 is
configured to display
information such as text messages, as well as display a plurality of icons
controlling the
operation of the mobile computing device contained within head portion 12. One
such icon is
the video record icon 32 which, when activated, causes the onboard video
camera to record a
video image to internal memory or external SD card. The cluster of physical
buttons 30
includes physical buttons controlling various functions such as on/off button
34 which is
activated to turn the onboard mobile computer on and off and light button 36
for turning the
headlight of the flashlight on. Additional buttons are provided on cluster 30
to control
interactions with the icons on screen 28 and control the operation of
flashlight. Additional
buttons 38 and 40 are provided to permit the user to send a "red signal" and a
"green signal"
light to another person respectively. The red and green signals can be used to
communicate a
variety of things such as the presence of an emergency, and "all clear" signal
or any other signal
as can be pre-arranged with other persons. As will be discussed further below,
button 36
controls the operation of the flashlight's lamp/light, but does not control
video recording, which
is always live streaming, and can be captured by the server software if the
operator chooses.
Referring now to figure 4, the front end 18 of head portion 12 has a plurality
of elements
which are used to increase the functionality of the flashlight. Light 20 is
provided to project a
beam of strong light in front of the flashlight. Preferably light 20 consists
of a strong white light
LED. A video camera lens 42 is provided and is aligned with light 20 such that
the video camera
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records images of objects directly in front of the flashlight which will be
illuminated by the light
beam generated by light 20. A flash fill light 44 is provided which is
configured to generate a
brief but very bright flash of light so that the onboard video camera can take
a still picture.
Red/Green light 46 is provided at the front of the flashlight which are
controlled by the red/green
buttons 38 and 40, respectively. Activation of the red/green light allows the
user of the flashlight
to signal a red light or a green light to other persons as discussed above.
Referring now to figure 5, the side of head 14 is provided with a recessed
port 48
containing a plurality of sockets for receiving Intelligent Fast Charging plug
50, computer
access plug 52, a memory card 54, and a microphone 56. Preferably recessed
port 48 is
configured to snugly receive a rubber cap 58 to permit the recessed port to be
waterproof or at
least water resistant. Additional items can be placed in recessed port 48 such
as a reset button,
and other items such as the memory card slot or microphone, can be located
elsewhere
depending on the level of waterproofness required for those items. Head
portion 14 is also
preferably provided with a speaker grill 55 containing a speaker for receiving
audio signals such
as alarms, notifications or even voice messages.
As best seen in figure 6, sleeve 24 forms a recess 26 within which additional
items and
ports can be positioned to take advantage of the increased waterproofness
provided by the
threaded sleeve 24. For example, a cellular SIM card slot 60 can be positioned
in recess 26 as
well as a flash memory card slot 54. Electrical contacts 62 and 64 will be
provided in recess 26
to permit the head portion to make electrical contact with the rechargeable
battery.
Referring now to figure 7, the mobile computing device portion of the present
invention
shall now be discussed in greater detail. Contained within the head portion of
the flashlight is
the mobile computer device, shown generally as item 66, which preferable
consists of a standard
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mobile computing board as used in the construction of android cell phones and
the like. For the
purposes of this discussion, a 4G enabled mobile computing device powered by a
64-bit 8-core
processor, CORTEXTm-A53 architecture running at 1.5 GHz and loaded with the
Android 6.0
operating system would be enough. Suitable mobile computing boards and devices
are readily
available on the market. The computing device is preferably provided with on
board wireless
communications module 68 which is configured to provide the computing device
with a plurality
of wireless communications modes such as Bluetooth (V4.0 or higher), WIFI
network support
(IEEE 802.11 n/b/g), and cellular (LTE; 4G, 3G and the like). Mobile computing
device 66 is
also provided with hardware/firmware/software necessary to control the
operation of touchscreen
28, write data to memory card 72, receive GPS location information from GPS
unit 70, record
video images from video camera 42, turn headlight 20 on and off and receive
on/off signals from
flashlight button 36. Numerous mobile computing boards/kits are readily
available on the
market which have all these features and more built in. Mobile computing
device 66 is further
configured to turn on light 20 and automatically stream video images from
camera 42 to a remote
user via communication module 68 as soon as button 34 is activated into the
"ON" position.
