Activating home network devices when 911 indicator

• US 7,529,351 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Binning, Valerie
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): El-Zoobi; Maria
• Application Number:
  US10/745,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20050143048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 379 37- 51, 379/218.01, 725 32- 35, 340/531, 340/514, 340/937, 348143-148, 182/18, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses that operate with different communications devices, different users, and/or different communications networks to generate, enable, disable, transmit, and/or otherwise control an Emergency Remote Control Communications Signal to an Emergency Remote Control Communications Address associated with an Emergency Remote Control Communications Address. According to embodiments of this invention, a calling party placing a call to an emergency response call center is enabled to control network-based access, activation, deactivation and monitoring of one or more remote control systems via a communications link over the Emergency Remote Control Communications Address. Other embodiments enable emergency response personnel and/or an authorized third party to control network-based access, activation, deactivation and monitoring of the remote control system.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving a first communication from a sender'"'"'s communications address to an emergency response communications address;

associating the sender'"'"'s communications address and the emergency response communications address to an emergency alert profile, the emergency alert profile storing emergency information associated with the sender'"'"'s communications address;

retrieving an emergency address from the emergency alert profile;

establishing a second communication with the sender at the sender'"'"'s communications address after the sender ends the first communication with the emergency response communications address;

prompting the sender during the second communication to enter a code that blocks generation of an emergency remote control communication;

generating the emergency remote control communication when the code is not entered;

sending the emergency remote control communication to the emergency address; and

remotely controlling an emergency remote control system associated with the emergency address.

2. A communications method, comprising:

receiving a first communication from a sender'"'"'s communications address to an emergency response communications address;

associating the sender'"'"'s communications address and the emergency response communications address to an emergency alert profile, the emergency alert profile storing emergency information associated with the sender'"'"'s communications address and a timing parameter that automatically turns on emergency remote control system and automatically turns off the emergency remote control system after an amount of time has elapsed;

retrieving an emergency address from the emergency alert profile;

establishing a second communication with the sender at the sender'"'"'s communications address after the sender ends the communication with the emergency response communications address;

prompting the sender during the second communication to enter a code that blocks generation of an emergency remote control communication;

generating the emergency remote control communication when the code is not entered, the emergency remote control communication comprising the timing parameter;

sending the emergency remote control communication to the emergency address; and

remotely controlling an emergency remote control system associated with the emergency address.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein remotely controlling the emergency remote control system comprises remotely activating a door to permit escape.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein remotely controlling the emergency remote control system comprises remotely activating a video monitoring system to obtain surveillance signals.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein remotely controlling the emergency remote control system comprises remotely accessing a computer that stores at least one of an electronic calendar and an electronic directory.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the communication from the sender'"'"'s communications address comprises receiving an incoming call from a calling number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein sending the emergency remote control communication to the emergency address comprises sending the emergency remote control communication during an off-hook condition.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein associating the sender'"'"'s communications address and the emergency response communications address to the emergency alert profile comprises associating an incoming calling identification signal and a dialed number to the emergency alert profile.

9. An emergency remote control communications method, comprising:

receiving an incoming calling identification signal associated with a call from a calling number to an emergency response number;

associating the incoming calling identification signal and the emergency response number to an emergency alert profile, the emergency alert profile storing emergency information associated with the incoming calling identification signal and a timing parameter that automatically turns on emergency remote control system and automatically turns off the emergency remote control system after an amount of time has elapsed;

retrieving an emergency address from the emergency alert profile;

establishing a second call from the emergency response communications address to the calling number after the first call ends;

prompting the calling number during the second call to enter a code that blocks generation of an emergency remote control communication;

generating the emergency remote control communication when the code is not entered, the emergency remote control communication comprising the timing parameter;

establishing a voice connection on the second call with a third party;

sending the emergency remote control communication to the emergency address;

remotely controlling an emergency remote control system associated with the emergency address;

receiving an incoming call from the emergency address;

receiving another emergency remote control communication from the emergency address; and

remotely controlling the emergency remote control system according to the another emergency remote control communication.