Miniature Life-saving Device

• US 20110128147A1
• Filed: 11/29/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yang Pan
• Original Assignee: Yang Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Yang
• Granted Patent: US 8,325,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A miniature life-saving device for an emergency situation is disclosed. The device, for example, is useful for a trapped person under a mound of debris created by a fallen building during an earthquake or a terrorist attack. The device comprises a communication unit, a sensory unit and a power supply system. The power supply system may be a battery. The power supply system may also be a kinetic-to-electrical-energy converter. The device may be embedded in a person'"'"'s clothes or accessories. The device may be operated in an extremely low power mode in a sustaining mode of operation for receiving an external signal only. The sensory unit, comprising an accelerometer/gyroscope and/or an infrared/temperature sensor, measures the survivability of the person and transmits the measured data to an external rescue station after receiving an authorized signal. The device may also be operated collaboratively with a handheld electronic device.

Claims

1. A miniature electronic device for communicating survivability status of a person in an emergency situation, the device comprising:

a. a communication unit providing a means for communicating with another communication device through a communication network;

b. a power supply system providing power for operations of the device;

c. a processor for controlling the operations of the device;

d. a data storage unit for storing data;

e. a sensory unit for detecting survivability status of the person; and

f. a power management unit comprising;

a means for supplying power for the communication unit to receive an external signal in a sustaining mode of operation; and

a means for supplying power for operations of said sensory unit and for transmitting a data file including the data collected from the sensory unit to an external device after receiving an authorized signal from the external device;

whereby said power management unit enables said device to operate for a prolonged period of time by efficiently utilizing supplied power while the person is waiting for the rescue, which maximizes the opportunity that a person is rescued in a disaster situation such as after an earthquake or a terrorist attack.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensory unit further comprising:

a. an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope for detecting motion of said device induced by the person; and

/or

b. an infrared sensor and/or a temperature sensor for detecting infrared radiation and/or the temperature of the person.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said device may be contained in a single case and be embedded in a person'"'"'s clothes or accessories including shoes, hat, belt, ring, ear-ring, eyeglass, and necklace.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said power supply system further comprising a battery and/or a kinetic-energy-to-electrical-energy converter.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said device further comprising a GPS (Global Positioning System) for determining the location of said device.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication unit conforming to a standard or a combination of standards from the following group:

a. ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4 and its amendments);

b. Bluetooth (IEEE 802.11b and its amendments);

c. WiFi (IEEE 802.11 and its amendments); and

d. active RFID (Radio Frequency Identification).

7. A miniature electronic device, detachable to a handheld electronic device, for communicating survivability status of a person in an emergency situation, the device comprising:

a. a communication unit providing a means for communicating with another communication device through a communication network;

b. a power supply system providing power for operations of the device;

c. a processor for controlling the operations of the device;

d. a data storage unit for storing data;

e. a sensory unit for detecting survivability of the person; and

f. a power management unit comprising;

a means for supplying power for the communication unit to receive an external signal in a sustaining mode of operation; and

a means for supplying power for operations of the sensory unit and for transmitting a data file including the data collected from the sensory unit to an external device after receiving an authorized signal from the external device;

whereby said power management unit enables said device to operate for a prolonged period of time by efficiently utilizing supplied power while the person is waiting for the rescue, which maximizes the opportunity that a person is rescued in a disaster situation such as after an earthquake or a terrorist attack.

8. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein said sensory unit further comprising

a. an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope for detecting motion of said device induced by the person;

and/or

b. an infrared sensor and/or a temperature sensor for detecting infrared radiation and/or the temperature of the person.

9. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein said device may be operated in a standalone manner or be operated as a part of the handheld electronic device.

10. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein said device may be contained in a single case and be embedded in a person'"'"'s clothes or accessories including shoes, hat, belt, ring, ear-ring, eyeglass, and necklace when said device is operated in the standalone manner.

11. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein said handheld electronic device further comprising a device selected from the following group including:

a. a phone;

b. a media player;

c. a digital camera;

d. a net-book;

e. a game console; and

f. a computer.

12. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein said power supply system further comprising a battery and/or a kinetic-energy-to-electrical-energy converter.

13. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein said device further comprising a GPS (Global Positioning System) for determining the location of said device.

14. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein the communication unit conforming to a standard or a combination of standards from the following group:

a. ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4 and its amendments);

b. Bluetooth (IEEE 802.11b and its amendments);

c. WiFi (IEEE 802.11 and its amendments); and

d. active RFID (Radio Frequency Identification).

15. A method of communication between a miniature life-saving device associated with a person and a mobile rescue station associated with a rescue team, wherein the life-saving device comprising a communication unit for communicating through an ad hoc communication network, a sensory unit for detecting survivability of the person, a power supply system and a data storage unit, the method comprising:

a. operating said device under a low power mode as a receiver;

b. receiving an authorized signal from the mobile rescue station;

c. switching on the sensory unit and other functional units of the device;

d. collecting signals generated from the sensory unit; and

e. transmitting a data file including the data collected from the sensory unit through the ad hoc communication network.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said method further comprising a step of delivering a buzz and/or a vibration to the person through an alerting unit of the device.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said communication unit comprising a short range communication device conforming to a standard or a combination of standards from the following group:

a. ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4 and its amendments);

b. Bluetooth (IEEE 802.11b and its amendments);

c. WiFi (IEEE 802.11n and its amendments); and

d. active RFID (Radio Frequency Identification).

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the rescue station comprising a communication device at least conforming to the same communication standard (s) as the communication unit of the life-saving device.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said life-saving device further providing a means of determining its location including employing a GPS (Global Positioning System).

20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said life-saving device further providing a means of determining its location through a zonal method based upon an ad hoc network comprising a plurality of devices including the short range communication transceivers conforming to the same standard (s).