System and method for programming a code of an emergency call transmitter

• US 7,315,258 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silversphere, LLC
• Original Assignee: N. Rick Dawson
• Inventors: Dawson, N. Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr.; Timothy
• Application Number:
  US11/201,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20070035415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.07, 340/870.09, 340/574, 455/556.1
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• 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 programming a code for a wireless short range RF transmitter, for example, an emergency call transmitter or keyless entry, has a RF transmitter that transmits an RF signal containing a code. A code receiver receives a signal containing a code and a processor is operative with the code receiver and RF transmitter. A programming fixture receives the wireless transmitter within a receptacle, and the code receiver within the wireless transmitter and the code transmitter are operative with each other for transmitting a signal containing a new code from the programming fixture to the wireless transmitter. A processor is operative with the code transmitter for modulating the signal and imparting a data stream from the code transmitter to the code receiver and processor and programming a new code. The code receiver and transmitter could be coils to form a transformer.

Claims

1. A system for programming a code for a wireless short range radio frequency (RF) emergency call transmitter used for determining the location of a resident during an emergency within a monitored area having a plurality of residences or rooms comprising:

an emergency call transmitter comprising a sealed housing configured as a wireless pendant to be worn by a user having a receive coil and processor positioned within the housing that processes a transmitter code identifying the emergency call transmitter, and RF transmitter in the housing that is resident activated during an emergency and transmits a help request as the transmitter code in a single RF transmission indicating the identity of the emergency call transmitter, and further comprising a receiver section that receives an infrared or acoustic signal containing a location code received from a location monitor identifying a location, and in response transmitting an RF signal containing the location code to a emergency call receiver, said processor performing level analysis to discriminate comparatively high level signals from a location monitor within a residence or room in which it is located from comparatively low level signals from nearby residences or rooms;

a programming fixture having a transmit coil and a receptacle configured for receiving the housing of the emergency call transmitter such that when the emergency call transmitter is received within the receptacle, the coils within the emergency call transmitter and the programming fixture form an air-core transformer and are aligned in proximity to each other, and a processor operative with the transmit coil for keying an AC signal applied to the transmit coil and imparting a data stream from the receive coil to the processor and programming a new code within the processor of the emergency call transmitter; and

wherein the emergency call transmitter is normally in a sleep mode and activated into a wake-up mode when data is received from the programming fixture and from the receive coil for programming a code.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency call transmitter is formed as a wireless pendent adapted to be worn by a user.

3. A system according to claim 1, and further comprising a personal computer or local area network to which the programming fixture connects to provide programming instructions.

4. A system according to claim 1, and further comprising a display operative with the programming fixture for displaying a new code programmed within the emergency call transmitter.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said programming fixture includes a receiver that receives RF signals containing the new code from the emergency call transmitter for verifying a new code.

6. A system for programming a code for a wireless short range radio frequency (RF) emergency call transmitter used for determining the location of a resident during an emergency within a monitored area having a plurality of residences or rooms comprising:

a wireless transmitter comprising a sealed housing configured as a wireless pendant to be worn by a user having an RF transmitter in the housing that is resident activated during an emergency call that transmits a help request as a transmitter code in a single RF transmission, wherein the transmitter code identifies the wireless transmitter, and a code receiver in the housing that receives a signal containing a transmitter code and a processor in the housing operative with the code receiver and RF transmitter that processes the transmitter code indicating the identity of the emergency call transmitter, and further comprising a receiver section that receives an infrared or acoustic signal containing a location code received from a location monitor identifying a location, and in response transmitting an RF signal containing the location code to a emergency call receiver, said processor performing level analysis to discriminate comparatively high level signals from a location monitor within a room in which it is located from comparatively low level signals from nearby residences or rooms;

a programming fixture having a code transmitter for transmitting a signal containing the code, and a receptacle configured for receiving the wireless transmitter such that when the wireless transmitter is received within the receptacle, the code receiver within the wireless transmitter and the code transmitter are aligned in proximity to each other and operative with each other for transmitting a signal containing a new code from the programming fixture to the wireless transmitter, and a processor operative with the code transmitter for modulating the signal and imparting a data stream from the code transmitter to the code receiver and processor and programming a new code within the processor of the wireless transmitter; and

wherein the emergency call transmitter is normally in a sleep mode and activated into a wake-up mode when data is received from the programming fixture and from the receive coil for programming a code.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the wireless transmitter is formed as a wireless pendent adapted to be worn by a user within a monitored residence.

8. A system according to claim 6, and further comprising a personal computer or local area network to which the programming fixture connects to provide programming instructions.

