Apparatus and method for reporting verification testing of a personal emergency response system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for reporting verification testing of a personal emergency response system including a remote subscriber station capable of transmitting messages over a communications link to a central station, comprising:
- portable activator means selectively operable for generating an activating signal at the subscriber station;
subscriber unit means disposed within the subscriber station and normally operative in response to said activating signal for transmitting one or more messages over the communications link to the central station;
latch assembly means coupled to said subscriber unit means and operative in response to said activating signal for indicating operational status of said subscriber unit means and said portable activator means in combination during a predetermined period of time; and
verification timing/logic means for clocking said predetermined period of time and operative in response to expiration of said predetermined period of time for effecting activation of said subscriber unit means to poll said latch assembly means to determine said operational status thereof and to transmit a system test message indicative of said operational status of said latch assembly means to the central station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for reporting verification testing of a portable activator is provided for a personal emergency response system. In normal operation of the system, a signal transmitted by the portable activator activates a subscriber unit in a remote subscriber station to transmit an alarm message to a central station, or in some configurations to provide a local test or to cause other local or remote commands and/or control. The subscriber unit according to the present invention includes a latch assembly which is "set" upon receipt of any activating signal transmitted by the portable activator. The system also includes timing/logic circuitry, in the subscriber unit or alternately as part of the equipment of the central station, which automatically activates the subscriber unit upon expiration of a predetermined period of time to transmit a system test message to the central station. A segment of the system test message provides information as to whether the portable activator has been used during the preceding predetermined period of time, as indicated by the status of the latch assembly.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for reporting verification testing of a personal emergency response system including a remote subscriber station capable of transmitting messages over a communications link to a central station, comprising:
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portable activator means selectively operable for generating an activating signal at the subscriber station; subscriber unit means disposed within the subscriber station and normally operative in response to said activating signal for transmitting one or more messages over the communications link to the central station; latch assembly means coupled to said subscriber unit means and operative in response to said activating signal for indicating operational status of said subscriber unit means and said portable activator means in combination during a predetermined period of time; and verification timing/logic means for clocking said predetermined period of time and operative in response to expiration of said predetermined period of time for effecting activation of said subscriber unit means to poll said latch assembly means to determine said operational status thereof and to transmit a system test message indicative of said operational status of said latch assembly means to the central station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for verifying the functioning of a personal emergency response system, the personal emergency response system including a subscriber station for transmitting messages over a communications link to a central station and wherein the subscriber station includes a portable activator selectively operable to generate an activating signal, a subscriber unit normally operative in response to said activating signal to transmit one or more messages over the communications link to the central station and a latch assembly operative in response to said activating signal to assume a first state indicating use of said subscriber unit and said portable activator in combination during a predetermined period of time, said latch assembly normally being in a second state indicating nonuse of said subscriber unit and said portable activator in combination during said predetermined period of time, comprising the steps of:
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(a) clocking said predetermined period of time by means of a verification timing/logic circuit; (b) effecting activation of said subscriber unit to poll said latch assembly upon expiration of said predetermined period of time to determine the state thereof; and (c) transmitting a system test message indicative of the state of said latch assembly from the subscriber station to the central station by mean of the communications link. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification