Remote controller for activating speech messages and for contacting emergency services

• US 5,086,391 A
• Filed: 11/28/1990
• Issued: 02/04/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bryan R. Chambers
• Original Assignee: Bryan R. Chambers
• Inventors: Chambers, Bryan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jablon, Clark A.
• Application Number:
  US07/617,942
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 340/502, 340/504, 340/313, 340/531, 340/539, 340/298, 340/573, 364/413.02, 381/51
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A medical alert system for domestic use wherein the system is comprised of two major components, a device worn about the neck and a home computer. The device worn about the neck and the home computer reciprocally communicate with one another to provide the wearer of the device, as well as an attendant to the wearer of the device, both instructions for care and a method to call for emergency help. The home computer contains an audio synthesizer and a voice amplification device to communicate verbally to the individual. The device may be used to summons an ambulance from a remote location if a the injured person is unable to reach a telephone. The device may also be actuated by an attitude wherein an emergency call can be made should the individual fall during a heart attack or a seizure.

Claims

1. An emergency aid device for giving messages concerning medical emergencies comprising:

a computer, said computer including a central processing unit wherein a program is executed, memory means connected to said central processing unit for storing and retrieving data, at least one parallel port connected to and reciprocally communicating with said central processing unit, buffer means connected to said central processing unit for temporarily storing signals from said central processing unit, speech synthesizing means connected to said buffer means for translating said signals received from said buffer means into human speech patterns, receiver means connected to said central processing unit for receiving communication signals and transferring said signals to said central processing unit, and transmitter means connected to said central processing unit for transmitting communication signals from said central processing unit;

modem means connected to said central processing unit for reciprocal interaction between said central processing unit and central processing units remote from said central processing unit through telephone transmission lines;

amplifier means connected to said synthesizing means to amplify said human speech patterns;

speaker means electrically connected to said amplifier means for making said human speech patterns audible to the human ear;

remote control means, for remotely directing the actions of the computer, said remote control means including remote transmitter means for providing communication signals to said receiver means connected to said central processing unit, remote receiver means for receiving communication signals from said transmitter means connected to said central processing unit, a plurality of individually actuatable selection means for selecting specific communication signals to be transmitted through said remote transmitter means to said receiver means connected to said central processing unit, illumination means connected to each said selection means, and illumination control means connected to said illumination means and to said remote receiver means, said illumination control means controls said illumination means according to actuation of each of said selection means and to signals received through said remote receiver means from said transmitter means connected to said central processing unit; and

said remote control means carried upon the body of a user for ready access;

whereby

upon actuation of one of said selection means, said actuated one of said selection means transmits a respective signal through said remote transmitter means to said receiver means connected to said central processing unit, said central processing unit retrieves data from said memory means corresponding to said respective signal and said data is audibly transmitted through said speaker means, and upon actuation of a second selection means, prestored data comprising personal data pertaining to said user is transmitted through said telephone transmission lines to said remote central processing units.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein

each of said selection means of said remote control means includes a front surface face, and wherein

each of said illumination means respective to each said selection means is embedded in said respective selection means face for signaling to the user that said central processing unit has been activated and is executing said control program.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said selection means contains on each said face indicia indicating its function.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said remote control means includes an attitude actuated switch for sensing the attitude of the user, said switch connected to said remote transmitter means for transmitting a specific signal to said receiver connected to said central processing unit, said central processing unit retrieving respective said prestored data from said memory means and then transmitting said prestored data through said telephone transmission lines to said remote central processing units.

5. In a device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said remote control means includes attachment means for attaching said remote control means to the neck of said user in a freely suspending manner;

said remote control means and said attachment means configured to preclude unintentional actuation of said attitude actuated switch means.

6. In a device as set forth in claim 5, wherein one of said selection means transmits on and off signals to said central processing unit, one of said selection means is an activation means for transmission of said prestored data through said telephone transmission lines, and the remainder of said selection means are activation means for audible broadcast of said respective data through said speaker means.

7. In a device as set forth in claim 3, wherein one of said selection means transmits on and off signals to said central processing unit, one of said selection means is an activation means for transmission of said prestored data through said telephone transmission lines, and the remainder of said selection means are activation means for audible broadcast of said respective data through said speaker means.

8. A method for providing medical emergency assistance comprising the steps of:

providing a computer having a central processing unit wherein a program is executed, said central processing unit including memory means for storing and retrieving data and a control program to be executed;

connecting at least one parallel port means to said central processing unit for reciprocal connection of peripherals to said port means;

connecting modem means to said central processing unit to allow reciprocal interaction between said central processing unit and central processing units remote from said computer through telephone transmission lines;

connecting receiver means and transmitter means to said central processing unit for receiving and transmitting communication signals;

connecting buffer means, synthesizer means, amplifier means and speaker means to said central processing unit to receive, synthesize, amplify and broadcast data received from said central processing unit in recognizable human speech patterns audible to the human ear;

providing remote control means including remote transmitter means and remote receiver means for reciprocal communication with said receiver means and transmitter means connected to said central processing unit;

providing said remote control means with a plurality of individually actuatable selection means to transmit respective signals through said remote transmitter means to said receiver means to said central processing unit to actuate said program;

providing said selection means with indicia to visually indicate to a user the function of each said selection means, one of said indicia being an on/off indication, one of said indicia being an automatic emergency communication indication, and the remainder of said indicia indicating a specific medical condition; and

pressing desired ones of said selection means to cause said central processing unit to retrieve said data from said memory means and said computer to audibly broadcast said data or transmit prestored data through said modem means to said remote central processing units;

whereby

in a situation where a person requires medical attention, medical treatment information is audibly broadcast to person in the vicinity of the person requiring medical attention or medical personnel may be automatically contacted by said computer.