Personal emergency response communications system

• US 5,305,370 A
• Filed: 09/04/1991
• Issued: 04/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lloyd Kearns, Petersen, David E.
• Original Assignee: Lloyd Kearns, Petersen, David E.
• Inventors: Petersen, David E., Kearns, Lloyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L.
• Application Number:
  US07/755,539
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 379/45, 379/37, 379/38, 379/39, 379/40, 379/388, 379/389, 340/574
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A personal emergency response system in which a hand held portable transmitter (12) activates a base unit (14) interfaced with the telephone network (16) to dial 9-1-1 and permit direct communications with the operator (18) at the public safety answering point even though the user (10) is unable to reach a telephone (36). The transmitter (12) activates the base unit (14) as well as optional remote units (48) located throughout the user'"'"'s residence or place of business. The base unit (14) and remote units (48) include speaker-phone communication capabilities which permit two-way communications between the user (10) and the 9-1-1 system operator (18).

Claims

1. A personal emergency response communications system, comprising:

(a) transmitting means for transmitting a signal indicative of an emergency, said transmitting means adapted for ready transport by the user thereof, said transmitting means including a manually operable switch for activation thereof by said user;

(b) receiving means for receiving said transmitted signal;

(c) control means for accessing a telephone line and dialing 9-1-1, said control means responsive to said received signal;

(d) comparator means for comparing the duration of said transmitted signal with a predetermined period of time and preventing said control means from accessing said telephone line unless the duration of said transmitted signal exceeds said predetermined period of time;

(e) telephone line interface means for connecting said control means to said telephone line;

(f) communications means for audible communications between said user and a 9-1-1 system operator, said communications means coupled to said control means, said communications means operatively responsive to said control means, said communications means coupled to said telephone line interface means;

(g) said receiving means, said control means, said comparator means, said telephone line interface means, and said communications means included within a base unit; and

(h) dial detection means for accessing said telephone line and activating said communications means in response to said telephone line being taken off-hook and 9-1-1 being dialed form an extension telephone coupled to said telephone line, said dial detection means coupled to said telephone line interface means, said dial detection means included within said base unit.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising silencing means for preventing said user from receiving audible communications from said 9-1-1 system operator while permitting said 9-1-1 system operator to receive audible communications from said user, said silencing means included within said base unit, said silencing means operable by said user.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) audible annunciating means for alerting said user to activation of said transmitting means;

(b) visual annunciating means for alerting said use to activation of said transmitting means; and

(c) means for selectively disabling said audible annunciating means.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at lest one remote communications unit, said remote communications unit operatively responsive to said control means, said remote communications unit including means for audible two-way communications between said user and said 9-1-1 system operator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitting means comprises a pulse code modulated radio frequency transmitter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiving means comprises:

(a) a radio frequency receiver; and

(b) a pulse code modulation decoder.

7. An apparatus for direct telephone communication with a emergency response center during a life threatening emergency, comprising:

(a) a radio frequency transmitter, said transmitter including an activation switch;

(b) a radio frequency receiver;

(c) a telephone dialer, said telephone dialer coupled to said receiver, said telephone dialer responsive to activation of said transmitter;

(d) a telephone line interface, said telephone line interface coupled to said receiver, said telephone line interface coupled to said telephone dialer;

(e) a speaker, said speaker coupled to an amplifier, said amplifier coupled to said telephone line interface;

(f) a microphone, said microphone coupled to said amplifier; and

(g) silencing means for disabling said speaker while said microphone is active, said silencing means operatively coupled to said speaker;

(h) said radio frequency receiver, said telephone dialer, said telephone line interface, said speaker, said microphone, and said silencing means included within a base unit, said silencing means operable by a user from said base unit; and

(i) dial detection means for accessing a telephone line coupled to said telephone line interface and activating said communications means in response to said telephone line being taking off-hook and 9-1-1 being dialed from an extension telephone coupled to said telephone line, said dial detection means coupled to said telephone line interface means, said dial detection means included within said base unit.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein said transmitter includes a visual annunciator, said visual annunciator responsive to said activation switch, an audible annunciator, said audible annunciator responsive to said activation switch, and an annunciator switch, said annunciator switch operatively coupled said audible annunciator to enable and disable said audible annunciator.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 7, further comprising

comparator means for comparing the duration of a signal from said transmitter with a predetermined period of time and preventing operation of said telephone dialer unless the duration of said transmitted signal exceeds said predetermined period of time, said comparator means included within said base unit.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 7, further comprising at least one remote communications unit, said remote communications unit including a power line carrier interface, said remote communications unit operatively responsive to said receiver, said remote communications unit including a speaker, said remote communications unit including a microphone.

11. An apparatus for communicating with the operator of the 9-1-1 emergency response system for requesting assistance during an emergency in which the user is unable to physically reach a telephone, comprising:

(a) a self-contained portable radio frequency transmitter, said transmitter including an activation switch, said transmitter including a pulse code modulation encoder;

(b) a base unit, said base unit including a radio frequency receiver, said base unit including a pulse code modulation decoder coupled to said radio frequency receiver, said base unit including a control module, said control module coupled to said pulse code modulation decoder;

(c) a telephone line interface network, said telephone line interface network coupled to said control module;

(d) a telephone dialer, said telephone dialer coupled to said control module, said telephone dialer coupled to said telephone line interface network, said telephone dialer programmed to dial 9-1-1 upon activation of said transmitter;

(e) a least one speaker coupled to an amplifier, said amplifier coupled to said telephone line interface network;

(f) at least one microphone coupled to said amplifier, whereby activation of said transmitter causes said base unit to dial 9-1-1 permitting a user to communicate with said operator of said 9-1-1 emergency response system; and

(g) dial detection means for activating said speaker and microphone in response to a telephone line coupled to said telephone line interface network being taken off-hook and 9-1-1 being dialed by an extension telephone coupled to said telephone line, said dial detection means coupled to said telephone line interface network.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 11, further comprising:

(a) a power line carrier communications interface, said power line carrier communications interface coupled to said amplifier;

(b) at least one remote communications unit, said remote communications unit including a power line carrier communications interface, said remote communications unit including a speaker, said remote communications unit including a microphone, said remote communications unit operatively response to said base unit.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 11, further comprising trigger sampling means for comparing the duration of a radio frequency signal emitted from said transmitter with a predetermined period of time and preventing operation of said telephone dialer unless the duration of said transmitted signal exceeds said predetermined period of time, said trigger sampling means coupled to said decoder, said trigger sampling means coupled to said control module, said control module responsive to said trigger sampling means.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 11, further comprising:

(a) a visual annunciator, said visual annunciator responsive to said activation switch;

(b) an audible annunciator, said audible annunciator responsive to said activation switch;

(c) a bypass switch, said control unit operatively responsive to said bypass switch; and

(d) a cancel switch, said cancel switch coupled to said control module, said cancel switch deactivating said base unit.