Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-02
2001-12-25
Lefkowitz, Edward (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S531000, C340S539230, C340S573400, C340S689000, C455S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06333694
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to alarms and, more particularly, to an alarm that senses when a user has encountered an emergency situation and requires assistance.
BACKGROUND ART
Great advances in the medical field have occurred, particularly in the second-half of the twentieth century. In addition, the public has generally increased its awareness of health issues and has become more concerned with proper exercise. Accordingly, the average age of the population has steadily increased. Consequently, more senior citizens tend to be living in their own homes than ever before. Being solitary and away from family unity, there is increased potential risk of unattended emergencies.
Often, persons involved in serious accidents in their own homes are found to have waited helplessly for hours before discovery. Persons who have encountered a serious accident may simply be unable to draw attention to their predicaments.
Some individuals living alone may require assistance, because of age or sickness, to simply rise up from a collapsed state. Other individuals, who are victims of multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or simply prone to dizziness or sudden illness may similarly require assistance in rising.
Unfortunately, many presently available alarms are poorly suited to meet the needs of individuals who live alone and may require assistance in the case of an emergency. Some individuals may be unconscious while in an emergency state, unable to activate any alarm manually. Other devices may be prone to set off alarms whether or not the individual requires assistance simply because the individual has moved in an erratic fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,285, hereby incorporated by reference, discloses an improved alarm for sending distress information over a communication link. The alarm includes a tilt switch and a transmitter and is worn by a user. The tilt switch sends a tilt signal in response to being turned to a predetermined direction. Thus, should the user fall down and, for example, lie at a sever angle with respect to a vertical line, the switch will send a signal indicating the user's emergency. The transmitter receives the tilt signal and then transmits distress information over a communication link.
A disadvantage associated with the alarm disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,285 is that automatic two way audio and voice communication needs to be established between monitoring personnel that receive the distress information from the transmitter and the user wearing the alarm. Another disadvantage associated with the alarm disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,285 is that there needs to be a way for monitoring personnel to determine when the user moves outside of a safety area such that assistance can be provided to the user to safely move outside the safety area. A further disadvantage associated with the alarm disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,285 is that there needs to be a way to alert the monitoring personnel when the user is not wearing the alarm.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an alarm system for sending distress information over a communication link when a user wearing a sensor is in a predetermined position indicative of an emergency and then providing audio communication between the user and personnel monitoring the user in response to the distress information.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an alarm system for sending distress information over a communication link when a user wearing a sensor is in a predetermined position indicative of an emergency and then providing video communication between the user and personnel monitoring the user in response to the distress information.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an alarm system for sending distress information over a communication link when a user wearing a sensor moves outside of a predetermined safety area and then providing audio communication between the user and personnel monitoring the user in response to the distress information.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an alarm system for sending distress information over a communication link when a sensor to be worn by a user is not being worn by the user and then providing audio communication between the user and the personnel monitoring the user in response to the distress information.
In carrying out the above objects and other objects, the present invention provides an alarm system for sending distress information over a communication link. The alarm system includes a sensor worn by a user for determining when the user is in a predetermined position indicative of an emergency. The sensor generates a distress signal upon determining that the user is in the predetermined position. A personal transceiver is operable with the sensor for receiving the distress signal from the sensor and then transmitting the distress signal over a communication link. A central office transceiver is operable with the personal transceiver for receiving the distress signal over the communication link from the personal transceiver. The central office transceiver communicates with the personal transceiver upon receiving the distress signal to provide audio communication between the user and personnel operating the central office transceiver.
Preferably, the central office transceiver communicates with the personal transceiver upon receiving the distress signal to further provide video communication between the user and the personnel operating the central office transceiver.
Preferably, the alarm system includes a sensor monitor for determining if the sensor is being worn by the user and for generating a sensor monitor signal upon determining that the sensor is not being worn by the user. The personal transceiver is operable with the sensor monitor for receiving the sensor monitor signal from the sensor monitor and for transmitting the sensor monitor signal over the communication link to the central office transceiver. The central office transceiver communicates with the personal transceiver upon receiving the sensor monitor signal to provide audio communication between the user and the personnel operating the central office transceiver.
Further, in carrying out the above objects and other objects, the present invention provides an alarm system for sending distress information over a communication link. The alarm system includes a sensor worn by a user. A personal transceiver is operable with the sensor to monitor the distance therebetween. The personal transceiver generates an improper distance signal when the distance between the personal transceiver and the sensor is greater than a predetermined distance and then transmits the improper distance signal over a communication link. A central office transceiver is operable with the personal transceiver for receiving the improper distance signal over the communication link from the personal transceiver. The central office transceiver communicates with the personal transceiver upon receiving the improper distance signal to provide audio communication between the user and personnel operating the central office transceiver.
The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the present invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3634885 (1972-01-01), Barkley
patent: 3866204 (1975-02-01), Barkley
patent: 4284986 (1981-08-01), Amortegui
patent: 4667188 (1987-05-01), Schwartz
patent: 4829285 (1989-05-01), Brand et al.
patent: 4978946 (1990-12-01), Nordholm et al.
patent: 5014040 (1991-05-01), Weaver et al.
patent: 5153584 (1992-10-01), Engira
patent: 5396227 (1995-03-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 5519380 (1996-05-01), Edwards
patent: 5967975 (1999-10-01), Rigeway
patent: 5990793 (1999-11-01), Bieback
patent: 6166639 (2000-12-01), Pierce et al.
patent: 6185410 (2001-02-01), Greene
Pierce Douglas
Prough Jeffrey S.
Advanced Marketing Systems Corporation
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Goins Davetta W.
Lefkowitz Edward
LandOfFree
Personal emergency response system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Personal emergency response system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Personal emergency response system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2592458