Emergency telephone with integrated surveillance system connectivity

• US 7,428,002 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: The Telesis Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Monroe, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, ANAND SHASHIKANT
• Application Number:
  US10/163,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,302 Days
• Field of Search: 348100-300, 725100-130
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19634 Electrical details of the system, e.g. component blocks for carrying out specific functions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/005 Alarm destination chosen according to a hierarchy of available destinations, e.g. if hospital does not answer send to police station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A digital telephone or an analog telephone system with VOIP conversion is linked into the surveillance system and transmissions therefrom are treated as an event requiring an emergency response from the system. The system supports integration of emergency telephone systems into a multi-media surveillance system to permit comprehensive and multiple responses to an event triggered by receipt of the emergency phone call transmission. The telephone transmission is captured and transmitted to a surveillance system processor. Upon receipt, the system can react with any of numerous responses. First, the telephone call is transmitted to a manned station and may be answered in the normal fashion with a live voice response. The receipt of the call also activates the entire system in the same manner as a triggering signal from any other sensor or appliance. In addition, various other responses may be activated, either manually or in a pre-programmed hierarchy.

Claims

1. A visual surveillance system comprising:

a. An emergency telephone at an emergency call location, the emergency call location being remote from a monitoring station, the emergency telephone being usable by an emergency user at the emergency call location to generate a signal;

b. An interface connecting the emergency telephone to an IP network;

c. A discrete surveillance camera separate from the emergency telephone, the surveillance camera being connected to the IP network and focused on the emergency user and the emergency telephone during use of the emergency telephone, the camera when activated being operable to provide to the network camera captured data, the camera captured data including at least one visual image of the emergency user and the emergency telephone;

d. A control system connected to the IP network for receiving the signal, the control system activating the camera upon receiving the signal from the emergency telephone;

e. the monitoring station being connected to the network for receiving the camera captured data, the monitoring station being operable to display a visual image to be viewed by personnel, the monitoring station upon receiving the camera captured data displaying the at least one visual image of the emergency user and the emergency telephone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is responsive to receipt of an incoming telephone calls from the emergency telephone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone includes an access door for protecting the telephone and wherein the control system is responsive to opening the access door.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone is a VOIP telephone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone is an analog telephone and wherein the system further includes a voice over IP converter device for receiving the telephone signal and transmitting it to the network interface.

6. The system of claim 5, further including a plurality of emergency analog telephones, the system further including a PBX switch for the plurality of telephones and wherein the IP converter device is connected to the PBX and the network interface.

7. The system of claim 1, further including a hub for connecting the camera and the telephone to the network.

8. The system of claim 7, further including a power inserter associated with the hub for powering the camera and telephone.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the hub is a powered hub for powering the camera and telephone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring station includes a VOIP telephone for communicating with the emergency telephone.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring station includes an analog telephone and a voice over IP converter device for converting the transmissions therefrom to an IP protocol for communicating via the network with the emergency telephone.

12. The system of claim 5, including an analog telephone positioned at the monitoring station and connected to the PBX switch for communicating with the emergency telephones.

13. The system of claim 1, including an Internet gateway, and wherein the monitoring station is a remote station on the internet.

14. The system of claim 1, including a wireless access point and wherein the monitoring station is adapted for wireless communication with the wireless access point.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the monitoring station is a handheld PDA.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the monitoring station includes VOIP communications capability.

45. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone includes a LAN interface.

46. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone includes a WAN interface.

47. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone includes a wireless LAN interface.

48. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone includes a LAN hub.

49. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone includes an integral camera.

50. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone includes an integral camera interface for an associated external analog video camera.

51. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency telephone includes an integral camera interface for an associated external digital video camera.

17. A surveillance system adapted for use with an emergency telephone system, the emergency telephone system including an emergency telephone accessible by a respective emergency user at a respective emergency call location for placing a respective emergency call, the emergency location being remote from personnel receiving the emergency call from the emergency telephone on the emergency telephone system, the surveillance system comprising:

an internet protocol network;

a network interface connected to the internet protocol network, the network being connected to the emergency telephone system, the emergency telephone system via the network interface being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network the emergency call, the emergency call being provided to the internet protocol network in a format compatible with the internet protocol network;

a discrete surveillance camera separate from the emergency telephone, the surveillance camera being operable to capture visual image data of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone, the surveillance camera being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network captured visual image data of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone;

a monitoring station in communication with the internet protocol network to receive the captured visual image data of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone, the monitoring station upon receiving the captured visual image data of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone being operable to display for viewing by personnel a visual image of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone; and

the emergency call received from the internet protocol network being provided to personnel at the monitoring station viewing the visual image.

