PERSONAL SECURITY FEATURE FOR A REGULAR CAMERA PHONE

• US 20100087161A1
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: RIPP, Michael William, YOUNG, David Charles
• Application Number:
  US12/247,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20100087161A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A mobile communications device includes a camera and an LED flash. The camera is configured to photograph a series of images in rapid shoot mode. The user photographs the series of images of an assailant in response to recognizing imminent danger of an attack. A predetermined event, such as a user pressing a camera button or hot key on the mobile communications device three times in rapid succession or pressing a combination of buttons, begins the series of photographs. The photographs are automatically transmitted wirelessly to a central repository for later use. The predetermined event also initiates a call to an emergency call center and/or an audible alarm.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

recognizing imminent danger from an assailant;

in response to the recognition of danger, photographing an image of the assailant using a mobile communications device; and

automatically transmitting assailant image data to a remote destination.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of photographing comprises rapidly exposing a series of images of the assailant.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the remote destination comprises a central repository.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the step of photographing further comprises activating a key on the mobile communications device.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step of activating comprises contacting the key in rapid succession.

6. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

automatically initiating a voice call to an emergency call center.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

activating a loud speaker mode in the mobile communications device during the call.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

accessing the assailant image data from the central repository by the emergency call center.

9. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

determining location information for the mobile communications device; and

transmitting the location information to the emergency call center during the call.

10. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

emitting an audible alarm signal from the mobile communications device.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

emitting an audible alarm signal from the mobile communications device.

12. A mobile communications device comprising:

a controller;

a camera; and

an LED flash;

wherein the controller is configured to implement a security operation mode for activating a rapid series of camera exposures and corresponding LED flashes.

13. A mobile communications device as recited in claim 12, further comprising a user keypad coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to be responsive to successive contacts of a user key to actuate the security operation mode.

14. A mobile communications device as recited in claim 12, further comprising a user keypad coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to be responsive to contact of a hot key of the keypad to actuate the security operation mode.

15. A mobile communications device as recited in claim 12, further comprising an audible alarm;

wherein the controller is configured to activate the audible alarm during the security operation mode.

16. A mobile communications device as recited in claim 13, further comprising a communications circuitry and a location module coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to transmit location data determined by the location module to a remote destination during the security operation mode.

17. A mobile communications device as recited in claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to transmit camera exposure image data to a remote repository during the security operation mode.