Guard tour system

Abstract

The guard tour system of the present invention is comprised of a central computer which runs a computer program that enables a variety of electronic hardware components to function as the guard tour system. As a guard progresses through a guard tour, he or she uses a touch button reader to read information stored within a plurality of touch memory buttons located along the patrol route. At the end of the patrol, the guard places the touch button reader in a downloader that transfers the stored data to the central computer which processes the data and generates reports summarizing the patrol data. The computer program of the present invention provides a novel method of organizing security information in hierarchical categories. Further, the guard tour system of the present invention uses a novel method to determine the number of times a guard visited a location in a given time period.

1 - 29 . (canceled)  
     
     
         30 . A method of defining rules for performing a guard patrol of one or more checkpoints, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) assigning an identifier to a rule to be defined;    (b) assigning a date range during which said rule is valid;    (c) determining a schedule for when said rule must be followed; and    (d) setting the number of required checkpoint visits for each location of said guard patrol.    
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein said date range of said step (b) is selected from the group consisting of the rule being valid indefinitely, the rule being invalid after a specified date and the rule being valid only between an assigned range of dates.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein said schedule of said step (c) is selected from the group consisting of specific days of each week, specific days of each month, and specific days of each year.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 32 , further including the step of determining a time range for each day during which said rule is effective.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 30 , further including the step of reporting an exception anytime a checkpoint is not patrolled pursuant to said defined rule.