Patent ID: 6212260
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
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, anda 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, andrepeating 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, anda predetermined time has elapsed.