Deluxe emergency notification

• US 8,976,938 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zerillo, Anthony J., Embry, Gregory K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teshale, Akelaw
• Application Number:
  US12/168,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,437 Days
• Field of Search: 379 37- 51, 379/88.12, 379/67.1, 379/88.04, 379/88.08, 379 8819- 8823, 379 8826- 8827, 379/142.06, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/405, 455/521, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 379/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13336 Store & forward, messaging systems email H04Q2213/13375
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement

Abstract

An emergency notification system is provided including a switching unit, a plurality of communications devices communicatively in communication with the switching unit, an emergency response unit in communication with the switching unit, a plurality of receiving units in communication with the switching unit. Each of the communications devices is configured to transmit an emergency notification to the switching unit which includes a message and at least one receiving unit address. Further, the switching unit is configured to receive the emergency notification from at least one of the plurality of communication devices and to rebroadcast the emergency notification contained in the message to the emergency response unit and to the receiving unit corresponding to the receiving unit address.

Claims

1. An emergency notification system comprising:

a switching unit;

an emergency response unit in communication with the switching unit;

a client storage unit configured to store a plurality of receiving unit addresses associated with a plurality of client identifiers; and

a message storage unit configured to store a plurality of messages associated with the plurality of client identifiers;

wherein,

the switching unit is configured to, in response to detecting an alert sent from a client, transmit the alert to the emergency response unit;

the switching unit is configured to transmit an identifier associated with the client to the client storage unit and the message storage unit;

the client storage unit is configured to;

retrieve at least one receiving unit address associated with the identifier, at least one information gathering device address, and at least one information forwarding address; and

transmit the retrieved receiving unit address, the information gathering device address, and the information forwarding address to the switching unit;

the message storage unit is configured to retrieve at least one emergency notification message associated with the identifier and to transmit the retrieved message to the switching unit; and

the switching unit is configured to;

retrieve information from the information gathering device;

transmit the retrieved message to the retrieved receiving unit address; and

transmit the retrieved information to the information forwarding address.

2. The emergency notification system of claim 1, wherein the switching unit, client storage unit, and message storage unit communicate using one of a TCP/IP network, a PSTN network and a cellular network.

3. The emergency notification system of claim 1, wherein the client storage unit and message storage unit reside on the switching unit.

4. The emergency notification system of claim 1, wherein the receiving unit is one of a telephone, cellular phone and voice over IP phone.

5. The emergency notification system of claim 1, wherein the emergency notification is a recorded voice message.

6. The emergency notification system of claim 1, wherein the emergency notification is a computer generated voice message.

7. A method of transmitting emergency information, including the steps of:

detecting an alert sent from a client via a switching unit;

transmitting the alert from the switching unit to an emergency response unit;

determining an identifier associated with the client;

transmitting the identifier to a client storage unit and a message storage unit;

matching the identifier with a plurality of client unit addresses stored in a client library on the client storage unit;

retrieving at least one receiving unit address, at least one information gathering device address, and at least one information forwarding address from the client library based on the client unit address;

transmitting the at least one receiving unit address, the information gathering device address, and the information forwarding address to the switching unit;

retrieving information from the information gathering device;

retrieving an emergency notification from a message library on the message storage unit based on the identifier and transmitting the emergency notification to the switching unit;

transmitting the emergency notification from the switching unit to each one of the receiving units associated with the receiving unit addresses; and

transmitting the retrieved information to the information forwarding address.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the switching unit, client storage unit, and message storage unit communicate using one of a TCP/IP network, a PSTN network and a cellular network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the client storage unit and messaging unit reside on the switching unit.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving unit is one of a telephone, cellular phone and voice over IP phone.

11. The emergency notification system of claim 7, wherein the emergency notification is a recorded voice message.

12. The emergency notification system of claim 7, wherein the emergency notification is a computer generated voice message.

13. An emergency transmitting system comprising:

a plurality of communication units in communication with an alert receiving unit;

a client storage unit configured to store a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of client identifiers; and

a message storage unit configured to store a plurality of messages associated with the plurality of client identifiers;

wherein,

an alert is detected by at least one of the communication units, and

each communication unit detecting the alert transmits a unique identifier to the alert receiving unit;

the alert receiving unit is configured to transmit the identifier to the client storage unit and the message storage unit;

the client storage is configured to;

retrieve at least one receiving unit address, at least one information gathering device address, and at least one information forwarding address associated with the identifier; and

transmit the retrieved receiving unit address, the information gathering device address, and the information forwarding address to the alert receiving unit;

the message storage unit is configured to retrieve at least one message associated with the identifier and to transmit the retrieved message to the alert receiving unit; and

the alert receiving unit is configured to;

retrieve information from the information gathering device;

transmit the retrieved message to each one of the receiving units associated with the retrieved receiving unit addresses;

transmit the retrieved information to the information forwarding address.

14. The emergency transmitting system of claim 13, wherein the communication unit, the client storage unit, and the message storage unit communicate using one of a TCP/IP, wireless or cellular network.

15. The emergency transmitting system of claim 13, wherein the communication units are analog telephones.

16. The emergency transmitting system of claim 13, wherein the communication units are voice over Internet Protocol telephones.

17. The emergency transmitting system of claim 13, wherein the client storage unit and message storage unit reside on the alert receiving unit.