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Apparatus and method for a cellular freeway emergency telephone    
United States Patent5377256   
Link to this pagehttp://www.wikipatents.com/5377256.html
Inventor(s)Franklin; Philip G. (La Habra, CA); Ward; Scott (La Habra, CA); Mabry; George R. (Hesperia, CA)
AbstractA self-contained cellular emergency roadside call box is disclosed without the use of external telephone lines. The call box is solar powered with battery storage and comprises a controller coupled to a cellular transceiver. The controller is also coupled to a solar array and battery which is recharged through the controller. The call box communicates through a radio-telephone link established by cellular transceiver to a cellular telecommunication system. The cellular telecommunication system includes a call site controller and mobile telephone switching terminal. Each call box comprises a plurality of status subcircuits for monitoring conditions such as battery condition and transmitter status. The call box communication and the status are processed by a micro processor which generates appropriate commands required by the cellular transceiver. Information can be transmitted bidirectionally between each of the call boxes and the communication applications processor. An interactive flow of information is exchanged with the call box and the functional condition is monitored.
   














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Drawing from US Patent 5377256
Apparatus and method for a cellular freeway emergency telephone - US Patent 5377256 Drawing
Apparatus and method for a cellular freeway emergency telephone
Inventor     Franklin; Philip G. (La Habra, CA); Ward; Scott (La Habra, CA); Mabry; George R. (Hesperia, CA)
Owner/Assignee     Cellular Communications Corporation (Irvine, CA)
Patent assignment
All assignments
Publication Date     December 27, 1994
Application Number     08/186,099
PAIR File History     Application Data   Transaction History
Image File Wrapper   Patent Term   Fees
Litigation
Filing Date     January 25, 1994
US Classification     455/404.1 379/45 455/574
Int'l Classification     H04M 011/00
Examiner     Dwyer; James L.
Assistant Examiner     Matar; Ahmad F.
Attorney/Law Firm     Nilsson, Wurst & Green
Address
Parent Case     This application is a continuation of applicant's application Ser. No. 07/415,491, filed Sep. 28, 1989, for "Apparatus and Method for Cellular Emergency Freeway Telephone Service (now abandoned)", which itself is a continuation identically-titled application Ser. No. 07/255,754, filed Oct. 11, 1988, now abandoned, which is a continuation of identically-titled application Ser. No. 06/801,410, filed Nov. 25, 1985, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,711 and reissued as U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,496 .
Priority Data    
USPTO Field of Search     379/59 379/56 379/60 379/45 379/58 379/63 379/38 379/39 379/40 379/42 379/48 340/287 340/291 455/33.1
Patent Tags     cellular freeway emergency telephone
   
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 Technical Review Submit all comments and votes
 Claims Submit all comments and votes
 


I claim:

1. In an emergency call box system using cellular telephone technology, the combination comprising:

a fixed location call box means, comprising:

a cellular transceiver means for transmitting and receiving data signals and/or voice signals, according to controllable parameters,

controller means for varying the controllable parameters of said cellular transceiver means, and

means for providing electrical power to the cellular transceiver means and the controller means;

a remotely located communication processor means including means for causing said controller means to vary said controllable parameters of said cellular transceiver means and thereby initiate action at the call box; and

a cellular system mobile telephone switching means for transmitting and receiving said data signals and said voice signals between said cellular transceiver means and the remotely located communication processor means.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein:

said controller means can also vary the said controllable parameters in a predetermined way.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein:

said remotely located communication processor means causes said controller means to vary said controllable parameters of said cellular transceiver means by transmitting data signals to the controller means via the cellular system mobile telephone switching means and the cellular transceiver means.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein:

said means for providing electrical power is a rechargeable battery means powered by a solar cell.

5. A roadside call box for reporting emergencies to a communication processor means, comprising:

a stationary cellular transceiver capable of bidirectional communication with a cellular radiotelephone network;

means for powering the transceiver;

actuation means coupled to the transceiver to initiate an emergency call to the communication processor means by causing the transceiver to send a stored emergency number to the cellular network in response to a user's manual input; and

response means coupled to the transceiver for receiving data signals from the communication processor means and initiating action at the call box in response to the received signals.

6. The roadside call box of claim 5 wherein:

the actuation means operates in response to a single manual input to cause the transceiver to send the stored emergency number.

7. The roadside call box of claim 5 wherein:

the actuation means includes means for triggering repertory dialing of the stored emergency number.

