Emergency alert communication system wherein emergency messages are received by a radio frequency receiver and routed to a telephone device

• US 5,917,887 A
• Filed: 09/08/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TFT, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TFT, Inc.
• Inventors: Fesler, Kenneth A., Goy, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/925,253
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37-51, 455/166.2, 455/552, 455/555, 455/556
• US Class Current: 379/48
• 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 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/045 using recorded signals, e.g. speech

Abstract

An emergency alert communication system comprising a radio frequency receiver. The radio frequency receiver decodes incoming emergency alert signals and demodulates data header signals and emergency alert voice message signals of the emergency alert signals. Included in the data header signals are event and location code signals, which are followed by the emergency alert voice message signals. The demodulated data header signals in the form of digital data header signals are applied to a microcontroller. A telephone keypad of a telephone device is actuated to enter into the microcontroller event and location code signals. Should the event and location code signals demodulated by the receiver and applied to the microcontroller match the event and location code signals entered into the microcontroller by the telephone keypad, the microcontroller routes through an audio switching circuit the emergency alert voice message signals to a speaker, a recording device and a telephone handset of a telephone device. The radio frequency receiver, the microcontroller, the telephone handset, the telephone keypad, the speaker, and the recording device are embodied in the telephone device.

Claims

1. An emergency alert communication system in which radio frequency emergency alert signals are transmitted, said radio frequency emergency alert signals include a header having data code signals followed by emergency alert voice message signals, said emergency alert communication system comprising:

(a) a radio frequency receiver for decoding and demodulating said radio frequency emergency alert signals to provide decoded and demodulated data code signals followed by decoded and demodulated emergency alert voice message signals;

(b) converting means responsive to decoded and demodulated data code signals for producing digital data code signals;

(c) an audio switching circuit connected to said radio frequency receiver for receiving decoded and demodulated emergency alert voice message signals;

(d) electronic processing means for detecting said digital data code signals and controlling the passage of said emergency alert voice message signals through said audio switching circuit;

(e) audio reproducing means for producing an emergency alert voice message; and

(f) a keypad connected to said electronic processing means for entering into said electronic processing means coded signals;

(g) said electronic processing means comparing said digital data code signals from said converting means with said coded signals entered into said electronic processing means by said keypad, said electronic processing means being responsive to the matching of said digital data code signals from said converting means with said code signals entered into said electronic processing means by said keypad for routing said emergency alert voice message signals through said audio switching circuit to said audio reproducing means.

2. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said audio reproducing means is a telephone handset.

3. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said keypad is a telephone keypad.

4. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said audio reproducing means is a telephone handset.

5. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 4 and comprising a telephone device in which said radio frequency receiver, said electronic processing means, said telephone keypad, and said telephone handset are embodied.

6. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 5 and comprising a recording device embodied in said telephone device, said electronic processing means routing said emergency alert voice message signals through said audio switching circuit to said recording device in response to said electronic processing means detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered into said electronic processing means by said telephone keypad.

7. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 5 and comprising a display for displaying digital data code information, said display being embodied in said telephone device, said electronic processing means routing said digital data code signals to said display in response to detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered into said electronic processing means by said telephone keypad.

8. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 5 and comprising a data port embodied in said telephone device, said electronic processing means routing said digital data code signals to said data port in response to detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered into said electronic processing means by said telephone keypad.

9. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 5, said electronic processing means in response to detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered into said electronic processing means by said keypad provides an incoming emergency alert ringing signal for said telephone handset to produce an emergency ringing tone, said emergency alert ringing tone being different from the ringing tone normally produced by said headset.

10. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 5 and comprising a speaker, said electronic processing means in response to detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered into said electronic processing means by said telephone keypad provides a telephone incoming emergency alert ringing signal to said speaker, the tone of said incoming emergency alert ringing signal from said speaker being different from the tone of a telephone ringing signal from said speaker.

11. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 1 and comprising an external telephone line interface connected to said electronic processing means, said electronic processing means being adapted to establish a communication path between said telephone handset and said external telephone line interface through said audio switching circuit.

12. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 11 wherein a telephone conversation is in progress employing said telephone handset, said electronic processing means in response to detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered by said keypad provides an alert tone during the telephone conversation in progress.

13. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 11 wherein a telephone conversation is in progress employing said telephone handset, said electronic processing means in response to detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered by said keypad interrupts said telephone conversation in progress.

14. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electronic processing means translates said digital data code signals into a text message in response to detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered into said electronic processing means by said keypad.

15. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 1 and comprising a display, said electronic processing means translates said digital data code signals into a text message and routes the digital data code signals to said display in response to detecting a match between said digital data code signals from said converting means and said coded signals entered into said electronic processing means by said keypad.

16. An emergency alert communication system in which radio frequency emergency alert signals are transmitted, said radio frequency emergency alert signals include a header having event code signals and location code signals followed by emergency alert voice message signals, said emergency alert communication system comprising:

(a) a radio frequency receiver for decoding and demodulating said radio frequency emergency alert signals to provide decoded and demodulated event code signals and location code signals followed by decoded and demodulated emergency alert voice message signals;

(b) converting means responsive to said decoded and demodulated event code signals and said location code signals for producing digital event code signals and digital location code signals;

(c) an audio switching circuit connected to said radio frequency receiver for receiving decoded and demodulated emergency alert voice message signals;

(d) electronic processing means for detecting said digital event code signals and said digital location code signals and controlling the passage of said emergency alert voice message signals through said audio switching circuit;

(e) audio reproducing means for producing an emergency alert voice message; and

(f) a keypad connected to said electronic processing means for entering into said electronic processing means event code signals and location code signals;

(g) said electronic processing means comparing said digital event code signals and said digital location signals from said converting means with said event code signals and said location code signals entered into said electronic processing means by said keypad, said electronic processing means being responsive to the matching of said digital event code signals and said location code signals from said converting means with said event code signals and said location code signals entered into said electronic processing means by said keypad for routing said emergency alert voice message signals through said audio switching circuit to said audio reproducing means.

17. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 16 wherein said audio reproducing means is a telephone handset.

18. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said keypad is a telephone keypad.

19. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 17 and comprising a telephone device in which said radio frequency receiver, said electronic processing means, said telephone keypad and said telephone handset are embodied.

20. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 19 and comprising a recording device embodied in said telephone device, said electronic processing means routing said emergency alert voice message signals through said audio switching circuit to said recording device in response to said electronic processing means detecting a match between said digital event code signals and said digital location code signals from said converting means and said event code signals and said location code signals entered into said electronic processing means by said telephone keypad.

21. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 16 and comprising an external telephone line interface connected to said electronic processing means, said electronic processing means being adapted to establish a communication path between said telephone handset and said external telephone interface through said audio switching circuit.

22. An emergency alert communication system as claimed in claim 21 wherein a telephone conversation is in progess employing said telephone handset, said emergency alert communication system comprising a recording device, said electronic processing means in response to detecting a match between said digital event code signals and said digital location code signals from said converting means and said event code signals and said location code signals entered into said electronic processing means by said keypad routes said emergency alert voice message signals through said audio switching circuit to said recording device.