Fast capture and transmission of information in a portable device

• US 20060215035A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quonsil PL 3 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Quonsil PL 3 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kulas, Charles J.
• Application Number:
  US11/088,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20060215035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.990
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19621 Portable camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A panic mode in a device such as a mobile phone having a camera. When the panic mode is triggered an image is captured and immediately transmitted to an external site, such as to a server at a law enforcement authority, a parent'"'"'s household, etc. Ideally the device does not give an indication as to whether or not the panic mode shot was successful, thereby causing doubt in a wrongdoer who could be the subject of the transferred image. Upon triggering the panic shot the device goes into a lockdown mode whereby interruption of capture and transfer of a record (e.g., image, audio recording, etc.) is not possible or is made very difficult. In one embodiment a back-up permanent power supply is included in the form of a capacitor or small battery so that even if the device'"'"'s main battery is removed the panic shot can still be transferred. Other features are described.

Claims

1. A method for taking a picture with a portable device, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a user control to indicate a panic shot mode;

inhibiting interruption of the following operations;

capturing an image with the portable device; and

transferring the image to an external destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing interruption of power to components within the portable device that are necessary to perform the operations.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disabling one or more user controls on the portable device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device includes multiple lenses.

5. A method for identifying an event, the method comprising:

associating a user with a device ID;

receiving a transmission from the device ID of an image of an event;

storing at least a portion of the image of the event in association with the device ID; and

using the device ID to associate the user with the transmission.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

sending an alert message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the alert message includes an email message.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the alert message includes a phone call.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the alert message includes a page to a paging device.

10. A portable device comprising:

a camera;

a wireless communications link;

a user control for generating a panic shot mode signal;

a lockdown mechanism for preventing interruption of operation in response to the panic shot mode signal;

a capture element to convert an image from the lens into an electrical representation; and

a process for transferring the image to an external destination.

11. The portable device of claim 10, further comprising:

a process for preventing interruption of power to components within the portable device that are necessary to perform the operations.

12. The portable device of claim 10, further comprising:

a process for disabling one or more user controls on the portable device.

13. An apparatus for creating a record, the apparatus comprising:

a user input device;

a capture device for immediately creating a record of an event in proximity to the apparatus in response to a signal from the user input device;

a communication link for transferring the record to an external destination; and

a process for inhibiting interruption of the transfer of the record to the external destination.

14. A method for creating a record with a device, the method comprising:

inhibiting interruption of the following operations performed by the device;

creating a record of an event in proximity to the device in response to a signal from a user input control; and

starting a transfer of the record to an external destination.