Digital and synthesized speech alarm system

• US 4,716,582 A
• Filed: 09/16/1986
• Issued: 12/29/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wisconsin Bell Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PhonetiCs, Inc. (Appiant Technologies, Inc.), Wisconsin Bell Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blanchard, Kenneth E., Sanislo, Stephen V. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US06/907,997
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 A, 179/2 DP, 179/5 R, 179/5 P, 179/90 BD, 379/28, 379/37, 379/39, 379/40, 379/41, 379/42, 379/46, 379/50, 379/51, 379/106, 379/102, 379/105
• US Class Current: 379/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/045 using recorded signals, e.g. speech
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/914 Programmable telephone component

Abstract

A portable, self-contained device for monitoring an area and reporting conditions automatically over standard telephone lines is disclosed. The device communicates through a modem in digital code with digital terminals or in synthetic speech when a digital terminal is not used.

Claims

1. A portable, self-contained device for monitoring a selected local area, having a standard telephone terminal for connection to a standard external telephone line, said device adapted to report occurrence of any of a plurality of preselected conditions adjacent said local area, said device comprising:

(a) means for setting in said device a first identification number corresponding to a telephone number for the external telephone phone line into said selected local area;

(b) means for selectively connecting said device onto said external telephone line installed at said selected local area;

(c) means for creating in said device a first distinct signal upon occurrence of one of said plurality of preselected conditions;

(d) synthetic speech generator means for generating in said device a first synthetic voice message in response to said distinct signal;

(e) means for amplifying and playing said first synthetic voice message at said local area upon its creation;

(f) means causing said synthetic speech generator to create a first telephone format dialing signal corresponding to a second identification number of a first, remote preselected telephone in response to said distinct signal;

(g) means applying said dialing signal to said external telephone line and thereby initiating a telephone call;

(h) means for creating an answer and handshake present signal upon recognizing the occurrence of an answer and handshake at said first remote telephone;

(i) a modem for creating a telephone compatible digital information signal in response to said answer and handshake present signal, said digital signal including a representation of said first identification number;

(j) switch means directing said digital signal onto said telephone line;

(k) means terminating said telephone call;

(l) means for reobtaining a dial tone when an answer and handshake present signal is not generated and cycling means for repeatedly creating said first dialing signal and seeking an answer and handshake at said first remote telephone for a preselected period of time;

(m) means responsive to the absence of said answer and handshake present signal for said preselected period of time causing said synthetic speech generator to create a second telephone format dialing signal corresponding to the identification number of a second, remote preselected telephone;

(n) means applying said second dialing signal to said external telephone line and thereby initiating a telephone call;

(o) means creating an answer signal upon recognizing the occurrence of an answer at said second remote telephone;

(p) preprogrammed means creating a digital compatible indicator signal if said second preselected telephone is capable of the receipt of digital information;

(q) means creating a handshake present signal if a digital handshake is received from said second remote telephone;

(r) means activating said switch means for directing said digital signal to said telephone line if said handshake present signal is present; and

(s) means causing said synthetic speech generator to create a second synthetic voice signal in response to the absence of said digital compatible indicator signal, said second synthetic voice signal includes a representation of said first identification number and means applying said second synthetic voice signal to said telephone line.

2. A portable, self-contained device for monitoring a selected local area, having a standard telephone terminal connected to standard external telephone lines of a standard commercial telephone system for occurrence of any of a plurality of preselected conditions adjacent said local area, said device comprising:

(a) means for answering a telephone call to said device on said telephone lines;

(b) means for determining the presence of a digital terminal handshake on said telephone lines and creating a handshake present signal in response thereto;

(c) means creating a synthetic speech report including an identification code identifying the local area being monitored and status information on said preselected conditions and terminating said telephone call after completion of said report in the absence of a handshake present signal;

(d) means operable in response to the occurrence of a handshake present signal creating a data command present signal if a data command is present on said telephone line;

(e) means creating a digital format telephone system acceptable message including said first identification code representative of the local area being monitored and information on the status of said preselected conditions, applying said digital message to said external telephone lines and terminating said telephone call upon the completion of said report in the presence of a handshake present signal and the absence of a data command present signal; and

,

(f) means terminating said telephone call after sensing the presence of a data command signal and applying a dialing signal to said telephone lines initiating a telephone call, determining the presence of an answer and digital handshake on said telephone lines, creating a digitally encoded telephone system acceptable message including an identification code identifying the location being monitored and the status of conditions being monitored and applying said message to said telephone lines as intelligence, masking memory references to alarm conditions reported and, in the absence of an answer and handshake present signal, means for repeating the application of said telephone format dialing signal to said telephone lines and seeking the presence of answer and handshake signal.

