CA1274930A - Personal alarm system providing handsfree operation - Google Patents
Personal alarm system providing handsfree operationInfo
- Publication number
- CA1274930A CA1274930A CA000545221A CA545221A CA1274930A CA 1274930 A CA1274930 A CA 1274930A CA 000545221 A CA000545221 A CA 000545221A CA 545221 A CA545221 A CA 545221A CA 1274930 A CA1274930 A CA 1274930A
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- signal
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- speakerphone
- telephone
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Abstract
A B S T R A C T
A personal alarm system is disclosed which incorporates a speakerphone so as to permit substantially handsfree operation and remote activation. The system includes a speakerphone which interfaces to a subscriber station. The subscriber station in turn interfaces over a communications link to a central monitoring station which is operative to receive and analyze messages transmitted to the central monitoring station by the subscriber station. Following transmission of a message from the subscriber station to the central monitoring station, the central monitoring station may transmit a control signal to the subscriber station which causes the subscriber station to activate the speakerphone to permit verbal communication with a subscriber who may be immobilized and/or physically unable to initiate a telephone call or answer a telephone. The system further includes an automatic phone answering mode following the activation of a switch by a subscriber, a remote phone answering mode at the subscriber's location, and remote message mode for informing a caller to stand by while the subscriber comes to the phone. In a particular system, some or all operating modes may be employed.
A personal alarm system is disclosed which incorporates a speakerphone so as to permit substantially handsfree operation and remote activation. The system includes a speakerphone which interfaces to a subscriber station. The subscriber station in turn interfaces over a communications link to a central monitoring station which is operative to receive and analyze messages transmitted to the central monitoring station by the subscriber station. Following transmission of a message from the subscriber station to the central monitoring station, the central monitoring station may transmit a control signal to the subscriber station which causes the subscriber station to activate the speakerphone to permit verbal communication with a subscriber who may be immobilized and/or physically unable to initiate a telephone call or answer a telephone. The system further includes an automatic phone answering mode following the activation of a switch by a subscriber, a remote phone answering mode at the subscriber's location, and remote message mode for informing a caller to stand by while the subscriber comes to the phone. In a particular system, some or all operating modes may be employed.
Description
3C~
FIELD QF T~ LQ~
1 This invention relates to a monitoring device for the aged
FIELD QF T~ LQ~
1 This invention relates to a monitoring device for the aged
2 or infirm and more speci~ically to a personal alarm system
3 including a remotely act;vatable speakerphone system which is
4 capable of substantially handsfree operation.
S ~ACKGROUND QF THE INVENTIO~
6 Many people who are aged or incapacitated and who eithe~
7 live alone or who are unattended for prolonged periods of time 8 may be unable to summon help should such.be required. Such 9 individuals may, in extreme situations, expire or suffer irreparable personal harm or further injury resulting from their 11 inability to summon assistance. To address this problem, 12 personal alarm systems such a~ those disclosed in United States 13 Patent ~o. 4,524,243, issued June 18, 1985 of the same assignee as the present 14 invention and the apparatus disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,662,111 have been developed. While these systems permit a central monitoring station 1~ to ascertain if a subscriber is active, such systems do not provide means to 17 establish verbal .~,. ., ~., ~ ,~ ",,"j, ~2~3~
1 communication with a subscriber. It is obviously desirable to 2 be able to communicate with a subscriber in order to ascertain 3 his medical condition. However, it will be appreciated, that 4 in certain circumstances, a subscriber may ~e unable to initiate a telephone call due to the subscriber's immobility or 6 incapacity and the subscriber may not have the ability to lift 7 a telephone handset in order to respond to an incoming call.
S~JMMARY OF THE INVENTION
8 In accordance with the pre5ent invention an improved 9 personal alarm system is disclosed. The alarm system includes at least one subscriber station and a central monitoring 11 station having the capability to monitor a plurality of -12 subscriber-stations. In the event of subscriber inactivity, or 13 in the event a subscriber activates a ~help button~ to indicate 14 assistance is required, the subscriber station transmits an alarm message containing subscriber identification information 16 over a communications link to the central monitoring station.
17 Upon receipt of the alarm message at the central monitoring 18 station, help may be dispatched to the subscriber needing 19 assistance or other appropriate action may be initiated.
The subscriber station in accordance with the present 21 invention includes a message unit which may be activated upon ~:7~
1 the transmission of a control signal from the subscriber to the 2 subscriber station and can transmit via the phone line a 3 message to an incoming caller without any movement or 4 intervention by the subscriber. The subscrib~r station also includes a speakerphone which may be activated by transmission 6 of a control signal from the central monitoring station to the 7 subscriber station so as to permit an immobile and/or 8 incapacitated subscriber to verbally communicate with an 9 operator at the central monitoring station without the need for any physical intervention or movement b~ the subscriber. The 11 system further includes a mode of operation in which the 12 subscriher's phone is automat;cally answered and the 13 speakerphone is activated in response to incoming calls 14 following the activation of the help button or another switch by a subscriber. Additionally, the system includes an 16 operating mode wherein the phone is answered and the 17 speakerphone activated if the help button is activated during 18 the time period in which the subscriber's phone is ringing.
19 Since a subscriber may be immobile, incapacitated or unahle to perform such simple acts as lifting a telephone handset, the 21 disclosed apparatus and method o operation permits verbal 22 communication between an operator at the central monitoring 23 station and the subscriber where otherwise such might not be 24 possible.
93~
1 The term "on hook" as used herein, refers to the 2 electrical state corresponding to that in which the telephone 3 handset of a conventional telephone is disposed in the 4 telephone cradle and conditioned to receive an incoming call.
The term "off hook~ refers to that electrical state in which 6 the respective party's telephone instrument is connected to the 7 comrnunication link. The ~'telephone off hook~ condition refers 8 ~o the state in which the telephone handset is connected to the 9 telephone communication link. The telephone ~speakerphone off hook condition refers to the states in which the respective 11 equipment is connected to the link for conversations between 12 the subscriber and the other party. Similarly, the "telephone~
13 and ~speakerphone~ on hook conditions refer to the states in 14 which the respective equipment is disconnected from the telephone communications link.
16 Following transmission of the alarm message, the 17 subscriber station produces a timer output signal which remains 18 active for a predetermined interval. A control signal may be 19 automatically generated by the central monitoring station following transmission of the alarm messaye or may be initiated 21 by the central monitoring station operator prior to expiration 22 of the timer signal. If a control signal is transmitted from 23 the central monitoring station to the subscriber station during 93~
1 the timer interval, a speakerphone interfaced to the subscriber 2 station is activated so as to permit conversation between the 3 subscriber and the operator at the central monitoring station.
4 T~e speakerphone remains off hook so as to permit conversations between the central monitoring station operator and the 6 subscriber until the central monitoring station operator 7 terminates the call. The central monitoring station produces a 8 simulated dial tone signal just prior to termination o the 9 communication. In response to the simulated dial tone signal, the subscriber station produces a call termination signal which 11 causes the subscriber station to enter a speakerphone on hook 12 state thereby terminating the connection to the telephone link, 13 all without manual intervention by the subscriber.
14 The activation of a help button produces a status signal within the subscriber station which indicates that the 16 speakerphone is in an "enabled" state. In this state, the 17 subscriber station automatically answers subsequent telephon2 18 calls and activates the speakerphone to permit the subscriber 19 to converse with the calling party, again without manual intervention by the subscriber. When the calling party hangs 21 up, the telephone network produces a dial tone. The subscriber 22 station, in response to this dial tone, produces a call 23 termination signal which causes the speakerphone to go on hook, 3~
1 thereby terminating the call and condition;n~ the subscriber 2 station for receipt of subsequant calls.
3 Upon actuation of a reset switch located on the 4 subscriber station or another switch provided for the present purpose, the speakerphone status signaL is reset to the 6 disabled state. While the speakerphone status signal is in the 7 ~disabled" state the subscriber station does not automatically 8 answer incoming calls. In the speakerphone disabled state, the 9 telephone may be answered by a subscriber in the conventional manner by lifting the telephone handset or, as e~plained below, 11 by activating a ~help button~ while the phone is ringing.
12 Speakerphone operation is automatically reactivated upon the 13 presentation of a control signal to the subscriber station by 14 the central monitoring station in the manner previously described.
1~ The subscriber can activate the speakerphone and at the 17 same time cause a speakerphone off hook condition by activating 18 the help button in a hand held unit typically retained on the 19 subscriber's person while the subscriber's telephone is ringing; that is, during a ringing interval, or by activating 21 another switch provided for this purpose. Upon the occurrence 22 of these concurrent events, the subscriber station produces a 23 speakerphone off hook condition, and activates the speakerphone ~2~3(:~
1 so as to permit the calling party and the subscriber to ? converse without the need for the suhscriber to lift the 3 telephone handset. After the calling party hangs up his hand 4 set or otherwise disconnects from the telephone link, the subscriber station senses a dial tone signal produced by the 6 telephone network and produces a speakerphone on hook condition 7 thereby terminatin~ the call. The subscriber may also 8 terminate a call by actuation of the help button, thereby 9 causing return to the on hook condition.
