Personal emergency communication system
First Claim
1. A personal emergency response communications system, comprising:
- a portable communications unit intended to be carried by a user who may require emergency attention, including(1) a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving communication signals,(2) a call button actuatable by the user to initiate a call request signal that will result in placing the user in voice communication with an emergency response provider;
a base communications unit coupled with a dial-up telephone system for establishing voice communication between the user and the emergency response provider, the base unit including(1) a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving communication signals, and(2) a dialer for dialing the emergency response provider telephone number,a memory for storing a telephone number of the emergency response provider in one of the portable communications unit and the base communications unit, anda controller responsive to the call request signal for controlling the dialer to dial the emergency response provider telephone number,wherein the memory stores electrical signals convertible into preselected voice messages, a speech synthesizer is provided for reproducing the preselected voice messages from the stored signals indicative of the status of the call request, and the controller is operative to deliver the preselected voice messages to the portable unit, andwherein the preselected voice messages include a first voice message indicating that the emergency response provider number is being dialed, and a second voice message indicating that the call to the provider is being terminated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A personal emergency communication system includes a user-carried portable communication unit having a single button, which when depressed by the user, wirelessly sends a call request signal to a base unit. The base unit initiates a telephone call through a dial-up network to an emergency response center and places an operator at the emergency center in wireless voice communication with the portable unit when the call is connected. The telephone number to be called can be stored in at least one of the portable unit and the base unit. A speech synthesizer operating in combination with automated voice messages stored in at least one of the base unit and portable unit are used to advise the user of the status of the call, and to provide the user with verbal confirmation that functional systems of the base unit are operating properly.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A personal emergency response communications system, comprising:
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a portable communications unit intended to be carried by a user who may require emergency attention, including (1) a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving communication signals, (2) a call button actuatable by the user to initiate a call request signal that will result in placing the user in voice communication with an emergency response provider; a base communications unit coupled with a dial-up telephone system for establishing voice communication between the user and the emergency response provider, the base unit including (1) a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving communication signals, and (2) a dialer for dialing the emergency response provider telephone number, a memory for storing a telephone number of the emergency response provider in one of the portable communications unit and the base communications unit, and a controller responsive to the call request signal for controlling the dialer to dial the emergency response provider telephone number, wherein the memory stores electrical signals convertible into preselected voice messages, a speech synthesizer is provided for reproducing the preselected voice messages from the stored signals indicative of the status of the call request, and the controller is operative to deliver the preselected voice messages to the portable unit, and wherein the preselected voice messages include a first voice message indicating that the emergency response provider number is being dialed, and a second voice message indicating that the call to the provider is being terminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A personal emergency response communications system, comprising:
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a portable, wireless communications unit intended to be carried by a user who may require emergency attention, the portable unit including a call button actuatable by the user to transmit a call request signal; and
,a base communications unit for wirelessly communicating with the portable unit, the base unit being coupled with a dial-up telephone system and responsive to the call request signal for establishing voice communications between the user and an emergency response provider, a memory in at least one of the portable, wireless communications unit and the base unit including at least one stored voice message indicating the status of the communications with the emergency response provider, and a controller for controlling the voice message in order to advise the user of the communications status, and including two stored voice messages respectively indicating the status of the communications with the emergency response provider when the base unit begins dialing a telephone number of the provider, and when the base unit terminates communications with the emergency response provider. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of calling an emergency response provider from a user-carried, portable communication unit, comprising the steps of:
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(A) transmitting a call request signal from the portable unit to a base unit; (B) receiving the call request signal at the base unit; (C) storing a telephone number of an emergency response provider in at least one of the portable unit and the base unit; (D) using the base unit to place a call to the stored telephone number of the emergency response provider in response the call request signal; (E) storing at least a first voice message in at least one of the portable unit and the base unit indicating the status of the call placed in step (D); and (F) using the first voice message to advise the user of the call status, wherein the first voice message notifies the user that the call is being placed. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification