Alpha-numeric verbal scroll technique for use in an emergency location system

• US 5,649,059 A
• Filed: 09/13/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tendler Cellular Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tendler Cellular Incorporated
• Inventors: Korte, Donald, Tendler, Robert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON JR, JEROME
• Application Number:
  US08/527,588
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 395/2.84, 395/2.79, 395/2.1, 395/2.2, 379/63, 379/59, 358/108, 342/316, 370/110.1, 455/77, 343/456
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/006 for emergency situations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

An Emergency Vessel Location System (EVLS) which broadcasts a verbal MAYDAY message including the vessel or vehicle identification number (VIN) and the vessel position via a transceiver controlled by the EVLS is provided with a verbal scrolling technique to initially load a VIN number into the EVLS. The verbal scroll entails annunciating letters of the alphabet and then numbers one at a time. In one embodiment programming is performed by two switches, one a TEST switch on the microphone, although any two switches may be used singly and in combination to enter the VIN. One switch is used to advance the scroll, while the other is used to select an entry.

Claims

1. In an emergency location system in which a verbal emergency message is broadcast by a transceiver in response to actuation of said system:

means for user entry of identification characters corresponding to a unique user identification code; and

means for verbalizing and broadcasting said characters with said verbal emergency message to establish the origin and user entry means including a non-volatile memory for storing characters, said user entry means including a system requiring user-entry of alpha-numeric characters in a computer memory for later use in the operation of the system, said system having associated with it a speaker for projecting audio information to a user, means for entering said alpha-numeric characters in said memory comprising;

means including a switch and said speaker for generating an audible series of alpha/numeric characters one at a time at the user'"'"'s option and pace with each switch activation to be loaded into said memory, said audible series of alpha/numeric characters being provided one at a time at the user designated pace and in an order corresponding to alphabetic/numeric ordering to produce a verbal scroll thereof;

means operable by the user of said system upon hearing the individual characters generated by said system, and operable during the audible sequence for selecting an audible character at the time it is audibilized, the selecting of an audible character constituting a character selection; and

,

means for entering that digital alpha/numeria character corresponding to said selected audible character into said computer memory.

2. The system of claim 1 and further including means for verifying the selected characters by audibilizing the complete set of selected characters in the order in which they were selected.

3. The system of claim 2 and further including means including a second audibilization for verifying character selection prior to entry.