The subscriber can also remotely answer the telephone 11 and inform an incoming caller to stand by while the subscriber 12 comes to the phone. During the time interval in which the 13 subscriber's telephone is ringing, the subscriber can activate 14 - a switch, which ma~ be the help button, to transmit an electrical, optical, or acoustical signal to the subscri~er 16 station which correspondingly trî~gers the message unit in the 17 subscriber station. This message unit then sends a s~nthesized 18 or actual voice message or a tone or other coded signal via the 19 phone line to advise the caller to wait until the subscriber answers the telephone. Alternatively, a microphone at the 21 message unit can be activated so that the subscriber can advise 22 the caller that he is coming to the phone. The voice channel 23 may also be activated to permit the subscriber to speak and/or -~L2~7~93~
1 listen to the caller. In a further mode of operation, the 2 subscriber station can automatically answer the telephone after 3 a predetermined ringing interval or predetermined number of 4 rings, to thereby permit the subscriber or caller to speak even i remote from the phone~
6 Following activation of the speakerphone in any of the 7 above described manners, the speakerphone can remain in the 8 enabled mode until such time as the reset switch o~ the 9 subscriber station or a substitute therefore is actuated.
For some purposes, the invention can be employed with a 11 receiving station other than a central monitoring station. For 12 e~ample, an elderly or ailing subscriber can have a subscriber 13 station which can communicate with a preassigned'calling party -14 who has a conventional telephone.
pESCRIPTION OF THE PRAWINGS
The invention will be more fully understood by 16 reference to the following discussion in conjunction with the 17 accompanying drawings in which:
18 Fig. 1 is a system block diagram;
19 Fig. 2 is a system state diagram;
Fig. 3 is a system timing diagram; and ~2~
1 Fig. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the circuitry of 2 the subscr;ber station and speakerphone illustrated generally in Fig. 1.
. . . _ DETAIL~D_DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
4 In accordance with the present invention a personal alarm system is disclosed which permits a subscriber, who may 6 be immobilized and/or incapacitated to verbally communicate 7 with an operator at a central monitoring station without the 8 usual requirements o manuall~ dialing a telephone number or g lifting a telephone handset. The system. also provides the subscriber with the capability to remotely inform an incoming 11 caller to stand b~ while the subscriber comes to the phone, by 12 activating a switch- while the telephone is ringing.
13 Addit;onally, the system provides a subscriber with the ability 14 to remotely answer the telephone by activating a ~help ~utton"or a like switch while the telephone is ringing. In an 16 auto-answering or "speakerphone enabled" mode, initiated 17 following actuation of the "help button", the system 18 automatically answers all incoming calls and activates a 1~ speakerphone to permit verbal communications between the subscriber and the calling party without manual intervention by 21 the subscriber. The disclosed system employs a speakerphone so ~7~913~
1 as to allow communication between the subscriber and an 2 operator at the central monitoring station despite the fact 3 that a subscriber may not be proximate to, or able to handle a 4 telephone handset. Control functions such as dialing and call termination are automatic so ...as ..to.. .permit substantially 6 handsfree operation. The system is primarily intended for the 7 elderly, infirm, or incapacitated who are unattended and/or 8 living alons and who, in the event o$ illness or sudden injury, 9 might be unable to summon assistance in the event such is required.
11 Referring to Fig. l, there is shown a personal alarm 12 system of the type herein disclosed. The system includes a 13 subscriber station lO, a communications link 12 and a central 14 monitoring station 14. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the communications l;nk 12 is a telephone network 16 communications link employing well known telephone network 17 protocols. It is appreciated that the present invention may 18 also be practiced employing other communications links such as 19 a radio frequency or hard wired communication links. When a radio frequency communication link is employed, the subscriber 21 station and the central monitoring station include radio 22 frequency transceivers as shown in Fig. l.
33~3 1 As further illustrated in Fig. 1, the system further 2 includes a hand held unit 16 incorporating a help button 18.
3 Typically a subscriber maintains the hand held unit 16 on his 4 person and, in the event ass;stance is required, activates the help button 18. In response thereto, the subscriber station 10 6 transmits a message over the communication link 12 to the 7 central monitoring station 14. The message contains at least 8 subscriber identifying information so as to permit an operator g at the central monitoring station 14 to dispatch assistance to the subscriber if it is believed such assistance is required.
11 The hand held unit 16 may interface to the subscriber 12 station 10 via a hard wired connection, a radio frequency link, 13 an infrared link or any other suitable means operative to ~4 signal the subscriber skation 10 that the help button 18 has been activated.
16 The personal alarm system further includes a message 17 unit 21 which interfaces to and is activated under the control 18 of the subscriber station 10. The message unit 21 presently 19 referred to is a device which stores and transmits a synthesized or actual voice message or a tone or other coded 21 signal upon receipt o the proper triggering sequence.
22 Typically, the subscriber maintains a hand held unit 16 on his 23 person and, when the telephone rin~s~ activates the help 1 button 18. In response thereto, the subscriber station 10 2 triggers the message unit 21 which transmits a synthesized or 3 actual voice message or a tone or other coded signal through 4 the subscriber station 10, over the communications link 12, and to the outside caller 11. The transmitted signal informs the 6 outside caller 11 to wait while the subscriber comes to answer 7 the telephone or speakerphone.
8 The personal alarm system also includes a g speakerphone 20 which interfaces to and is activated under the control of the subscriber station 10. A standard telephone 22 11 also interfaces to the communication link through the 12 speakerphone 20. The speakerphone 20 presently referred to is 13 a device which incorporates a speaker and a microphone and 14 which permits a user to carry on a telephone con~ersation by speaking at normal volumes in the vicinity of the device.
16 Voice is picked up by a microphone and converted to electrical 17 signals which are transmitted over the communication link 12 to 18 a remote party. Conversely, electrical signals corresponding 19 to the voice oE the remote party are amplified and applied to the speaker of the speakerphone 20 to permit one in the 21 vicinity of the speakerphone 20 to hear the voice of the remote 22 party.
~7~3~
1 Following transmission of a message containing 2 subscriber identifying information from the subscriber 3 station 10 to the central monitoring station 14, the central 4 monitoring station 14 may, either automatically or upon ... ..5 ..initiation by an operator.at the central.monitoring station 14, 6 transmit a control signal back to the subscriber station 10.
7 The control signal causes the subscriber station 10 to maintain 8 the telephone network in a speakerphone off hook condition and 9 activates thP speakerphone 20 so as to permit communication between the operator and the subscriber. The operator, by 11 reason of the ability to converse with a subscriber who may be 12 immobilized, may obtain timely information with respect to the 13 subscriber's medical and/or personal needs and may thereby take ,14' more ,appropriate and-specific action than would be otherwise possible.
16 Operation of the system in accordance with the present 17 invention is illustrated in the state diagram of Fig. 2.
18 Following receipt o~ a reset signal, the subscriber station 10 19 is in a state in which both the telephone 22 and the speakerphone 20 are on hook awaiting a telephone call. If the 21 help button 18 has not previously been activated, the system 22 would be in the ~speakerphone disabled~ state. These 23 conditions are illustrated in state 24 of the state diagram of ~2~
1 Fig. 2. In the event of a "help request~ resulting from 2 subscriber activation of the help button 18, or from an 3 inactivity alarm such as described in U.S. Patent No. 3,662,111 4 or Application Serial No. 511,921, the subscriber station 10 goes into an off hook condition, automatically dials the 6 telephone number of the central monitoring station 14~ and 7 transmits a message containing subscriber identifying 8 information to the central monitoring station 14. As a g consequence of the help request, a speakerphone status bit is enabled. Followinq transmission of the subscriber identifying 11 message,-the subscriber station 10 r,emains in state 26 awaiting 12 transmission of a control signal from the central monitoring 13 station 14. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the 14 control signal is in the form of an electrical signal of a prescribed frequency.
