Alerting a care-provider when an elderly or infirm person in distress fails to acknowledge a periodically recurrent interrogative cue
First Claim
1. An emergency hailing method for interrogating fitness of an at-risk user, comprising steps of:
- equipping the at-risk user with a portable emergency hailer system including a base station and a preferably wearable hailing device;
sequencing the hailer system to establish an abeyant mode first time interval and an active mode second time interval;
sensibly cuing the at-risk user upon the onset of the active mode to respond by promptly submitting a manual acknowledgment;
determining a timely submission of the manual acknowledgment during the second time interval as indicative of acceptable at-risk user'"'"'s fitness and thereupon return the emergency hailer system to the abeyant mode;
ascertaining a response time delay which occurs between the sensible cuing of the at-risk user and the timely submission of the manual acknowledgment of the cuing event;
reducing duration of the first time interval relative with an increase in the response time delay;
increasing the duration of the first time interval relative with a decrease in the response time delay;
whereby an increase in the response time delay results in a more frequently recurring fitness interrogation and conversely a decrease in the response time delay results in a less frequently recurring fitness interrogation; and
,resolving a failure to submit the manual acknowledgment during the active mode time interval as indicative of the at-risk user'"'"'s fitness being presently unknown and consequentially effectuate an emergency signal state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An emergency hailing device for use by elderly, physically challenged, addicted and medically at-risk users, particularly when living alone. The device periodically interrogates the at-risk user and in absence of a prompt response to the automatic interrogation signal cue, the at-risk user is presumed to need help and an emergency service or prearranged care-provider is automatically beckoned. The device may be worn or set near the at-risk user, available for immediate manual acknowledgment after the interrogation cue signal occurs. Failure to return a prompt response within a presettable time or response absence indicates that a problematic situation may exist and an emergency signal is activated assuring the at-risk user that help will be promptly hailed even if physical or mental incapacitation occurs. Emergency signal may include a bell or siren, a flashing-light to attract neighbors, or a predetermined telephone may be auto-dialed to hail a prearranged care-provider.
115 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An emergency hailing method for interrogating fitness of an at-risk user, comprising steps of:
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equipping the at-risk user with a portable emergency hailer system including a base station and a preferably wearable hailing device; sequencing the hailer system to establish an abeyant mode first time interval and an active mode second time interval; sensibly cuing the at-risk user upon the onset of the active mode to respond by promptly submitting a manual acknowledgment; determining a timely submission of the manual acknowledgment during the second time interval as indicative of acceptable at-risk user'"'"'s fitness and thereupon return the emergency hailer system to the abeyant mode; ascertaining a response time delay which occurs between the sensible cuing of the at-risk user and the timely submission of the manual acknowledgment of the cuing event; reducing duration of the first time interval relative with an increase in the response time delay; increasing the duration of the first time interval relative with a decrease in the response time delay; whereby an increase in the response time delay results in a more frequently recurring fitness interrogation and conversely a decrease in the response time delay results in a less frequently recurring fitness interrogation; and
,resolving a failure to submit the manual acknowledgment during the active mode time interval as indicative of the at-risk user'"'"'s fitness being presently unknown and consequentially effectuate an emergency signal state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An emergency hailing method for confirming a probable state of well-being of an at-risk user, comprising steps of:
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equipping the at-risk user with a wireless interrogative system comprising a base station and a portable hailing device; sequencing the interrogative system with an ordered pattern of abeyant modes and active modes; maintaining the abeyant mode for a first timed interval; setting the personal transponder to the active mode upon time-out of a first timed interval; sensibly cuing the at-risk user and initiating a second timing interval upon onset of the active mode; urging the at-risk user to manually acknowledge the sensible cue by actuating a responsion switch preferably included in the portable hailing device; resetting the abeyant mode and the first timing interval in response to the manual acknowledgment being timely occurrent during the second timed interval; measuring duration of a response time lapse between onset of the active mode and the manual acknowledgment; changing the first timing interval relative with a change in the measured duration of the response time lapse; and
,evoking an emergency state signal upon finding a lacking of manual acknowledgment during the second timing interval. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An emergency hailing apparatus including a portable base station and preferably portable hailing device immediately associated with an at-risk user, comprising:
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abeyant mode control means operative for a first time interval; active mode control means enabled upon timeout of the first timed abeyant mode and maintained operative for a second time interval; manual response means integrated into the portable hailing device; sensible cuing means enabled by an onset of the active mode for prompting the at-risk user to timely actuate the manual response means during the second time interval; system control means for resetting the abeyant mode control means upon finding the timely actuation of the manual response means and to evoke an emergency state signal upon the finding of a lacking of the timely actuation; assessment means for measuring response time lapse between the onset of the active mode and the timely actuation of the manual response means; adjustor means for changing duration of the first time interval relative with the measured response time lapse; whereby, a failure by the at-risk user to promptly respond to a sensible cue may be interpreted as a probable cause for concern regarding the at-risk user'"'"'s medical or physical well-being and as a sufficient reason for the evocation of the emergency state signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification