Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving an emergency rescue request using UWB signals

• US 20060046687A1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Soon-Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for transmitting/receiving emergency rescue signals are disclosed. In the apparatus and the method, when an emergency occurs, it is possible to provide a function capable of notifying a place at which such an emergency has occurred by means of a corresponding terminal. Accordingly, when a rescue request is accepted, a rescue center sends a rescue team to the general position of the terminal based on the GPS position information or the reporter'"'"'s statement, and finds out an exact point for a corresponding terminal by means of a searching apparatus. Herein, the rescue team receives UWB signals received from the corresponding terminal of a victim at the already understood general position through the searching apparatus, and finds the victim'"'"'s exact position.

Claims

1. An emergency rescue request method using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals in a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a control message including control contents for an emergency rescue mode of the mobile communication terminal;

shifting to an emergency rescue mode according to the received control message;

generating UWB signals when the mobile communication terminal is in the emergency rescue mode; and

broadcasting the generated UWB signals.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control message includes a predetermined code indicating that the control message is a message for controlling the UWB signals and a predetermined code value for controlling an output value at which the UWB signals are outputted.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of generating the UWB signals comprises the steps of:

generating a final bit stream including a bit stream, which has a predetermined pattern representing emergency rescue signals, and information for the mobile communication terminal; and

UWB-modulating the final bit stream.

4. A method for transmitting an emergency rescue request using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals in a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating position information of the mobile communication terminal and generating UWB signals, when the mobile communication terminal is in an emergency rescue request mode;

transmitting the calculated position information to a rescue center; and

broadcasting the generated UWB signals.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the emergency rescue request mode is executed when key input corresponding to an emergency rescue request is received from a user.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the position information includes a GPS position information obtained through GPS signals received from a GPS satellite.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

periodically measuring Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) and determining whether the measured RSSI is smaller than a reference RSSI; and

shifting to the emergency rescue request mode when the measured RSSI is smaller than the reference RSSI.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the UWB signals are obtained by generating a final bit stream including a bit stream, which has a predetermined pattern representing emergency rescue signals, and information for the mobile communication terminal, and UWB-modulating the generated final bit stream.

9. An emergency rescue request apparatus using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals, the apparatus comprising:

a received signal strength measurement unit for periodically measuring Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI);

a baseband processor for generating a final bit stream including a bit stream, which has a predetermined pattern representing emergency rescue request signals, and information for the apparatus;

a UWB signal output unit for outputting the UWB signals obtained by UWB-modulating the final bit stream provided from the baseband processor; and

a controller for recognizing occurrence of an emergency according to an output value from the received signal strength measurement unit, providing the baseband processor with the bit stream, which has the predetermined pattern representing the emergency rescue request signals, and the information for the apparatus, and thus controlling the UWB signals to be transmitted from the apparatus.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprises:

a key input unit including a key corresponding to an emergency rescue request, for outputting corresponding key input data when the key corresponding to the emergency rescue request is pressed by a user;

a display unit for displaying that the emergency rescue request signals are being outputted according to the emergency rescue request; and

a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals representing position information for the apparatus.

11. An emergency rescue request apparatus using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals, the apparatus comprising:

a baseband processor for generating a final bit stream including a bit stream, which has a predetermined pattern representing emergency rescue request signals, and information for the apparatus;

a UWB signal output unit for outputting the UWB signals obtained by UWB-modulating the final bit stream provided from the baseband processor; and

a controller for receiving a control message including control contents for an emergency rescue mode, analyzing the received control message, generating the UWB signals according to the analysis result, and controlling the UWB signals to be transmitted from the apparatus.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control message includes a predetermined code representing that the control message is a message for controlling the UWB signals to be transmitted from the apparatus and a predetermined code value for controlling an output value at which the UWB signals are outputted.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller determines the output value of the generated UWB signals according to the predetermined code value of the control message for controlling the output value at which the UWB signals are outputted, and controls the UWB signals to be transmitted from the apparatus.

14. An apparatus for receiving an emergency rescue request using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals, the apparatus comprising:

a UWB signal receiver having four antennas for receiving UWB signals from a predetermined terminal;

a UWB signal amplifier for amplifying signals inputted from the UWB signal receiver;

a cross-correlator for cross-correlating signals inputted from the UWB signal amplifier;

a peak detector for detecting a peak value through a value outputted from the cross-correlator and calculating a time difference;

a coordinate operation unit for calculating a position coordinate of the terminal by means of the time difference calculated through the peak detector; and

a coordinate display unit for displaying the calculated position coordinate.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the peak detector calculates a time difference of arrival for the cross-correlated signals inputted from the cross-correlator.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the coordinate operation unit calculates an orthogonal coordinate of the terminal from the time difference of arrival inputted from the peak detector by means of a Time Difference Of Arrival (TDOA) scheme.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the coordinate display unit displays direction and distance to a location of the terminal.