Emergency Telephone With Integrated Surveillance System Connectivity

Abstract

Embodiments provide an emergency telephone system including an emergency telephone, an interface connecting the emergency telephone to a network, a camera on the network, the camera being focused on the emergency telephone, a control system for activating the camera, and a monitoring station for displaying camera captured data.

1 - 53 . (canceled) 
   
   
       54 . A visual surveillance system comprising:
 an emergency telephone at an emergency call location, the emergency call location being remote from a monitoring station, the emergency telephone being operable for use by an emergency user at the emergency call location to place an emergency call, the emergency telephone being in communication with an IP network;   when an emergency call is placed an emergency call signal being provided from the emergency telephone to the IP network;   a surveillance camera trained on the emergency user during use of the emergency telephone to place an emergency call, the camera being connected to the IP network, the camera when activated being operable to provide to the IP network compressed image data, the compressed image data including at least one visual image of the emergency user during the use of the emergency telephone; and   the monitoring station being connected to the IP network for receiving the compressed image data, the monitoring station being operable to display from the compressed image data at least one visual image of the emergency user.   
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 54 , and further comprising:
 a control system in communication with the IP network, the control system being operable to receive the emergency call signal, the control system being operable to provide to the monitoring station notice of the emergency call signal.   
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 54 , and further comprising:
 an access door operable by the emergency user to gain access to the emergency telephone, the control system being responsive when an emergency user opens the access door.   
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 54 , and further comprising:
 the emergency telephone being a VOIP telephone.   
   
   
       58 . The system of  claim 54 , and further comprising:
 the emergency telephone being an incompatible telephone, the incompatible telephone being incompatible for communication over an IP network;   a voice over IP conversion device connected to the incompatible telephone for receiving an incompatible telephone signal, and the conversion device being operable to transmit to the IP network a sequence of IP packets conveying the telephone signal.   
   
   
       59 . The system of  claim 58 , and further comprising:
 a PBX switch for switching a plurality of incompatible telephones, the IP conversion device being connected to the PBX for transmitting to the IP network a sequence of IP packets conveying an incompatible telephone signal from any of the plurality of incompatible telephone.   
   
   
       60 . The system of  claim 57 , and further comprising:
 a hub for connecting the camera and the VOIP telephone to the network.   
   
   
       61 . The system of  claim 60 , and further comprising:
 a power supply associated with the hub for powering the camera and the VOIP telephone.   
   
   
       62 . The system of  claim 54 , and further comprising:
 a telephone associated with the monitoring station, the telephone being operable for an emergency operator to communicate with the emergency user during use of the emergency telephone.   
   
   
       63 . The system of  claim 54 , and further comprising:
 the monitoring station having VOIP communications capability for personal to communicate with the emergency user.   
   
   
       64 . A surveillance system adapted for use with an emergency telephone system. the emergency telephone system including an emergency telephone accessible by a respective emergency user at a respective emergency call location for placing a respective emergency call, the emergency location being remote from personnel receiving the emergency call from the emergency telephone on the emergency telephone system, the surveillance system comprising:
 an internet protocol network;   a network interface connected to the internet protocol network, the network being connected to the emergency telephone system. the emergency telephone system via the network interface being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network the emergency call, the emergency call being provided to the internet protocol network in a format compatible with the internet protocol network;   a surveillance camera separate from the emergency telephone, the surveillance camera being operable to capture visual image data of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone, the surveillance camera being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network captured visual image data of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone;   a monitoring station in communication with the internet protocol network to receive the captured visual image data of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone, the monitoring station upon receiving the captured visual image data of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone being operable to display for viewing by personnel at the monitoring station a visual image of the emergency user placing the emergency call on the emergency telephone; and   the emergency call received from the internet protocol network being provided to personnel at the monitoring station.   
   
   
       65 . The system of  claim 64 , and further comprising:
 the monitoring station displaying an icon on a map for indicating a position of the emergency telephone.   
   
   
       66 . The system of  claim 64 , and further comprising:
 an apparatus for archiving a call and security system data for later retrieval purposes.   
   
   
       67 . An emergency communication system comprising:
 an emergency telephone at an emergency call location, the emergency call location being remote from a monitoring station, the emergency telephone being usable by an emergency user at the emergency call location to generate an emergency call, the emergency telephone being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network the emergency signal;   a surveillance camera at the emergency call location, the surveillance camera being operable to capture visual image data of the emergency user using the emergency telephone to generate the emergency call, the surveillance camera being in communication with the internet protocol network to provide to the internet protocol network captured visual image data of the emergency user; and   a monitoring station in communication with the internet protocol network to receive the captured visual image data of the emergency user, the monitoring station upon receiving the captured visual image data of the emergency user being operable to display for viewing by personnel a visual image of the emergency user, the emergency call being directed to the personnel at the monitoring station viewing the visual image of the emergency user.