Method and apparatus for emergency notification
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a sensor affixed to a vehicle for indicating an emergency event;
a master device affixed to the vehicle and coupled to the sensor, wherein the master device is operable to transmit a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal notification of the event responsive to the sensor indication;
a portable device of a sufficiently small size for carrying by a person, the portable device comprising;
telecommunications circuitry operable to communicate on a wireless carrier system; and
a slave device coupled to the telecommunications circuitry, wherein the slave device is operable to i) receive the close-range, standard-protocol radio signal notification from the master device and ii) trigger the telecommunications circuitry to transmit a wireless carrier system notification of the event.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable apparatus includes telecommunications circuitry operable to communicate on a wireless carrier system, and a slave device coupled to the telecommunications circuitry. The slave device is operable to i) receive a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal notification from a master device affixed to a vehicle, and ii) trigger the telecommunications circuitry to transmit a wireless carrier system notification of the event. The emergency event includes a change above a certain threshold magnitude of speed of the vehicle, a change above a certain threshold magnitude of acceleration of the vehicle, a change above a certain threshold magnitude of rate of acceleration of the vehicle, or deployment of an air bag.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a sensor affixed to a vehicle for indicating an emergency event;
a master device affixed to the vehicle and coupled to the sensor, wherein the master device is operable to transmit a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal notification of the event responsive to the sensor indication;
a portable device of a sufficiently small size for carrying by a person, the portable device comprising;
telecommunications circuitry operable to communicate on a wireless carrier system; and
a slave device coupled to the telecommunications circuitry, wherein the slave device is operable to i) receive the close-range, standard-protocol radio signal notification from the master device and ii) trigger the telecommunications circuitry to transmit a wireless carrier system notification of the event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31)
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14. An apparatus comprising:
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telecommunications circuitry operable to communicate on a wireless carrier system; and
a slave device coupled to the telecommunications circuitry, wherein the slave device is operable to i) receive a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal notification from a master device affixed to a vehicle, and ii) trigger the telecommunications circuitry to transmit a wireless carrier system notification of the event, wherein the apparatus is of a sufficiently small size for carrying by a person in a coat or trousers pocket, and wherein the emergency event comprises a change above a certain threshold magnitude of speed of the vehicle, a change above a certain threshold magnitude of acceleration of the vehicle, a change above a certain threshold magnitude of rate of acceleration of the vehicle, or deployment of an air bag.
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23. A method for generating an emergency notification, the method comprising the steps of:
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searching, by a master device affixed to a vehicle, for an apparatus within the vehicle, wherein the apparatus has a slave device operable to communicate via a close-range, standard-protocol radio signal, and the apparatus has telecommunication circuitry operable to communicate via a wireless carrier system;
forming a close-range, standard-protocol network for the master device and the apparatus within the vehicle, responsive to the master device finding the apparatus;
signaling the master device of an emergency event responsive to a sensor affixed to the vehicle detecting the event;
notifying the slave device of the emergency event by the master device via the close-range, standard-protocol radio signal responsive to the signal from the sensor; and
triggering, by the slave device responsive to the notification from the master device, the telecommunications circuitry to transmit a wireless carrier system notification of the event.
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28. A computer program product for an apparatus of a sufficiently small size for carrying by a person in a coat or trousers pocket, the computer program product comprising:
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instructions for storing emergency notification information;
instructions for receiving an emergency event notification from a Bluetooth-protocol radio signal receiver affixed to the apparatus;
instructions for looking up the emergency notification information responsive to the receiving of the event notification, wherein the emergency notification information includes a message for a receiving device; and
instructions for driving telecommunications circuitry affixed to the apparatus responsive to finding the message.
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Specification