System and method for transmitting an emergency message over an integrated wireless network

• US 7,480,501 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2001
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SIPCO LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Statsignal IPC LLC (Statsignal)
• Inventors: Petite, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Danh C
• Application Number:
  US10/000,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,645 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/404.1, 455/20, 455/41, 455/418, 379/45, 379/39, 340/902
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

An emergency message system provides a system and method for generating and transmitting emergency messages. In one embodiment, the emergency message system employs a transceiver network with a plurality transceivers coupled to monitoring devices residing at a plurality of customer premises. Control room operators receive an emergency message from an identifiable transceiver. The transceiver, identified by an identification code, indicates a location and the nature of the emergency condition so that the control operators may request appropriate emergency assistance.

Claims

1. A method for communicating emergency messages and cellular communications, the method comprising:

generating an emergency message with an emergency message transceiver, the emergency message having at least an identification code uniquely assigned to the emergency message transceiver;

communicating the emergency message from the emergency message transceiver to a network transceiver that is designated as the next transceiver along a predetermined path through a network of transceivers such that the emergency message is communicated over an intermediary communication system to an emergency message management controller;

redefining the predetermined path when failure of a transceiver along the predetermined path is detected and transmitting path information for the redefined path to transceivers along the predetermined path; and

providing cellular communications from a cellular transceiver configured to communicate with a cellular communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the emergency message onto the intermediary communication system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein communicating the emergency message onto the intermediary communication system further comprises converting the emergency message into a suitable Internet signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of an Internet.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein communicating the emergency message onto the intermediary communication system further comprises converting the emergency message into a suitable digital signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of a digital communication system.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein communicating the emergency message onto the intermediary communication system further comprises converting the emergency message into a suitable telephone signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of a public switched telephone network.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein communicating the emergency message onto the intermediary communication system further comprises converting the emergency message into a suitable Internet signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of portions of at least an Internet, a digital communication system and a public switched telephone network.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least an Internet and a public switched telephone network.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least an Internet and a digital communication system.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the intermediary communication system further comprises a combination of portions of at least a digital communication system and a public switched telephone network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a signal from a sensing device such that generating the emergency message is made in response to receiving the signal from the sensing device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a signal from a button residing on a personal security device such that generating the emergency message is made in response to receiving the signal from the button.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a signal from a keypad such that generating the emergency message is made in response to receiving the signal from the keypad.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a signal from a pressure sensitive device manually actuated by a person such that generating the emergency message is made in response to receiving the signal from the pressure sensitive device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an emergency 911 call from a mobile communication device by the emergency message transceiver such that generating the emergency message is made in response to detecting an emergency 911 call and such that the location of the mobile communication device is approximated by location information associated with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an emergency message with an emergency message transceiver further includes indicating that the emergency message is a high priority message, and wherein communicating the emergency message from the emergency message transceiver to the network further comprises halting other communications such that the emergency message is communicated on a high priority basis.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an emergency message with an emergency message transceiver further includes indicating that the emergency message is a high priority message, and wherein communicating the emergency message from the emergency message transceiver to the network further comprises creating bandwidth such that the emergency message is communicated on a high priority basis.

17. A method for communicating emergency messages and cellular communications, the method comprising:

predetermining a path for an emergency message by broadcasting path information to components of a transceiver network, such that each component stores the path information in its memory and configures itself to react to a signal for which the component is part of the predetermined path;

receiving an emergency message broadcasted from an emergency message transceiver, the emergency message having at least an identification code uniquely assigned to the emergency message transceiver;

determining information relevant to the received emergency message by associating the information with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver;

communicating the emergency message and the relevant information along a predetermined path selected from a plurality of possible paths over a network of transceivers such that assistance is summoned in response to the received emergency message; and

receiving cellular communications from a cellular transceiver configured to communicate with a cellular communications network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining information further includes determining a location of the emergency message transceiver by associating an address residing in a database with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein determining information further includes determining at least medical information by associating the medical information residing in a database with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining information further includes determining a person to be contacted by associating information in a database regarding the person with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein determining information further includes determining a nature of an emergency by associating information residing in a database regarding a device coupled to the emergency message transceiver with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving the emergency message further includes recognizing an emergency 911 call that is detected by the emergency message transceiver, and wherein determining information further includes determining a location of the emergency message transceiver by associating an address residing in a database with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver such that a second location of a device generating the emergency 911 call is approximated.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a second emergency message from a second emergency message transceiver; and

determining that the received emergency message is to be disregarded.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating a second emergency message that is communicated to at least one second emergency message transceiver; and

including within the generated second emergency message information describing of the emergency message.

25. A method for communicating emergency messages and cellular communications, the method comprising:

receiving an emergency message broadcasted from an emergency message management controller, the emergency message having information of interest associated with an emergency message transceiver and a predetermined transmission path that messages from the emergency message transceiver are to follow over a transceiver network;

redefining the predetermined path when failure of a transceiver along the predetermined path is detected and transmitting path information for the redefined path to transceivers along the predetermined path;

communicating the emergency message and the information of interest to a display device; and

receiving cellular communications from a cellular transceiver configured to communicate with a cellular communications network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the display device is a component of an always-on appliance.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising communicating the emergency message to the always-on appliance using a power line carrier signal (PLC) communicated over an electric distribution system.

28. A system for communicating emergency messages and cellular communications, comprising:

a user device incorporating means for generating an emergency message with an emergency message transceiver, the emergency message having at least an identification code uniquely assigned to the emergency message transceiver, and means for generating cellular messages with a cellular transceiver configured to communicate with a cellular communication network; and

means for redefining the predetermined path when failure of a transceiver along the predetermined path is detected and transmitting path information for the redefined path to transceivers along the predetermined path;

means for communicating the emergency message from the emergency message transceiver to a network transceiver designated as the next transceiver along a predetermined path of transceivers in a transceiver network such that the emergency message is communicated over an intermediary communication system to an emergency message management controller.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for communicating the emergency message onto the intermediary communication system.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for converting the emergency message into a suitable Internet signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of an Internet.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for converting the emergency message into a suitable digital signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of a digital communication system.

32. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for converting the emergency message into a suitable telephone signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of a public switched telephone network.

33. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for converting the emergency message into a suitable Internet signal, and wherein the intermediary communication system is a portion of portions of at least an Internet, a digital communication system and a public switched telephone network.

34. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for receiving a signal from a sensing device such that the means for generating the emergency message generates the emergency message in response to receiving the signal from the sensing device.

35. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for receiving a signal from a button residing on a personal security device such that the means for generating the emergency message generates the emergency message in response to receiving the signal from the button.

36. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for receiving a signal from a keypad such that the means for generating the emergency message generates the emergency message in response to receiving the signal from the keypad.

37. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for receiving a signal from a pressure sensitive device manually actuated by a person such that the means for generating the emergency message generates the emergency message in response to receiving the signal from the pressure sensitive device.

38. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for detecting an emergency 911 call from a mobile communication device by the emergency message transceiver such that the means for generating the emergency message generates the emergency message in response to detecting an emergency 911 call and such that a location of the mobile communication device is approximated by location information associated with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

39. A system for communicating emergency messages and cellular communications, comprising:

a device incorporating means for receiving an emergency message broadcasted from an emergency message transceiver, the emergency message having at least an identification code uniquely assigned to the emergency message transceiver, and means for receiving cellular communications from a cellular transceiver wherein the cellular transceiver is configured to communicate with a cellular communication network;

means for redefining the predetermined path when failure of a transceiver along the predetermined path is detected and transmitting path information for the redefined path to transceivers along the predetermined path;

means for determining information relevant to the received emergency message by associating the information with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver; and

means for communicating the emergency message and the relevant information along a predetermined path selected from a plurality of possible paths over a transceiver network such that assistance is summoned in response to the received emergency message.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the means for determining information further includes means for determining a location of the emergency message transceiver by associating an address residing in a database with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the means for determining information further includes means for determining at least medical information by associating the medical information residing in a database with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the means for determining information further includes means for determining a person to be contacted by associating information in a database regarding the person with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the means for determining information further includes means for determining a nature of an emergency by associating information residing in a database regarding a device coupled to the emergency message transceiver with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the means for receiving the emergency message further includes means for recognizing an emergency 911 call that is detected by the emergency message transceiver, and wherein the means for determining information further includes means for determining a location of the emergency message transceiver by associating an address residing in a database with the identification code of the emergency message transceiver such that a second location of a device generating the emergency 911 call is approximated.

45. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

means for receiving a second emergency message from a second emergency message transceiver; and

means for determining that the received emergency message is to be disregarded.

46. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

means for generating a second emergency message that is communicated to at least one second emergency message transceiver; and

means for including within the generated second emergency message information describing of the emergency message.

47. A system for communicating emergency messages and cellular communications, comprising:

a device incorporating means for receiving an emergency message broadcasted from an emergency message management controller, the emergency message having information of interest associated with an emergency message transceiver, and means for receiving cellular communications from a cellular transceiver wherein the cellular transceiver is configured to communicate with a cellular communication network;

means for redefining the predetermined path when failure of a transceiver along the predetermined path is detected and transmitting path information for the redefined path to transceivers along the predetermined path; and

means for communicating the emergency message and the information of interest along a predetermined path selected from a plurality of possible paths over a transceiver network to a display device.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the display device is a component of an always-on appliance.