16 A timer in the subscriber station 10 is initiated 17 following transmission of the subscriber identifying the 18 message from the subscriber station 10 to the central 19 monitoring station 14. The timer remains , active for a preselected interval which is typically in the range of several 21 seconds. If, within the active timer interval, the subscriber 22 station 10 receives the control signal transmitted by the 23 central monitoring station 14, the subscriber station 10 7~3~
1 activates the speakerphone 20 and establishes a control state 2 in the subscriber stakion 10 so the subscriber station 10 will 3 remain in a speakerphone off hook condition, all as illustrated 4 in state 28 of E`ig. 2. While the subscriber station 10 is in the speakerphone off hook condition, telephone discussions 6 between the subscriber via the speakerphone and an operator at 7 the central monitoring station 14 are possible. Upon the 8 conclusion of discussions between the operator and the 9 subscriber, the operakor causes the central monitoring station to transmit a simulated dial tone and then terminates the call 11 by hanging:up the handset. - The subscriber statio~ 10 decodes 12 the simulaked diai tone signal and in response thereto produces 13 a call termination signal which causes the subscriber 14 station 10 to exit the speakerphone off hook state 28 and to enter the speakerphone on hook state 30. The subscriber 1~ station 10 remains in the speakerphone on hook state 30 until 17 such time as the subscriber station 10 is reset, or until such 18 time as the subscriber station 10 detects a ring signal 19 associated with an incoming telephone call. Upon detection of a reset signal, the subscriber station 10 returns to the 21 speakerphone on hook, speakerphone disabled state 24. In the 22 event the subscriber station 10 detecks a telephone ring 23 signifying an incoming call, the subscriber station 10 produces .
3~
1 a ring signal which in turn causes the subscriber station 10 to 2 exit the speakerphone on hook speakerphone enabled stata 30 and 3 to enter the speakerphone off hook state 28 thereby permitting 4 conversations between the calling party and a subscriber proximate the speakerphone 20 without any manual intervention 6 by the subscriber.
7 If the subscriber lifts the telephone handset oE the 8 telephone interfaced to the speakerphone, as illustrated in 9 Fig. 1, while the subscriber station lO is in state 28, th~
telephone goes off hook, the speakerphone enters the on hook 11 state and the speakerphone remains enabIed as illustrated in 12 state 32. This state change avoids the possibility of 13 undesirable feedback between the speakerphone and the telephone 14 handset as might occur if both the -telephone and the lS speakerphone were off hook simultaneousl~. As illustrated in 16 Fig. 2, when the subscriber hangs up the telephone handset, the 17 subscriber station 10 exits state 32 and enters state 30 in 18 which both the telephone and the spQakerphone are on hook with 19 the speakerphone enabled to automatically answer subsequent calls.
21 The subscriber station 10 exits state 28 and enters 22 state 30 upon detection of a call termination signal. If the 23 call was initiated by the subscriber station, the call ~Z7~33~
l termination signal is produced upon decode of a simulated dial 2 tone presented by the central monitoring station. If the 3 subscriber station was called by a calling party, when the 4 calling party hangs up, the telephone network ~roduces a dial tone which is decoded to produce the call termination signal at 6 the subscriber station lO. In response to this call 7 termination s;gnal, the subscriber station lO e~its state 28 8 and enters state 30, conditioned to answer subsequent calls.
9 If the subscriber station lO does not detect a control signal within the prescribed timer interval while in state 26, 11 at the end of such interval, the subscriber station lO e~its 12 state 26 and enters state 30, in which the speakerphone is 13 enabled to receive subse~uent incoming calls.
14 In another mode of operation, - in which both the speakerphone and the telephone are on hook and in which the 16 speakerphone is disabled, a subscriber proximate the subscriber 17 station lO, may cause the speakerphone to become active upon 18 the occurrence of an incoming telephone call though the 19 speakerphone remains in the disabled state. The subscriber station lO includes circuitry which decodes a signal on the 21 telephone link during telephone ringing and the subscriber 22 station produces a telephone ring signal upon the decode 23 thereof. If a subscriber activates the help button 18 in the 1 hand help unit 16 or another switch provided for this purpose, 2 concurrent with tha ring signal, the subscriber station 10 3 e3its the on hook disabled state 24 and enters the speakerphone 4 of hook state 34 as illustrated in the state diagram of Fig. 20 Thereafter, when the calling party terminates the 6 call, a dial tone signal appears on the telephone com~unication 7 link which is decoded to produce a call termination signal 8 which causes the subscriber station 10 to e~it the speakerphone g off hook state 34 and to reenter the on hook state 24.
If the subscriber lifts the telephone handset while the 11 - subscriber station lO is-in the speakerphon~ off hook disabled 12 state 34, the station enters the telephone off hook 13 speakerphone on hook state 36 as shown. In state 36, the 14 speakerphone status signal remains disabled. When the subscriber terminates the call by hanging up the telephone 16 handset, the subscriber station reenters state 24 in which both ~7 the telephone and speakerphone are on hook and the speakerphonP
18 status remains disabled.
19 When the subscriber station 10 is in the speakerphone on hook disabled state 24, a telephone at the~ subscriber's 21 location may also be answered in the conventional manner by 22 liting the handset to cause the telephone to enter the on hook 23 state with the spea~erphone disabled as illustrated in 1 state 36. Replacement of the telephone handset on the 2 telephone cradle produces the conventional result of 3 terminating the telephone call and causes the subscriber 4 station 10 to transfer from the speakerphone on hook, telephone ...5. ~ of _haok_.state 36 to the speakerphone one hook, telephone on hook state 24.
7 In another mode of operation, in which both the 8 speakerphone 20 and the telephone 22 are on hook, a subscriber 9 may cause the message unit 21 to become active upon the occurrence of a telephone call. If a subscriber activates the 11 help button 18 in the ~and held unit 16 during the ring 12 interval, the subscriber station 10 e2its the hook disabl~d 13 state 24 and enters the message unit enabled state 29 as . 14 illustrated in the state diagram .in .~ig. 2. The message unit 21 transmits a synthesized or actual voice message or a 16 tone or other coded signal through the communications link 17 informing the caller to wait while the subscriber answers the 18 telephone. Thereafter, the subscriber answers the phone by 19 either activating the help button 16, which places the subscriber station into the speakerphone off hook state 34, or 21 by manually lifting the telephone handset which causes the 22 subscriber station to enter the telephone off hook speakerphone 23 on hook state 36.
93~
1 Alternatively, activation of the help button place 2 during the ring interval can cause the activation of a 3 microphone at the subscriber station for one way voice 4 communication from the subscriber to the incoming caller so that the subscriber .can indicate. that he or she is cominq to 6 the phone. The message unit 21 can be part of the subscriber 7 station or can be a separate device which can be activated by 8 the subscriber by way of the help button or other actuating 9 switch or unit. If the message unit is e~ternal to the subscriber station it can be in communication therewith by a 11 wired,.or wireless path.
12 The system is also operative in another mode in which 13 after a predetermined number of rings, the subscriber station 14 automatically enters and off-hook state to-automati~ally answer the phone and open up the answer phone so that the subscriber 16 can tell the incoming caller that he or she is coming to the 17 phone. This mode of operation is also of benefit to a 18 subscriber who may be incapacitated and cannot press the help 19 button or is not wearing the help button when in an incoming call is received. Even if the subscriber cannot speak when the 21 incoming call is automatically answered, a concerned caller 22 might be able to communicate or hear some sign of distress and 23 announce to the incapacitated subscriber that assistance is 24 being summoned.
93~
1 The invention will be urther understood by reference 2 to the timing diagram of Fig. 3. Activation of the help 3 butl:on 18 produces a help signal 38 in the subscriber 4 station lO. The help signal 38 causes the subscriber station lO to go off hook dial the telephone number of th~
6 central monitoring station 14 and to transmit an alarm 7 message 40 containing subscriber identifying information. The 8 subscriber station lO includes a timer which is initiated in g response to the transmission of the alarm message 40 to produce a timer signal 42 which remains active for a preselected ll' ';int~rval, typically in the range'of several seconds. Following 12. receipt of the alarm ~essage 40, the central monitoring 13 station 14 may transmit a control signal 44 to the subscriber 14 - station lO. If. the. control signal 44 is received by the subscriber station lO within the interval during which the 16 timer signal 42 is active, the subscriber stati,on 10 sets a bit 17 indicating that the subscriber station lO is in the 18 ~speakerphone enabled" state which is shown by the speakerphone 19 enabled signal 46. If no control signal 44 is received by the subscriber station 10 during the interval of the timer 21 signal 42, the subscriber station lO goes on hook at the end o 22 the interval as shown by the off hook signal 48. If a control 23 signal 44 is received during the interval of the timer ~.~d~3~
1 si~nal 42, the subscriber station 10 remains off hook beyond 2 the expiration of the interval of timer signal 42 and the 3 speakerphone goes off hook permitting discussions between the 4 subscriber and the central station 14 operator. When the operator at the central monitoring statio~ 14 terminates a 6 conversation with the subscriber, a simulated dial tone signal 7 appears on the telephone line which is decoded to produce a 8 call termination signal 50. The call termination signal 50 g causes the system to ex;t the speakerphone off hook state 28 and to enter the speakerphone on hook state 30 as illustrated 11 in Figs. ~ and 3, thus conditioning the -subscriber station 10 12 for receipt of subsequent telephone calls.
13 Thereafter, the subscriber station 10 remains in the 14 speakerphone enabled state 30 as illustrated by the speak~rphone enabled signal 46 until such time as the 16 subscriber station 10 is res0t upon activation o~ a reset 17 signal 52.
