Microprocessor controlled dispatcher activated response identification system with telephone and radio frequency interface

• US 6,307,920 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1998
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Foresight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Foresight Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Thomson, James D., Heckelman, James D., Howe, Larry S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/159,432
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 379/45, 379/37, 379/38, 379/39, 379/102.01, 379/102.06, 379/396, 340/539, 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

A signaling system (10) in the form of a dispatcher activated response identification system is provided for responding exclusively to a predefined signal transmitted from a first location through a telephone service line interconnected thereby with a telephone at a second location to assist responding personnel in identifying the second location when the predefined signal is transmitted from the first location. The signaling system includes first and second electronic circuits (40, 60) at the second location. The first electronic circuit is adapted to generate a first signal (58) at the second location in response to receiving the predefined signal transmitted through the telephone service line. The second electronic circuit is physically separated from the first electronic circuit and is preferably placed where it is easily visible from the street such as in a window. The second electronic circuit generates a visual indicia at the second location in response to the first signal being transmitted from the first circuit. Preferably, the visual indicia is generated by a stroboscopic light emitting diode. The first electronic circuit is responsive to dual tone (DTMF) signals, a sequence of tone signals, or modem signals transmitted on the telephone service line. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the first electronic circuit is responsive to radio frequency signals transmitted from the dispatcher to the caller'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A signaling system that is responsive exclusively to a predefined signal transmitted from a dispatcher at a first location through a telephone service line interconnected thereby with a telephone at a second location to assist responding personnel in identifying the second location when the predefined signal is transmitted from the first location, the signaling system comprising:

a first electronic circuit interconnected with said telephone service line, the first electronic circuit being adapted to generate a first signal at said second location in response exclusively to said predefined signal transmitted from the dispatcher at the first location through said telephone service line; and

,

a second electronic circuit associated with the first electronic circuit at said second location and disconnected from said telephone service line, the second electronic circuit being adapted to generate a visual locating indicia at said second location in response to said first signal transmitted from said first circuit, the visual locating indicia being directly intelligible by the responding personnel.

2. The signaling system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first electronic circuit includes;

a decoder circuit adapted to decode said predefined signal transmitted through said telephone service line and generate a decoded signal;

a first control circuit adapted to receive the decoded signal and generate a radio frequency enable signal in response to receiving the decoded signal; and

,

a radio frequency transmitting circuit for generating said first signal in response to said radio frequency enable signal from said first control circuit; and

,

said second electronic circuit includes;

a radio frequency receiving circuit adapted to receive said first signal from the radio frequency transmitting circuit and generate an acknowledgment signal in response to receiving the first signal;

a second control circuit adapted to receive the acknowledgment signal and generate a locating indicia enable signal in response to receiving the acknowledgment signal; and

,

a visual indicia device operatively connected to the second control circuit and responsive to the locating indicia enable signal to generate said visual locating indicia at said second location to assist said responding personnel in identifying the second location.

3. The signaling system according to claim 2 wherein:

said decoder circuit is adapted to i) receive a dual tone signal as said predefined signal transmitted through said telephone, ii) decode the dual tone signal, and iii) generate said decoded signal in response to receiving the dual tone signal;

said radio frequency transmitting circuit is adapted to generate a radio frequency signal as said first signal in response to said radio frequency enable signal from said first control circuit; and

,

said radio frequency receiving circuit is adapted to receive said radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitting circuit and generate said acknowledgment signal in response to receiving the radio frequency signal.

4. The signaling system according to claim 3 wherein:

said first control circuit includes a first programmable microprocessor;

said second control circuit includes a second programmable microprocessor;

said first electronic circuit includes a first battery power source and a first low battery detection circuit operable with said first programmable microprocessor to determine a relative strength of said first battery power source and generate a first low battery alarm signal when the relative strength of the first battery power source is below a first predetermined threshold; and

,

said second electronic circuit includes a second battery power source and a second low battery detection circuit operable with said second programmable microprocessor to determine a relative strength of said second battery power source and generate a second low battery alarm signal when the relative strength of the second battery power source is below a second predetermined threshold.

5. The signaling system according to claim 2 wherein:

said decoder circuit is adapted to i) receive a sequence of tone signals as said predefined signal transmitted through said telephone, ii) decode the sequence of tone signals, and iii) generate said decoded signal in response to receiving the sequence of tone signals;

said radio frequency transmitting circuit is adapted to generate a radio frequency signal as said first signal in response to said radio frequency enable signal from said first control circuit; and

,

said radio frequency receiving circuit is adapted to receive said radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitting circuit and generate said acknowledgment signal in response to receiving the radio frequency signal.

6. The signaling system according to claim 5 wherein:

said first control circuit includes a first programmable microprocessor;

said second control circuit includes a second programmable microprocessor;

said first electronic circuit includes a first battery power source and a first low battery detection circuit operable with said first programmable microprocessor to determine a relative strength of said first battery power source and generate a first low battery alarm signal when the relative strength of the first battery power source is below a first predetermined threshold; and

,

said second electronic circuit includes a second battery power source and a second low battery detection circuit operable with said second programmable microprocessor to determine a relative strength of said second battery power source and generate a second low battery alarm signal when the relative strength of the second battery power source is below a second predetermined threshold.

