Dispatcher-activated response identification light (DARIL) and method for use thereof

• US 5,991,363 A
• Filed: 06/02/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James D. Thomson
• Original Assignee: James D. Thomson
• Inventors: Thomson, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US08/867,679
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 379/45, 379/37, 379/38, 379/39, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/102.04, 379/102.07, 340/691, 340/331, 340/332
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed that will temporarily identify a building, house, or other structure to which emergency personnel have been dispatched. The apparatus, which is activated remotely by an emergency service dispatcher, includes, in one embodiment, a high-intensity stroboscopic light emitting diode (LED) placed in a location that is visible from the exterior of the structure, especially from the street.

The circuit that activates and deactivates the LED is triggered by the dispatcher, who causes a specific tone to be transmitted over the telephone line after an individual in the structure telephones the emergency dispatcher.

This new apparatus allows the practice of a new method for assuring that dispatched emergency personnel quickly and easily find the emergency site when they arrive at the general locale of the emergency. The method involves the activating of the dispatcher-activated response identification light (as the apparatus is called) by the dispatcher over the telephone line used by the person who telephones for emergency help.

Claims

1. A process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line from a caller at a first location to a dispatcher of emergency personnel at a second location, said process comprising the steps of:

determining a nature of said telephone call from said caller at said first location; and

,

when said nature of the telephone call from said caller is determined to be an emergency, causing a tone signal to be transmitted from said second location to said first location over said telephone line to trigger a signal light at said second location, thereby to identify the caller'"'"'s location to said emergency personnel, thereby to allow said emergency personnel to quickly find said first location.

2. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 1 wherein the step of causing said tone signal to be transmitted over said telephone line includes causing a one of a dual tone signal and a sequence of tone signals to be transmitted over said telephone line.

3. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 1 wherein the step of causing said tone signal to be transmitted over said telephone line to trigger said signal light at the caller'"'"'s location includes causing a one of a dual tone signal and a sequence of tone signals to be transmitted over said telephone line to trigger a one of a stroboscopic light emitting diode and a gas discharge lamp at the caller'"'"'s location, thereby to identify the caller'"'"'s location to allow said emergency personnel to quickly find said location.

4. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 1 wherein:

the step of determining the nature of said telephone call from said caller at said first location includes said dispatcher determining the nature of said telephone call from said caller; and

,

the step of causing the tone signal to be transmitted from said second location to said first location over said telephone line includes said dispatcher causing said tone signal to be transmitted from said second location to said first location over said telephone line.

5. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 4 wherein the step of said dispatcher causing said tone signal to be transmitted over said telephone line includes said dispatcher causing a one of a dual tone signal and a sequence of tone signals to be transmitted over said telephone line.

6. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 4 wherein the step of said dispatcher causing said tone signal to be transmitted over said telephone line to trigger said signal light at the caller'"'"'s location includes said dispatcher causing a one of a dual tone signal and a sequence of tone signals to be transmitted over said telephone line to trigger a one of a stroboscopic light emitting diode and a gas discharge lamp at the caller'"'"'s location, thereby to identify the caller'"'"'s location to allow said emergency personnel to quickly find said location.

7. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 1 further including the step of, when said nature of the telephone call from the caller is determined to be an emergency, dispatching said emergency personnel to assist said caller at said first location.

8. A process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line from a caller at a first location to a dispatcher of emergency personnel at a second location, said process comprising the steps of:

determining the nature of an emergency that prompted said caller to request aid;

sending required emergency personnel to said first location; and

,

sending a tone signal over said telephone line to trigger a highly-visible signal light at said first location that will aid said emergency personnel in locating said emergency.

9. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 8 wherein the step of sending said tone signal over said telephone line includes sending a one of a dual tone signal and a sequence of tone signals over said telephone line.

10. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 8 wherein the step of sending said tone signal over said telephone line includes sending a one of a dual tone signal and a sequence of tone signals over said telephone line to trigger a one of a stroboscopic light emitting diode and a gas discharge lamp at the caller'"'"'s location, thereby to identify the caller'"'"'s location to aid said emergency personnel in locating said exact site of said emergency.

11. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 8 wherein:

the step of determining the nature of the emergency that prompted said caller to request aid includes said dispatcher determining the nature of the emergency that prompted said caller to request aid;

the step of sending the required emergency personnel to said first location includes said dispatcher sending the required emergency personnel to said first location; and

,

the step of sending the tone signal over said telephone line to trigger the highly-visible signal light at said first location includes said dispatcher sending the tone signal over said telephone line to trigger the highly-visible signal light at said first location.

12. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 11 wherein the step of said dispatcher sending said tone signal over said telephone line includes said dispatcher sending a one of a dual tone signal and a sequence of tone signals over said telephone line.

13. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 11 wherein the step of said dispatcher sending said tone signal over said telephone line includes said dispatcher sending a one of a dual tone signal and a sequence of tone signals over said telephone line to trigger a one of a stroboscopic light emitting diode and a gas discharge lamp at the caller'"'"'s location, thereby to identify the caller'"'"'s location to aid said emergency personnel in locating said exact site of said emergency.

14. The process for delivering emergency services in response to a telephone call over a telephone line according to claim 8 wherein the steps of sending the emergency personnel to said first location and sending said tone signal over said telephone line includes sending the emergency personnel to said first location and sending said tone signal over said telephone line when said nature of said telephone call is determined to be a serious emergency at said first location in need of emergency personnel.

15. An emergency location indicator device that is responsive to a specific tone signal transmitted from a dispatcher at a first location to a caller at a second location through a telephone service line interconnected with a telephone at the second location, the indicator device comprising:

a signal lamp at the second location, the lamp being adapted to illuminate for identifying a site of an emergency; and

,

an electronic circuit at the second location and interconnected with said signal lamp and said telephone service line the electronic circuit including a decoder interconnected with said telephone service line for sensing and decoding said specific tone signal transmitted by the dispatcher at the first location through said telephone service line, the electronic circuit selectively connecting the signal lamp to a source of power in response to said specific tone signal being sensed and decoded by said decoder, thereby selectively producing a highly noticeable visual signal identifying said site of the emergency to which said emergency personnel have been dispatched.

16. A method of identifying a first location, of a caller placing a telephone call over a telephone line to a human dispatcher at a second location, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a nature of an emergency that prompted the telephone call;

when the nature of the emergency is determined to require emergency personnel to be dispatched to the first location of the caller, transmitting a signal over said telephone line from said second location to said first location; and

,

triggering a signal indicia at said first location in response to said signal received at said first location, thereby to identify said first location of said caller.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of transmitting said signal over said telephone line from said second location to said first location includes transmitting the signal over the telephone line from the second location to the first location based on a judgment of said human dispatcher.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein:

the step of transmitting said signal over said telephone line from said second location to said first location includes transmitting a one of a tone signal, a dual tone signal, and a sequence of tone signals from the second location to the first location; and

,

step of triggering said signal indicia at said first location in response to said signal received at said first location includes triggering a one of a stroboscopic light emitting diode and a gas discharge lamp at the first location in response to the signal received at the first location, thereby to identify said first location of said caller.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of transmitting said signal over said telephone line from said second location to said first location includes transmitting a tone signal from the second location to the first location.

20. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of transmitting said signal over said telephone line from said second location to said first location includes transmitting a dual tone signal from the second location to the first location.

21. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of transmitting said signal over said telephone line from said second location to said first location includes transmitting a sequence of tone signals from the second location to the first location.

22. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of triggering said signal indicia at said first location in response to said signal received at said first location includes triggering a stroboscopic light emitting diode at the first location in response to the signal received at the first location, thereby to identify said first location of said caller.

23. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of triggering said signal indicia at said first location in response to said signal received at said first location includes triggering a gas discharge lamp at the first location in response to the signal received at the first location, thereby to identify said first location of said caller.

24. The method according to claim 16 wherein:

the step of transmitting said signal over said telephone line from said second location to said first location includes transmitting a one of a tone signal, a dual tone signal, and a sequence of tone signals from the second location to the first location; and

,

step of triggering said signal indicia at said first location in response to said signal received at said first location includes triggering a one of a stroboscopic light emitting diode and a gas discharge lamp at the first location in response to the signal received at the first location, thereby to identify said first location of said caller.