18 In the event the telephone at the subscriber's location 19 rings, the subscriber station 10 decodes the signal on the telephone line to produce a ring signal 54. If the subscriber 21 station 10 is in the speakerphone enabled state 30 as indicated 22 by the speakerphone enabled signal 46 and subscriber station 10 23 control circuitry detects the ring signal 54, the subscriber 1 station lO produces an off hook signal 56 and causes the 2 subscriber station lO to enter the off hook state 28 thereby 3 permitting speakerphone com~unication between the calling party 4 and the subscriber. A specified time after the calling party hangs up his telephone handset a dial tone signal appears on 6 the telephone line which is decoded to produce a call 7 termination signal 58. The call termination signal 58 is 8 employed in the manner previously discussed to cause the system g to exit the speakerphone off hook state 28 and to enter the speakerphone on hook state 30.
ll Another mod~ of operation of the subscriber station lO
12 is illustrated in the right hand portion of the timing diagram 13 of Fig. 3. If the subscriber station 10 is in the speakerphone 14 disabled state (i.e. not enabled) and an incoming call causes the telephone to ring, the subscriber station lO decodes a 16 signal on the telephone line and produces a ring s~nal during 17 the period of such ring. If the subscriber activates the help 18 button 18 so as to produce a help signal 60 during concurrent 19 with the ring signal 62, the subscriber station lO produces an off hook signal 64 and enters the spealcerphone off hook, 21 speakerphone disabled state 34 so as to permit speakerphone 22 communication between the calling party and the subscriber.
23 Following termination of the telephone conversation between the 1 calling party and the subscriber, the subscriber station 10 2 will enter the on hook state 24 upon the detection of the call 3 t~rmination signal 66 produced in the manner previously 4 described.
Another mode of operation for the subscriber station 10 6 is illustrated in the lower right hand portion of the timing 7 diagram of Fig. 3. If the subscriber station 10 is in the hook 8 disabled state ~4 and the telephone rings, the subscriber can g activate the help button 18 which produces a stand-~y signal 53 concurrent with the ring signal 62. In response to the standby 11 :signal-j- the----subscriber ~ station 10 produces an off-hook 12 signal 57, enters the speakerphone on hook-telephone off-hook 13 state 29, and then transmits a wait message 55 to the incoming 14 caller via the communications link 12. When the subscriber answers the phone, the subscriber station 10 enters either the 16 speakerphone o~f hoo~ state 34 upon detection of the help 17 signal 60 or the telephone off hook speakerphone on hook 18 state 36 upon the lifting o~ the telephone handset.
19 The invention is also depicted in block diagram form in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The speakerphone 20 is connected to the ~1 subscriber station 10 which is part of the personal alarm 22 system previously described. The subscriber station 10 23 includes a relay 68 operative to seize the telephone line 70, 3~
1 and a dialing relay 72 coupled via a transformsr 74 to a 2 control 76 which typically is part of the subscriber station 10 3 of the personal alarm system. The control 76 receives inputs 4 in the form of a help siqnal 78 and a reset signal 80. The help signal 78 is produced upon activation by a subscriber of 6 the help button 18 of the hand held unit 16. As previously 7 indicated, the hand held unit 16 may interface to the 8 subscriber station 10 via a hard wired link, a radio frequency g link, an infra red link, or via any other suitable meansO The control 76 is coupled to the speakerphone control 82, which in 11 ~ turn receives -inputs~ from a : ring 'detector 84, dial tone 12 detector 8G, and a control signal detector 88. In the present 13 embodiment, the control signal detector 88 is a tone detector 14 operative to produce an output control signal upon detection of a 3 kilohertz tone. The ring detector 84, dial tone 16 detector 86 and control signal detector 88 are operative to 17 produce the ring signal, and call termination signal and a 18 control signal respectively. The speakerphone control 82 19 produces a "speakerphone enabled" signal described in connection with Fig. 3 which serves to designate the system 21 status and which functions as discussed in connection with 22 Fig. 2. The speakerphone 20 includes speaker and microphone 23 control and interface lo~ic 90 which in turn is coupled via 3~
1 buffers 92 and 94 to a speaker 96 and a microphone 98, 2 respectively~
3 The telephone line 70 is connected to an answer 4 relay lOQ. The speakerphone 20 is connected throuqh interface . circuitry 102 to the telephone line 70 through a 6 transformer 104 which, may be selectively disconnected via 7 answer relay 100.
8 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control 9 signal is produced upon detection of a 3 kilohertz tone, and the subscriber station 10 includes a 3 kilohertz notch 11 filter 106 to prevent the undesired broadcast of this tone 12 through the speakerphone 20, 13 It will be appreciated that the activation of the help 14 -- button 18 -to txigger the message unit 21, is but one way to trigger the message unit. Such triggering can be accomplished 16 in many other ways, such as with a control button separate from 17 the help button. Accordingly, the invention should in no way 18 be limited to this illustrated implementation; rather, it 19 should include any and all other implementations.
The above described personal alarm system is 21 illustrative of a novel apparatus and method permitting 22 handsfree operation by a subscriber who may be immobile, 23 infirm, or otherwise incapacitated and who may be unable to ~ 27 -~2~
1 operate a conventional telephone as a conse~uence thereof. It 2 will be appreciated that other modifications, embodiments and 3 departures from the present disclosure are possible without 4 departing from the inventive concept contained herein.
Consequently, .the invention is...to.be.Yiewed as embracing each 6 and every novel feature and novel combination of eatures 7 present in or possessed by the personal alarm system herein 8 disclosed and is to limited solely by the scope and spirit of 9 the appended claims.
- 2~ -
S ~ACKGROUND QF THE INVENTIO~
6 Many people who are aged or incapacitated and who eithe~
7 live alone or who are unattended for prolonged periods of time 8 may be unable to summon help should such.be required. Such 9 individuals may, in extreme situations, expire or suffer irreparable personal harm or further injury resulting from their 11 inability to summon assistance. To address this problem, 12 personal alarm systems such a~ those disclosed in United States 13 Patent ~o. 4,524,243, issued June 18, 1985 of the same assignee as the present 14 invention and the apparatus disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,662,111 have been developed. While these systems permit a central monitoring station 1~ to ascertain if a subscriber is active, such systems do not provide means to 17 establish verbal .~,. ., ~., ~ ,~ ",,"j, ~2~3~
1 communication with a subscriber. It is obviously desirable to 2 be able to communicate with a subscriber in order to ascertain 3 his medical condition. However, it will be appreciated, that 4 in certain circumstances, a subscriber may ~e unable to initiate a telephone call due to the subscriber's immobility or 6 incapacity and the subscriber may not have the ability to lift 7 a telephone handset in order to respond to an incoming call.
S~JMMARY OF THE INVENTION
8 In accordance with the pre5ent invention an improved 9 personal alarm system is disclosed. The alarm system includes at least one subscriber station and a central monitoring 11 station having the capability to monitor a plurality of -12 subscriber-stations. In the event of subscriber inactivity, or 13 in the event a subscriber activates a ~help button~ to indicate 14 assistance is required, the subscriber station transmits an alarm message containing subscriber identification information 16 over a communications link to the central monitoring station.
17 Upon receipt of the alarm message at the central monitoring 18 station, help may be dispatched to the subscriber needing 19 assistance or other appropriate action may be initiated.
The subscriber station in accordance with the present 21 invention includes a message unit which may be activated upon ~:7~
1 the transmission of a control signal from the subscriber to the 2 subscriber station and can transmit via the phone line a 3 message to an incoming caller without any movement or 4 intervention by the subscriber. The subscrib~r station also includes a speakerphone which may be activated by transmission 6 of a control signal from the central monitoring station to the 7 subscriber station so as to permit an immobile and/or 8 incapacitated subscriber to verbally communicate with an 9 operator at the central monitoring station without the need for any physical intervention or movement b~ the subscriber. The 11 system further includes a mode of operation in which the 12 subscriher's phone is automat;cally answered and the 13 speakerphone is activated in response to incoming calls 14 following the activation of the help button or another switch by a subscriber. Additionally, the system includes an 16 operating mode wherein the phone is answered and the 17 speakerphone activated if the help button is activated during 18 the time period in which the subscriber's phone is ringing.
19 Since a subscriber may be immobile, incapacitated or unahle to perform such simple acts as lifting a telephone handset, the 21 disclosed apparatus and method o operation permits verbal 22 communication between an operator at the central monitoring 23 station and the subscriber where otherwise such might not be 24 possible.
93~
1 The term "on hook" as used herein, refers to the 2 electrical state corresponding to that in which the telephone 3 handset of a conventional telephone is disposed in the 4 telephone cradle and conditioned to receive an incoming call.
