Remote monitoring system and method using the same

• US 7,336,166 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Akamatsu, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fan; Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US11/208,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20060055528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/506, 340/531, 379 37- 46
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station

Abstract

The invention provides a remote monitoring system which has a simplified configuration and is capable of remotely monitoring the current state of a person needing care and detecting an abnormality in the person'"'"'s behavior and then addressing the abnormality, and further provides a method using the remote monitoring system. The remote monitoring system comprises: a communication line 3 for sending information indicating occurrence of an abnormality from a security device 1 to a terminal device 2 via an email support line and a telephone line; a central processing unit 11 for detecting that a user at said terminal device does not acquire the information indicating occurrence of an abnormality until a first predetermined time period has passed since the security device began sending the information indicating occurrence of an abnormality and sending out a first detection signal, and for detecting that the user at said terminal device does not acquire the information indicating occurrence of an abnormality until a second predetermined time period has passed since expiration of said first predetermined time period and sending out a second detection signal; detection means consisting of a detection circuit 16, etc.; control means consisting of the central processing unit 11 and a communication control unit 15, etc., and provided for allowing the communication line 3 to provide the email support line until the first predetermined time period has passed since the information indicating occurrence of an abnormality began to be sent and to provide the telephone line in response to the first detection signal; and an alarm generation unit 17, provided in the security device 1, for generating a first alarm in response to the first detection signal and generating a second alarm, which rings louder than the first alarm does, in response to the second detection signal.

Claims

1. A remote monitoring system for sending information indicating occurrence of an abnormality and collected by a security device to a predetermined terminal device, in order to remotely monitor whether or not there is an abnormal situation, the system comprising:

communication means for sending said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality from said security device to said terminal device via an email support line and a telephone line;

detection means for detecting that a user at said terminal device does not acquire said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality until a first predetermined time period has passed since said security device began sending said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality and sending out a first detection signal, and for detecting that the user at said terminal device does not acquire said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality until a second predetermined time period has passed since expiration of said first predetermined time period and sending out a second detection signal;

control means for allowing said communication means to provide said email support line until said first predetermined time period has passed since said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality began to be sent and to provide said telephone line in response to said first detection signal; and

alarm generation means, provided in said security device, for generating a first alarm in response to the first detection signal and generating a second alarm, which rings louder than the first alarm does, in response to said second detection signal.

2. A remote monitoring system for sending information indicating occurrence of an abnormality and collected by a security device to a predetermined terminal device, in order to remotely monitor whether or not there is an abnormal situation, the system comprising:

communication means for sending an email containing said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality from said security device to said terminal device;

detection means for detecting that the email is not opened at said terminal device until a first predetermined time period has passed since said security device began sending said email and sending out a first detection signal, and for detecting that said email is not opened at said terminal device until a second predetermined time period has passed since expiration of said first predetermined time period and sending out a second detection signal; and

alarm generation means, provided in said security device, for generating a first alarm in response to the first detection signal and generating a second alarm, which rings louder than the first alarm does, in response to said second detection signal.

3. A remote monitoring method for sending information indicating occurrence of an abnormality and collected by a security device to a predetermined terminal device, in order to remotely monitor whether or not there is an abnormal situation, the method comprising:

a step of sending an email containing said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality to said terminal device;

a step of determining whether or not said email is opened at said terminal device until a first predetermined time period has passed since said security device began sending said email;

a step of sending said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality to said terminal device via a telephone line in the event said email is not opened until said first predetermined time period has passed;

a step of allowing an alarm generation unit provided in said security device to generate a first alarm after said first predetermined time period has passed;

a step of determining whether or not the user acquires said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality and sent via said telephone line until a second predetermined time period has passed since expiration of said first predetermined time period; and

a step of allowing said alarm generation unit to generate a second alarm, which rings louder than the first alarm does, in the event the user does not acquire said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality and sent via said telephone line until said second predetermined time period has passed.

4. A remote monitoring method for sending information indicating occurrence of an abnormality and collected by a security device to a predetermined terminal device, in order to remotely monitor whether or not there is an abnormal situation, the method comprising:

a step of sending an email containing said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality to said terminal device;

a step of determining whether or not said email is opened at said terminal device until a first predetermined time period has passed since said security device began sending said email;

a step of allowing an alarm generation unit provided in said security device to generate a first alarm after said first predetermined time period has passed in the event said email is not opened until said first predetermined time period has passed;

a step of determining whether or not said email is opened and then said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality is acquired by a user until a second predetermined time period has passed since expiration of said first predetermined time period; and

a step of allowing said alarm generation unit to generate a second alarm, which rings louder than the first alarm does, in the event said email is not opened and said information indicating occurrence of an abnormality is not acquired by a user until said second predetermined time period has passed.