8. The roadside call box of claim 5, wherein:

the means for powering the transceiver comprises battery means and solar cell means for recharging the battery means.

9. A roadside call box for reporting emergencies to a communication processor means, comprising:

a stationary cellular transceiver capable of bidirectional voice and data communications with a cellular radiotelephone network;

rechargeable battery means for powering the transceiver; and

a controller coupled to the transceiver to operate the call box under program control, the controller comprising:

actuation means operable in response to a user's manual input to initiate an emergency call to the communication processor means by causing the transceiver to send a stored emergency number to the cellular network; and

response means for receiving data signals from the communication processor means and initiating action at the call box in response to the received data signals.

10. The roadside call box of claim 9 which further comprises:

sensor means for monitoring a plurality of status conditions relating to the call box and deriving status information therefrom; and

reporting means for sending data messages containing the derived status information to the communication processor means.

11. The roadside call box of claim 10 wherein:

the sensor means includes means for sensing the output voltage of the battery means.

12. The roadside call box of claim 10 wherein:

the sensor means includes means for sensing a plurality of alarm conditions relating to the physical integrity of the call box.

13. A roadside call box for reporting emergencies to a communication processor means, comprising:

a stationary cellular transceiver capable of bidirectional voice and data communications with a cellular radiotelephone network;

battery means for powering the transceiver;

a controller coupled to the transceiver to operate the call box under program control, the controller comprising:

actuation means operable in response to a user's manual input to initiate an emergency call to the communication processor means by causing the transceiver to send a stored emergency number to the cellular network;

identification means for generating a data message containing the identity of the call box and causing the transceiver to send the data message to the communication processor means via the cellular network; and

response means for interpreting other data messages received by the transceiver from the communication processor means and initiating appropriate action at the call box in response to said other data messages.

14. The roadside call box of claim 13 wherein:

the response means includes means for controlling at least one parameter of call box operation in response to data messages received from the communications processor means.

15. The roadside call box of claim 13 wherein:

the response means includes means for controlling audio gain within the call box in response to data messages received from the communication processor means.

16. The roadside call box of claim 13 wherein the controller further comprises:

sensor means for maintaining a plurality of status conditions relating to the call box and deriving status information therefrom; and

reporting means for sending data messages containing the derived status information to the communication processor means.

17. The roadside call box of claim 16 wherein:

the response means includes means for performing at least one routine to remedy an unsatisfactory status condition in response to data messages received from the communication processor means.

18. The roadside call box of claim 13 wherein:

a television camera is coupled to the controller for transmission of television signals to the communication processor means.

19. The roadside call box of claim 18 wherein:

the response means includes means for controlling the television camera in response to data messages received from the communication processor means.

20. A fixed roadside call box comprising:

transceiver means for communicating with a cellular mobile radiotelephone system to call an emergency number;

programmable controller means electrically connected to said transceiver means, including first means responsive to a user for initiating an audio link to a central station corresponding to the emergency number, second means for selectively sending the location of the call box to said central station, and third means for receiving data signals from said central station and initiating action at the call box in response to the received data signals; and

rechargeable energy means for providing power to said call box.

21. An emergency roadside call box comprising:

cellular transceiver means for establishing communications with a communication processor means via a cellular mobile radiotelephone system;

controller means coupled to the cellular transceiver means for determining, under program control, the operation of the roadside call box; and

battery means coupled to said controller means for providing power to the cellular transceiver means and to the controller means

the controller means comprising:

means for transmitting an emergency call to a preprogrammed telephone number in response to a predetermined user-initiated stimulus;

means for transmitting identifying information to the communication processor means, which identifying information identifies the roadside call box to the communication processor means;

means for receiving data signals from the communications processor means and initiating action at the call box in response to the received data signals; and

means for enabling bidirectional voice communications over the cellular mobile radiotelephone system between the call box and the communication processor means.

22. An emergency roadside call box as defined in claim 21, wherein the predetermined user-initiated stimulus is the lifting of a handset included with the roadside call box.

