JP2005065248A - Emergency reporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an emergency reporting device capable of preferentially reporting an emergency report to a person, for example, a family and close relatives who are desired to be reported by a reporting person, and capable of securely reporting the emergency report. <P>SOLUTION: The device comprises a reporting machine 21 having a transmission unit 24, a reporting button 22, and a microphone 23, to be carried by the reporting person, a speaker 12 prepared separately from the reporting machine 21 and for reporting voices of a person to be reported to the reporting person, a receiving unit 11a for receiving a radio signal sent from the reporting machine 21, telephone number storing means 11 for storing a plurality of telephone numbers of the predetermined person to be reported with precedence of telephones to be called, a telephone calling means 11 capable of calling to any one of plurality of stored telephone numbers, and controlling means 11 for controlling the telephone calling means 11 so that the plurality of the stored telephone numbers are to be called in response to the precedence when the radio signal is received from the reporting machine 21 by the receiving unit 11a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an emergency call device for a user such as a care recipient or an elderly person at home to report an emergency such as an abnormality in his / her health condition to a family member.

  Conventionally, the thing of patent document 1 is known as this kind of emergency call apparatus. This emergency call device is for making an emergency call to a care center or the like that provides care services. The telephone and the video phone main unit (hereinafter referred to as “telephone”) connected to the public telephone line are connected to the telephone. In this section, it is referred to as “apparatus main body”) and a transmitter that transmits a predetermined radio signal as an emergency notification command to the telephone by operating when the user makes an emergency notification.

  Both the telephone and the apparatus main body are installed at predetermined positions in the user's residence. When the telephone receives a radio signal from the transmitter, the telephone automatically calls the care center to make an emergency call, and allows the user to talk without having to lift the handset from the telephone. It has become. On the other hand, the main unit is equipped with a camera and a TV monitor, which are activated during an emergency call so that the user can talk to the person in charge of the care center via the TV monitor while making a call on the telephone. ing.

  The transmitter is of a pendant type having a push button type notification button, and transmits an emergency notification command signal to the telephone when the user presses the notification button. In this case, the telephone automatically calls the care center and makes an emergency call. Specifically, after the telephone is connected to the care center, a voice message recorded in advance is played to notify that it is an emergency call, and a call with the person in charge of the care center is possible. In addition, this emergency call device can register the number of the helper's mobile phone that patrols the user's residence area, and instead of making an emergency call to the care center, it is possible to call the helper directly and make an emergency call. It has become.

  In the emergency call device as described above, since a call is made to a care center (hereinafter, including a helper who is traveling) that provides care services, it is possible to make an emergency call reliably. However, at the time of an emergency call, the user must talk to the person in charge of the care center, who is another person, and can only talk to a telephone set at a predetermined location in the residence. . In addition, when the main body of the apparatus is activated in response to an emergency call, the user's residence is displayed on the television monitor on the care center side, and there is a problem that privacy protection is insufficient. In addition, there is a problem that it costs money because the care service of the care center is used.

  In addition, although users are not required to make an emergency call to a care center, they may want to make urgent contact with family members and close relatives. Of course, in this case, as in the case of making an emergency call to a traveling helper, a mobile phone or a landline phone of a family member or a close relative (hereinafter referred to as “phone” unless otherwise distinguished in the present specification) ) May be registered in advance. However, in this case, if a family member or a close relative is in a place where the mobile phone signal does not reach or is not near the phone, the family member or close relative may not be contacted. In addition, when the telephone of a family member or a close relative is set as an answering machine, there is a problem that a quick contact cannot be made.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and can make an emergency call preferentially to a reportee desired by the reporter, such as a family member or a close relative, It is an object of the present invention to provide an emergency call device that can reliably perform the operation.

JP 2001-127914 A

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an emergency call device for calling a predetermined callee and calling the callee in order to report an emergency. And having a transmitter, an operation unit, and a microphone, carried by the reporter, and transmitting a predetermined radio signal via the transmitter when the reporter operates the operation unit, and receiving the signal via the microphone. A notifying device that enables a call with the notifying person, a speaker provided separately from the notifying machine, a speaker for notifying the notifying person's voice to the notifying person, and a receiving unit for receiving a radio signal from the notifying machine, Telephone number storage means for storing the telephone numbers of a plurality of predetermined respondents together with priorities for making a call, and telephone call means capable of making a call to any of the stored telephone numbers And the receiver receives no Upon receiving a signal, the telephone of the stored plurality of telephone numbers, so make a call according to the priority order, characterized in that it and a control means for controlling the telephone call unit.

