System for transmitting emergency calls from persons requiring assistance

Claim 1

A system for transmitting an emergency call from a person requiring assistance, said system comprising an emergency calling device coupled via at least one subscriber line of a telephone exchange system to an emergency call receiving center having an operator, said emergency calling device including: automatic dialing means coupled to one such subscriber line and having an actuating sensor, said automatic dialing means automatically dialing a predetermined emergency telephone number upon actuation of said sensor by the person requiring assistance for placing a telephone call via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; first data means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for transmitting predetermined emergency data by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; intercommunication means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for establishing a voice connection via the telephone exchange system between the person requiring assistance and the operator in said emergency call receiving center, said intercommunication means including first controllable switching means for switching between states of voice transmission and voice reception; and first control means responsive to a first operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said first data means to the subscriber line and switching out said intercommunication means, and responsive to a second operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said intercommunication means to the subscriber line and switching out said first data means; and said emergency call receiving center including: means coupled to the telephone exchange system for receiving the call from said emergency calling device and establishing a connection via the telephone exchange system between said emergency calling device and said emergency call receiving center; means for producing a control tone selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system; second control means for controlling the transmission of said control tone via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device, said control tone constituting said first operating mode control signal, and the lack of said control tone constituting said second operating mode control signal; and second data means selectively coupled to the telephone exchange system for selectively transmitting voice direction control signals by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device for controlling the state of said switching means in said intercommunication means of said emergency calling device.

Claim 2

A system for transmitting an emergency call from a person requiring assistance, said system comprising an emergency calling device coupled via at least one subscriber line of a telephone exchange system to an emergency call receiving center having an operator, said emergency calling device including: automatic dialing means coupled to one such subscriber line and having an actuating sensor, said automatic dialing means automatically dialing a predetermined emergency telephone number upon actuation of said sensor by the person requiring assistance for placing a telephone call via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; first data means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for transmitting predetermined emergency data by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; intercommunication means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for establishing a voice connection via the telephone exchange system between the person requiring assistance and the operator in said emergency call receiving center, said intercommunication means including first controllable switching means for switching between states of voice transmission and voice reception; and first control means responsive to a first operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said first data means to the subscriber line and switching out said intercommunication means, and responsive to a second operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said intercommunication means to the subscriber line and switching out said first data means; and said emergency call receiving center including: means coupled to the telephone exchange system for receiving the call from said emergency calling device and establishing a connection via the telephone exchange system between said emergency calling device and said emergency call receiving center; means for producing a control tone selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system; second control means for controlling the transmission of said control tone via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device, said control tone constituting said first operating mode control signal, and the lack of said control tone constituting said second operating mode control signal; and second data means selectively coupled to the telephone exchange system for selectively transmitting voice direction control signals by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device for controlling the state of said switching means in said intercommunication means of said emergency calling device.

Claim 3

A system for transmitting an emergency call from a person requiring assistance, said system comprising an emergency calling device coupled via at least one subscriber line of a telephone exchange system to an emergency call receiving center having an operator, said emergency calling device including: automatic dialing means coupled to one such subscriber line and having an actuating sensor, said automatic dialing means automatically dialing a predetermined emergency telephone number upon actuation of said sensor by the person requiring assistance for placing a telephone call via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; first data means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for transmitting predetermined emergency data by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; intercommunication means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for establishing a voice connection via the telephone exchange system between the person requiring assistance and the operator in said emergency call receiving center, said intercommunication means including first controllable switching means for switching between states of voice transmission and voice reception; and first control means responsive to a first operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said first data means to the subscriber line and switching out said intercommunication means, and responsive to a second operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said intercommunication means to the subscriber line and switching out said first data means; and said emergency call receiving center including: means coupled to the telephone exchange system for receiving the call from said emergency calling device and establishing a connection via the telephone exchange system between said emergency calling device and said emergency call receiving center; means for producing a control tone pulse selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system; second control means for controlling the transmission of said control tone pulse via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device, said control tone pulse constituting said first operating mode control signal; and second data means selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system for transmitting a pulse sequence and voice direction control signals by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device, said pulse sequence constituting said second operating mode control signal and said voice direction control signals being selectively transmitted for controlling the state of said switching means in said intercommunication means of said emergency calling device.

