Method and device for implementing portable guide and guard system

• US 20040018838A1
• Filed: 07/24/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jiun-Bei Chang
• Original Assignee: Jiun-Bei Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Jiun-Bei
• Application Number:
  US10/627,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20040018838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and device for implementing a portable guide and guard system is provided. The portable guide and guard device includes a mini-camera, a sound gathering/broadcasting unit and a 3G wireless communicator. The communicator sends the AV signal to remote service center through an AV transmitting function of 3G wireless communication system, and the service personnel in the center answers the user in response to the received live image and sound so as to assist the user contacted therewith. The service center has functions of videoing, monitoring and emergency assistance. Through the combination of the abundant database system, network information searching and various on-line services provided by the service center, the portable guide and guard device can provide foreign language communication/translation, guiding, consulting, network information providing, monitoring, videoing, security protecting and emergency assisting for global foreign tourists, blind and dumb people or security service personnel.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a portable guide and guard system having a portable guide and guard device, a communication connecting system and an information service station, wherein:

said portable guide and guard device comprises a mini-camera, a central processing unit, a sound gathering unit, a sound broadcasting unit, an antennal terminal and a power unit;

said communication connecting system at least comprises a wireless communication network, a communication system and a wired communication network;

said information service station at least comprises a service center having plural sub-systems, wherein said plural sub-systems comprises a main computer system, a signal exchanging device, a database system, an internal network and plural human-machine interfaces; and

said method for implementing said portable guide and guard system comprises steps of;

1) receiving an external image via said mini-camera of said portable guide and guard device for generating a live video signal, receiving a sound from a user and/or an outside via a microphone of said sound gathering unit for generating a live audio signal, transmitting said video signal and said audio signal through said central processing unit of said portable guide and guard device to said antennal terminal of said portable guide and guard device and emitting said video and said audio signals by means of a wireless electromagnetic wave, wherein said portable guide and guard device is powered by said power unit;

2) receiving said wireless electromagnetic wave by a base station of said 3G wireless communication network and then transmitting said video and audio signals to said communication system;

3) exchanging and processing said video and audio signals by said communication system which relays said signals and then transmitting thereof to said wired communication network;

4) sending said video and audio signals to said remote service center through said wired communication network;

5) receiving said video and audio signals by said signal exchanging device of said service center, sending said video and audio signals to said main computer system after being processed by said signal exchanging device, simultaneously sending said video and audio signals to said database system for recording and to one of said plural human-machine interfaces through said internal network by said main computer system, depending on said received image and said received sound from said user and/or outside, a service personnel at said human-machine interface implements necessary processing procedures and then sending a responding dialogue through a microphone of said human-machine interface in response to said image and said sound, and transmitting a voice signal of said responding dialogue out sequentially through said human-machine interface, said internal network, said main computer system and said signal exchanging device in said service center;

6) reverse-transmitting said voice signal from said service center to said portable guide and guard device of said user through the same pathway so as to assist said user to converse with said service center and set forth questions through the connection therebetween.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information service station further comprises an Internet, an Internet connection network between said service center and said Internet and an Internet server, which is added in said sub-systems of said service center, so that said service center cooperates an Internet information obtained from said Internet due to a searching ability thereof with an information transmitting ability achieved by said method so as to implement said portable guide and guard system and provide the Internet information and all kinds of on-line services to said user over the Internet.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wireless communication network and said communication system both are 3G wireless mobile communication systems.

4. A detached portable guide and guard device for coupling to a portable guide and guard system, comprising a mini-camera, a central processing unit, a sound gathering unit, a sound broadcasting unit, an antennal terminal and a power unit, wherein:

said mini-camera at least comprises an optical camera and an image processing element, wherein after an external optical image captured by said optical camera passes through said image processing element, an analog signal thereof is transformed into a digital signal which is then inputted into said central processing unit for processing a signal output procedure;

said central processing unit is a computer component, wherein a video signal from said mini-camera and an audio signal from a microphone, which are passed through said output signal procedure, are transmitted to said antennal terminal by said central processing unit for emitting a wireless electromagnetic wave and an external electromagnetic wave received by said antennal terminal is decoded by said central processing unit and then transmitted to said sound broadcasting unit for broadcasting the sound;

said sound gathering unit comprises a fixed microphone positioned above a panel of said device and a sound gathering element position inside said device, wherein an external sound is received by said fixed microphone, transmitted to said sound gathering element for proceeding a signal processing, and then transmitted to said central processing unit for proceeding an output processing of the sound signal;

said sound broadcasting unit comprises a fixed speaker and an external earphone position above said panel of said device and a sound broadcasting element positioned inside said device, wherein a voice signal received by said antennal terminal is processed by said sound broadcasting element and then transmitted to said speaker, said external earphone and an external earphone of said microphone so as to broadcast the sound;

said antennal terminal at least comprises an emitter, a receiver and an antenna, wherein an encoded signal from said central processing unit is electro-magnetically modulated by said emitter so that a wireless electromagnetic wave signal is emitted through said antenna, and a wireless electromagnetic wave signal received by said antenna from said wireless communication network is demodulated by said receiver and then transmitted to said central processing unit for signal decoding and processing other sequential procedures; and

said power unit is a high efficiency battery, wherein said battery has an ability of measuring residue power for warning the user a low power status.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said device comprises a power switch, a button of portable guide and guard function, a speaker mute button, a volume regulating button, an earphone/microphone socket, an antenna and a status indicator, which are external operating and display elements.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said external operating and display elements further comprises an emergency calling button for notifying a service center and looking for an immediate assistance under an emergency situation.

7. A separate portable guide and guard device for coupling to a portable guide and guard system, comprising a 3G mobile phone and an external video/audio input/output device, wherein:

said external video/audio input/output device comprises a mini-camera, a microphone, a speaker, a power/signal line and a plug thereof for connecting to said 3G mobile phone and an emergency calling button; and

said 3G mobile phone comprises;

1) a central processing unit for processing all signals, data and control instructions in said external video/audio input/output device;

2) a sound gathering unit having an external microphone accessory and a sound gathering element, wherein an external sound received by said microphone of said external video/audio input/output device is inputted into said sound gathering element of said 3G mobile phone through said power/signal line and, on the other hand, a voice from said external microphone accessory is transmitted to said central processing unit of said 3G mobile phone for proceeding a voice output processing, and furthermore, said sound gathering element has an ability of echo elimination which is initiated when said microphone of said external video/audio input/output device and said external microphone accessory of said 3G mobile phone are simultaneously operated so as to reduce an echo;

3) a sound broadcasting unit having an external earphone accessory and a broadcasting element, wherein a voice signal received from an antennal terminal of said 3G mobile phone is processed by said broadcasting element and then transmitted to said speaker of said external video/audio input/output device through said power/signal line for broadcasting said voice, and, on the other hand, a voice from a service center is received through said external earphone of said 3G mobile phone;

4) an antennal terminal for emitting and receiving a wireless electromagnetic wave of said external video/audio input/output device;

5) a power unit for supplying all power demanded by said external video/audio input/output device;

6) a power switch, wherein after said plug of said power/signal line of said external video/audio input/output device is plugged into a socket of said 3G mobile phone, said power switch immediately has an ability to initiate a power supply, and then said external video/audio input/output device is synchronous to an operation of said power switch of said 3G mobile phone;

7) a function of power on/off said portable guide and guard, wherein after said plug of said power/signal line of said external video/audio input/output device is plugged into said socket of said 3G mobile phone, said portable guide and guard function is initiated/shut down through pressing a confirm button of said 3G mobile phone;

8) a function of speaker mute which is initiated/shut down through choosing a mute sub-selection in a menu of portable guide and guard of said 3G mobile phone;

9) a volume regulating button for also controlling a volume of said speaker of said external video/audio input/output device; and

10) an earphone/microphone socket for externally connecting an earphone/microphone accessory to obtain a sound gathering function from said microphone and a sound broadcasting function from said earphone.