  According to this configuration, when the reporter reports an emergency situation, first, the reporter operates the operation unit of the reporter carried by himself / herself. Thereby, a predetermined radio signal is transmitted via the transmission unit of the reporting device, and the reception unit receives this radio signal. Then, when this reception is made, the telephone call means makes a call according to the priority order to the telephones having a plurality of telephone numbers stored in the telephone number storage means. Therefore, by storing in advance the phone numbers of the telephones (cell phones and landline phones) held by the whistleblower's family and close relatives as the respondent so that the priority is higher, Emergency calls can be made preferentially to the person. Further, by storing the telephone number of a predetermined service for supporting the reporter, for example, the support provider that provides 24-hour service, in the telephone number storage means, it is possible to make an emergency call reliably. . In addition, the reporting device carried by the reporter is provided with a microphone, and on the other hand, a speaker for transmitting the voice of the respondent to the reporter is provided separately from the reporting device. Can be separated from the speaker, so that howling during a call can be reliably prevented and the volume of the speaker can be increased. In this way, by increasing the volume of the speaker, even a caller who is far away can hear the callee's voice sufficiently through the speaker, and the call can be made reliably and stably. Can do. In addition, even when the caller cannot move at a location away from the telephone, unlike the conventional emergency call device, it is possible to talk to the callee from the spot without going near the telephone. Further, since the speaker is provided separately from the reporting device, the reporting device can be manufactured more compactly and at a lower cost compared to the case where the microphone and the speaker are provided integrally with the reporting device.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the emergency call device according to claim 1, wherein the call establishment for determining whether or not the call between the callee and the caller who is the other party of the call made by the telephone call means is established. And further comprising a discriminating means, and the control means controls the telephone calling means so as to make a call to the telephone having the next highest priority telephone number when the call establishment discriminating means determines that the call is not established. It is characterized by doing.

  According to this configuration, the call establishment determining means determines whether or not a call between the respondent and the reporter is established, and when the call is not established, the telephone call means establishes the next priority call. Call the phone number. Therefore, it is possible to continue making calls in order until the call is established, and to make an emergency call more reliably.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the emergency call device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising setting means for setting a plurality of telephone numbers and priority orders to be stored in the telephone number storage means. And

  According to this configuration, by operating the setting means and setting a plurality of telephone numbers and priorities desired by the reporter, these can be easily stored (registered) in the telephone number storage means.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the emergency call device according to claim 3, wherein the setting means is at least one of a first telephone, a personal computer, and a portable terminal.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to set a plurality of telephone numbers and priorities to be stored in the telephone number storage unit using at least one of the first telephone, the personal computer, and the portable terminal. If the setting can be made on any of the first telephone, personal computer, and portable terminal, the person who performs the setting work, for example, the caller and their family, and the installer of the emergency call device, etc., operate by themselves. It is possible to select a device that is familiar to the user and easily perform the setting work. In particular, when a setting operation is performed using a personal computer or a portable terminal, the setting operation can be performed more easily by using software installed in those devices.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the emergency call apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the speaker is composed of a plurality of speakers.

  According to this configuration, for example, by installing a speaker in each room in the caller's residence, the caller can hear the callee's voice in that room, regardless of the emergency call in any room. Can talk to the respondent.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the emergency notification device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the operation unit of the notification device has a push button that transmits a radio signal when pressed. Features.

  According to this configuration, when the push button of the reporting device is pressed, a radio signal is transmitted from the reporting device and an emergency call is made. All you have to do is press the push button on the machine and you can easily make an emergency call.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the emergency call device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lowest-ranked respondent among a plurality of callees responds to a report from the caller. And a support provider that provides a predetermined service for supporting the reporter.

  According to this configuration, even if a call is made in accordance with the priority order and a call to the respondent is not possible until immediately before the lowest order, the lowest-priority respondent will provide a predetermined service as a business. Since it is a trader, it is possible to reliably contact the support trader. Then, the support provider can make an emergency call to the reporter's family or the like by, for example, contacting the reporter's family or the family of the close relative.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the emergency call device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the camera for photographing the reporter and a terminal provided on the respondent side with an image photographed by the camera And an image transmission means for transmitting to the apparatus.

  According to this configuration, the reporter is photographed by the camera, and the photographed image is transmitted to the terminal device on the reportee's side by the image transmission means. Therefore, the reportee is notified via the image displayed on the terminal device, The state and state of the whistleblower can be easily grasped, and a more appropriate response can be taken to the whistleblower.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the emergency call device according to claim 8, wherein the terminal device is a mobile phone having a display for displaying the transmitted image.