Claim 4

A system for transmitting an emergency call from a person requiring assistance, said system comprising an emergency calling device coupled via at least one subscriber line of a telephone exchange system to an emergency call receiving center having an operator, said emergency calling device including: automatic dialing means coupled to one such subscriber line and having an actuating sensor, said automatic dialing means automatically dialing a predetermined emergency telephone number upon actuation of said sensor by the person requiring assistance for placing a telephone call via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; first data means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for transmitting predetermined emergency data by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; intercommunication means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for establishing a voice connection via the telephone exchange system between the person requiring assistance and the operator in said emergency call receiving center, said intercommunication means including first controllable switching means for switching between states of voice transmission and voice reception; and first control means responsive to a first operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said first data means to the subscriber line and switching out said intercommunication means, and responsive to a second operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said intercommunication means to the subscriber line and switching out said first data means; and said emergency call receiving center including: means coupled to the telephone exchange system for receiving the call from said emergency calling device and establishing a connection via the telephone exchange system between said emergency calling device and said emergency call receiving center; means for producing a control tone pulse selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system; second control means for controlling the transmission of said control tone pulse via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device, said control tone pulse constituting said first operating mode control signal; and second data means selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system for transmitting a pulse sequence and voice direction control signals by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device, said pulse sequence constituting said second operating mode control signal and said voice direction control signals being selectively transmitted for controlling the state of said switching means in said intercommunication means of said emergency calling device.

Claim 5

A system for transmitting an emergency call from a person requiring assistance, said system comprising an emergency calling device coupled via at least one subscriber line of a telephone exchange system to an emergency call receiving center, having an operator, said emergency calling device including: automatic dialing means coupled to one such subscriber line and having an actuating sensor, said automatic dialing means automatically dialing a predetermined emergency telephone number upon actuation of said sensor by the person requiring assistance for placing a telephone call via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; first data means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for transmitting predetermined emergency data by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; intercommunication means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for establishing a voice connection via the telephone exchange system between the person requiring assistance and the operator in said emergency call receiving center, said intercommunication means including first controllable switching means for switching between states of voice transmission and voice reception; and first control means responsive to a first operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said first data means to the subscriber line and switching out said intercommunication means, and responsive to a second operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said intercommunication means to the subscriber line and switching out said first data means; and said emergency call receiving center including: means coupled to the telephone exchange system for receiving the call from said emergency calling device and establishing a connection via the telephone exchange system between said emergency calling device and said emergency call receiving center; means selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system for producing first, second and third control tone pulses each having a different audio frequency; second control means for selectively controlling the transmission to said emergency calling device via said telephone exchange system of a first combination of said first and second control tone pulses, and a second combination of said first and third control tone pulses, said first combination constituting said second operating mode control signal and said second combination constituting said first operating mode control signal; and second data means selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system for selectively transmitting voice direction control signals by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device for controlling the state of said switching means in said intercommunication means of said emergency calling device.

Claim 6

A system for transmitting an emergency call from a person requiring assistance, said system comprising an emergency calling device coupled via at least one subscriber line of a telephone exchange system to an emergency call receiving center, having an operator, said emergency calling device including: automatic dialing means coupled to one such subscriber line and having an actuating sensor, said automatic dialing means automatically dialing a predetermined emergency telephone number upon actuation of said sensor by the person requiring assistance for placing a telephone call via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; first data means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for transmitting predetermined emergency data by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency call receiving center; intercommunication means selectively connectable to the subscriber line for establishing a voice connection via the telephone exchange system between the person requiring assistance and the operator in said emergency call receiving center, said intercommunication means including first controllable switching means for switching between states of voice transmission and voice reception; and first control means responsive to a first operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said first data means to the subscriber line and switching out said intercommunication means, and responsive to a second operating mode control signal transmitted via the telephone exchange system for connecting said intercommunication means to the subscriber line and switching out said first data means; and said emergency call receiving center including: means coupled to the telephone exchange system for receiving the call from said emergency calling device and establishing a connection via the telephone exchange system between said emergency calling device and said emergency call receiving center; means selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system for producing first, second and third control tone pulses each having a different audio frequency; second control means for selectively controlling the transmission to said emergency calling device via said telephone exchange system of a first combination of said first and second control tone pulses, and a second combination of said first and third control tone pulses, said first combination constituting said second operating mode control signal and said second combination constituting said first operating mode control signal; and second data means selectively connectable to the telephone exchange system for selectively transmitting voice direction control signals by frequency keying in the voice band via the telephone exchange system to said emergency calling device for controlling the state of said switching means in said intercommunication means of said emergency calling device.