SPEAKERPHONE AND EXTENSION SPEAKERPHONE FOR USE IN PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM

• US 20110081005A1
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifeline Systems Company (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wooding, Anson William, Henderson, Martin E., Brav, Alan David
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/51
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1654 using passive vibration detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A personal emergency response system (PERS) includes a base unit (16) and one or more extension units (20). The base unit includes a speaker (64), a microphone (72), a telephone interface circuit (40), a microcontroller (46), and an autodialer (48). Each extension unit includes a speaker (164), a microphone (172), a telephone interface circuit (140), and a controller (146) without an autodialer. The base unit controller (46) and the extension unit controller (146) are programmed such that in a help mode, the base unit controller and the extension unit controller assume a master/slave relationship.

Claims

1. A personal emergency response system comprising:

a base unit (16) including;

a speaker (64),

a microphone (72),

a telephone interface circuit (40) connected with the speaker and the microphone and a telephone line (34),

a microcontroller (46), and

an autodialer (48);

one or more extension units (20) each including;

a speaker (164),

a microphone (172),

a telephone interface circuit (140) connected with the speaker and the microphone and the telephone line (34), and

a controller (146) without an autodialer;

wherein the base unit controller (46) and the extension unit controller (146) are programmed such that in a help mode, the base unit controller and the extension unit controller assume a master-slave relationship.

2. The personal emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the extension unit telephone interface circuit (140) draws a loop current from the telephone lines (34) of less than 30 mA such that the extension unit telephone interface circuit does not signal a phone company central office for a dial tone.

3. The personal emergency response system according to claim 1, further including at least one of a remote unit (30) for transmitting a radio frequency signal and a help switch (84) for triggering the help mode.

4. The personal emergency response system according to claim 3, wherein the base unit (16) further includes:

an antenna (42) and an RF receiver (44) for receiving the radio frequency signal from the remote unit (30).

5. The personal emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the base unit telephone interface circuit (40) and the extension unit telephone interface circuit (140) are connected with a common telephone line (34), the base unit controller (46) communicating with the extension unit controller (146) via the common telephone line.

6. The personal emergency response system according to claim 5, wherein the base unit (16) further includes at least one of a button (86) and an RF receiver (44) for signaling the base unit controller (46) to enter the help mode, the base unit controller (46) including an extension signaling unit (54) which signals the extension unit controller (146) over the common phone line (34) to instruct the extension unit controller (146) to enter the help mode.

7. The personal emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the base unit controller (46) and the extension unit controller (146) include a feedback loop prevention routine to prevent a feedback loop from being formed between one or more of the speakers (64, 164) and one or more of the microphones (72, 172).

8. The personal emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the base and extension units (16, 20) further includes:

an adjustable hybrid cancellation circuit (74, 174) controlled by the controller (64, 164) and connected between the microphone (72, 172) and the telephone interface circuit (40, 140) to improve the overall performance of the speakerphone.

9. The personal emergency response system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the base and extension units further include:

a microphone adjustable gain circuit (70, 170) controlled by the controller (46, 146) to adjust the microphone gain to amplify output sound to a preselected level when sound is transmitted out over the telephone line (34) and for muting the microphone when speech is being received on the telephone line.

10. The personal emergency response system according to claim 1, wherein the base unit controller (46) and the extension unit controller (146) are programmed to monitor the telephone line (34) and enter a receive mode when speech is being received on the telephone line and a transmit mode in the absence of speech on the telephone line.

11. The personal emergency response system according to claim 10, wherein:

in the receive mode, the speakers (64, 164) are set to a preselected volume and the microphones (72, 172) are disconnected; and

in the transmit mode, the microphones (72, 172) are connected and the speakers (64, 164) are disconnected or muted.

12. A method of using the personal emergency response system according to claim 1, the method comprising:

in response to receiving an indication that the help mode is to be entered, communicating with the extension unit microcontroller to place the extension unit microcontroller in the help mode, triggering the autodialer (48) to dial a preselected phone number, muting the base and extension unit microphones (72, 172), and listening for a communication link to be established with a call center (36);

upon establishing the communication link with a call center, triggering a tone generation circuit to send information to identify a subscriber to the call center;

un-muting and adjusting the gains of the base and extension unit microphones (72, 172) to enable an operator at the call center to hear sounds emanating from a subscriber.

13. The method according to claim 12, further including:

monitoring the common telephone line (34) which is connected to the base and extension units (16, 20) for speech emanating from the call center;

in response to detecting the speech, entering a receive mode, and in response to an absence of speech, entering a transmit mode.

14. The method according to claim 13, further including:

in the receive mode, muting or disconnecting the microphones (72, 172); and

in the transmit mode, muting or disconnecting the speakers (64, 164).

15. The method according to claim 13, further including:

in the transmit mode, sensing for feedback, and

in response to sensing feedback, decreasing amplification of signals from the microphones (72, 172).

16. An extension speakerphone unit (20) comprising:

a speaker (164);

a microphone (172);

a telephone interface circuit (140) for connecting the speaker and the microphone to a telephone line (34), the telephone interface circuit drawing less than 30 mA from the telephone line;

a control processor (146) without an autodialer, the control processor being configured to be switched into a slave mode in response to signals received over the telephone line from a base unit control processor (46).

17. A personal emergency response method comprising:

in response to receiving at a controller of a base speakerphone unit a signal indicating that a help mode is to be entered, sending a signal over a telephone line to a controller of an extension speakerphone unit to place the extension unit controller in a slave mode;

establishing communications over the phone line with a call center such that the base and extension speakerphone units both transmit signals concurrently on and receive signals concurrently from the telephone line.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein when receiving signals in the help mode, the base and extension units:

control speakers to broadcast at a selected amplitude;

monitor for feedback; and

adjust amplification of microphones to eliminate feedback.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein in the help mode, the base and extension units:

when receiving signals, broadcast audio signals based on the received signals and mute or disconnect microphones; and

when transmitting signals, block or mute the broadcasting of the audio signals and control amplification of signals from the microphones to transmit signals of a selected amplitude on the telephone line to the call center.