Personal emergency response system with alternative voice line capability

1. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter in operative communication with a console and operative to send a first signal to the console;

the console operatively connected to a communication network and operative to send a second signal over the communication network to at least two different response systems, the console comprising:

a receiver operative to receive the first signal from the transmitter, a controller operative to compare the first signal from the transmitter with a set of pre-determined values, access the communication network and dial one of at least two pre-programmed voice line addresses, each pre-programmed voice line address corresponding to one of the two different response systems; and

a communication interface operative to connect the receiver to the communication network;

an audible communication device coupled to the controller and the communication interface; and

a tone simulator that generates two tones, a first tone being generated upon connection of a voice line to one of the two different response systems and a second tone being generated to cause the termination of the voice line connection between a user of the communication system and an individual at one of the two different response systems;

wherein the system is configured to terminate the voice line connection between the console and the one of the two different response systems, when a predetermined tone is audible on a live connection between the console and the one of the two different response systems;

the first tone signaling to the console that the voice line communication has begun and the second tone signaling to the console that the voice line communication has ended.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the tone simulator is located on a communication server at one or more of the response systems.

3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the at least two response systems comprise an emergency response system and a non-emergency medical center.

4. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first tone is a sinusoidal tone representing a 1 tone.

5. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the second tone is a sinusoidal tone representing a 9 tone.

6. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the console further comprises the tone simulator.

7. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter comprises two buttons, the first button operative to send the first signal to the console to dial a first pre-programmed voice line address to call an emergency response system when pressed, the second button operative to send the first signal to the console to dial a second pre-programmed voice line address to call a non-emergency medical center.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the pre-determined set of values comprises one or both of: a frequency value and a time value.

9. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter in operative communication with a console and operative to send a first signal to the console;

the console operatively connected to a communication network and operative to send a second signal over the communication network to at least two response systems, the console comprising:

a receiver operative to receive the first signal from the transmitter, a controller operative to compare the first signal from the transmitter with a set of pre-determined values, access the communication network and dial one of at least two pre-programmed voice line addresses, each pre-programmed voice line address corresponding to one of the two different response systems; and

a communication interface operative to connect the receiver to the communication network; and

a an audible communication device coupled to the controller and the communication interface;

wherein the system is configured to terminate a connection between the console and the one of the two different response systems, when a predetermined tone is audible on a voice line connection between the console and the one of the two different response systems.

10. The communication system of claim 9 further comprising a tone simulator that generates two tones, a first tone being generated upon connection of a voice line to one of the two different response systems and a second tone being generated upon termination of audible communication on the voice line between a user of the communication system and an individual at one two different response systems; wherein the first tone signals to the console the start of the voice line communication and the second tone signals to the console the end of the voice line communication.

11. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the first tone is a sinusoidal tone representing a 1 tone and the second tone is a sinusoidal tone representing a 9 tone.

12. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the two different response systems comprise an emergency response system and a non-emergency medical center.

13. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the non-emergency medical center is a medical triage call center.

14. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the transmitter comprises one or more buttons, each button being operative to send a signal to the console when pressed.

15. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the transmitter comprises two buttons, the first button operative to send the first signal to the console to dial a first pre-programmed voice line address to call an emergency response system when pressed, the second button operative to send the first signal to the console to dial a second pre-programmed voice line address to call a non-emergency medical center when pressed.

16. The communication system of claim 10 further comprising one or more sensors operative to send a signal to the console, the sensors comprising one or more of an ambient temperature sensor, a body temperature sensor, a pulse sensor, a motion sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor and a smoke sensor.

17. A method of communicating comprising:

transmitting a signal to a console;

receiving the signal;

comparing the signal with a set of pre-determined values;

accessing a communication network and dialing one of at least two pre-programmed voice line addresses based upon the received signal, each pre-programmed voice line address corresponding to one of two different response systems; and

connecting to a communication network to provide audible communication over the communication network;

generating two tones, a first tone being generated upon connection of a voice line to one of the two different response systems and a second tone being generated to cause the termination of the voice line connection between a user of the communication system and an individual at one of the two different response systems, the first tone signaling to the console that the voice line communication has begun and the second tone signaling to the console that the voice line communication has ended;

wherein the system is configured to terminate a connection between the console and the one of the two different response systems, when a predetermined tone is audible on a voice line connection between the console and the one of the two different response systems.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the two different response systems comprise an emergency response system and a non-emergency medical center.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the first tone is a sinusoidal tone representing a 1 tone, and the second tone is a sinusoidal tone representing a 9 tone.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the transmission step comprises pressing one of two buttons, the first button operative to send a signal to the console to dial a first pre-programmed voice line address to call an emergency response system when pressed, the second button operative to send a signal to the console to dial a second pre-programmed voice line address to call a non-emergency medical center when pressed.