Distress message signal sending device

• US 5,852,401 A
• Filed: 06/23/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Kita, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/880,909
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/521, 340/573, 340/522, 340/990, 340/989, 340/984, 340/574, 340/540, 340/825.36, 340/825.45, 340/825.49, 340/604, 340/665, 342/357, 342/450, 342/457, 342/126
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/006 for emergency situations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

In a wristwatch type distress message sending device worn by the user, a positional information generator receives GPS signals sent by a plurality of GPS satellites and generates positional information on the latitude and longitude of the position of the user. When the user meets a disaster, a distress message signal generator generates a distress message signal containing the positional information generated by the positional information generator. A sender then sends out the distress message signal by radio.

Claims

1. A portable distress message sending device for informing a rescue side of a fact of a disaster, comprising:

positional information generating means for receiving GPS signals sent by a plurality of GPS satellites on the earth at a position of the portable distress message sending device, and generating positional information on the latitude and longitude of the position of the portable distress message sending device on the earth;

a plurality of sensors each for sensing a respective different one of aspects of a state of the portable distress message sending device;

distress message signal generating means, responsive to at least two of said plurality of sensors sensing corresponding respective different aspects of the state of the portable distress message sending device, for generating a distress message signal containing the positional information generated by said positional information generating means; and

sending means for sending the distress message signal by radio out of the portable distress sending device.

2. The portable distress message sending device according to claim 1, wherein said distress message signal generating means comprises intermittent signal generating means for generating the distress message signal containing the positional information at predetermined intervals of time after the generation of the distress message signal.

3. The portable distress message sending device according to claim 1, wherein the portable distress message sending device is provided in a wristwatch type case which contains a timepiece circuit for recording and displaying a present time.

4. The portable distress message sending device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors comprises:

a landing sensor for sensing landing of the portable distress message sending device on water; and

an impact sensor for sensing impact on the portable distress message sending device, and

wherein the predetermined aspects of the state of the portable distress message sending device comprise an aspect in which said landing sensor indicates that the portable distress message sending device has sufficiently landed on the water, and an aspect in which said impact sensor indicates that the portable distress message sending device has received sufficiently strong impact.

5. A distress message sending method of informing a rescue side of a fact of a disaster, using a distress message sending device, the method comprising:

receiving at a position on the earth GPS signals sent by a plurality of GPS satellites;

generating positional information on the latitude and longitude of the position on the earth, based on the received GPS signals;

sensing respective different aspects of a user'"'"'s state, at the position on the earth, with a plurality of sensors;

generating a distress message signal containing the generated positional information in response to at least two of the plurality of sensors sensing corresponding different respective aspects of the user'"'"'s state; and

sending the distress message signal by radio toward a rescue side.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising intermittently generating subsequent distress message signals containing the positional information at predetermined intervals of time after generation of the distress message signal.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of sensing comprises:

sensing, with a landing sensor, landing of the distress message sending device on water; and

sensing, with an impact sensor, impact on the distress message sending device, and

wherein the respective aspects of the state of the user comprise an aspect in which it is sensed by said landing sensor that the distress message sending device has sufficiently landed on the water, and an aspect in which it is sensed by said impact sensor that the distress message sending device has received a sufficiently strong impact.

8. The method according to claim 5, comprising providing said distress message sending device in a portable unit.

9. The method according to claim 5, comprising providing said distress message sending device in a wristwatch device which contains a timepiece circuit for recording and displaying a present time.

10. A computer readable program recording medium having stored thereon a program for enabling a computer to operate as the following elements of a portable distress message sending device for informing a rescue side of a fact of a disaster:

generating means for receiving GPS signals sent by a plurality of GPS satellites on the earth at a position of the portable distress message sending device, and generating positional information on the latitude and longitude of the position of the portable distress message sending device on the earth;

means for causing a plurality of sensors each to sense a respective different one of aspects of a state of the portable distress message sending device;

means responsive to a least two of said plurality of sensors sensing corresponding respective different aspects of the state of the portable distress message sending device, for generating a distress message signal containing the positional information generated by said generating means; and

means for sending the distress message signal by radio out of the portable distress message sending device.

11. The computer readable program recording medium according to claim 10, wherein:

distress message signals containing the positional information are intermittently generated at predetermined intervals of time after generation of the distress message signal.

12. The computer readable program recording medium according to claim 10, wherein said means for causing comprises:

causing sensing of landing of the distress message sending device on water by a landing sensor; and

causing sensing of impact on the distress message sending device by an impact sensor, and

wherein the respective aspects of the state of the user comprise an aspect in which it is sensed by said landing sensor that the distress message sending device has sufficiently landed on the water, and an aspect in which it is sensed by said impact sensor that the distress message sending device has received a sufficiently strong impact.