7. The signaling system according to claim 2 wherein:

said decoder circuit is adapted to i) receive modem tone signals as said predefined signal transmitted through said telephone, ii) decode the modem tone signals, and iii) generate said decoded signal in response to receiving the modem tone signals;

said radio frequency transmitting circuit is adapted to generate a radio frequency signal as said first signal in response to said radio frequency enable signal from said first control circuit; and

,

said radio frequency receiving circuit is adapted to receive said radio frequency signal from the radio frequency transmitting circuit and generate said acknowledgment signal in response to receiving the radio frequency signal.

8. The signaling system according to claim 7 wherein:

said first control circuit includes a first programmable microprocessor;

said second control circuit includes a second programmable microprocessor;

said first electronic circuit includes a first battery power source and a first low battery detection circuit operable with said first programmable microprocessor to determine a relative strength of said first battery power source and generate a first low battery alarm signal when the relative strength of the first battery power source is below a first predetermined threshold; and

,

said second electronic circuit includes a second battery power source and a second low battery detection circuit operable with said second programmable microprocessor to determine a relative strength of said second battery power source and generate a second low battery alarm signal when the relative strength of the second battery power source is below a second predetermined threshold.

9. The signaling system according to claim 1 wherein at least a one of said first electronic circuit and said second electronic circuit includes a timer for disabling said visual locating indicia after a predetermined time period following said first signal being transmitted from said first circuit.

10. The signaling system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first circuit is adapted to generate a first disable signal at said second location in response to a predefined dispatcher disable signal transmitted through said telephone service line; and

,

said second electronic circuit is adapted to disable said visual locating indicia in response to said first disable signal transmitted from said first circuit.

11. The signaling system according to claim 1 wherein said second electronic circuit is adapted to disable said visual locating indicia in response to receiving a first disable signal.

12. A signaling system that is responsive to a predefined radio frequency signal transmitted from a dispatcher at a first location through the air to a second location to assist responding personnel associated with said dispatcher in identifying the second location from among other locations not the second location when the predefined radio frequency signal is transmitted from the first location to the second location, the signaling system comprising:

a radio frequency receiving circuit adapted to receive said first radio frequency signal from the first location and generate a first electronic signal in response to receiving the first radio frequency signal;

a decoder circuit adapted to decode said first electronic signal and generate a decoded signal;

a programmable microprocessor circuit adapted to receive the decoded signal and generate a locating indicia enable signal when the decoded signal matches a predetermined identification code stored in programmable microprocessor circuit; and

,

a visual locating indicia device operatively connected to the programmable microprocessor circuit and responsive to the locating indicia enable signal to generate a visual indicia at said second location in response to said first radio frequency signal transmitted from said first circuit, the visual indicia being directly intelligible by the responding personnel to assist said responding personnel in identifying the second location.

13. The signaling system according to claim 12 further comprising a battery power source and a low battery detection circuit operable with said programmable microprocessor circuit to determine a relative strength of said battery power source and generate a low battery alarm signal when the relative strength of the battery power source is below a predetermined threshold.

14. The signaling system according to claim 12 wherein:

said radio frequency receiving circuit is adapted to receive a second radio frequency signal and generate a second electronic signal in response to receiving the second radio frequency signal;

said decoder circuit is adapted to decode said second electronic signal and generate a second decoded signal;

said programmable microprocessor circuit is adapted to receive the second decoded signal and generate a locating indicia disable signal when the second decoded signal matches a predetermined disable identification code stored in programmable microprocessor circuit; and

,

said visual locating indicia device is responsive to the locating indicia disable signal to de-activate said visual indicia in response to said second radio frequency signal received by said radio frequency receiving circuit.

15. The signaling system according to claim 12 further including a timer for de-activating said visual indicia after a predetermined time period.

16. A method of generating visual indicia to assist responding personnel in locating a premises, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a signaling system that is responsive exclusively to a predefined signal transmitted from a dispatcher at a first location to the signaling system at a second location to assist responding personnel in identifying the second location;

receiving the predefined signal into the signaling system;

decoding the predefined signal as a decoded signal using a programmable microprocessor in the signaling system; and

,

when the decoded signal matches a predefined signal stored in the signaling system, activating a visual indicia at the second location to assist responding personnel in identifying the second location.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of receiving the predefined signal into the signaling system includes receiving at least a one of a dual tone (DTMF) signal, a sequence of tone signals, modem tone signals, and a radio frequency signal.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the step of activating the visual indicia at said second location to assist the responding personnel in identifying the second location includes de-activating the visual indicia after a predetermined time period.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the step of activating the visual indicia at said second location to assist the responding personnel in identifying the second location includes de-activating the visual indicia after receiving a de-activation signal from a one of the dispatcher and the responding personnel.

20. The method according to claim 16 further including the steps of:

charging a battery in the signaling system;

determining a charge level of said battery; and

,

when the charge level of said battery is below a predetermined level, generating a low battery signal in the signaling system.