Method and apparatus for utilizing a cellular telephone in a programmable, intelligent emergency freeway callbox

• US 5,016,269 A
• Filed: 11/04/1988
• Issued: 05/14/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: GTE Mobilnet Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Rogers, Stephen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US07/267,539
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 379/63, 379/59, 379/58, 379/60, 379/61, 379/38, 379/37, 379/40, 379/42, 379/43, 379/45, 379/49, 379/51, 455/33
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

In an improved cellular telephone network, which in the illustrated embodiment, is a roadside emergency callbox system, and in which each cellular callbox includes programmable circuitry for call progress processing, various tones transmitted in a telephone exchange are detected, decoded and responsively acted upon by the callbox according to program control. Each callbox is further capable of receiving and decoding DTMF tones from the telephone exchange to allow arbitary information, including alphanumeric information for local display at the callbox, to be received and interactively processed subject to on-site program control. Still further, each of the callboxes within the cellular network can be remotely programmed by a maintenance computer to call a newly designated telephone number in the event of activation of the callbox which can be utilized in the case of the need for extraordinary emergency response. Each callbox senses a plurality of operational conditions and status alarms which are reported periodically or in real time according to remote program control, including the option of remotely masking any alarm or reporting protocol.

Claims

1. In an emergency call box system using cellular telephone technology, the combination comprising:

a plurality of fixed location call box means, each of which comprises;

cellular transceiver means for transmitting and receiving data signals and/or voice signals,

programmable means for controlling the operation of the cellular transceiver means according to a program having a plurality of parameters which govern the timing and sequence of steps performed by the call box means;

remotely located communication processor means including;

means for storing a plurality of call box personalities as preselected sets of values for the parameters of said program, each set of values corresponding to a different characteristic manner of call box operation;

means for assigning each of said sets of values to a plurality of the call box means to create a group of call box means for operation according to each personality;

means for generating audio-frequency data signals for transmission to the call box means of one of said groups to cause each of said call box means to operate according to the personality of the group; and

,

a cellular system mobile telephone switching means for passing said data signals and said voice signals between the cellular transceiver means and the remotely located communication processor means.

2. In an emergency call box system using cellular telephone technology, the combination comprising:

a plurality of fixed location call box means, each of which comprises;

cellular transceiver means for transmitting and receiving data signals and/or voice signals,

alphanumeric display means for communicating visually with a user of the call box means,

programmable means for controlling the cellular transceiver means according to a program having a plurality of parameters to place an emergency call by dialing at least one stored telephone number in response to a user input, said parameters governing the timing and sequence of steps performed by the call box means,

the programmable means comprising;

means for decoding remotely originated audio-frequency data signals of different types,

means acting in response to decoding of a first type of said audio-frequency data signals to change the stored telephone number, and

means acting in response to decoding of a second type of said audio-frequency data signals for causing selected messages to appear on the display means;

a remotely located communication processor means comprising;

means for producing audio-frequency data signals of said first and second types to selectively redirect communications from the call box and cause information to appear on the display means;

means for storing a plurality of call box personalities as preselected sets of values for the parameters of said program, each set of values corresponding to a different characteristic manner of call box operation;

means for assigning each of said sets of values to a plurality of the call box means to create a group of call box means for operation according to each personality;

means for generating audio-frequency data signals of a third type for transmission to the call box means of one of said groups to cause each of said call box means to operate according to the personality of the group; and

,

a cellular system mobile telephone switching means for passing said data signals and said voice signals between each of the cellular transceiver means and the remotely located communication processor means.