Handheld Electronic Device with Emergency Functions Powered by Kinetic Energy

• US 20110136466A1
• Filed: 12/05/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yang Pan
• Original Assignee: Yang Pan
• Inventors: Pan, Yang
• Application Number:
  US12/631,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20110136466A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services

Abstract

A handheld electronic device with emergency functions is disclosed. The device is powered by a battery for normal operations. A life-saving device is included in the device. The life-saving device is powered by a kinetic-energy-to-electrical-energy converter. The handheld device is capable of sending out a SOS type of message even if the battery runs out of the power. The electrical power is generated by the converter after the user actuates an input element of the converter. The input element may be implemented in various embodiments including a dedicated button, a plurality of piezoelectric devices installed on sidewalls of handheld device and a miniature dynamo. An alerting unit including one or a plurality of LED'"'"'s may be employed to indicate an operational status of the device.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device for operating either in a normal operation mode as a conventional handheld device or in an emergency operation mode as a life-saving device, the device comprising:

a. a short range communication unit providing a means for communicating with another communication device through an ad hoc communication network;

b. a battery providing power for the device in the normal operation mode;

c. a kinetic-energy-to-electrical-energy converter providing power for the device in the emergency operation mode;

d. a switching means for switching the device in between said two modes; and

e. an alerting unit for indicating operation status of the device.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said kinetic-energy-to-electrical-energy converter further comprising one of or a combination of the following means:

a. a dedicated input element including a dedicated button for converting the user'"'"'s applied pressure into the electrical energy;

b. a plurality of piezoelectric devices installed on sidewalls of the handheld electronic device for converting the user'"'"'s applied pressure into the electrical energy; and

c. a dynamo for converting the user'"'"'s induced motion into the electrical energy.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said switching means further comprising:

a. a dedicated input element including a button or a touchpad; and

b. an instruction through an input device of the handheld device.

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

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said 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).

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said alerting unit further comprising one or a plurality of Light-Emitting-Diodes.

7. A method of communicating between a user in emergency and a rescue station by employing a handheld electronic device comprising a communication unit, a kinetic-energy-to-electrical-energy converter, a switching means for changing operation mode and an alerting unit, the method comprising:

a. switching the device to an emergency operation mode;

b. actuating an input element of said converter by the user to generate electrical energy; and

c. sending out a message.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said method further comprising a step of receiving an acknowledgement message by the handheld electronic device from the rescue station.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said operation of sending out a message may be through a communication network comprising:

a. an ad hoc communication network; and

/or

b. a public communication network.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said public communication network further comprising a public telephone/data network and/or the Internet.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, 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).

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said operation of sending out a message including sending out a message to a dedicated emergency communication address.

13. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the message further including the user'"'"'s location determined by a GPS (Global Positioning System).

14. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the message further including the user'"'"'s identity and other personal data.

15. A method of managing power supplies of a hand held device comprising a battery as the first power supply source and a kinetic-energy-to-electrical-energy converter as the second power supply source, the method comprising:

a. supplying electrical power required by normal operations of the device from the battery; and

b. supplying electrical power required by emergency operations of the device from the converter.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said method further providing a means of switching the power supply between the battery and the converter triggered by a user'"'"'s input through an input device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said input device including a dedicated input element including a dedicated button or a dedicated touchpad.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said method further comprising a step of supplying a portion of electrical power from the battery in combination of the power generated from the converter for the emergency operations if the remaining power of the battery is in exceeding of a predetermined value.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said method further comprising a step of switching the handheld electronic device to a low power operation mode including switching off normal functionalities if the measured battery power is below a predetermined value.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said method further comprising a step of switching power supply source to the converter after the battery runs out of the power.