  According to this configuration, even when the whistleblower's family or close relatives are out, the whistleblower can be shown on the mobile phone's display. The respondent can easily grasp the state and state of the reporter.

  The invention according to claim 10 is the emergency call device according to claim 8, wherein the terminal device is a PDA having a display for displaying the transmitted image.

  According to this configuration, as in the case of claim 9, even when the respondent is out, the reporter can be displayed on the PDA (personal digital assistant) display of the respondent, The respondent can easily grasp the state and state of the reporter.

  According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the emergency call device according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein a second telephone set provided on the caller side, a telephone receiving means for receiving a call made from outside, and a predetermined password A personal identification number storing means for storing a number; a personal identification number requesting means for requesting input of a personal identification number to a person who makes a call when the telephone receiving means receives a telephone call; and an input personal identification number is predetermined. A password identification means for determining whether or not the password matches the password, and when the entered password matches the predetermined password, the caller or the second telephone is notified to the person who made the call. Call selection instruction means for instructing to select whether or not to make a call, and call reception means for receiving the received telephone call to the selected one of the reporting device and the second telephone according to the selection. Specially To.

  According to this configuration, when a call is received from the outside, the call receiving means receives the call. When this is received, the password request means requests the person who made the call to input the password. Next, the input code number (hereinafter referred to as “input code number”) is determined by the code number determination unit, and when this input code number matches the predetermined code number stored in the code number storage unit, The call selection instruction means instructs the person who made the call to select which of the reporting machine and the second telephone to use for the call. Then, in response to the selection, the receiving means causes the received telephone to be received by the selected one of the reporting machine and the second telephone. Whether or not the person who made the call is the specific person by making the above-mentioned predetermined personal identification number a number that only a specific person (for example, a respondent, etc., hereinafter referred to as “specific person”) knows. If the person who made the call is a specific person, the specific person can make a call with the whistleblower via the whistleblower, or via the second telephone, depending on his / her arbitrary choice. You can make a call. For example, if the caller is incapacitated and the second telephone rings, but the caller cannot answer the call easily, the specified person can select It is possible to talk with the whistleblower without forcing the person to go near the second telephone.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the emergency call device according to the eleventh aspect, the telephone number determination for determining whether or not the telephone number of the telephone received by the telephone receiving means matches any of a plurality of telephone numbers And a means for requesting a personal identification number when the telephone number of the received telephone matches one of the plurality of telephone numbers.

  According to this configuration, the received telephone number is one of a plurality of telephone numbers, that is, a plurality of predetermined telephone numbers (hereinafter referred to as “registered telephone numbers”) of predetermined respondents stored in the telephone number storage means. When the passwords coincide with each other, the password request means executes the above-described request for inputting the password. By changing the above-mentioned predetermined password to a number that only the respondent can know, even if it is a call from a registered telephone number, that is, a call made using a telephone owned by the respondent, It is possible to confirm whether the person who made the call is the accused person. Thereby, the process after the identity verification of the respondent can be appropriately performed. For example, only when the person who made the call is the person to be reported, the received call can be received by the reporting machine or the second telephone, or the call can be selected by those devices.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, an emergency call system using the emergency call device of the present invention allows a user (reporter) such as a cared person or an elderly person who needs care to perform a simple operation described later while at home. This is for reporting emergency situations such as abnormal health conditions to a family member, a close relative, or a support center (support company) that provides a predetermined service to be described later by making a call. In the following description, family members, close relatives, and support providers who receive an emergency call from a user are referred to as “reported persons” unless otherwise distinguished.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the emergency call system includes an emergency call device 1 including various devices installed in a user's residence and a notification device carried by the user himself, Mobile phone 2 (terminal device) that is installed on the person's side and that receives a report from the emergency call device 1, or a fixed phone or receiving device 3 (terminal device) (not shown). Transmission / reception of image data (including moving image data) is performed via the communication line 4. The communication line 4 only needs to be capable of transmitting and receiving voice and image data, and includes, for example, a public telephone line or a CATV line, and the Internet. Public telephone lines include ISDN lines and IP telephone lines in addition to analog lines.

