Communication device and method for controlling the same

• US 20070063825A1
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Koie, Yoshio, Sakai, Hiroshi, Hotta, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,612,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A communication device is held in a controlled condition when the communication device is in a process of an emergency operation. The emergency operation of the communication device including a response operation in response to an incoming call that is transmitted from an emergency service center in exchange for an emergency signal from the communication device completes even when an external device provides a reset cause for the communication device in the process of the emergency operation due to provision of a control signal for controlling the controlled condition.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a radio unit for communication with a service center, wherein the radio unit transmits an emergency signal to a service center, receives an incoming call from the service center in response to the emergency signal and answers the incoming call;

a control unit for causing an emergency operation including transmission of the emergency signal by the radio unit upon receiving an emergency trigger, the transmission accompanied by a response to reception of the incoming call by the radio unit, and for causing a reset operation upon receiving a reset signal; and

a signal detector for outputting the reset signal to the control unit upon detecting a cause of reset,

wherein the control unit outputs a control signal to the signal detector without interruption upon receiving the emergency trigger until the radio unit answers the incoming call, and

the signal detector is held in a controlled condition that prohibits output of the reset signal to the control unit while the signal detector receives the control signal from the control unit.

2. The communication device as in claim 1,

wherein the controlled condition of the signal detector is released when the control signal from the control unit to the signal detector is terminated.

3. A method for controlling a communication device, the communication device having a radio unit for transmitting an emergency signal to a service center and receiving an incoming call from the service center in response to the emergency signal, a control unit for causing an emergency operation that includes transmission of the emergency signal by the radio unit upon receiving an emergency trigger, the transmission accompanied by a response to reception of the incoming call by the radio unit and for causing a reset operation upon receiving a reset signal, and a signal detector for outputting the reset signal to the control unit upon detecting a cause of reset, the method comprising:

outputting the control signal to the signal detector upon receiving the emergency trigger until the radio unit answers the incoming call; and

holding the signal detector in a controlled condition that prohibits output of the reset signal to the control unit while the signal detector receives the control signal from the control unit.

4. The method as in claim 3 further comprising:

having the signal detector released from the controlled condition when the control signal from the control unit to the signal detector is terminated.