Emergency alert systems

• US 7,002,466 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Great Plains Assistance DOGS Foundation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Great Plains Assistance DOGS Foundation Incorporated
• Inventors: Goehring, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US10/614,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.3, 340/568.4, 3405682- 3, 340/533, 340/539.11, 340/539.22
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

An emergency alert system comprising a two-way radio system having a first radio apparatus and a second radio apparatus. The first radio apparatus has a call activation device incorporated into its circuitry. A jack with a toggle member attached thereto may be provided for insertion into a jack receptacle of the transmitting apparatus. Removal of the jack by a service dog pulling on the toggle member causes a distress signal to be sent to the second radio apparatus.

Claims

1. An emergency alert system comprising:

a) a two-way radio system comprising at least a first radio apparatus and a second radio apparatus, said first and second radio apparatus having a speaker, a microphone, and a body having a side, said first radio apparatus having means to automatically activate a signal for sending to said second radio apparatus, said means to activate comprising a jack receptacle, located in said side of said first radio apparatus and incorporated into the circuitry of said first radio apparatus; and

b) a jack device having a toggle device connected thereto, said jack device for the removable insertion in said jack receptacle, said toggle device further comprising a loop member connected to said jack device, a length of flexible rope attached at one end to said loop member and having a plastic pendant attached to the other end of said rope, said flexible rope having a diameter and said plastic pendant having a width which is greater than the diameter of said rope, whereby attachment of said rope to said loop device permits said rope to hang in a vertical position and to be spaced from the radio side and whereby said rope and plastic pendant of said toggle device are constructed and arranged to be held between the teeth of a trained service dog, whereby upon the removal of said jack device by the service dog causes a signal to be sent to said second radio, said signal being a radio-wave signal which activates an alert tone in said second radio and causes the microphone of said first radio apparatus to be open for communication.

2. The emergency alert system of claim 1, wherein said length of flexible rope is approximately 5 inches long and approximately 0.5 inches in diameter.

3. The emergency alert system of claim 2, wherein said first radio has a first attachment device connected thereto for attachment to a person and wherein said toggle device has a second attachment device connected thereto, said second attachment device having means for connection to a wheelchair.

4. The emergency alert system of claim 1, wherein said first and second radio apparatus each further have a talk button, a microphone and a speaker and wherein said means to activate said first radio apparatus is further comprised of a horizontally disposed switch structure having a movable conductive member and conductive end portions, said conductive end portions being incorporated into said circuitry of said first radio apparatus to thereby activate a radio wave signal to be sent to said second radio apparatus, whereby said movable conductive member contacts one said end portion when said radio apparatus is moved from a horizontal position.

5. The emergency alert system of claim 1, wherein said first and second radio apparatus are FM radios.

6. The emergency alert system of claim 5, wherein said first and second radio apparatus have a channel lock button and wherein said first and second radios are locked to operate on one FM channel.

7. The emergency alert system of claim 1, further comprising a perimeter signal and wherein said one radio apparatus has means to receive said perimeter signal, said means to receive being incorporated in said circuitry of said one radio apparatus to activate said signal sending means.

8. The emergency alert system of claim 1, wherein said activation means further includes a clip attached to said length of flexible rope, said clip being constructed and arranged for attachment to a wheelchair.

9. The emergency alert system of claim 1, wherein said jack receptacle and said jack device are magnetically held in position.

10. The emergency alert system of claim 1, wherein said first radio apparatus has means for attachment to a user of the system.

11. An emergency alert system comprising:

a) a two-way radio system comprising at least a first radio apparatus and a second radio apparatus, said first radio apparatus having means to automatically activate a signal sent to said second radio; and

b) a talk button, a microphone and a speaker operatively incorporated in each said radio apparatus, said means to activate comprising a horizontally disposed switch structure having a movable conductive member and conductive end portions, said conductive end portions being incorporated into said circuitry of said one radio apparatus, said circuitry having a time-delay element and whereby when said horizontally disposed switch structure is moved from the horizontal position and said movable conductive member contacts one of said end portions a radio wave signal is sent after a predetermined time period from said first radio to said second radio to thereby provide a radio tone alert and whereby an open microphone is then provided on said first radio.

12. The emergency alert system of claim 11, wherein said means to activate further comprises a jack receptacle and a removable jack device, wherein said jack receptacle is incorporated into the circuitry of said first radio apparatus and said jack device has a toggle device connected thereto and wherein said toggle device comprises a length of flexible cotton rope with a specified diameter.

13. The emergency alert system of claim 12, wherein said first radio has an attachment device connected thereto for attachment to a person and wherein said toggle device has an attachment device constructed and arranged for connection to a wheelchair.

14. The emergency alert system of claim 12, wherein said length of flexible rope has a pendant connected thereto, said pendant having a width larger than said rope diameter.

15. The emergency alert system of claim 14, wherein said activation means is a magnetic switch whereby said jack and said jack receptacle are separable and magnetically held.

16. The emergency alert system of claim 11, wherein said first and second radio apparatus are FM radios and wherein each said radio has a channel lock button for locking to one FM channel.

17. The emergency alert system of claim 11, further comprising a perimeter signal and wherein said one radio apparatus has means to receive said perimeter signal, said means to receive being incorporated in said circuitry of said one radio apparatus to activate said signal sending means.

18. The emergency alert system of claim 11, wherein said first radio apparatus has means for attachment to a user of the system, wherein said first radio apparatus has a bypass switch to override the horizontal switch activation and wherein said predetermined time period is in the range of approximately 10–

15 seconds.

19. An emergency alert system comprising:

a) a two-way radio system comprising at least a first radio apparatus and a second radio apparatus, said first radio apparatus having means to automatically activate a signal sent to said second radio, said means to activate comprising a jack receptacle incorporated into the circuitry of said first radio apparatus;

b) a jack having a toggle device connected thereto, said jack for the removable insertion in said jack receptacle and said toggle device being constructed and arranged to be held between the teeth of a trained service dog, said toggle device further comprising a flexible rope length having two ends and a diameter, a loop member connected at one end of said rope length, said loop member constructed and arranged to be connected to said jack, and a pendant member at the other end of said rope length, said pendant member constructed and arranged having a width larger than said rope diameter so that a service dog may grasp the toggle device between its teeth for removal of said jack, whereby upon the removal of said jack by the service dog causes a signal to be sent to said second radio apparatus;

c) a talk button, a microphone and a speaker operatively incorporated in said first and second radio apparatus;

d) a horizontally disposed switch structure having a movable conductive member and conductive end portions, said conductive end portions being incorporated into said circuitry of said first radio apparatus, and whereby when said movable conductive member contacts one of said end portions a radio wave signal is sent to said second radio; and

e) an attachment device mounted to said first radio apparatus for attachment to a person and wherein said toggle device further has an attachment device constructed and arranged for connection to a wheelchair.

20. The emergency alert system of claim 19, wherein said jack receptacle and said jack device are magnetically held in position.