9. A system according to claim 6, and further comprising a display connected to the programming fixture for displaying a new code programmed within the wireless transmitter.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein said programming fixture includes a receiver that receives RF signals containing the new code from the wireless transmitter for verifying a new code.

11. A system according to claim 6, wherein said code transmitter and code receiver are operative for transmitting and receiving an infrared signal.

12. A system according to claim 6, wherein said code transmitter and code receiver are operative for transmitting and receiving an electromagnetic signal.

13. A system according to claim 6, wherein said code transmitter and code receiver operative for transmitting and receiving an acoustic signal.

14. A system according to claim 6, wherein said code transmitter and code receiver are operative for transmitting and receiving a magnetic flux signal.

15. A method for programming a code used by a wireless emergency call transmitter used for determining the location of a resident during an emergency within a monitored area having a plurality of residences or rooms that comprises a sealed housing configured as a wireless pendant to be worn by a user having a receive coil and processor positioned within the housing that processes a transmitter code identifying the emergency call transmitter, and radio frequency (RF) transmitter positioned in the housing and operative with the processor that transmits based on resident activation during an emergency a help request as the transmitter code in a single RF transmitter indicating the identity of the emergency call transmitter, and further comprising a receiver section that receives an infrared or acoustic signal containing a location code received from a location monitor identifying a location, and in response transmitting an RF signal containing the location code to a emergency call receiver, said processor performing level analysis to discriminate comparatively high level signals from a location monitor within a room in which it is located from comparatively low level signals from nearby rooms, which comprises:

inserting the emergency call transmitter within a programming fixture that is configured for receiving the housing of the emergency call transmitter and having a transmit coil such that the coil within the emergency call transmitter and the programming fixture form an air-core transformer and are aligned in proximity to each other;

keying an AC signal applied to the transmit coil for imparting a data stream from the receive coil to the processor and programming a new code within the emergency call transmitter; and

wherein the emergency call transmitter is normally in a sleep mode and activated into a wake-up mode when data is received from the programming fixture and from the receive coil.

16. A method according to claim 15, which further comprises forming the emergency call transmitter as a wireless pendent adapted to be worn by a user within a monitored residence.

17. A method according to claim 15, which further comprises connecting the programming fixture to a personal computer or local area network to provide programming instructions.

18. A method according to claim 15, which further comprises user selecting the code and transmitting the user selected code to the programming fixture and emergency call transmitter connected thereto.

19. A method according to claim 15, which further comprises transmitting a new code from the emergency call transmitter to the programming fixture to verify the new code.

20. A method according to claim 15, which further comprises displaying a new code on a display of a personal computer connected to the programming fixture.

21. A method according to claim 15, which further comprises setting a new code for the emergency call transmitter from the programming fixture.

22. A method for programming a code used by a wireless short range radio frequency (RF) emergency call transmitter used for determining the location of a resident during an emergency within a monitored area having a plurality of residences or rooms formed as an emergency cell transmitter that is resident activated during an emergency and comprising a sealed housing configured to be worn by a user as a wireless pendant and having a code receiver and processor positioned within the housing and operative therewith that receives a signal containing a new code and processes the code, and an RF transmitter positioned within the housing that transmits a help request as the transmitter code in a single RF transmission indicating the identity of the emergency call transmitter, and further comprising a receiver section that receives an infrared or acoustic signal containing a location code received from a location monitor identifying a location, and in response transmitting an RF signal containing the location code to a emergency call receiver, said processor performing level analysis to discriminate comparatively high level signals from a location monitor within a room in which it is located from comparatively low level signals from nearby residences or rooms, which comprises:

inserting the short range transmitter within a programming fixture having a receptacle that receives the sealed housing and includes a code transmitter that transmits a signal containing a new transmitter code such that the code transmitter and code receiver are aligned in proximity to each other;

modulating the signal transmitted from the code transmitter for imparting a data stream to the code receiver and the processor and programming a new transmitter code within; and

wherein the emergency call transmitter is normally in a sleep mode and activated into a wake-up mode when data is received from the programming fixture and from the receive coil.

23. A method according to claim 22, which further comprises forming the short range RF transmitter as a wireless pendent adapted to be worn by a user.

24. A method according to claim 22, which further comprises connecting the programming fixture to a personal computer or local area network to provide programming instructions.

25. A method according to claim 22, which further comprises transmitting an infrared signal from the code transmitter to the code receiver of the short range transmitter.

26. A method according to claim 22, which further comprises transmitting a magnetic flux signal from the code transmitter to the code receiver of the short range transmitter.

27. A method according to claim 22, which further comprises transmitting an acoustic signal from the code transmitter to the code receiver of the short range transmitter.

28. A method according to claim 22, which further comprises transmitting an electromagnetic field signal from the code transmitter to the code receiver of the short range transmitter.