US 6,212,260 B1Granted

Emergency call system

AssigneeElliot Baum

InventorsElliot Baum, Gilbert I. Starr

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Abstract

An emergency call system includes an emergency call unit having a memory for storing a plurality of telephone numbers to be called and an emergency message, a record/call switch for connecting the emergency call unit to a telephone line, and for switching between a record mode in which the plurality of telephone numbers to be called and the emergency message can be recorded and stored in the memory, and a call mode in which the telephone numbers can be dialed in sequence and the emergency message supplied over the telephone line to the dialed telephone numbers to automatically advise of an emergency, a keypad including at least one emergency key, a plurality of numeric keys for keying in the telephone numbers to be called and a plurality of recording keys, a microprocessor controlling storage of the telephone numbers to be called and the emergency message in the memory, reading out the telephone numbers in sequence from the memory upon activation of at least one emergency key, then dialing the telephone numbers in sequence, and then supplying the emergency message over the telephone line to the dialed telephone numbers to automatically advise of an emergency; a receiver connected with the microprocessor; and a remote call unit having at least one emergency key and a transmitter for transmitting a signal to the microprocessor through the receiver when at least one emergency key on the remote call unit is activated.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An emergency call system by which a caller can automatically call a plurality of other parties to leave an emergency message, including an emergency call unit comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of telephone numbers to be called and at least one emergency message,
an input/output device for connecting said emergency call unit to a telephone line,
at least one emergency key, and
a microprocessor connected with said memory, said at least one emergency key and said input/output device for:
controlling storage of said plurality of telephone numbers to be called and said at least one emergency message in said memory,
reading out said telephone numbers in sequence from said memory upon activation of at least one said emergency key,
repeatedly attempting to obtain a dial tone from the telephone line,
then, after the dial tone is obtained, dialing said read out telephone numbers in sequence,
upon receiving an answer at one said dialed telephone number, supplying said at least one emergency message over said telephone line to said dialed telephone number to automatically advise of an emergency,
dialing a next read out telephone number after said emergency message has been supplied to a previous answered telephone number,
dialing a next read out telephone number after a previous dialed telephone number is not answered,
upon receiving an answer at each next read out dialed telephone number, automatically sending an emergency message to each next read out dialed telephone number over said telephone line to automatically advise of an emergency, and
repeating said steps of dialing a next read out telephone number and automatically sending an emergency message to each next read out dialed telephone number, until at least one of:
all said read out telephone numbers have been dialed, regardless of whether one of said telephone numbers has been answered, and
a predetermined time has elapsed.

12 more elements

A method of alerting other parties of an emergency, comprising the steps of:

activating an emergency key by a caller on one of an emergency call unit and a remote device;
repeatedly attempting to obtain a dial tone from the telephone line;
then, after the dial tone is obtained, automatically dialing a plurality of telephone numbers stored in said emergency call unit, one at a time, in sequence, upon activation of said emergency key;
upon receiving an answer at one said dialed telephone number, automatically sending an emergency message to said dialed telephone number over said telephone line to automatically advise of an emergency;
dialing a next read out telephone number after said emergency message has been supplied to a previous answered telephone number, and
dialing a next read out telephone number after a previous dialed telephone number is not answered;
upon receiving an answer at each next read out dialed telephone number, automatically sending an emergency message to each next read out dialed telephone number over said telephone line to automatically advise of an emergency;
and
repeating said steps of dialing a next read out telephone number and automatically sending an emergency message to each next read out dialed telephone number, until at least one of:
all said read out telephone numbers have been dialed, regardless of whether one of said telephone numbers has been answered, and
a predetermined time has elapsed.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.