Alerting and warning system
First Claim
1. An alerting and warning system for directing an alarm signal to a selectable class and number of radio receivers comprising:
- at least one facility to be monitored for the occurrence of an alarm condition;
means for transmitting a notification signal indicating the occurrence of an alarm condition at a monitored facility;
annunciators located at sites to be alerted to alarm conditions;
radio receiving means associated with said annunciation means and responsive to signals of a predetermined code from said means for transmitting to actuate their associated annunciators;
dispatching means responsive to said notification signal indicating the occurrence of an alarm condition at a monitored facility for transmitting a first signal indicative of a class of receivers to be contacted;
means for encoding and transmitting radio signals in response to said first signal, said radio signals being encoded to cause the receivers in the class indicated by the first signal to respond and actuate their associated annunciators; and
means for auto dialing at said sites to be alerted, said means for auto dialing being responsive to actuation of said annunciators to send an acknowledgement signal.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An emergency alerting system for alerting or warning large numbers of people of the occurrence or threat of an emergency using available communications media. Multiple facilities are monitored for the occurrence of multiple alarm conditions. On the occurrence of such a condition radio or telephone contact is made with a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and the LEPC is notified of the site and nature of the alarm condition. Using a predetermined listing or data bank the LEPC selects a number corresponding to the site and condition and transmits such number to an automated controller for a radio transmitter. The transmitter may be part of an existing radio paging system. The automated controller, on the basis of the number dialed in by the LEPC, transmits an appropriate Code Assignment Plan (Cap Code) signal. The Cap Code signal is the electronic signature of a preprogrammed Cap Code chip within individual radio receivers positioned at the sites of intended alarm recipients. The Cap Codes are assigned and utilized to effect the notification of predetermined groups related to specific alarm conditions. Upon a receiver being actuated by receipt of its Cap Code an alarm is actuated to produce a sensory alarm signal such as sound or light. A detector is provided at the alarm site and upon detecting the sensory alarm acknowledges to the monitored facility the occurrence of the alarm.
294 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An alerting and warning system for directing an alarm signal to a selectable class and number of radio receivers comprising:
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at least one facility to be monitored for the occurrence of an alarm condition; means for transmitting a notification signal indicating the occurrence of an alarm condition at a monitored facility; annunciators located at sites to be alerted to alarm conditions; radio receiving means associated with said annunciation means and responsive to signals of a predetermined code from said means for transmitting to actuate their associated annunciators; dispatching means responsive to said notification signal indicating the occurrence of an alarm condition at a monitored facility for transmitting a first signal indicative of a class of receivers to be contacted; means for encoding and transmitting radio signals in response to said first signal, said radio signals being encoded to cause the receivers in the class indicated by the first signal to respond and actuate their associated annunciators; and means for auto dialing at said sites to be alerted, said means for auto dialing being responsive to actuation of said annunciators to send an acknowledgement signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An alerting and warning system for directing an alarm signal to a selectable class and number of radio receivers comprising:
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at least one facility to be monitored for the occurrence of an alarm condition; means for transmitting a notification signal indicating the occurrence of an alarm condition at a monitored facility; annunciators located at sites to be alerted to alarm conditions; radio receiving means associated with said annunciators and responsive to signals of a predetermined code from said means for transmitting to actuate their associated annunciators; dispatching means responsive to said notification signal indicating the occurrence of an alarm condition at a monitored facility for transmitting a first signal indicative of a class of receivers to be contacted; means for encoding and transmitting radio signals in response to said first signal, said radio signals being encoded to cause the receivers in the class indicated by said first signal to respond and actuate their associated annunciators; and means for auto dialing at said sites to be alerted, said means for auto dialing being responsive to actuation of said annunciators to send an acknowledgement signal; means for receiving said acknowledgement signal and controlling transmission of a repeat notification to those receiving means which failed to acknowledge receipt of said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of actuating alarm signals to alert a selectable class and number of radio receivers comprising the steps of:
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monitoring at least one facility to detect the occurrence of an alarm condition; transmitting a notification signal indicating the occurrence of an alarm condition at said monitored facility to a dispatching center; encoding information derived from said notification dependent upon characteristics of the occurrence to predetermine a class of potential alarm recipients to be alerted; transmitting radio signals containing said encoded information to cause similarly coded radio receivers at sites of said recipients to respond and actuate annunciators at said sites; and detecting at said sites the actuation of said annunciator and performing an auto dial function in response to said actuation to send an acknowledgement signal indication of said actuation.
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20. A method of actuating alarm signals to alert a selectable class and number of radio receivers comprising the steps of:
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monitoring multiple facilities to detect the occurrence of an alarm condition; identifying the nature of an alarm condition occurring at one of said facilities; transmitting a notification signal indicating the occurrence of said alarm condition at said facility to a dispatching center; encoding information derived from said notification dependent upon the identity of the facility and the nature of the alarm condition to predetermine the class and number of potential alarm recipients to be alerted; transmitting radio signals containing said encoded information to cause similarly coded radio receivers at sites of said recipients to respond and actuate annunciators at said sites; and detecting at said sites the actuation of said annunciation means and performing an auto dial function in response to said actuation to send an acknowledgment of said actuation. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification