Emergency notification device in radio communication apparatus

• US 20030157924A1
• Filed: 02/18/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vertex Standard LMR, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujiki, Shiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,310,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

When an emergency button 8a of a radio communication apparatus has been turned ON and a transmit mode button 8b has been depressed, an MCU 11 sets frequencies of a receiving section 2 and a transmitting section 3 to an emergency communication frequency. The MCU 11 also causes an indicator lamp 10 to illuminate or flash at peak intensity, and causes a burst sound to be supplied from a loudspeaker 6 at the maximum volume.

Then, the MCU 11 causes a built-in timer to measure a given time period while resetting the timer whenever a reception/transmission switching operation is performed or a communicating signal is detected. While the timer measures the time period, the MCU 11 causes the indicator lamp 10 to be turned off. When a timer expiration is detected, the, MCU 11 causes the indicator lamp 10 to be turned on or flashed again.

Claims

1. An emergency notification device in a radio communication apparatus including an indicator lamp, comprising:

an emergency mode button for setting an emergency mode;

frequency switching means for switching reception and transmission frequencies to an emergency communication frequency when said emergency mode is set;

signal detection means for detecting a presence or absence of a communicating signal while said emergency mode is set;

timer means for measuring a given time period, said timer means being reset whenever a reception/transmission switching signal is detected or the communicating signal is detected by said signal detection means while said emergency mode is set; and

lamp controlling means for turning on or flashing said indicator lamp when said emergency mode is set, turning off said indicator lamp while said timer means measures the time period, and turning on or flashing said indicator lamp when expiration of said timer means is detected.

2. The emergency notification device in the radio communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

burst sound producing means for outputting a burst sound from a loudspeaker when said emergency mode is set, stopping output of the burst sound while said timer means measures the time period, and outputting the burst sound when expiration of said timer means is detected.

3. The emergency notification device in the radio communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lamp controlling means illuminates or flashes said indicator lamp at peak intensity in said emergency mode.

4. The emergency notification device in the radio communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein flashing control over said indicator lamp by said lamp controlling means is executed according to a flashing condition associated with signal information for emergency notification.