Safe alert emergency alerting system for remotely located sites

• US 5,548,632 A
• Filed: 11/30/1993
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Steelman
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Steelman
• Inventors: Hines, David, Gergen, Paul N., Walsh, Frank P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): TROST IV, WILLIAM GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US08/160,092
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/63, 379/37, 379/38, 379/39, 379/40, 379/45, 379/46, 235/379, 364/408
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A system for providing emergency alerting capability to persons at or near a remote banking terminal (ATM) or night-depository, in such a manner as to minimize risk to the possible victim and maximize the emergency response authorities'"'"' ability to monitor and respond to the situation. The device consists of a covert control and two-way communication unit attached to an Automatic Teller Machine or a night-depository. The unit is activated by a button or switch on the ATM, or by a remote radio receiver link from a keyed small radio transmitter. Upon activation, the unit dials a 911 emergency response office, establishing two-way voice communication from covert microphones at the ATM, and to a speaker hidden at the ATM. During communication, the unit is controlled by the emergency response operator.

Claims

1. An emergency alert system for use with an automatic teller machine located at an automatic teller machine location that is approached by an authorized user to obtain banking services from the teller machine, the system comprising:

a) activation means operated by the user for establishing both operation of the automatic teller machine for banking services and a two way communication between the user at the automatic teller machine location and an emergency dispatcher, wherein said two way communication is a direct interconnection of an alarm signal alert to a selected emergency "911" number;

b) said communication originating from a microphone positioned at the automatic teller machine location to pick up sounds from the vicinity of the automatic teller machine location;

c) said communication being to a speaker located at the automatic teller machine location to receive sound communication from the emergency dispatcher to the vicinity of the automatic teller machine location; and

d) termination means for allowing only the emergency dispatcher to terminate said two way communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for establishing the two-way communication includes a manually activated switch located at said automatic teller machine location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for establishing the two-way communication includes a coded radio transmission generated from an individual radio transmitter carried by the user and transmitted to a receiver concealed in said automatic teller machine.

4. An emergency response communications systems for use at an automatic teller machine site, the system comprising:

a) at least one microphone receiving sound signals from the vicinity of the automatic teller machine site;

b) at least one speaker communicating voice signals to the vicinity of the automatic teller machine site;

c) activation means for establishing both operation of the automatic teller machine for banking services and a two way sound communication between the automatic teller machine site and an emergency dispatcher in response to a telephone call, wherein said two way communication is a direct interconnection of an alarm signal alert to a selected emergency "911" number;

from the automatic teller machine site; and

d) means for terminating said sound communications in response to a signal from said emergency dispatcher.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said activation means for establishing communication includes:

a) means for connecting to a telephone line;

b) means responsive to a dial tone on said telephone line, for dialing an emergency dispatcher; and

c) means responsive to an interconnect with an emergency dispatcher, for controlling said sound communications, terminating said communications upon detection of a tone code from said emergency dispatcher directing said termination.

6. The system in claim 5, wherein said means for dialing comprises dialing 911.

7. The system in claim 4 wherein said activating signal comprises a manually activated switch, activated at the automatic teller machine site.

8. The system in claim 4 wherein said activating signal comprises a coded radio signal from an individual radio transmitter located at the automatic teller machine site.

9. The system in claim 8 wherein said radio transmitter comprises a small, hand held transmitter transmitting a digital code corresponding to an authentication of said transmitter.

10. The system in claim 5 wherein said means for dialing further comprises:

a) means, responsive to the presence of tones on said telephone line, for detecting failure to connect to said emergency dispatcher;

b) means, responsive to the detection of said failure, for re-dialing said emergency dispatcher; and

c) said means for re-dialing continuously redials until connection to said emergency dispatcher is established.

11. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

a) means, responsive to the establishment of voice communications from said emergency dispatcher, would prevent further re-dialing.

12. An emergency alert system for use with an automatic teller machine, the system comprising:

a) means for manually establishing both operation of the automatic teller machine for banking services and a two way communication from an automatic teller machine location to an emergency dispatcher, wherein said two way communication is a direct interconnection of an alarm signal alert to a selected emergency "911" number;

b) said communication originating from a microphone at the automatic teller machine location to pickup sounds from the vicinity of the automatic teller machine location;

c) said communication being to a speaker located at the automatic teller machine to receive communication from the emergency dispatcher to the vicinity of the automatic teller machine location; and

d) means for the emergency dispatcher to override the sounds originating from the automatic teller machine location and to terminate said two way communication at the direction of the emergency dispatcher.