The term "off hook~ refers to that electrical state in which 6 the respective party's telephone instrument is connected to the 7 comrnunication link. The ~'telephone off hook~ condition refers 8 ~o the state in which the telephone handset is connected to the 9 telephone communication link. The telephone ~speakerphone off hook condition refers to the states in which the respective 11 equipment is connected to the link for conversations between 12 the subscriber and the other party. Similarly, the "telephone~
13 and ~speakerphone~ on hook conditions refer to the states in 14 which the respective equipment is disconnected from the telephone communications link.
16 Following transmission of the alarm message, the 17 subscriber station produces a timer output signal which remains 18 active for a predetermined interval. A control signal may be 19 automatically generated by the central monitoring station following transmission of the alarm messaye or may be initiated 21 by the central monitoring station operator prior to expiration 22 of the timer signal. If a control signal is transmitted from 23 the central monitoring station to the subscriber station during 93~
1 the timer interval, a speakerphone interfaced to the subscriber 2 station is activated so as to permit conversation between the 3 subscriber and the operator at the central monitoring station.
4 T~e speakerphone remains off hook so as to permit conversations between the central monitoring station operator and the 6 subscriber until the central monitoring station operator 7 terminates the call. The central monitoring station produces a 8 simulated dial tone signal just prior to termination o the 9 communication. In response to the simulated dial tone signal, the subscriber station produces a call termination signal which 11 causes the subscriber station to enter a speakerphone on hook 12 state thereby terminating the connection to the telephone link, 13 all without manual intervention by the subscriber.
14 The activation of a help button produces a status signal within the subscriber station which indicates that the 16 speakerphone is in an "enabled" state. In this state, the 17 subscriber station automatically answers subsequent telephon2 18 calls and activates the speakerphone to permit the subscriber 19 to converse with the calling party, again without manual intervention by the subscriber. When the calling party hangs 21 up, the telephone network produces a dial tone. The subscriber 22 station, in response to this dial tone, produces a call 23 termination signal which causes the speakerphone to go on hook, 3~
1 thereby terminating the call and condition;n~ the subscriber 2 station for receipt of subsequant calls.
3 Upon actuation of a reset switch located on the 4 subscriber station or another switch provided for the present purpose, the speakerphone status signaL is reset to the 6 disabled state. While the speakerphone status signal is in the 7 ~disabled" state the subscriber station does not automatically 8 answer incoming calls. In the speakerphone disabled state, the 9 telephone may be answered by a subscriber in the conventional manner by lifting the telephone handset or, as e~plained below, 11 by activating a ~help button~ while the phone is ringing.
12 Speakerphone operation is automatically reactivated upon the 13 presentation of a control signal to the subscriber station by 14 the central monitoring station in the manner previously described.
1~ The subscriber can activate the speakerphone and at the 17 same time cause a speakerphone off hook condition by activating 18 the help button in a hand held unit typically retained on the 19 subscriber's person while the subscriber's telephone is ringing; that is, during a ringing interval, or by activating 21 another switch provided for this purpose. Upon the occurrence 22 of these concurrent events, the subscriber station produces a 23 speakerphone off hook condition, and activates the speakerphone ~2~3(:~
1 so as to permit the calling party and the subscriber to ? converse without the need for the suhscriber to lift the 3 telephone handset. After the calling party hangs up his hand 4 set or otherwise disconnects from the telephone link, the subscriber station senses a dial tone signal produced by the 6 telephone network and produces a speakerphone on hook condition 7 thereby terminatin~ the call. The subscriber may also 8 terminate a call by actuation of the help button, thereby 9 causing return to the on hook condition.
The subscriber can also remotely answer the telephone 11 and inform an incoming caller to stand by while the subscriber 12 comes to the phone. During the time interval in which the 13 subscriber's telephone is ringing, the subscriber can activate 14 - a switch, which ma~ be the help button, to transmit an electrical, optical, or acoustical signal to the subscri~er 16 station which correspondingly trî~gers the message unit in the 17 subscriber station. This message unit then sends a s~nthesized 18 or actual voice message or a tone or other coded signal via the 19 phone line to advise the caller to wait until the subscriber answers the telephone. Alternatively, a microphone at the 21 message unit can be activated so that the subscriber can advise 22 the caller that he is coming to the phone. The voice channel 23 may also be activated to permit the subscriber to speak and/or -~L2~7~93~
1 listen to the caller. In a further mode of operation, the 2 subscriber station can automatically answer the telephone after 3 a predetermined ringing interval or predetermined number of 4 rings, to thereby permit the subscriber or caller to speak even i remote from the phone~
6 Following activation of the speakerphone in any of the 7 above described manners, the speakerphone can remain in the 8 enabled mode until such time as the reset switch o~ the 9 subscriber station or a substitute therefore is actuated.
For some purposes, the invention can be employed with a 11 receiving station other than a central monitoring station. For 12 e~ample, an elderly or ailing subscriber can have a subscriber 13 station which can communicate with a preassigned'calling party -14 who has a conventional telephone.
pESCRIPTION OF THE PRAWINGS
The invention will be more fully understood by 16 reference to the following discussion in conjunction with the 17 accompanying drawings in which:
18 Fig. 1 is a system block diagram;
19 Fig. 2 is a system state diagram;
Fig. 3 is a system timing diagram; and ~2~
1 Fig. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the circuitry of 2 the subscr;ber station and speakerphone illustrated generally in Fig. 1.
. . . _ DETAIL~D_DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
4 In accordance with the present invention a personal alarm system is disclosed which permits a subscriber, who may 6 be immobilized and/or incapacitated to verbally communicate 7 with an operator at a central monitoring station without the 8 usual requirements o manuall~ dialing a telephone number or g lifting a telephone handset. The system. also provides the subscriber with the capability to remotely inform an incoming 11 caller to stand b~ while the subscriber comes to the phone, by 12 activating a switch- while the telephone is ringing.
13 Addit;onally, the system provides a subscriber with the ability 14 to remotely answer the telephone by activating a ~help ~utton"or a like switch while the telephone is ringing. In an 16 auto-answering or "speakerphone enabled" mode, initiated 17 following actuation of the "help button", the system 18 automatically answers all incoming calls and activates a 1~ speakerphone to permit verbal communications between the subscriber and the calling party without manual intervention by 21 the subscriber. The disclosed system employs a speakerphone so ~7~913~
1 as to allow communication between the subscriber and an 2 operator at the central monitoring station despite the fact 3 that a subscriber may not be proximate to, or able to handle a 4 telephone handset. Control functions such as dialing and call termination are automatic so ...as ..to.. .permit substantially 6 handsfree operation. The system is primarily intended for the 7 elderly, infirm, or incapacitated who are unattended and/or 8 living alons and who, in the event o$ illness or sudden injury, 9 might be unable to summon assistance in the event such is required.
11 Referring to Fig. l, there is shown a personal alarm 12 system of the type herein disclosed. The system includes a 13 subscriber station lO, a communications link 12 and a central 14 monitoring station 14. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the communications l;nk 12 is a telephone network 16 communications link employing well known telephone network 17 protocols. It is appreciated that the present invention may 18 also be practiced employing other communications links such as 19 a radio frequency or hard wired communication links. When a radio frequency communication link is employed, the subscriber 21 station and the central monitoring station include radio 22 frequency transceivers as shown in Fig. l.
33~3 1 As further illustrated in Fig. 1, the system further 2 includes a hand held unit 16 incorporating a help button 18.
3 Typically a subscriber maintains the hand held unit 16 on his 4 person and, in the event ass;stance is required, activates the help button 18. In response thereto, the subscriber station 10 6 transmits a message over the communication link 12 to the 7 central monitoring station 14. The message contains at least 8 subscriber identifying information so as to permit an operator g at the central monitoring station 14 to dispatch assistance to the subscriber if it is believed such assistance is required.
11 The hand held unit 16 may interface to the subscriber 12 station 10 via a hard wired connection, a radio frequency link, 13 an infrared link or any other suitable means operative to ~4 signal the subscriber skation 10 that the help button 18 has been activated.
16 The personal alarm system further includes a message 17 unit 21 which interfaces to and is activated under the control 18 of the subscriber station 10. The message unit 21 presently 19 referred to is a device which stores and transmits a synthesized or actual voice message or a tone or other coded 21 signal upon receipt o the proper triggering sequence.
22 Typically, the subscriber maintains a hand held unit 16 on his 23 person and, when the telephone rin~s~ activates the help 1 button 18. In response thereto, the subscriber station 10 2 triggers the message unit 21 which transmits a synthesized or 3 actual voice message or a tone or other coded signal through 4 the subscriber station 10, over the communications link 12, and to the outside caller 11. The transmitted signal informs the 6 outside caller 11 to wait while the subscriber comes to answer 7 the telephone or speakerphone.
8 The personal alarm system also includes a g speakerphone 20 which interfaces to and is activated under the control of the subscriber station 10. A standard telephone 22 11 also interfaces to the communication link through the 12 speakerphone 20. The speakerphone 20 presently referred to is 13 a device which incorporates a speaker and a microphone and 14 which permits a user to carry on a telephone con~ersation by speaking at normal volumes in the vicinity of the device.
