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, and(3) an acoustic transducer including a speaker for converting the user'"'"'s speech into electrical signals, and for converting electrical signals received from the base unit into audible speech and for playing first and second voice messages to the user;
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 a telephone number of the emergency response provider;
memory for storing electrical signals convertible into the first and second voice messages, wherein the first voice message indicating that the emergency response provider number is being dialed, and the second voice message indicating that the call to the provider is being terminated;
a controller responsive to the call request signal for controlling the dialer to dial the emergency response provider telephone number; and
sound reproducing circuitry for reproducing the first and second voice messages.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
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.
16 Citations
20 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, and (3) an acoustic transducer including a speaker for converting the user'"'"'s speech into electrical signals, and for converting electrical signals received from the base unit into audible speech and for playing first and second voice messages to the user; 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 a telephone number of the emergency response provider; memory for storing electrical signals convertible into the first and second voice messages, wherein the first voice message indicating that the emergency response provider number is being dialed, and the second voice message indicating that the call to the provider is being terminated; a controller responsive to the call request signal for controlling the dialer to dial the emergency response provider telephone number; and sound reproducing circuitry for reproducing the first and second voice messages. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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2. (canceled)
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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 speaker for playing first and second voice message to the user; 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, system memory including stored electrical signals convertible into the first and second voice messages, wherein the first and second voice messages respectively indicate the status of the communications with the emergency response provider when the base unit dials a telephone number of the provider, and when the base unit terminates communications with the emergency response provider; and a controller for playing the first and second voice messages through the speaker. - 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) receiving from the portable unit a call request signal at the base unit; (B) using the base unit to place a call to a telephone number of the emergency response provider stored in a memory in response receiving the call request signal; and (C) playing to the user at least a first voice message stored in a memory advising the user that the call is being placed. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification