Method of making an emergency telephone call and an automatic calling apparatus for making such call

• US 20050176402A1
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GDI Electronics
• Original Assignee: GDI Electronics
• Inventors: Yuan, Alex, Verloop, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/776,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176402A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks

Abstract

A method of making emergency telephone calls through the mobile communications system to the nearest emergency service unit and the automatic calling apparatus for making such call are provided, wherein the emergency call is transmitted through a mobile communications network, and a list of useful emergency service units with telephone numbers and area codes is kept by the above apparatus. The emergency service units may be distributed across different districts, and the automatic calling apparatus is still able to keep track of the current location of the user dynamically through the regular line connection with the mobile communications network and matching with a local area code. When the emergency button is pressed, an emergency call will be sent out to the nearest emergency service unit, thus the call-response time can be well controlled for making a rapid response.

Claims

1. A method of making an emergency telephone call through the mobile communications system, comprising the steps of:

preparing a portable automatic calling apparatus for fastening onto a user'"'"'s body;

saving telephone numbers of call receivers, with the area codes of the receivers, in memory records created in the automatic calling apparatus;

establishing a regular line connection to a mobile communications network using the portable automatic calling apparatus whenever the user moves about from one place to another, especially when crossing over district boundaries;

extracting local area code information from an initialization message of the mobile communications network;

searching through memory records to locate a call receiver with the same area code; and

transmitting an emergency call through the mobile communications network to a nearest call receiver having the same area code when the emergency button on the apparatus is pressed;

whereby when the user moves to a different district, the apparatus is still able to update the location of the user and pick out a nearest call receiver to dial.

2. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communications network is operated with cellular communications equipment.

3. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 2, wherein the cellular communications equipment is based on a GSM/GPRS system.

4. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 1, wherein the call receiver is a hospital.

5. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 1, wherein the call receiver is an ambulance operator.

6. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 1, wherein the call receiver is a rescue operation center.

7. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 1, wherein the call receiver is a police station.

8. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 1, wherein the call receiver is a fire brigade.

9. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 1, wherein the call receiver is a family doctor.

10. The method of making an emergency telephone call according to claim 1, wherein the call receiver is a related person of the user.

11. An automatic calling apparatus, comprising:

a microprocessor (10) being used for data processing and serving as a control hub, where one input is connected to an emergency call button (11);

a memory module (12) being connected to the microprocessor (10) for saving operation data, including the telephone numbers and area codes of call receivers, and program instructions; and

a mobile communications interface (20) being connected to the microprocessor (10), which is a GSM/GPRS communications module for linking to a mobile communications network;

whereby the automatic calling apparatus, attached to the user, changes the location whenever the user moves from one place to another, and the apparatus is able to establish regular line connection with the mobile communications network through the mobile communications interface (20), such that the microprocessor (10) can extract local area code information of the mobile communications network and use that information to search through memory records to locate a nearest call receiver with the same area code, and when the user actuates the emergency button (11), the microprocessor (10) uses the telephone number of the nearest call receiver to dial.

12. The automatic calling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the mobile communications interface is a GSM/GPRS communications module.

13. The automatic calling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the automatic calling apparatus is installed in a personal computing device.

14. The automatic calling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the personal computing device is a notebook computer.

15. The automatic calling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the personal computing device is a flat panel computer.

16. The automatic calling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the personal computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

17. The automatic calling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the automatic calling apparatus is incorporated in a repeater that has a diverse communications interface linking to different network systems through a personal computing device.