Apparatus and method for reporting verification testing of a personal ...

[54] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR

REPORTING VERIFICATION TESTING OF
A PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE
SYSTEM

[75] Inventor: L. Dennis Shapiro, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

[73] Assignee: Lifeline Systems, Inc., Watertown, Mass.

[21] Appl. No.: 290,470

[22] Filed: Dec. 27,1988

[51] Int. OS G08B 29/00

[52] U.S. a 340/514; 340/505;

340/539; 340/518; 340/531; 340/825.06; 340/825.08; 340/825.54; 340/825.72

[58] Field of Search 340/514, 515, 505, 506,

340/518, 531, 825.06, 825.08, 539, 825.69, 825.72, 825.54; 379/29

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,833,895 9/1974 Fecteau 340/505

3,989,900 11/1976 Dibner .

4,064,368 12/1977 Dibner .

4,462,022 7/1984 Stolarczyk 340/518

4,491,970 1/1985 LaWhite et al 455/100

4,524,243 6/1985 Shapiro .

4,656,319 4/1987 Bially 379/29

4,683,459 7/1987 Edson 340/514

4,694,282 9/1987 Tamura et al 340/514

Primary Examiner—Donnie L. Crosland
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Weingarten, Schurgin,
Gagnebin & Hayes

[57] ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for reporting verification testing of a portable activator is provided for a personal emergency response system. In normal operation of the system, a signal transmitted by the portable activator activates a subscriber unit in a remote subscriber station to transmit an alarm message to a central station, or in some configurations to provide a local test or to cause other local or remote commands and/or control. The subscriber unit according to the present invention includes a latch assembly which is "set" upon receipt of any activating signal transmitted by the portable activator. The system also includes timing/logic circuitry, in the subscriber unit or alternately as part of the equipment of the central station, which automatically activates the subscriber unit upon expiration of a predetermined period of time to transmit a system test message to the central station. A segment of the system test message provides information as to whether the portable activator has been used during the preceding predetermined period of time, as indicated by the status of the latch assembly.

16 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets