Cell phone emergency mode for location in rubble
First Claim
1. A method for operating a mobile phone in an emergency mode (hereinafter:
- E-mode) when suddenly buried by rubble, comprising;
detecting, at the mobile phone, a sudden reduction in signal strength received from a first cellular base station;
determining that a position of the mobile phone has not changed during the sudden reduction in signal strength; and
if the position of the mobile phone has not changed during the sudden reduction in signal strength, the mobile phone entering the E-mode including reducing one or more of;
a signal strength of transmissions by the mobile phone;
a transmission duty cycle by the mobile phone; and
receiver circuit power consumption of the mobile phone.
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Abstract
Mobile phones, phone systems, and emergency location systems are described with features that assist rescue teams in locating survivors in a disaster situation where a phone user and their mobile phone are buried under rubble. To enable the phone'"'"'s battery charge to last longer, an emergency power conservation mode (E-mode) is activated by either receiving a command from an external source via RF transmission, or by noticing a rapid reduction in signal strength from a tower without changing the phone'"'"'s physical location. Transmissions are also made by the phone from time to time indicating the user'"'"'s health condition including providing an indication of life. Portable RF devices may be deployed at grid positions to locate mobile phones by triangulation based on signals received from mobile phones while battery charge still exists for the mobile phones immediately following the disaster.
24 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for operating a mobile phone in an emergency mode (hereinafter:
- E-mode) when suddenly buried by rubble, comprising;
detecting, at the mobile phone, a sudden reduction in signal strength received from a first cellular base station;
determining that a position of the mobile phone has not changed during the sudden reduction in signal strength; and
if the position of the mobile phone has not changed during the sudden reduction in signal strength, the mobile phone entering the E-mode including reducing one or more of;
a signal strength of transmissions by the mobile phone;
a transmission duty cycle by the mobile phone; and
receiver circuit power consumption of the mobile phone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- E-mode) when suddenly buried by rubble, comprising;
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12. A method for operating a mobile phone in an emergency mode (hereinafter:
- E-mode) when buried by rubble, comprising;
detecting, at the mobile phones a sudden reduction in signal strength received from a first cellular base station;
determining that a position of the mobile phone has not changed during the sudden reduction in signal strength;
if the position of the mobile phone has not changed during the sudden reduction in signal strength, the mobile phone entering the E-mode including reducing one or more of;
a signal strength of transmissions by the mobile phone;
a transmission duty cycle by the mobile phone; and
receiver circuit power consumption of the mobile phone, wherein reducing power consumption for the receiver circuit within the mobile phone enables continued emergency communication while conserving battery power while receiving, a faint signal;
analyzing sounds detected by a microphone included with the mobile phone, and transmitting information indicative of those sounds, wherein the detected sounds are indicative of signs of life regarding the phone'"'"'s user, and wherein the phone'"'"'s user is unconscious or constrained in such a way that they are unable to reach or use their phone. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- E-mode) when buried by rubble, comprising;
Specification