Emergency call-back for a wireless communication device equipped with a user removable module

• US 20040203576A1
• Filed: 03/06/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aerrabotu, Naveen, Droste, Scott T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus (100) and method (200) for enabling a wireless communication device operating in a locked mode to receive an incoming call is provided. The wireless communication device is equipped with a user removable module (118) containing user information. As the wireless communication device (100) in the locked mode initially transmits a call to an emergency service center (212), the wireless communication device (100) receives an indication allowing it to access some of the user information contained in the user removable module (216). Using the accessed user information, the wireless communication device (100) is registered in a local network (402), enabling the wireless communication device to receive incoming call for a predefined period of time (220).

Claims

1. A wireless communication device configured to operate in a locked mode and configured to use a user removable module which contains user information, the wireless communication device comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a telephone number;

a memory circuit configured to store a predefined telephone number therein;

a processor coupled to the user interface and the memory, the processor configured to initiate a call while the wireless communication device is operating in the locked mode if the telephone number received by the user interface matches the predefined telephone number stored in the memory;

a transmitter coupled to the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit the call upon initiation of the call by the processor; and

a receiver coupled to the processor, the receiver configured to receive incoming calls after the transmission of the call,

wherein the processor is configured to access at least a subset of the user information contained in the user removable module for a predefined period of time after the transmission of the call.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to process the incoming calls for the predefined period of time after the transmission of the call.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to monitor a channel assignment for the call after the transmission of the call.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3, wherein the processor accesses the at least a subset of the user information contained in the user removable module after the channel assignment for the call is made.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to register the wireless communication device to a local network after the processor accesses the at least a subset of the user information contained in the user removable module.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a timing circuit coupled to the processor configured to generate a start time of the predefined period of time and to provide timing information to the processor,

wherein the memory circuit is configured to store the start time, and the processor is configured to determine whether the predefined period of time has expired based upon comparison between the start time in the memory circuit and the timing information received from the timing circuit.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to place the wireless communication device in the locked mode upon determining the predefined period of time has expired.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the timing circuit is configured to provide timing information based upon an external time reference.

9. A method in a wireless communication device operating in a locked mode for enabling the wireless communication device to receive incoming calls, the wireless communication device having a user removable module containing user information, the method comprising:

transmitting an emergency call to an emergency service center;

receiving an indication allowing access to at least a subset of the user information contained in the user removable module in response to transmitting the emergency call;

accessing the at least a subset of the user information;

transmitting appropriate information based on the at least a subset of the user information; and

responding to incoming calls for a predefined period of time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting an emergency call to an emergency service center by transmitting the emergency call upon determining a telephone number received matches a prestored telephone number for the emergency service center.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving an indication allowing access to at least a subset of the user information by receiving the indication after receiving at least one of a channel assignment message for the emergency call, a service connect message for the emergency call, and an acknowledgement for the emergency call.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising registering the wireless communication device to a local wireless network after transmitting appropriate information based on the at least a subset of the user information.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein responding incoming calls for a predefined period of time by:

storing a start time stamp indicating a start of the predefined period of time in memory;

tracking an elapsed period of time from the start time stamp; and

responding to the incoming calls while the elapsed period of time is less than the predefined period of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein storing a start time stamp indicating a start of the predefined period of time in memory by storing at least one of the channel assignment for the emergency call and the termination of the emergency call as the start of the predefined period of time in at least one of an internal memory and the user removable module.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein tracking an elapsed period of time from the start time stamp by tracking the elapsed period of time monitored by at least one of an internal clock and an external time reference.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising resetting the start time stamp by at least one of resetting the start time stamp each time an emergency call is transmitted from the wireless communication device and resetting the start time stamp each time a call is received during the predefined period of time.

17. A method in a wireless communication device operating in a locked mode and equipped with a user removable module containing user information for allowing the wireless communication device access to at least a subset of the user information for a predefined period of time, the method comprising:

transmitting an emergency call to an emergency service center;

receiving an indication allowing access to the at least a subset of the user information contained in the user removable module in response to transmitting the emergency call after receiving a channel assignment for the emergency call;

storing a start time stamp indicating a start of the predefined period of time in memory;

tracking an elapsed period of time from the start time stamp; and

allowing access to the at least a subset of the user information contained in the user removable module while the elapsed period of time is less than the predefined period of time.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein storing a start time stamp indicating a start of the predefined period of time in memory by storing at least one of the channel assignment for the emergency call and the termination of the emergency call as the start of the predefined period of time in at least one of an internal memory and the user removable module.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein tracking an elapsed period of time from the start time stamp by tracking the elapsed period of time monitored by at least one of an internal clock and an external time reference.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising resetting the start time stamp by at least one of resetting the start time stamp each time an emergency call is transmitted from the wireless communication device and resetting the start time stamp each time a call is received during the predefined period of time.