  The emergency call device 1 is a set box 11 (telephone number storage means, telephone) having a microcomputer that is connected to the communication line 4 and controls other devices as various devices installed in the user's residence. A transmission means, a control means, a call establishment determination means, an image transmission means, a telephone reception means, a telephone number determination means, a call selection instruction means, an incoming call means, a password storage means, a password request means, and a password determination means) A plurality of speakers 12 and cameras 13 (only one is shown in FIG. 1) connected to the set box 11 via cables, and a telephone set 14 (first and second telephones) connected to the set box 11 via cables. ) And personal computer 15 and further connected to the set box 11 via a cable and installed at a predetermined place in the residence. And a variety of sensors 16, 17 and 18 use. In FIG. 1, the set box 11 is illustrated as a single device. However, the set box 11 includes, for example, an audio transmission / reception device that mainly transmits and receives audio and an image transmission device that mainly transmits images. It may be configured separately.

  The plurality of speakers 12 and the camera 13 are installed for each room in the residence, for example. Each speaker 12 utters and expands the voice of the callee when the user talks to the callee, and the volume can be adjusted. Therefore, when the reporting device 21 having the microphone 23 described later is separated from the speaker 12, howling during a call can be reliably prevented and the volume of the speaker 12 can be increased. As described above, by increasing the volume of the speaker 12, even a user who is far away can sufficiently hear the voice of the respondent through the speaker 12, and the call can be made reliably and stably. It can be carried out. On the other hand, each camera 13 captures the inside of the installed room. Therefore, when there is a user in the room, the user is photographed. Further, the image data photographed by the camera 13 is transmitted via the set box 11 and the communication line 4 to the mobile phone 2 on the reportee side, the PDA (not shown) or the receiving device 3 having a display. 2 display 2a, a PDA display, or a monitor 3a of the receiving device 3.

  In addition to normal use, the telephone 14 and the personal computer 15 can set and register a plurality of telephone numbers to be called together with priorities when a user makes an emergency call. Specifically, for example, when three phone numbers are set and registered, the phone number of the family's mobile phone is ranked first in the priority order, the phone number of the relative's mobile phone is ranked second in the priority order, and the support center Set and register the phone number of the 3rd priority. These telephone numbers and priorities are stored in the set box 11. It should be noted that the setting and registration of these telephone numbers and priorities are examples, and it is of course possible to set and register the support center telephone number as the first priority.

  Further, in addition to the telephone 14 and the personal computer 15, the telephone number and the priority order may be set / registered using a portable terminal (not shown). By making setting / registration possible in any of the telephone set 14, the personal computer 15, and the mobile terminal, a person who performs the setting / registration work, for example, a user or his / her family, and an installer of the emergency call device 1, etc. You can easily select and set up a device that you are used to operating, and perform settings and registration. In particular, when setting / registration work is performed using the personal computer 15 or the mobile terminal, the setting / registration work can be performed more easily by using software installed in those devices. .

  As a crime prevention / disaster prevention sensor installed in a residence, for example, a crime prevention sensor 16 that detects the intrusion of a suspicious person into the residence, a fire sensor 17 that detects the occurrence of a fire, and the occurrence of a gas leak are detected. A gas sensor 18 and the like are provided. The security sensor 16 is installed in, for example, a front door of a residence or each window, and sends a signal to the set box 11 when they are opened or destroyed. The fire sensor 17 and the gas sensor 18 are installed in a kitchen or the like, and send signals from the sensors 17 and 18 to the set box 11 when a fire or gas leak occurs.

  The support center is a service provider that provides a proxy service to an emergency call destination registered in advance for each user after receiving an emergency call from the user. The receiving device 3 installed in the support center is connected via a communication line 4 to a set box 11 installed in the residences of many users. An operator is stationed in front of the receiving device 3 for 24 hours. When the receiving device 3 receives an emergency report from a user, the monitor 3a displays a partner to whom the operator should report on behalf of the user. For example, the telephone number of a police station, a fire department, a nursing center, a government office, and other designated places is displayed in addition to the user's family and close relatives and their offices. In addition, on the monitor 3a of the receiving device 3, a user image taken by the camera 13 in the user's residence is also displayed. Therefore, the operator can make a call with the user, check the state and state of the user, and make a report to an appropriate emergency call destination.