23. A system for providing emergency call box service, the system comprising:

at least one emergency call box operable to enable radio communication with a cellular radiotelephone subsystem, wherein the call box comprises:

a cellular transceiver;

a controller coupled to the cellular transceiver for initiating an emergency call by the cellular transceiver to a predetermined number in response to a user-initiated stimulus and for initiating action at the call box in response to information received over the cellular radiotelephone subsystem; and

a battery coupled to the controller for providing power to the controller and to the cellular transceiver.
 Description Submit all comments and votes
 


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the field of cellular telephone equipment and in particular to solar powered telephone call boxes using a cellular telephone system to radiotelephonically communicate from a plurality of fixed roadside sites.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Emergency roadside call boxes have become increasingly important and productive elements in providing roadside security and emergency assistance in the metropolitan areas in the United States and throughout the world. Originally, such roadside emergency call boxes were hardwired to conventional telephone land lines. However, the installation of such telephone land lines substantially escalates the installation and maintenance costs of such emergency roadside telephone boxes. In order to overcome this limitation, the prior art devised emergency telephone call boxes which use a radio transmission link for communications. Cannalty et al., "Emergency Communications System", U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,417; and Wisniewski, "Emergency Calling System", U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,581 show such systems. Power for these call boxes is provided by a rechargeable battery included within their housings. However, such prior art battery operated systems either required the units to be coupled to a source of electrical power for trickle-charging or required the periodic replacement or recharging of the battery packs through mobile roadside service. Again, although savings were realized in installation costs by using battery powered units, the maintenance or service costs of such systems often prohibited their use.

Furthermore, in the past radiotelephone communications within geographic areas were realized using a process based on a single transmitter and antenna. This method of communication limits the number of calls that can be placed in a geographic area and limits the size of the area that can be covered with a given amount of equipment. However, with the recent advent of cellular telephone technology, these limitations, which were characteristic of the prior art single transmitter systems, no longer exist.

Therefore, what is needed is a design and method of using a radio linked emergency call box which is adaptable to cellular telephone technology and which is characterized by low installation and service costs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a system for providing an emergency call box service comprising a plurality of emergency call boxes, wherein each call box further comprises: a controller; a cellular transceiver coupled to the controller; a battery coupled to the controller for providing power to the controller and transceiver; and a solar array for generating power coupled to the controller for recharging the battery. Also included in the system is a cellular telecommunications subsystem in radiotelecommunication with each of the plurality of emergency call boxes. A communication applications processor is coupled to the cellular telecommunications subsystem for processing data received in part from the plurality of emergency call boxes. The communications applications processor communicates through the cellular telecommunications subsystem with selected ones of the plurality of emergency call boxes. By reason of this combination of elements the plurality of emergency call boxes can be installed and maintained at low cost and are capable of arbitrarily programmable interactive operations.

The system further comprises interoffice local telephone exchanges coupled to the communication applications processor wherein communication between the plurality of emergency call boxes can be selectively coupled to the local telephone exchanges under control of the communication applications processor.

The controller comprises a plurality of status subcircuits. Each status subcircuit monitors a predetermined status parameter of the corresponding call box.

The system further comprises a circuit for selectively communicating the predetermined parameters as monitored by the plurality of status subcircuits to the communication applications processor. The parameters monitored by the status subcircuits include battery power level, and the physical condition of the corresponding call box indicative in part of whether call box has been struck.

The controller further comprises a circuit for receiving and processing information from the communication applications processor to initiate operations in the controller.

The controller still further comprises a circuit for adjusting the volume of transmitted and received audio information.

The controller has a timing mechanization included within its digital circuitry. The timer provides he capability to measure predetermined elapsed time periods. The timer mechanism is used in the following ways:

1) To limit each call to a maximum duration (e.g. 10 minutes;

2) To terminate a call if there is no conversation for a predetermined period of time (e.g. one minute); and

3) To cause each call box to automatically initiate a call and to report its operational stats on a periodic basis (e.g. once every 24 hours).

In the event that the telephone handset is left off the hook, the automatic time out will terminate the call and will thus save battery power. Should this occur, the call box is automatically reactivated and another emergency call is placed should the hook switch be operated to the on-hook status followed by an off-hook status.

Stated in yet another way the invention is an emergency roadside call box comprising: a controller; a cellular transceiver coupled to and controlled by the controller; a battery for powering the controller coupled to the controller and transceiver; and a solar array coupled to the controller for recharging the battery. By reason of this combination of elements an emergency roadside call box can be installed and maintained at low cost.

The controller comprises a plurality of status subcircuits for monitoring corresponding selective parameters of the controller, and a circuit for interrogating the plurality of status subcircuits for operationally responding to the parameters as monitored by the status