Telephone care system with telephone line-checking

• US 4,686,697 A
• Filed: 11/21/1983
• Issued: 08/11/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lifeline Systems Inc (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Lifeline Systems Inc (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Aseltine, Richard G. Jr., Shapiro, L. Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US06/553,748
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 179/5 R, 179/5 P, 179/81 C, 179/84 L, 179/175.3 F, 379/5, 379/27, 379/28, 379/37, 379/38, 379/40, 379/51, 379/396
• US Class Current: 379/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A telephone care system has a line-checking arrangement connected to the line-seizing arrangement and an off-hook detector so as to activate the line-seizing arrangement and send a bad-line signal in the event that the off-hook detector does not provide an off-hook signal when the line has been seized. A preferred embodiment also uses a pilot light as a combined power-on and telephone line status indicator by causing the pilot light to blink in the presence of a bad-line signal. A preferred embodiment also utilizes the off-hook detector for the additional purpose of resetting an inactivity timer, which, on expiration of a predetermined interval of time, triggers an alarm call over the telephone wires.

Claims

1. A system for communication by telephone wires of information concerning the circumstances of a subscriber, the system comprising:

(a) timing means for timing a predetermined interval of time from a beginning point established by a timer reset signal input and providing an expiration signal output upon the expiration of the predetermined interval of time;

(b) line-seizing means for connecting a communication output to the telephone wires;

(c) off-hook detector means connected to the telephone wires for sending an off-hook signal when a telephone circuit is in an off-hook condition;

(d) dialing means for dialing a telephone number over the communicator output;

(e) control means, connected to the timing means, line-seizing means, the off-hook detector means, and the dialing means, for (i) providing a timer reset signal to the timing means on receippt of an off-hook signal from the off-hook detector means when the line-seizing means has not been activated, and (ii) on activation by an expiration signal from the timing means or other specified occurrence, entering an alarm state, activating the line-seizing means and the dialing means, and sending a predetermined message over the communicator output;

(f) line-checking means, connected to the line-seizing means and the off-hook detector means, (i) for periodically activating the line-seizing means, (ii) for sending a bad-line signal in the event that the off-hook detector means does not provide an off-hook signal when the line-seizing means has been activated, and (iii) for increasing the frequency of activation of the line-seizing means when the control means is not in an alarm state, in the event that an off-hook signal is not provided by the off-hook detector means on activation of the line-seizing means.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the line-checking means includes cycle means connected to the control means for activating the line-seizing means on receipt of the timer reset signal and on the expiration of a designated time period after receipt of the timer reset signal.

3. A telephone line testing device for a telephone communication system having an alarm state comprising:

(a) line-seizing means for connecting an off-hook load to the telephone line;

(b) off-hook detector means connected to the telephone line for sending an off-hook signal when a telephone circuit is in an off-hook condition; and

(c) line-checking means connected to the line-seizing means and the off-hook detector means (i) for periodically activating the line-seizing means, and (ii) for sending a bad-line signal in the event that the off-hook detector means does not provide an off-hook signal when the line-seizing means has been activated and increasing the frequency of activating of the line-seizing means when the system is not in an alarm state.

4. A telephone line testing device, for a telephone communication system having an alarm state, the device comprising:

(a) line-seizing means for connecting an off-hook load to the telephone line;

(b) off-hook detector means connected to the telephone line for sending an off-hook signal when a telephone circuit is in an off-hook condition; and

(c) line-checking means connected to the line-seizing means and the off-hook detector means (i) for periodically activating the line-seizing means, and (ii) for sending a bad-line signal in the event that the off-hook detector means does not provide an off-hook signal when the line-seizing means has been activated and increasing the frequency of activation of the line-seizing means until such time as said bad-line signal is no longer obtained pursuant to such activation.