Personal emergency communication system

Abstract

A personal emergency communication system includes a user-carried portable communication unit having a single button, which when depressed by the user, wirelessly sends a call request signal to a base unit. The base unit initiates a telephone call through a dial-up network to an emergency response center and places an operator at the emergency center responder in wireless voice communication with the portable unit when the call is connected. The telephone number to be called can be stored in at least one of the portable unit and the base unit. A speech synthesizer operating in combination with automated voice messages stored in at least one of the base unit and portable unit system memory are used to advise the user of the status of the call, and to provide the user with verbal confirmation that functional systems of the base unit are the system is functionally operating properly.

1. A personal emergency response communications system, comprising:
 a portable communications unit intended to be carried by a user who may require emergency attention, including 
 (1) a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving communication signals,  
 (2) a call button actuatable by the user to initiate a call request signal that will result in placing the user in voice communication with an emergency response provider;  
 
 a base communications unit coupled with a dial-up telephone system for establishing voice communication between the user and the emergency response provider, the base unit including 
 (1) a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for respectively transmitting and receiving communication signals, and  
 (2) a dialer for dialing the emergency response provider telephone number,  
 
 a first memory in said system for storing a telephone number of the emergency response provider in one of the portable communications unit and the base communications unit , and  
 a first controller responsive to the call request signal for controlling the dialer to dial the emergency response provider telephone number,  
 wherein thea second memory storesin said system for storing electrical signals convertible into preselected voice messages, a speech synthesizer is  provided in said system for reproducing the preselected voice messages from the stored signals indicative of the status of the call request, and thea second controller is  operative to deliverplay the preselected voice messages tothrough a speaker in the portable unit and,  
 wherein the preselected voice messages include a first voice message indicating that the emergency response provider number is being dialed, and a second voice message indicating that the call to the provider is being terminated.  
 
     
     
       2. The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable unit includes an acoustic transducer for converting the user's speech into electrical signals, and for converting electrical signals received from the base unit  into audible speech. 
     
     
       3. The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable unit includes a portable unit controller, and  a test button actuatable by the user, the portable unit  second controller being responsive to the actuation of the test button to transmit a test request signal to the base unit, the base unit being responsive to the test request signal to perform a test of certain functions of the base unit and transmit a synthesized voice message  signal to the portable unit for announcing the results of the test in the form of a synthesized voice message. 
     
     
       4. The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable unit includes a battery power source, and a battery test button actuatable by the user to initiate a test of the battery power source. 
     
     
       5. The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable unit includes a lamp for indicating the operational status of the portable unit. 
     
     
       6. The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable unit includes a portable unit  second controller is operative to terminate communications between the base unit and the portable unit if the portable unit does not detect the voice of the user during a preselected time period. 
     
     
       7. The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable unit includes a housing having an opening within which the call button is mounted, and a raised ring circumscribing the call button and extending outwardly from the surface of the housing to provide the user with a tactile guide for locating the call button. 
     
     
       8. The communications of  claim 7 , wherein the call button is recessed within the housing opening. 
     
     
       9. The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable unit includes an attachment that removably attaches the portable unit to the user's body. 
     
     
       10. A personal emergency response communications system, comprising:
 a portable, wireless communications unit intended to be carried by a user who may require emergency attention, the portable unit including a call button actuatable by the user to transmit a call request signal; and,  
 a base communications unit for wirelessly communicating with the portable unit, the base unit being coupled with a dial-up telephone system and responsive to the call request signal for establishing voice communications between the user and an emergency response provider;  
 a memory in at least one of the portable, wireless communications unit and the base unit  in the system including at least one  two stored voice messages indicating the status of the communications with the emergency response provider, and  
 a controller for controlling the  voice messages in order to advise the user of the communications status, and  
 includingwherein the two stored voice messages respectively indicating the status of the communications with the emergency response provider when the base unit begins dialing a telephone number of the provider, and when the base unit terminates communications with the emergency response provider.  
 
     
     
       11. The communications system of  claim 10 , including a speech synthesizer for generating the  stored voice messages. 
     
     
       12. The communications system of  claim 10 , wherein the base unit includes a stored voice message indicating the status of an operational test performed on the base unit. 
     
     
       13. The communications system of  claim 10 , wherein the portable unit includes a portable unit controller, and  a test button actuatable by the user, the portable unit controller being  and responsive to the actuation of the test button to transmit  transmitting a test request signal to the base unit, the base unit being responsive to the test request signal to perform a test of certain functions of the base unit and transmit a synthesized voice message  a signal to the portable unit for announcing to the user the results of the test in the form of a synthesized voice message. 
     
     
       14. The communications system of  claim 10 , wherein the portable unit includes a battery power source, and a battery test button actuatable by the user to initiate a test of the battery power source. 
     
     
       15. The communications system of  claim 10 , wherein the portable unit includes a portable unit  controller is operative to terminate communications between the base unit and the portable unit if the portable unit does not detect the voice of the user during a preselected time period. 
     
     
       16. A method of calling an emergency response provider from a user-carried, portable communication unit of a communication system, comprising the steps of:
 (A) transmitting a call request signal from the portable unit to a base unit of a communication system;  
 (B) receiving the call request signal at the base unit;  
 (C) storing a telephone number of an emergency response provider in at least one of the portable unit and the base unit  in the system;  
 (D) using the beam unit to place a call to the stored telephone number of the emergency response provider in response the call request signal; and  
 (E) storing at least a first voice message in at least one of the portable unit and the base unit  in the system indicating the status of the call placed in step (D) by advising the user that the call is being placed; and  
 (F) using the first voice message to advise the user of the call status, wherein the first voice message notifies the user that the call is being placed  storing a second voice message in the system, the second message notifying the user that the call placed in step ( D )  to the emergency response provider is being terminated.    
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , including the step of placing the portable unit in voice communication with the emergency response provider when the provider answers the call dialed in step (D). 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (E) includes storing a second voice message, the second message notifying the user that the call to the emergency response provider is being terminated. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , including the steps of:
 (G) performing a functional test of the operating systems of the base unit;  
 (H) storing a second  third voice message at the base unit  in the system advising the user that the test performed in step (E)  ( G ) was successful; and,  
 (I) transmitting  alerting the user via the second  third voice message from the base unit to the portable unit to alert the user  that the functional test was successful.  
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16  wherein the telephone number is stored in the base unit. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 16  wherein the telephone number is stored in the user-carried, portable communication unit.