Communications: electrical – Systems – Timer control
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-16
2004-08-03
La, Anh V. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Systems
Timer control
C340S309160, C340S573100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06771163
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
THIS INVENTION relates to a signalling device which can be set to signal for assistance at a specified time, and in particularly but not limited to a communications system including at least one signalling device in the form of a mobile telephone and a storage means adapted for a user to store information relating to intended travel plans and medical conditions, and the system can be set to call emergency services at a specified time set by a user so that authorities providing the emergency services can quicky locate the user and organise medical equipment that may be needed to treat the medical conditions of the user if the user is involved in an emergency or condition that prevents the user from operating a telephone or other communications device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Throughout the world there are numerous existing personal signalling devices designed for the purpose of signalling for assistance in an emergency on behalf of a person in distress.
In remote regions on land, at sea, or in air, radio frequency beacons can be used to signal for assistance during an emergency situation. These devices must be physically switched on and manually activated in order to initiate transmission of radio frequency distress signals directed at emergency services and search and rescue [SAR] organisations. Should a person carrying such a device, through illness or some accidental mishap becomes incapacitated, and is unable to manually operate the device a timely request for assistance can not be made. In addition, such devices do not indicate the location of that person and the transmitted signals can only be used for a rough estimation of the location of the person. Under such circumstances loss of life may eventuate.
At home or at work both land line telephones and mobile telephones can be used to call emergency services. Like the beacons mentioned above, a person must manually dial the emergency telephone number and when the call is answered the person must be able to speak in order to communicate the location and the type of assistance needed.
Mobile telephone networks divide their service regions into cells. Each of the cells may have one or more transmission stations for relaying signals between adjacent transmission stations or between a transmission station and a transceiver of a local telephone network which has trunk lines connected to other local networks. These mobile telephone networks have developed to the extent that mobile telephone services are available in most countries in the world. In more developed countries these services cover substantially all densely populated regions of the countries. Because of the extensive coverage, mobile telephones have been used to call for assistance when persons with such telephones are in difficulty during boating, hiking, travelling or the like. However at sea, and in remote land regions of large countries like Australia and the United States of America the coverage extends only a few kilometers out of the coast lines and a few kilometers into the remote regions.
Outside of the serviceable mobile telephone network, emergency requests for assistance can be handled by satellite communication systems. An international consortium of SAR organisations operates a satellite-based system known as the Cospas-Sarsat. This system and its continuing development offer near total global coverage for registered operators of:
(1) Personal Location Beacons [PLBs] for Handheld Devices;
(2) Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons [EPIRBs] for Maritime Use; and
(3) Emergency Locator Beacons [ELBs] in Aviation Use.
These devices can transmit a distress signal that include an encoded datagram containing the operator's identity, nationality, nature of emergency, and embedded Global Positioning Satellite [GPS] positional data. This signal is monitored by the Cospas-Sarsat satellite array and relayed to receiving stations known as Local User Terminals [LUTs] that in turn relay this information to SAR and emergency services proximate to the beacon.
Again, these devices must be manually switched and activated in order to transmit the distress signal. For use at sea some of these devices can be caused to automatically transmit distress signals when their water-sensitive transducer is in salt water. Car telephones have also been deployed to automatically dial emergency numbers when the car is involved in a collision. These car telephones are typically caused to dial such call by impact switches installed in the cars.
But, if a person is alone and he is unconscious or so injured that he is unable to use his mobile telephone, land line telephone, beacon or satellite communications device, emergency assistance is not available. Accordingly there is a need for a system that will alert emergency authorities in this situation.
In many situations persons injured in accidents or needing medical attention must be attended to quickly. Complications may occur where inappropriate medical treatment is applied to a person with existing medical condition. It is therefore desirable to have a system which informs emergency authorities any existing medical condition.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to alleviate or to reduce to a certain degree one or more of the above prior art disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect therefor the present invention resides in an emergency signalling device comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit a time setting signal to a remote monitoring station, and setting means for selectively setting a time for a timer to initiate communication of an emergency signal for reception by an emergency authority.
In another aspect therefor the present invention resides in an emergency signalling device comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit an emergency signal to a remote monitoring station, a timer and setting means for selectively setting a time for the timer to initiate the transmitter to transmit said signal at the time set by said setting means.
In yet another further aspect therefore the present invention resides in an emergency signalling system. The system comprises an emergency communications network, a monitoring station, and at least one emergency signalling device having a transmitter adapted to communicate with said monitoring station over the communications network. The system further comprises a timer in said monitoring station or said at least one emergency signalling device. The or each said at least one emergency signalling device has setting means for selectively setting the timer to initiate said monitoring station or the transmitter to transmit an emergency signal at a time set by said setting means.
In a further aspect therefore the present invention resides in an emergency signalling system The system comprises an emergency communications network, a monitoring station including at least one server having a storage means for storing user information, and at least one emergency signalling device having a transmitter adapted to communicate with said at least one server over the communications network. The system further comprises a timer in said monitoring station or said at least one emergency signalling device. The or each said at least one emergency signalling device has setting means for selectively setting the timer to initiate said at least one server or the transmitter to transmit an emergency signal at a time set by said setting means.
Preferably said emergency signal corresponds to at least one emergency contact reference for calling emergency assistance. An example of such contact reference is “000” where the device is a telephone.
The device may have memory means for storing at least one emergency reference. Alternatively the storage means of said at least one server can be arranged to store at least one emergency reference.
Desirably the system is arranged to associate user references with respective user information. The at least one server is arranged for a user to access
Lancini Ben
Linnett Malcolm Robert
La Anh V.
Linlan Research and Development Company PTY LTD
Young & Thompson
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