18. The system of claim 17, further including a monitoring station on the network for monitoring and assessing the situation at the location from which a call is generated over the emergency telephone.

19. The system of claim 18, the monitoring station including a video monitor.

20. The system of claim 19, further including on the monitor the means for flashing an icon on a map for indicating the position of the specific emergency telephone based on an emergency telephone being accessed.

21. The system of claim 17, further including apparatus for archiving a call and security system data for later retrieval purposes.

22. The system of claim 17, further including a hierarchy manager for answering incoming emergency calls to assure that if the first priority recipient does not respond addition recipients are contacted in an established priority.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the emergency telephone is an off-the-shelf IP telephone.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the emergency telephone is an off the shelf analog telephone with an IP analog telephone adapter.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the telephone includes a display screen for displaying real time alarm events by name, location, type and description in textual and graphical forms.

26. The system of claim 17, further including a processor for providing IP voice applications to host the voice processing functions of the comprehensive multimedia security system.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor is further adapted for providing audio switching/connection functions for the comprehensive multimedia security system.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor is further adapted for providing voice mail functions for providing the audio recording and playback functions of the comprehensive multimedia security system.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor is further adapted for providing an audio search capability allowing for searching by voice recognition and playback of all multimedia data such as audio, video, and textual event data from the voice recognition.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the voice recognition is adapted for responding to key words.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the audio search capability is adapted for searching by audio processing seeking events such as gunshots, loud noises, screams, and the like, with playback of all multimedia data such as audio, video, and textual event data from the key point found by audio processing.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor audio capability is further adapted for providing as a monitor for interacting with analog telephones, digital telephones, IP telephones, and security sensors for the purpose of monitoring the audio data.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the audio capability is further adapted for use as a monitor station as response telephone for answering emergency calls in a comprehensive multimedia security system.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the audio capability is further adapted for use as intercommunication telephones between two or more monitoring stations in order for multiple response personnel to hear emergency calls simultaneously.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the audio capability is further adapted for use as intercommunication telephones between two or more monitoring stations in order for multiple response personnel to discuss emergency response action among themselves.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the audio capability is further adapted for use as telephones to intercommunicate with multiple response personnel to hear emergency calls immediately.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the audio capability is further adapted for use as intercommunication telephones to monitor the components of the multimedia security system.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the audio capability is further adapted for use as intercommunication telephones interconnected with the multimedia security system.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the audio capability is further adapted for use for recalling stored audio information that has been recorded in a comprehensive multimedia database, and to recall data that is associated with it.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the PDA further includes a VOIP speaker and microphone adapted for use as an intercommunication telephone.

41. The system of claim 17, including a protective housing for the emergency telephone.

42. The system of claim 17, wherein the protective housing includes an openable door and an interactive door switch.

43. The system of claim 17, wherein the protective housing includes an interactive switch hook.

44. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia surveillance system includes an alarm appliance configured for communication with an IP telephony processing system in a manner compatible with IP telephones.

52. The system of claim 17, further adapted for utilizing Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) to establish and maintain voice connections between emergency telephones and the multimedia security system.

53. The system of claim 17, further adapted for utilizing H.343 Protocol to establish and maintain voice connections between emergency telephones and the multimedia security system.

54. An emergency communication system comprising:

an emergency telephone at an emergency call location, the emergency call location being remote from a monitoring station, the emergency telephone being usable by an emergency user at the emergency call location to generate an emergency call, the emergency telephone being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network the emergency signal;

a surveillance camera at the emergency call location, the surveillance camera being operable to capture visual image data of the emergency user using the emergency telephone to generate the emergency call, the surveillance camera being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network captured visual image data of the emergency user;

a monitoring station in communication with the internet protocol network to receive the captured visual image data of the emergency user, the monitoring station upon receiving the captured visual image data of the emergency user being operable to display for viewing by personnel a visual image of the emergency user, the emergency call being directed to the personnel at the monitoring station viewing the visual image of the emergency user.

55. An emergency communication system comprising:

an emergency telephone at an emergency call location, the emergency call location being remote from a monitoring station, the emergency telephone being usable by an emergency user at the emergency call location to generate an emergency call, the emergency telephone being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network the emergency signal;

a surveillance camera at the emergency call location, the surveillance camera when the emergency call is generated being operable to capture visual image data of the emergency user using the emergency telephone to generate the emergency call, the surveillance camera being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network captured visual image data of the emergency user;

a monitoring station in communication with the internet protocol network to receive the captured visual image data of the emergency user, the monitoring station upon receiving the captured visual image data of the emergency user being operable to display for viewing by personnel a visual image of the emergency user.