Mobile computing device 66 is further configured to record that video image
onto memory card
72 inserted into card slot 54, or onto internal memory when icon 32 on screen
28 is activated into
"record mode". When the user activates icon 32, the video image is also
recorded onto memory
card 72 inserted into card slot 54, or onto internal memory, depending on
configuration. The
feature of turning on the device 66 and transmitting the video image is
programmed into the
firmware of the mobile computing device to not be reliant on the operating
system or the
operator.
Mobile computing device 66 is preferably loaded with applications which
periodically
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query the GPS module 70 to determine the GPS location of the flashlight. The
GPS information
is logged into memory card 72 (or stored on onboard memory) together with the
time and date so
that a list of GPS waypoints can be recorded detailing where the flashlight
was located at any
point in time. Other information such as when the flashlight was turned on,
when various
.. features of the flashlight were activated, etc., can all be stored on
memory. A computer port is
provided on the flashlight to permit easy retrieval of this information later.
Referring now to figure 8, flashlight 10 is preferably to be used as part of a
security
system which includes a central remote server 78. Remote server 78 runs a
database program 80
having a plurality of records 82. Each flashlight 10 is provided with a serial
number (IMEI
number) identifying the flashlight and this serial number is preferably
recorded in record 82 so
that record 82 can be identified as the record containing information relating
to flashlight 10. In
cases where the flashlight is to be used by security officers (police,
military personnel, security
guards, prison guards, etc.) who patrol an area in a car or vehicle, then
record 82 can also
identify the car number associated with the flashlight. The car number
indicates that the car has
a specific flashlight associated with it. Flashlight 10 is configured to
periodically send
information packets 75 wirelessly back to server 78. Flashlight 10 is
configured to include the
serial number of the flashlight, the car number associated with the
flashlight, the time/date, and
the GPS position of the flashlight within information packet 75. As mentioned
previously, when
button 34 is switched on, video camera 42 starts streaming a video image. In
the example
illustrated, the user wishes to view event 74 and does so by switching on
button 36 to project a
beam of light onto event 74. Simultaneously, camera 42 starts recording a
video image and
flashlight 10 transmits the video image 76 as a continuous stream to server
78. Server 78 then
takes video stream 76 and records it into record 82. Therefore, even if the
user fails to trigger the
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recording of the event by activating icon 32, server 78 records the video
image for later
reference. This provides the system with the advantage of keeping a video
record of the event
without the need for the user to take the added step of activating the record
button. This also
provides the added advantage of providing a video record of even 74 which can
be retrieved even
if flashlight 10 is damaged, lost or stolen before the onboard data card can
be read. Flashlight 10
is further configured to embed various water marks into video image 76. The
watermarks would
include such things as the GPS position of the flashlight, the current time
and date, the serial
number of the flashlight and the car number associated with the flashlight.
This provides a video
file which can be used as evidence which shows the location, time, date and
the specific
flashlight and car associated with the recording.
Since flashlight 10 includes a cellular enabled communications module as well
as a
microphone and speakers, it is possible to use the flashlight to send and
receive voice messages
as well as voice to text messages between the flashlight and a remote location
such as a
headquarters, an office, another cell phone (or land line) and another
similarly equipped
.. flashlight. Since a flash memory card is provided onboard the flashlight,
the flashlight can store
copies of all voice messages, text messages, notifications, GPS waypoints and
other
communications or information on the flashlight. This data can be uploaded
later to serve
various purposes such as verifying that patrols were fully executed and
provide evidence for use
in legal proceedings. The flashlight therefore provides a valuable tool for
security as it enables
users to communicate with each other, verify their position and to gather and
store evidence.
A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however,
several
variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope
of this invention.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the
embodiments described
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above but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the
following claims.
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