  In addition, when the camera 13 installed in the user's residence is a camera with a drive function (PTZ camera), the camera 13 can be remotely operated from the support center side. Therefore, it is possible to better check the state and state of the user and to make a call to a more appropriate emergency call destination.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a reporter 21 carried by a user is of a wristwatch type, and includes a push button type report button 22 (operation unit) and a microphone for transmitting a user's voice to a reportee. And a transmission / reception unit 24 (transmission unit) for transmitting / receiving a predetermined radio signal to / from a transmission / reception unit 11a (reception unit) provided in the set box 11. The notification button 22 is formed to be relatively large, and can be easily operated even by a user who is somewhat inconvenient with their hands and fingertips. When the notification button 22 of the notification device 21 is pressed, a wireless signal to be transmitted by emergency notification is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 24 of the notification device 21 to the transmission / reception unit 11a of the set box 11. When the transmitting / receiving unit 11a receives the radio signal, the set box 11 makes a call according to the priority order described above. Also, when the set box 11 receives signals from the security sensor 16, fire sensor 17 and gas sensor 18 described above, a telephone call is performed according to the same process as when the notification button 22 of the transmitter 21 is pressed, that is, according to the priority order. multiply. Further, as will be described later, when the respondent makes a call to the user and makes a call via the reporting device 21, a radio signal for notifying the user of the incoming call is transmitted and received by the set box 11. The data is transmitted from the unit 11a to the transmission / reception unit 24 of the reporting device 21.

  Next, the operation of the emergency call device 1 when the user makes an emergency call will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. The processing described below is mainly performed by the set box 11. In the set box 11, for example, as described above, three telephone numbers of the user's family, close relatives, and support center are displayed in the priority order. Shall be set and registered in advance with the first to third ranks.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2, in step 1 (illustrated as “S1”, the same applies hereinafter), it is determined whether or not the notification button 22 of the notification device 21 is pressed. When the determination result is YES and the notification button 22 is pressed, a wireless signal is transmitted from the notification device 21 to the set box 11 (step 2). And when the transmission / reception part 11a receives the radio signal, a telephone call process is performed (step 3).

  In this telephone call processing, as shown in FIG. 3, first, a call is made to a family mobile phone 2 (including a PDA with a telephone function; the same applies hereinafter) having the highest priority (step 11). In step 12, it is determined whether the telephone call is connected. Specifically, the set box 11 determines that the telephone is connected by receiving a reverse signal from the mobile phone 2 that is the destination. When the telephone is connected (step 12: YES), the user can talk with the family through the microphone 23 of the reporting device 21 and the speaker 12 installed in the room. At the same time, the captured image transmission process is executed (step 13).

  In this captured image transmission process, as shown in FIG. 4, first, the camera 13 is operated (step 31), and the captured image is transmitted (step 32). Specifically, the image taken by the camera 13 is subjected to image compression processing in the set box 11 and transmitted to the mobile phone 2 via the communication line 4. In this case, an image captured by the camera 13 may be directly transmitted to the mobile phone 2 as a still image or a moving image, or may be transmitted to the mobile phone 2 via a predetermined server (not shown).

  Next, in step 33, it is determined whether or not the call between the user and the family has ended. When the call is not finished (step 33: NO), the transmission of the captured image is continued (step 32), while when the call is finished (step 33: YES), the operation of the camera 13 is stopped (step 34). This process is terminated.

  Next, returning to FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not a call between the user and the family who is the respondent has been established (step 14). Specifically, when a family member who talks with the user disconnects his / her mobile phone 2 after the call, a push signal is transmitted and the set box 11 receives the push signal, thereby determining that the call has been established. And when the determination result of step 14 is YES and the telephone call between the user and the family is established, the telephone call processing is ended, and the emergency call by the user is thereby completed.

  On the other hand, when the telephone is not connected in step 12 (step 12: NO), or when the call between the user and the family is not established in step 14 (step 14: NO), priority order 2 A call is made to the close relative's cellular phone 2 (step 15), and steps 16 to 18 of the same determination and processing as in steps 12 to 14 are executed.

  In Steps 12 and 16, the state where the telephone is not connected is, for example, when the mobile phone 2 of the family or relative is not turned on, or when the family or relative is in a place where the mobile phone does not receive the radio wave. Furthermore, there is a case where a communication failure occurs due to a failure of the communication line 4 or the like. Also, when a call is not made when a call is made for a predetermined time (for example, several tens of seconds), it is determined that the telephone is not connected, and the subsequent processing is executed. On the other hand, in steps 14 and 18, the state in which the call between the user and the family or close relative is not established is, for example, the case where the mobile phone 2 of the family or close relative is set as an answering machine.

  If the user cannot make a call even after calling the first priority number and the second priority number in sequence, the process proceeds to step 19 to call the support center having the third priority order. Then, the same discrimination and processing steps 20 and 21 as in steps 12 and 13 are executed. In this case, in step 20, when the telephone is continuously called to the support center and the telephone is connected (step 20: YES), the user can talk with the operator of the support center, and at the same time, the reception within the support center is received. The various emergency call destinations described above are displayed on the monitor 3a of the apparatus 3, and an image of the user is displayed. Then, after the call with the user is completed, the operator immediately reports to the optimum emergency call destination.

  In addition, as described above, when the set box 11 receives a signal from the security / disaster prevention sensor 16, 17, or 18, the call button 22 is pressed according to the priority order in the same manner as the notification button 22 is pressed. In addition to making a call, it may be possible to make a call to an appropriate report location of registered phone numbers regardless of the priority order. For example, by calling the support center with a lower priority first, the support center operator can check the situation and promptly notify the police station, fire department, gas company, etc. if necessary. Can do.

  Next, the telephone reception process in the emergency call apparatus 1 when a call is received from the outside will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. As shown in FIG. 5, in this telephone reception process, first, in step 41, it is determined whether or not a telephone call has been received, that is, whether or not a telephone call has been received from the outside. If the determination result is NO, the present process is terminated as it is, while if the determination result in step 41 is YES and a call is received from the outside, the telephone number of the telephone is identified (step 42).

  Next, in step 43, whether or not the telephone number of the incoming call (hereinafter referred to as “received telephone number”) matches any of a plurality of registered telephone numbers (hereinafter referred to as “registered telephone numbers”). Is determined. If the determination result is NO and the received telephone number does not match any of the registered telephone numbers, that is, if the incoming call is not from the respondent, call processing described later by the telephone 14 is executed ( Step 44), the process ends. On the other hand, if the determination result in step 43 is YES and the received phone number matches any of the registered phone numbers, the code number input count n is initialized to 0 (step 45), and the code number request process is executed (step 45). Step 46).

  This personal identification number request process is for confirming the identity of the person who has made the phone call as a registered respondent. In this process, first, as shown in FIG. 6, a message requesting input of a personal identification number is transmitted to the telephone of the person who made the call (step 61). This personal identification number is, for example, a four-digit number (for example, “1234”), which is set and registered in advance in the set box 11 and is known only to all respondents. Then, when the person who made the call enters the personal identification number with his / her telephone (step 62: YES), the process returns to FIG. 5 and increments the personal identification number input number n by 1 (step 47). It is determined whether or not the personal identification number is appropriate (step 48).

  If the determination result is NO and the input password is inappropriate, the process proceeds to step 49, where it is determined whether or not the password input count n is equal to a predetermined input limit count N (for example, 3). When the determination result is NO, the above steps 46 to 48 are executed again. Then, when the code number n has reached the input limit number N (step 49: YES), the person who made the call is not the callee himself but the callee's mobile phone 2 or the like illegally. If a telephone call is made using the telephone line, the telephone line is disconnected (step 50), and the process is terminated. On the other hand, if the decision result in the step 48 is YES and the inputted personal identification number is proper, the process proceeds to a step 51 to execute a call selection instruction process.

  This call selection instruction process is for instructing the respondee, who is the person who has made the call, to select whether the call with the user is performed by the reporting device 21 or the telephone 14. is there. In this process, first, as shown in FIG. 7, a message instructing input of a call selection number is transmitted to the mobile phone 2 of the respondent (step 71). The call selection number is, for example, a one-digit number. A message that prompts the user to input, for example, “1” when making a call using the reporting device 21, or “2”, for example, when making a call using the telephone 14. Sent. Then, when the respondent enters the call selection number according to the message (step 72: YES), the process returns to FIG. 5 to determine whether or not the call by the reporting device 21 has been selected (step 52). When the determination result is YES, call processing by the reporting device 21 is executed (step 53), while when the determination result is NO, call processing by the telephone 14 is executed (step 44). As described above, the call processing by the telephone 14 is executed even when the received telephone number does not match the registered telephone number in the step 43. Thereby, a telephone call from a person other than the respondent arrives at the telephone set 14, and the telephone set 14 is used in the same manner as a normal telephone set.

