Emergency alerting system for remotely located sites

• US 5,995,847 A
• Filed: 08/19/1996
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Steelman
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Steelman
• Inventors: Gergen, Paul N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TROST IV, WILLIAM GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US08/699,480
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/404, 455/422, 455/521, 455/550, 455/38.1, 455/38.2, 235/379, 379/37-40, 379/45, 379/46, 902/1, 705/35, 705/43
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• 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 system for providing emergency alerting capability to persons at or near a remote banking terminal (ATM) or night-depository, in such a manner as to minimize risk to the possible victim and maximize the emergency response authorities'"'"' ability to monitor and respond to the situation. The device consists of a covert control and two-way communication unit attached to an Automatic Teller Machine or a night-depository. The unit is activated by a button or switch on the ATM, or by a remote radio receiver link from a keyed small radio transmitter. Upon activation, the unit dials a 911 emergency response office, establishing two-way voice communication from covert microphones at the ATM, and to a speaker hidden at the ATM. During communication, the unit is controlled by the emergency response operator. In an improved embodiment, the system would cover multiple automatic teller machines at an automatic teller machine site, so that when one of the automatic teller machines was activated by the user, there would be communication between that one automatic teller machine and a radio dispatcher at a 911 location, and the other automatic teller machines at the site would be deactivated.

Claims

1. An emergency alert system for use with multiple automatic teller machines located at an automatic teller machine location when one of the machines is approached by an authorized user to obtain banking services from the teller machine, the system comprising:

a) activation means operated by the user for establishing both operation of the automatic teller machine being used for banking services and a two way communication between the user at the automatic teller machine in use and an emergency dispatcher, wherein said two way communication is a direct interconnection of an alarm signal alert to a selected emergency "911" number;

b) said communication originating from a microphone positioned at the automatic teller machine being used to pick up sounds from the vicinity of the automatic teller machine location;

c) said communication being a speaker located at the automatic teller machine being used to receive sound communication from the emergency dispatcher to the vicinity of the automatic teller machine location; and

d) termination means for allowing only the emergency dispatcher to terminate said two way communication.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an audio bridge which converts one automatic teller machine into two additional telephones that turns on the appropriate microphone and speaker combination with the push of the 911 button for that particular automatic teller machine being used.

3. The system of claim 1, said means for establishing the two-way communication includes a manually activated switch located at said automatic teller machine location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for establishing the two-way communication includes a coded radio transmission generated from an individual radio transmitter carried by the user and transmitted to a receiver concealed in said automatic teller machine.

5. An emergency response communications system for use at an automatic teller machine location having at least three automatic teller machines, the system comprising:

a) at least one microphone receiving sound signals from each of the automatic teller machines at the automatic teller machine site;

b) at least one speaker communicating voice signals to each of the automatic teller machines at the automatic teller machine sites;

c) activation means for establishing both operation of at least one automatic teller machine for banking services and a two way sound communication between the one automatic teller machine and an emergency dispatcher in response to a telephone call from that automatic teller machine, wherein said two way communication is a direct interconnection of an alarm signal alert to a selected emergency "911" number, from the automatic teller machine being used; and

d) termination means for allowing only the emergency dispatcher to terminate said communication between the dispatcher and the one automatic teller machine being used in communication with the dispatcher.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said activation means for establishing communication includes:

a) means for connecting to a telephone line;

b) means responsive to a dial tone on said telephone line, for dialing an emergency dispatcher; and

c) means responsive to an interconnect with an emergency dispatcher, for controlling said sound communications, terminating said communications upon detection of a tone code from said emergency dispatcher directing said termination.

7. The system in claim 5, wherein said means for dialing comprises dialing 911.

8. The system in claim 5 wherein said activating signal comprises a manually activated switch, activated at the automatic teller machine site.

9. The system in claim 5 wherein said activating signal comprises a coded radio signal from an individual radio transmitter located at the automatic teller machine site.

10. The system in claim 9 wherein said radio transmitter comprises a small, hand held transmitter transmitting a digital code corresponding to an authentication of said transmitter.

11. The system in claim 5 wherein said means for dialing further comprises:

a) means, responsive to the presence of tones on said telephone line, for detecting failure to connect to said emergency dispatcher;

b) means, responsive to the detection of said failure, for re-dialing said emergency dispatcher; and

c) said means for redialing continuously redials until connection to said emergency dispatcher is established.

12. The system of claim 5 further comprising means, responsive to the establishment of voice communications from said emergency dispatcher, which prevents further re-dialing.