16 Voice is picked up by a microphone and converted to electrical 17 signals which are transmitted over the communication link 12 to 18 a remote party. Conversely, electrical signals corresponding 19 to the voice oE the remote party are amplified and applied to the speaker of the speakerphone 20 to permit one in the 21 vicinity of the speakerphone 20 to hear the voice of the remote 22 party.
~7~3~
1 Following transmission of a message containing 2 subscriber identifying information from the subscriber 3 station 10 to the central monitoring station 14, the central 4 monitoring station 14 may, either automatically or upon ... ..5 ..initiation by an operator.at the central.monitoring station 14, 6 transmit a control signal back to the subscriber station 10.
7 The control signal causes the subscriber station 10 to maintain 8 the telephone network in a speakerphone off hook condition and 9 activates thP speakerphone 20 so as to permit communication between the operator and the subscriber. The operator, by 11 reason of the ability to converse with a subscriber who may be 12 immobilized, may obtain timely information with respect to the 13 subscriber's medical and/or personal needs and may thereby take ,14' more ,appropriate and-specific action than would be otherwise possible.
16 Operation of the system in accordance with the present 17 invention is illustrated in the state diagram of Fig. 2.
18 Following receipt o~ a reset signal, the subscriber station 10 19 is in a state in which both the telephone 22 and the speakerphone 20 are on hook awaiting a telephone call. If the 21 help button 18 has not previously been activated, the system 22 would be in the ~speakerphone disabled~ state. These 23 conditions are illustrated in state 24 of the state diagram of ~2~
1 Fig. 2. In the event of a "help request~ resulting from 2 subscriber activation of the help button 18, or from an 3 inactivity alarm such as described in U.S. Patent No. 3,662,111 4 or Application Serial No. 511,921, the subscriber station 10 goes into an off hook condition, automatically dials the 6 telephone number of the central monitoring station 14~ and 7 transmits a message containing subscriber identifying 8 information to the central monitoring station 14. As a g consequence of the help request, a speakerphone status bit is enabled. Followinq transmission of the subscriber identifying 11 message,-the subscriber station 10 r,emains in state 26 awaiting 12 transmission of a control signal from the central monitoring 13 station 14. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the 14 control signal is in the form of an electrical signal of a prescribed frequency.
16 A timer in the subscriber station 10 is initiated 17 following transmission of the subscriber identifying the 18 message from the subscriber station 10 to the central 19 monitoring station 14. The timer remains , active for a preselected interval which is typically in the range of several 21 seconds. If, within the active timer interval, the subscriber 22 station 10 receives the control signal transmitted by the 23 central monitoring station 14, the subscriber station 10 7~3~
1 activates the speakerphone 20 and establishes a control state 2 in the subscriber stakion 10 so the subscriber station 10 will 3 remain in a speakerphone off hook condition, all as illustrated 4 in state 28 of E`ig. 2. While the subscriber station 10 is in the speakerphone off hook condition, telephone discussions 6 between the subscriber via the speakerphone and an operator at 7 the central monitoring station 14 are possible. Upon the 8 conclusion of discussions between the operator and the 9 subscriber, the operakor causes the central monitoring station to transmit a simulated dial tone and then terminates the call 11 by hanging:up the handset. - The subscriber statio~ 10 decodes 12 the simulaked diai tone signal and in response thereto produces 13 a call termination signal which causes the subscriber 14 station 10 to exit the speakerphone off hook state 28 and to enter the speakerphone on hook state 30. The subscriber 1~ station 10 remains in the speakerphone on hook state 30 until 17 such time as the subscriber station 10 is reset, or until such 18 time as the subscriber station 10 detects a ring signal 19 associated with an incoming telephone call. Upon detection of a reset signal, the subscriber station 10 returns to the 21 speakerphone on hook, speakerphone disabled state 24. In the 22 event the subscriber station 10 detecks a telephone ring 23 signifying an incoming call, the subscriber station 10 produces .
3~
1 a ring signal which in turn causes the subscriber station 10 to 2 exit the speakerphone on hook speakerphone enabled stata 30 and 3 to enter the speakerphone off hook state 28 thereby permitting 4 conversations between the calling party and a subscriber proximate the speakerphone 20 without any manual intervention 6 by the subscriber.
7 If the subscriber lifts the telephone handset oE the 8 telephone interfaced to the speakerphone, as illustrated in 9 Fig. 1, while the subscriber station lO is in state 28, th~
telephone goes off hook, the speakerphone enters the on hook 11 state and the speakerphone remains enabIed as illustrated in 12 state 32. This state change avoids the possibility of 13 undesirable feedback between the speakerphone and the telephone 14 handset as might occur if both the -telephone and the lS speakerphone were off hook simultaneousl~. As illustrated in 16 Fig. 2, when the subscriber hangs up the telephone handset, the 17 subscriber station 10 exits state 32 and enters state 30 in 18 which both the telephone and the spQakerphone are on hook with 19 the speakerphone enabled to automatically answer subsequent calls.
21 The subscriber station 10 exits state 28 and enters 22 state 30 upon detection of a call termination signal. If the 23 call was initiated by the subscriber station, the call ~Z7~33~
l termination signal is produced upon decode of a simulated dial 2 tone presented by the central monitoring station. If the 3 subscriber station was called by a calling party, when the 4 calling party hangs up, the telephone network ~roduces a dial tone which is decoded to produce the call termination signal at 6 the subscriber station lO. In response to this call 7 termination s;gnal, the subscriber station lO e~its state 28 8 and enters state 30, conditioned to answer subsequent calls.
9 If the subscriber station lO does not detect a control signal within the prescribed timer interval while in state 26, 11 at the end of such interval, the subscriber station lO e~its 12 state 26 and enters state 30, in which the speakerphone is 13 enabled to receive subse~uent incoming calls.
14 In another mode of operation, - in which both the speakerphone and the telephone are on hook and in which the 16 speakerphone is disabled, a subscriber proximate the subscriber 17 station lO, may cause the speakerphone to become active upon 18 the occurrence of an incoming telephone call though the 19 speakerphone remains in the disabled state. The subscriber station lO includes circuitry which decodes a signal on the 21 telephone link during telephone ringing and the subscriber 22 station produces a telephone ring signal upon the decode 23 thereof. If a subscriber activates the help button 18 in the 1 hand help unit 16 or another switch provided for this purpose, 2 concurrent with tha ring signal, the subscriber station 10 3 e3its the on hook disabled state 24 and enters the speakerphone 4 of hook state 34 as illustrated in the state diagram of Fig. 20 Thereafter, when the calling party terminates the 6 call, a dial tone signal appears on the telephone com~unication 7 link which is decoded to produce a call termination signal 8 which causes the subscriber station 10 to e~it the speakerphone g off hook state 34 and to reenter the on hook state 24.
If the subscriber lifts the telephone handset while the 11 - subscriber station lO is-in the speakerphon~ off hook disabled 12 state 34, the station enters the telephone off hook 13 speakerphone on hook state 36 as shown. In state 36, the 14 speakerphone status signal remains disabled. When the subscriber terminates the call by hanging up the telephone 16 handset, the subscriber station reenters state 24 in which both ~7 the telephone and speakerphone are on hook and the speakerphonP
18 status remains disabled.
19 When the subscriber station 10 is in the speakerphone on hook disabled state 24, a telephone at the~ subscriber's 21 location may also be answered in the conventional manner by 22 liting the handset to cause the telephone to enter the on hook 23 state with the spea~erphone disabled as illustrated in 1 state 36. Replacement of the telephone handset on the 2 telephone cradle produces the conventional result of 3 terminating the telephone call and causes the subscriber 4 station 10 to transfer from the speakerphone on hook, telephone ...5. ~ of _haok_.state 36 to the speakerphone one hook, telephone on hook state 24.
7 In another mode of operation, in which both the 8 speakerphone 20 and the telephone 22 are on hook, a subscriber 9 may cause the message unit 21 to become active upon the occurrence of a telephone call. If a subscriber activates the 11 help button 18 in the ~and held unit 16 during the ring 12 interval, the subscriber station 10 e2its the hook disabl~d 13 state 24 and enters the message unit enabled state 29 as . 14 illustrated in the state diagram .in .~ig. 2. The message unit 21 transmits a synthesized or actual voice message or a 16 tone or other coded signal through the communications link 17 informing the caller to wait while the subscriber answers the 18 telephone. Thereafter, the subscriber answers the phone by 19 either activating the help button 16, which places the subscriber station into the speakerphone off hook state 34, or 21 by manually lifting the telephone handset which causes the 22 subscriber station to enter the telephone off hook speakerphone 23 on hook state 36.