  8 and 9 show call processing by the reporting device 21 and the telephone set 14, respectively. As shown in FIG. 8, in the call processing by the reporting device 21, first, the reporting device 21 receives a call from the respondent (step 81). As a result, a ring tone is generated from the reporting device 21 or the speaker 12 in order to notify the user of the incoming call. In addition, by providing a small motor in the reporting device 21, the reporting device 21 itself may be vibrated by the rotation of the small motor, instead of generating the ringing tone.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the notification button 22 of the notification device 21 has been pressed (step 82). If the determination result is YES and the user has pressed the notification button 22, the telephone line is connected and the notification device 21 is connected. Is enabled (step 83), and the above-described captured image transmission processing is executed (step 84). As a result, the respondent can make a call with the user via the reporting device 21 while confirming the state and state of the user. When the call is finished (step 33: YES in FIG. 4), the captured image transmission process and the call process by the reporting device 21 are finished, and the telephone reception process is also finished.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, in the call processing by the telephone set 14, first, the incoming call is received by the telephone set 14 (step 91), whereby a ringing tone is generated from the telephone set 14. Next, it is determined whether or not the handset of the telephone 14 has been raised (step 92). If the result of this determination is YES and the user lifts the handset, the telephone line is connected and the telephone 14 can make a call. (Step 93). As a result, the respondent or the person who made the call can make a call with the user via the telephone 14. When the call is finished (step 94: YES), the call process by the telephone 14 is finished and the telephone reception process is also finished.

  As described in detail above, according to the present embodiment, the user calls the family and relatives preferentially by simply pressing the notification button 22 of the notification device 21 carried by the user, It is possible to easily report emergency situations such as abnormalities. In addition, even when the family and relatives are not connected, the support center is surely connected, and the operator is notified to the most appropriate emergency call destination. Furthermore, since the microphone 23 is provided in the reporting device 21 and the speaker 12 is installed in each room in the residence, even if the user cannot move away from the telephone 14, Unlike the emergency call device, it is possible to make a call with the person to be called from the place without going near the telephone 14. Furthermore, since the image of the user photographed by the camera 13 is displayed on the display 2a of the mobile phone 2 on the respondent's side and the monitor 3a of the receiving device 3, the respondent can see the state and state of the user. It can be easily grasped and an optimum response can be taken to the user.

  In addition, when the callee calls the user, the callee can make a call with the user via the reporting device 21 or a call via the telephone 14 depending on his / her choice. be able to. For example, even if the user cannot easily answer the call even if the telephone 14 rings because the user's legs are inconvenient, the respondent selects the call by the reporting device 21. Thus, it is possible to talk with the user without forcing the user to go close to the telephone 14. Also, even when a call is received from the mobile phone 2 of the registered phone number, the person who makes the call is asked to enter a PIN that only the respondent can know, so that person It can be confirmed whether or not there is. As a result, when a person who is not the respondent makes a phone call to the user by illegally using the respondent's mobile phone 2 or the like, the call by the reporting device 21 is not executed. The user's room and the user's own captured image are not seen by anyone other than the reportee, and the privacy protection of the user can be ensured.

  In addition, this invention can be implemented in various aspects, without being limited to the said embodiment described. For example, in the embodiment, the case where three telephone numbers are set / registered has been described, but it is of course possible to set / register four or more telephone numbers, and the priority order thereof is also arbitrary. Can be set and registered.

  Further, the reporting device 21 carried by the user may be configured to be carried or worn by the user, and may be a pendant type or a ring type. Although the size is somewhat larger, it is also possible to provide a speaker integrally with the reporting device 21 having a microphone so that the reporting device 21 is a cordless phone type. In this case, even when the user makes an emergency call from a place where the speaker 12 in the residence is not installed, the user can make a call with the callee only by the reporting device 21. Further, by making the reporting device 21 waterproof, it is possible to make an emergency call even from a bathroom or the like.

  Furthermore, it may be set so that the camera 13 is not operated during an emergency call to the support center. In this case, only a telephone call can be made to the support center, and the user's room and the user's own captured image are not displayed on the monitor 3a of the support center, so that the privacy of the user is sufficiently secured. be able to. In the above embodiment, the support center provides only the reporting service, but other services such as a service for dispatching a helper from the support center to the user's house may be provided. In addition, the support center may be operated by a private company, an administrative agency, or a third sector.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in the telephone reception process when a call is received from the outside, the telephone number of the received telephone is identified (step 42 in FIG. 5), and the telephone number matches the registered telephone number. The password request processing (step 46) is executed at (step 43: YES), but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the steps 42 and 43 are omitted, and the request is applied from the outside. When the incoming call is received, the personal identification number request process (step 46) may be executed without identifying the telephone number of the telephone. In this case, for example, when a telephone call is received, the telephone call is received by the telephone set 14, and even if a predetermined number of times (for example, ten times) a ringing tone is generated, the telephone set of the telephone set 14 is not raised. The password number request process in step 46 is executed without executing the steps 42 and 43. Thus, by omitting the steps 42 and 43, the set box 11 does not need the function of identifying the telephone number of the received telephone, and the manufacturing cost of the set box 11 can be reduced correspondingly.

