Telephone line dialer and emergency call system

Abstract

Emergency call system by which a caller can automatically call other parties to leave an emergency message, includes an emergency call unit having a memory for storing telephone numbers to be called and the emergency message, an emergency key, and a microprocessor for controlling storage of the numbers and emergency message in the memory, setting each number to be dialed in sequence, delay dialing of each number for a period of time (without first detecting a dial tone) to assure that an outgoing call can be made on the telephone line, and dialing the numbers in sequence upon activation or the emergency key. The emergency call unit starts a transmission of the emergency message to the dialed number to automatically advise of an emergency after a predetermined time after the number has been dialed and no busy signal has been detected during a predetermined time period.

1 . A dialer for making outgoing call, comprising:
 a housing; and   a communications unit arranged in said housing and coupled to the telephone line,   said communications unit including a microprocessor arranged to:
 receive a command to initiate an outgoing call on the telephone line to a telephone number, 
 without first detecting a dial tone, delay dialing of the telephone number for a period of time to assure that the outgoing call can be made on the telephone line, and 
 then dial the telephone number after the delay. 
   
   
   
       2 . The dialer of  claim 1 , wherein said microprocessor generates the delay by:
 starting a first timer,   checking whether any telephone or device connected to the telephone line is off hook,   restarting the first timer when a telephone or device is determined to be off hook, and   when a telephone or device is not off hook, determining whether a first predetermined period of time has elapsed or a ring signal is detected and if not repeating the hook checking step, the timer restarting check and the determination step.   
   
   
       3 . The dialer of  claim 2 , wherein the first predetermined period of time is set to a time a telephone company maintaining the telephone line allots for a call to resume after the called party hangs up their telephone. 
   
   
       4 . The dialer of  claim 2 , wherein the first predetermined period of time is eight to twenty seconds, preferably sixteen seconds. 
   
   
       5 . The dialer of  claim 2 , wherein said microprocessor generates the delay by further:
 monitoring the telephone line for silence after determining whether the first predetermined period of time has elapsed or the ring signal has been detected and enabling each the telephone number to be dialed, without first detecting a dial tone, only after a period of silence is detected which is greater than the quiet period within a ring signal sequence indicative of an incoming call.   
   
   
       6 . The dialer of  claim 2 , wherein after a determination is made that the first predetermined period of time has elapsed or the ring signal has been detected, said microprocessor generates the delay by further:
 starting a second timer,   checking whether any telephone or device connected to the telephone line is off hook,   restarting the second timer when a telephone or device is determined to be off hook,   when a telephone or device is not off hook, determining whether a second predetermined period of time has elapsed and if not determining whether a ring signal is present, and   when a ring signal is not present, repeating the hook checking step and the determination step.   
   
   
       7 . The dialer of  claim 6 , wherein when the second period of time has elapsed, said microprocessor places the emergency call unit in an off hook condition, retrieves the telephone number and then dials it. 
   
   
       8 . The dialer of  claim 6 , wherein when the ring signal is present, said microprocessor generates the delay by further repeating the second timer starting step, the hook checking step and the determination step. 
   
   
       9 . The dialer of  claim 6 , wherein when the second period of time is based on a quiet period within a ring signal sequence and is typically six seconds. 
   
   
       10 . The dialer of  claim 1 , wherein said microprocessor generates the delay by:
 determining whether a first predetermined period of time has elapsed or a ring signal is detected and enabling the telephone number to be dialed, without first detecting a dial tone, only after the first period of time has elapsed or the ring signal has been detected.   
   
   
       11 . The dialer of  claim 10 , wherein said microprocessor further generates the delay by:
 monitoring the telephone line for silence after determining whether the first predetermined period of time has elapsed or the ring signal has been detected and enabling each of the telephone numbers to be dialed, without first detecting a dial tone, only after a period of silence is detected which is greater than the quiet period within a ring signal sequence indicative of an incoming call.