System and method for remote telephonic station actuation

• US 5,159,317 A
• Filed: 07/12/1991
• Issued: 10/27/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Lifeline Systems Inc (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Brav, Alan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/729,493
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 340/574, 340/539, 340/286.04, 340/501, 340/514, 340/573, 340/825.45, 379/38
• US Class Current: 340/574
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/14 checking the detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A home communicator includes aid request circuitry capable of establishing communication with a central monitoring station in response to a first predetermined activation step performed by a subscriber and test circuitry capable of self-testing the home communicator in response to a second predetermined activation step formed by the subscriber. The home communicator further includes enable/disable circuitry capable of transmitting an identification number to a central monitoring station in response to a third predetermined activation step with the aid request circuitry and the test circuitry being unresponsive prior to the functioning of the enable/disable circuitry.

Claims

1. A home communicator comprising:

aid request circuitry capable of establishing communication with a central monitoring station in response to a first predetermined activation step performed by a subscriber;

test circuitry capable of self testing the home communicator in response to a second predetermined activation step performed by said subscriber; and

enable/disable circuitry capable of transmitting an identification number to said central monitoring station in response to a third predetermined activation step,

wherein said aid request circuitry and said test circuitry are not responsive prior to said enable/disable circuitry functioning.

2. The home communicator of claim 1 wherein said home communicator further includes a first button and said first predetermined activation step is the depressing of said first button.

3. The home communicator of claim 2 wherein said home communicator further includes a second button and said second predetermined activation step is the depressing of said second button.

4. The home communicator of claim 3 wherein said home communicator enable/disable circuitry is responsive to the third predetermined activation step of establishing contact with said central monitoring station and substantially simultaneously activating said first button and said second button for a predetermined amount of time.

5. The home communicator of claim 1 wherein said enable/disable circuitry is activated in response to a signal transmitted to said home communicator by said central monitoring station.