  The detailed configuration of the emergency call device 1 including the notification device 21 shown in the embodiment is merely an example, and can be appropriately changed within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of a structure of the emergency call system using the emergency call apparatus by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the notification process in an emergency call system. It is a flowchart which shows the telephone call process in a report process. It is a flowchart which shows a picked-up image transmission process. It is a flowchart which shows the telephone reception process in the emergency call apparatus when the telephone call comes from the outside. It is a flowchart which shows the PIN code input request process in a telephone reception process. It is a flowchart which shows the telephone call selection instruction | indication process in a telephone reception process. It is a flowchart which shows the telephone call process by a reporting machine. It is a flowchart which shows the telephone call process by a telephone.

Explanation of symbols

1 Emergency call device 2 Mobile phone (terminal device)
2a Display 3 Receiving device (terminal device)
4 Communication line 11 Set box (phone number storage means, telephone call means, control means,
Call establishment determination means, image transmission means, telephone reception means,
Telephone number discrimination means, call selection instruction means, incoming call means,
PIN number storage means, PIN number request means,
PIN number identification means)
11a Transmission / reception unit (reception unit)
12 Speaker 13 Camera 21 Reporter 22 Report button (operation unit)
23 Microphone 24 Transceiver (Transmitter)

Claims (12)

In order to report an emergency situation, the whistleblower is an emergency call device for calling a predetermined callee and making a call with the callee.
The transmitter has an operation unit and a microphone, and is carried by the reporter. When the reporter operates the operation unit, the transmitter transmits a predetermined radio signal via the transmitter, and also via the microphone. A reporting device that enables a call with the respondent,
Provided separately from this reporting machine, a speaker for conveying the voice of the respondee to the reporter,
A receiving unit for receiving the wireless signal from the reporting device;
A telephone number storage means for storing a plurality of telephone numbers of the predetermined respondents together with a priority order for making a call;
A telephone calling means capable of making a call to any of the plurality of stored telephone numbers;
Control means for controlling the telephone call means so as to make a call according to the priority order to the telephones of the plurality of stored telephone numbers when the receiving unit receives the wireless signal from the reporting device;
An emergency call device characterized by comprising: Call establishment determination means for determining whether or not a call between the reportee and the reporter who is the other party of the call made by the telephone transmission means is established;
The control means controls the call origination means to place a call to a telephone having a telephone number with the next highest priority when the call establishment determination means determines that the call is not established. The emergency call device according to claim 1, wherein   The emergency call device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising setting means for setting the plurality of telephone numbers to be stored in the telephone number storage means and the priority order.   The emergency notification device according to claim 3, wherein the setting means is at least one of a first telephone, a personal computer, and a portable terminal.   The emergency call device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the speaker includes a plurality of speakers.   The emergency notification device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the operation unit of the notification device has a push button that transmits the wireless signal when the operation unit is pressed.   The respondent who has the lowest priority among the plurality of respondents is a support provider that provides a predetermined service for supporting the reporter in response to a report from the reporter. The emergency call device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A camera for photographing the reporter;
An image transmission means for transmitting an image captured by the camera to a terminal device provided on the reportedee side;
The emergency call device according to claim 1, further comprising:   The emergency notification device according to claim 8, wherein the terminal device is a mobile phone having a display for displaying the transmitted image.   9. The emergency notification device according to claim 8, wherein the terminal device is a PDA having a display for displaying the transmitted image. A second telephone provided on the reporter side;
A telephone receiving means for receiving calls made from outside;
A password storage means for storing a predetermined password;
A password request means for requesting input of a password for a person who makes a call when the telephone receiving means receives the call;
A password identification means for determining whether or not the inputted password matches the predetermined password;
A call for instructing the person who made the call to select whether to make a call by the reporting machine or the second telephone when the input password matches the predetermined password Selection instruction means;
In response to the selection, an incoming means for receiving the received telephone to the selected one of the reporting device and the second telephone;
The emergency call device according to claim 1, further comprising: Phone number determination means for determining whether the telephone number of the telephone received by the telephone reception means matches any of the plurality of telephone numbers;
12. The personal identification number requesting unit executes the request for input of the personal identification number when a telephone number of the received telephone matches one of the plurality of telephone numbers. Emergency call device.

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