System and method of localization

• US 20060154643A1
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Frank Michael Scholz
• Original Assignee: Frank Michael Scholz
• Inventors: Scholz, Frank Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/352,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20060154643A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.200
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A system and method for locating a communication device is provided wherein the communication device detects at least one accessible communications network, selects one of the accessible communications networks, and sends an emergency signal over the selected network. The plurality of communications networks may comprise a cellular network, at emergency location network, or both.

Claims

1. A method of locating a mobile communication device, whereby an emergency call routine is activated, comprising the steps of:

detecting, at the location of the mobile communication device, at least one accessible communications network out of a plurality of communications networks wherein at least one of said plurality of communications networks is an emergency network;

selecting one of said at least one accessible communications network; and

sending an emergency signal over the selected network.

2. A method of locating a communication device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one accessible communications network comprises a mobile transceiver or transponder station that further transmits the emergency signal.

3. A method of locating a communication device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one accessible communications network is a cellular network.

4. A method of locating a communication device according to claim 1, wherein the emergency call routine comprises the identification of the mobile communication device.

5. A method of locating a communication device according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a speech connection over one of said at least one accessible communications network.

6. A method of locating a communication device according to claim 1, wherein the emergency call routine is activated remotely.

7. A method of locating a mobile communication device according to claim 1, detecting comprises:

attempting to contact a cellular network;

determining, based on said attempt to contact a cellular network, whether said cellular network is a said at least one accessible communications network; and

if said cellular network is a said at least one accessible communications network, attempting to contact to said emergency network.

8. A mobile communication device for initiating an emergency call routine, comprising:

a module for detecting at least one accessible communications network out of a plurality of communications networks;

a module for selecting one of said at least one accessible communications network; and

a module for sending an emergency signal over the selected network.

9. A mobile communication device according to claim 8, wherein said module for sending an emergency signal comprises at least two radio modules, one of said radio modules being manually or automatically activable.

10. A mobile communication device according to claim 8, further comprising a button for initiating said emergency call routine.

11. A mobile communication device according to claim 8, wherein said mobile communication device is a cell phone.

12. A method of initiating an emergency response, comprising the steps of:

connecting to an emergency call initiated by a mobile communication device over a first network;

obtaining information related to the user of the mobile communication device including the location of the user;

determining, based on the information obtained, whether additional localization information is needed;

utilizing a second network, wherein the second network is an emergency network, to communicate the additional localization information if it is determined that the additional localization information is needed; and

contacting an emergency entity and forwarding the additional localization information.

13. A method of initiating an emergency response according to claim 12, wherein the first network is a cellular communications network.

14. A method of initiating an emergency response according to claim 12, wherein the step of utilizing a second network to obtain the additional localization information further comprises sending an activation signal.

15. A method of initiating an emergency response according to claim 12, wherein the second network is a network that receives an emergency signal from the mobile communication device.

16. A method of obtaining emergency help, comprising the steps of:

activating an emergency module in a mobile communication device;

determining whether a connection to a first network is available;

broadcasting a distress signal over an emergency network if the first network is not available; and

initiating a speech connection over the emergency network if the first network is available.

17. A method of obtaining emergency help according to claim 16, wherein the mobile communication device is a cell phone.

18. A method of obtaining emergency help according to claim 16, wherein the emergency network is an ELT network.

19. A method of obtaining emergency help according to claim 16, wherein the step of activating an emergency module in a mobile communication device is initiated remotely from the mobile communication device.

20. A method of obtaining emergency help according to claim 16, wherein the step of activating an emergency module in a mobile communication device is initiated by a button on the mobile communication device being pressed.

21. A method for locating a mobile communication device, whereby an emergency call routine is activated, by which the following steps are performed:

detecting at least one available communications network at the location of the mobile communication device;

in case that more than one communications network exists, selecting one of the communications networks;

in case that only one communications network is available selecting this communications network; and

sending an emergency signal over the selected network.

22. The method according to claim 21, whereby at least one of the communications networks comprises mobile transceiver or transponder stations, by which the emergency signal from the communication device are further transmitted.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising a cellular network.

24. The method according to claim 21, whereby the emergency call routine also comprises the identification of the communication device.

25. The method according to claim 21, whereby a speech connection is established over one of the communications networks.

26. The method according to claim 21, whereby the emergency call routine can be activated remotely.

27. The communication device for performing a method according to claim 21.

28. The communication device according to claim 27, comprising at least two radio modules, one of said radio modules being manually or automatically activable.

29. The communication device according to claim 27, whereby the steps of the method can be activated by pushing one button on the communication device.

30. The communication device according to claim 27, whereby the communication device is a cellular phone.

31. A communications system comprising a communication device according to claim 27.