3. A method for monitoring a selected local area with a device having a standard telephone terminal connected to standard external telephone lines of a standard commercial telephone network for occurrence of any of a plurality of preselected conditions adjacent said local area, said method comprising:

(a) setting a first identification code in said device corresponding to a telephone number for said standard external telephone lines into said selected local area;

(b) automatically answering a telephone call directed to said device on said standard external telephone lines;

(c) determining if a digital communications format handshake is present on said external telephone lines and creating a handshake present signal in response thereto;

(d) in the absence of a handshake present signal, creating a synthetic speech message including information corresponding to an identification code for said local area external telephone lines and information on the status of said preselected conditions, applying said synthetic speech message to said external telephone lines as intelligence and terminating said telephone call;

(e) in the presence of a handshake present signal, determining if a data command is present on said external telephone lines and generating a data command present signal in the presence of such command;

(f) in the absence of a data command present signal, creating a digitally encoded telephone system acceptable message including an identification code for said local area external telephone lines and the status of said preselected conditions, masking references to alarm conditions reported and terminating said telephone call;

(g) in the presence of a data command present signal, terminating said telephone call, initiating a second telephone call by creating and applying to said external telephone lines a telephone format dialing signal corresponding to an identification code of a remote preselected telephone connected to said commercial telephone network, determining whether an answer and digital handshake is present on said external telephone lines and creating an answer and handshake present signal in the presence thereof;

in the presence of said answer and handshake present signal, applying said digitally encoded telephone system acceptable message to said external telephone lines, masking references to alarm conditions reported and disconnecting said second telephone call;

in the absence of said answer and handshake present signal, terminating said second telephone call and reapplying said telephone format dialing signals to said external telephone line seeking an answer and handshake present signal.

4. A self-contained device for monitoring a selected local area comprising:

(a) sensing means monitoring conditions at said local area and generating signals regarding said conditions;

(b) a microprocessor;

(c) switch means selectively applying signals from said sensing means to said microprocessor;

(d) memory associated with said microprocessor;

(e) means for storing a plurality of identification codes representative of a plurality of telephone numbers in said memory;

(f) an electronic speech synthesizer selectively creating telephone system compatible dialing tone signals and speech element audio frequency signals in response to speech creation signals from said microprocessor;

(g) a modem adapted to create telephone system acceptable digital information containing signals based upon digital information received from said microprocessor and microprocessor acceptable digital signals based upon information received from said telephone system;

(h) means connecting said switch means to a telephone line in turn connected to said telephone system;

(i) said switch means sequentially connecting said speech synthesizer to said telephone line, transmitting dialing tone signals created by said speech synthesizer corresponding to one of said identification codes and then connecting said modem to said telephone line whereby said microprocessor may initiate a telephone call and transmit a digital information containing signal over said telephone system;

(j) means responding to an incoming telephone call on said telephone line;

(k) means determining if a digital communications format handshake is present on said telephone line and creating a handshake present signal in response thereto;

(l) means causing said speech synthesizer to create a synthetic speech message including information corresponding to an identification code for said local area external telephone lines and information on the status of said preselected conditions, apply said synthetic speech message to said external telephone line as intelligence and terminate said incoming telephone call in the absence of a handshake present signal;

(m) means generating a data command present signal if a data command is present on said external telephone line in the presence of a handshake present signal;

(n) means creating a digitally encoded telephone system acceptable message including an identification code for said telephone line and the status of said preselected conditions, masking references to alarm conditions reported and terminating said incoming telephone call in the absence of a data command present signal;

(o) means terminating said incoming telephone call, initiating a test call by causing said speech synthesizer to create a telephone format dialing signal corresponding to an identification code of a remote preselected telephone connected to said commercial telephone network, applying said dialing signal to said telephone line, determining whether an answer and digital handshake is present on said telephone line and creating an answer and handshake present signal in the presence thereof;

in the presence of said answer and handshake present signal, applying said digitally encoded telephone system acceptable message to said telephone line, masking references to alarm conditions reported and disconnecting said test call;

in the absence of said answer and handshake present signal, terminating said test call and reapplying said dialing signal to said telephone line seeking an answer and handshake present signal.