93~
1 Alternatively, activation of the help button place 2 during the ring interval can cause the activation of a 3 microphone at the subscriber station for one way voice 4 communication from the subscriber to the incoming caller so that the subscriber .can indicate. that he or she is cominq to 6 the phone. The message unit 21 can be part of the subscriber 7 station or can be a separate device which can be activated by 8 the subscriber by way of the help button or other actuating 9 switch or unit. If the message unit is e~ternal to the subscriber station it can be in communication therewith by a 11 wired,.or wireless path.
12 The system is also operative in another mode in which 13 after a predetermined number of rings, the subscriber station 14 automatically enters and off-hook state to-automati~ally answer the phone and open up the answer phone so that the subscriber 16 can tell the incoming caller that he or she is coming to the 17 phone. This mode of operation is also of benefit to a 18 subscriber who may be incapacitated and cannot press the help 19 button or is not wearing the help button when in an incoming call is received. Even if the subscriber cannot speak when the 21 incoming call is automatically answered, a concerned caller 22 might be able to communicate or hear some sign of distress and 23 announce to the incapacitated subscriber that assistance is 24 being summoned.
93~
1 The invention will be urther understood by reference 2 to the timing diagram of Fig. 3. Activation of the help 3 butl:on 18 produces a help signal 38 in the subscriber 4 station lO. The help signal 38 causes the subscriber station lO to go off hook dial the telephone number of th~
6 central monitoring station 14 and to transmit an alarm 7 message 40 containing subscriber identifying information. The 8 subscriber station lO includes a timer which is initiated in g response to the transmission of the alarm message 40 to produce a timer signal 42 which remains active for a preselected ll' ';int~rval, typically in the range'of several seconds. Following 12. receipt of the alarm ~essage 40, the central monitoring 13 station 14 may transmit a control signal 44 to the subscriber 14 - station lO. If. the. control signal 44 is received by the subscriber station lO within the interval during which the 16 timer signal 42 is active, the subscriber stati,on 10 sets a bit 17 indicating that the subscriber station lO is in the 18 ~speakerphone enabled" state which is shown by the speakerphone 19 enabled signal 46. If no control signal 44 is received by the subscriber station 10 during the interval of the timer 21 signal 42, the subscriber station lO goes on hook at the end o 22 the interval as shown by the off hook signal 48. If a control 23 signal 44 is received during the interval of the timer ~.~d~3~
1 si~nal 42, the subscriber station 10 remains off hook beyond 2 the expiration of the interval of timer signal 42 and the 3 speakerphone goes off hook permitting discussions between the 4 subscriber and the central station 14 operator. When the operator at the central monitoring statio~ 14 terminates a 6 conversation with the subscriber, a simulated dial tone signal 7 appears on the telephone line which is decoded to produce a 8 call termination signal 50. The call termination signal 50 g causes the system to ex;t the speakerphone off hook state 28 and to enter the speakerphone on hook state 30 as illustrated 11 in Figs. ~ and 3, thus conditioning the -subscriber station 10 12 for receipt of subsequent telephone calls.
13 Thereafter, the subscriber station 10 remains in the 14 speakerphone enabled state 30 as illustrated by the speak~rphone enabled signal 46 until such time as the 16 subscriber station 10 is res0t upon activation o~ a reset 17 signal 52.
18 In the event the telephone at the subscriber's location 19 rings, the subscriber station 10 decodes the signal on the telephone line to produce a ring signal 54. If the subscriber 21 station 10 is in the speakerphone enabled state 30 as indicated 22 by the speakerphone enabled signal 46 and subscriber station 10 23 control circuitry detects the ring signal 54, the subscriber 1 station lO produces an off hook signal 56 and causes the 2 subscriber station lO to enter the off hook state 28 thereby 3 permitting speakerphone com~unication between the calling party 4 and the subscriber. A specified time after the calling party hangs up his telephone handset a dial tone signal appears on 6 the telephone line which is decoded to produce a call 7 termination signal 58. The call termination signal 58 is 8 employed in the manner previously discussed to cause the system g to exit the speakerphone off hook state 28 and to enter the speakerphone on hook state 30.
ll Another mod~ of operation of the subscriber station lO
12 is illustrated in the right hand portion of the timing diagram 13 of Fig. 3. If the subscriber station 10 is in the speakerphone 14 disabled state (i.e. not enabled) and an incoming call causes the telephone to ring, the subscriber station lO decodes a 16 signal on the telephone line and produces a ring s~nal during 17 the period of such ring. If the subscriber activates the help 18 button 18 so as to produce a help signal 60 during concurrent 19 with the ring signal 62, the subscriber station lO produces an off hook signal 64 and enters the spealcerphone off hook, 21 speakerphone disabled state 34 so as to permit speakerphone 22 communication between the calling party and the subscriber.
23 Following termination of the telephone conversation between the 1 calling party and the subscriber, the subscriber station 10 2 will enter the on hook state 24 upon the detection of the call 3 t~rmination signal 66 produced in the manner previously 4 described.
Another mode of operation for the subscriber station 10 6 is illustrated in the lower right hand portion of the timing 7 diagram of Fig. 3. If the subscriber station 10 is in the hook 8 disabled state ~4 and the telephone rings, the subscriber can g activate the help button 18 which produces a stand-~y signal 53 concurrent with the ring signal 62. In response to the standby 11 :signal-j- the----subscriber ~ station 10 produces an off-hook 12 signal 57, enters the speakerphone on hook-telephone off-hook 13 state 29, and then transmits a wait message 55 to the incoming 14 caller via the communications link 12. When the subscriber answers the phone, the subscriber station 10 enters either the 16 speakerphone o~f hoo~ state 34 upon detection of the help 17 signal 60 or the telephone off hook speakerphone on hook 18 state 36 upon the lifting o~ the telephone handset.
19 The invention is also depicted in block diagram form in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The speakerphone 20 is connected to the ~1 subscriber station 10 which is part of the personal alarm 22 system previously described. The subscriber station 10 23 includes a relay 68 operative to seize the telephone line 70, 3~
1 and a dialing relay 72 coupled via a transformsr 74 to a 2 control 76 which typically is part of the subscriber station 10 3 of the personal alarm system. The control 76 receives inputs 4 in the form of a help siqnal 78 and a reset signal 80. The help signal 78 is produced upon activation by a subscriber of 6 the help button 18 of the hand held unit 16. As previously 7 indicated, the hand held unit 16 may interface to the 8 subscriber station 10 via a hard wired link, a radio frequency g link, an infra red link, or via any other suitable meansO The control 76 is coupled to the speakerphone control 82, which in 11 ~ turn receives -inputs~ from a : ring 'detector 84, dial tone 12 detector 8G, and a control signal detector 88. In the present 13 embodiment, the control signal detector 88 is a tone detector 14 operative to produce an output control signal upon detection of a 3 kilohertz tone. The ring detector 84, dial tone 16 detector 86 and control signal detector 88 are operative to 17 produce the ring signal, and call termination signal and a 18 control signal respectively. The speakerphone control 82 19 produces a "speakerphone enabled" signal described in connection with Fig. 3 which serves to designate the system 21 status and which functions as discussed in connection with 22 Fig. 2. The speakerphone 20 includes speaker and microphone 23 control and interface lo~ic 90 which in turn is coupled via 3~
1 buffers 92 and 94 to a speaker 96 and a microphone 98, 2 respectively~
3 The telephone line 70 is connected to an answer 4 relay lOQ. The speakerphone 20 is connected throuqh interface . circuitry 102 to the telephone line 70 through a 6 transformer 104 which, may be selectively disconnected via 7 answer relay 100.
8 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control 9 signal is produced upon detection of a 3 kilohertz tone, and the subscriber station 10 includes a 3 kilohertz notch 11 filter 106 to prevent the undesired broadcast of this tone 12 through the speakerphone 20, 13 It will be appreciated that the activation of the help 14 -- button 18 -to txigger the message unit 21, is but one way to trigger the message unit. Such triggering can be accomplished 16 in many other ways, such as with a control button separate from 17 the help button. Accordingly, the invention should in no way 18 be limited to this illustrated implementation; rather, it 19 should include any and all other implementations.
The above described personal alarm system is 21 illustrative of a novel apparatus and method permitting 22 handsfree operation by a subscriber who may be immobile, 23 infirm, or otherwise incapacitated and who may be unable to ~ 27 -~2~
1 operate a conventional telephone as a conse~uence thereof. It 2 will be appreciated that other modifications, embodiments and 3 departures from the present disclosure are possible without 4 departing from the inventive concept contained herein.
Consequently, .the invention is...to.be.Yiewed as embracing each 6 and every novel feature and novel combination of eatures 7 present in or possessed by the personal alarm system herein 8 disclosed and is to limited solely by the scope and spirit of 9 the appended claims.
