Importance

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Abstract

A cellular-based electronic house arrest monitoring (EHAM) system (10) electronically monitors parolees, or other personnel, required to remain at a house arrest location (12) or to report in at the house arrest location during certain hours. Monitoring occurs automatically under control of a host computer (50) at a central monitoring location remote from the house arrest location, regardless of whether conventional telephone service is available at the house arrest location. Tamper detect circuitry detects any attempt to tamper with the components of the system. The EHAM system includes an electronic tag (14) worn by the person being monitored that periodically transmits a unique identifying (ID) signal (16). The ID signal is transmitted at low power, and is receivable only over a limited range, e.g., 150 feet. A field monitoring device (FMD) (20) placed within the house arrest location receives the ID signal only if the tag is within range of the receiver, i.e., only if the person is at the house arrest location. The EHAM system utilizes a special cellular interface unit (CIU) (30) that couples the FMD via radio waves to a publicly accessible cellular telephone network (38). The EHAM system includes tamper detect features (84, 86) that detect if the CIU is opened or moved, and that assure that only a specified telephone number is dialed through the CIU.

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First Claim