- 2~ -
Claims (13)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. For use in an emergency response system which includes:
a subscriber station operative to call a receiving station in a telephone communications link in response to an emergency condition and which provides via a telephone communications link an indication of the emergency condition and the identity of the calling subscriber station;
a receiving station operative to receive a call from the subscriber station via the telephone communications link and which provides indication of the identification of the calling subscriber station and sends an accept signal via the telecommunications link to a subscriber station that the message has been received;
the improvement at a subscriber station comprising:
means operative in response to a ring signal for producing a first signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a second signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said second signal for placing the subscriber station in an off-hook condition and for producing a representa ion of a wait message; and means operative to send an electrical signal representative of the wait message to the calling party.
a subscriber station operative to call a receiving station in a telephone communications link in response to an emergency condition and which provides via a telephone communications link an indication of the emergency condition and the identity of the calling subscriber station;
a receiving station operative to receive a call from the subscriber station via the telephone communications link and which provides indication of the identification of the calling subscriber station and sends an accept signal via the telecommunications link to a subscriber station that the message has been received;
the improvement at a subscriber station comprising:
means operative in response to a ring signal for producing a first signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a second signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said second signal for placing the subscriber station in an off-hook condition and for producing a representa ion of a wait message; and means operative to send an electrical signal representative of the wait message to the calling party.
2. Apparatus for interfacing with a telephone network communications link, and operative to produce a wait message to a calling party while the user comes to the phone, comprising:
means responsive to a ring signal for producing a first signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a second signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said second signal for placing the subscriber station in an off-hook condition and for producing a representation of a wait message; and means operative to send an electrical signal representative of the wait message to the calling party.
means responsive to a ring signal for producing a first signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a second signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said second signal for placing the subscriber station in an off-hook condition and for producing a representation of a wait message; and means operative to send an electrical signal representative of the wait message to the calling party.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said wait message is a tone signal.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said wait message is a voice signal.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 including means for activating a voice channel to permit voice communication by the subscriber and/or calling party.
6. Apparatus for interfacing with a telephone network communications link, said link producing a ring signal indicating to a user that a calling party desires to establish a telephonic communication, a dial tone signal indicating that the link is available for use, produces a wait message to a calling party while the user comes to the telephone, and electrical signals representative of the voice of the user and the calling party, said apparatus comprising:
means responsive to a ring signal for producing a first signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a second signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said second signal for placing the subscriber station in an off-hook condition and for producing a representation of a wait message;
means operative to send electrical signal representative of the wait message to the calling party;
means responsive to user activation for producing a third signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a third signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said third signal for producing an activation signal;
speakerphone means operative to send electrical signals representative of the voice of a user in the vicinity of said speakerphone; and means operative to receive within the vicinity of said speakerphone audible signals representative of the voice of said calling party in response to the receipt of electrical signals representative of said calling party's voice; and means coupling said speakerphone means to said telephone network communications link in response to said activation signal for providing voice communication over said communications link between the user and the calling party.
means responsive to a ring signal for producing a first signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a second signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said second signal for placing the subscriber station in an off-hook condition and for producing a representation of a wait message;
means operative to send electrical signal representative of the wait message to the calling party;
means responsive to user activation for producing a third signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a third signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said third signal for producing an activation signal;
speakerphone means operative to send electrical signals representative of the voice of a user in the vicinity of said speakerphone; and means operative to receive within the vicinity of said speakerphone audible signals representative of the voice of said calling party in response to the receipt of electrical signals representative of said calling party's voice; and means coupling said speakerphone means to said telephone network communications link in response to said activation signal for providing voice communication over said communications link between the user and the calling party.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 including:
means coupled to said communication link for receiving said dial tone signal and for producing a deactivation signal in response thereto; and means responsive to said deactivation signal for decoupling said speakerphone from said communications link.
means coupled to said communication link for receiving said dial tone signal and for producing a deactivation signal in response thereto; and means responsive to said deactivation signal for decoupling said speakerphone from said communications link.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 including:
means responsive to a predetermined number of ring signals to place the subscriber station in an off-hook condition to permit voice communication by the subscriber or caller.
means responsive to a predetermined number of ring signals to place the subscriber station in an off-hook condition to permit voice communication by the subscriber or caller.
9. Apparatus for remotely activating electrical equipment at a first location so as to make connection between said equipment and a telephone communications link, said link producing a ring signal to indicate to a user that a calling party desires to establish a telephonic communication, a dial tone signal indicating that the link is available for use, produces a wait message to a calling party while the user comes to the telephone, and information bi-directionally between said first location and a second location, said apparatus comprising:
means disposed at said first location and responsive to said ring signal for producing a first signal during the duration of said ring signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a standby signal;
means disposed at said first location operative to receive said standby signal and to produce, in response thereto, a second signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said second signal for placing the subscriber station in an off-hook condition, for producing a representation of a wait message, and for making electrical connection between the message unit apparatus and the telephone network communications link;
message unit apparatus disposed at said first location for communicating information over said telephone network;
means responsive to user activation for producing an output signal;
means disposed at said first location operative to receive said output signal and to produce, in response thereto, a third signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said third signal for producing an activation signal and for making electrical connection between communication apparatus and said telephone network communications link; and communications apparatus disposed at said first location for communicating information over said telephone network.
means disposed at said first location and responsive to said ring signal for producing a first signal during the duration of said ring signal;
means responsive to user activation for producing a standby signal;
means disposed at said first location operative to receive said standby signal and to produce, in response thereto, a second signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said second signal for placing the subscriber station in an off-hook condition, for producing a representation of a wait message, and for making electrical connection between the message unit apparatus and the telephone network communications link;
message unit apparatus disposed at said first location for communicating information over said telephone network;
means responsive to user activation for producing an output signal;
means disposed at said first location operative to receive said output signal and to produce, in response thereto, a third signal;
means responsive to the concurrent occurrence of said first signal and said third signal for producing an activation signal and for making electrical connection between communication apparatus and said telephone network communications link; and communications apparatus disposed at said first location for communicating information over said telephone network.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said output signal and said standby signal are radio frequency signals.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said communications apparatus is a telephone set.
12. Apparatus for interfacing with a telephone network communications link, said link producing a ring signal indicating to a user that a calling party desires to establishes a telephonic communication, a dial tone signal indicating that the link is available for use, a wait message to a calling party while the user comes to the telephone and carries electrical signals representative of the voice of the user and the calling party comprising:
switch means;
a latch having a first state and a second state;
means responsive to user activation of said switch means for setting said latch in said second state and for producing an output signal representative of the state of said latch;
means operative in response to activation of said switch means for establishing first communication between said apparatus and a central monitoring station;
means operative to terminate said first communication between said apparatus and said central monitoring station over said telephone network communications link;
means operative to produce a ring signal upon detection of an incoming call following termination of said first communication;
means operative to produce an activation signal upon the concurrent detection of said ring signal in said output signal indicating that said latch is in said second state;
speakerphone means operative to send electrical signals representative of the voice of a user in the vicinity of said speakerphone and means operative to receive within the vicinity of said speakerphone audible signals representative of the voice of said calling party in response to the receipt of said electrical signals representative of said calling party's voice; and means for coupling said speakerphone means to said telephone network communications link in response to said activation signal for transmitting said electrical signals representative of said user's voice over said communications link and for receipt of said electrical signals representative of said calling party's voice.
switch means;
a latch having a first state and a second state;
means responsive to user activation of said switch means for setting said latch in said second state and for producing an output signal representative of the state of said latch;
means operative in response to activation of said switch means for establishing first communication between said apparatus and a central monitoring station;
means operative to terminate said first communication between said apparatus and said central monitoring station over said telephone network communications link;
means operative to produce a ring signal upon detection of an incoming call following termination of said first communication;
means operative to produce an activation signal upon the concurrent detection of said ring signal in said output signal indicating that said latch is in said second state;
speakerphone means operative to send electrical signals representative of the voice of a user in the vicinity of said speakerphone and means operative to receive within the vicinity of said speakerphone audible signals representative of the voice of said calling party in response to the receipt of said electrical signals representative of said calling party's voice; and means for coupling said speakerphone means to said telephone network communications link in response to said activation signal for transmitting said electrical signals representative of said user's voice over said communications link and for receipt of said electrical signals representative of said calling party's voice.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 further including:
means operative to provide a reset signal upon activation of said means by user;
means operative in response to said reset signal for setting said latch to said first state; and means for decoupling said speakerphone from said telephone network upon detection of said latch output signal in said first state.
means operative to provide a reset signal upon activation of said means by user;
means operative in response to said reset signal for setting said latch to said first state; and means for decoupling said speakerphone from said telephone network upon detection of said latch output signal in said first state.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US06/920,240 US4760593A (en) | 1985-05-16 | 1986-10-17 | Personal alarm system providing handsfree operation |
| US920,240 | 1986-10-17 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1274930A true CA1274930A (en) | 1990-10-02 |
Family
ID=25443410
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000545221A Expired - Lifetime CA1274930A (en) | 1986-10-17 | 1987-08-24 | Personal alarm system providing handsfree operation |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1274930A (en) |
-
1987
- 1987-08-24 CA CA000545221A patent/CA1274930A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |