Emergency locator and communicator

• US 6,324,392 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holt, Brian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US09/093,035
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/457, 455/404, 455/426, 455/66, 455/100, 455/550, 455/552, 455/553, 455/575, 455/FOR.121, 455/445, 455/459, 342/357, 342/457, 342/385, 342/386, 342/357.1, 342/357.07, 340/573, 340/988-995, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/06 Emergency
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A system and method for instantly summoning assistance to the location of an emergency. A mobile unit providing subscriber communications with an operator or emergency service provider includes a beacon signal generator for directing service providers to the location of the emergency. Subscriber communications are established using an existing personal communication system. The beacon signal generator transmits a wideband spread spectrum that is analyzed at receiving stations to determine the location of the mobile unit.

Claims

1. A mobile personal emergency communication device for directing assistance to an emergency identified by a user of the device comprising:

a communicator for providing interactive communications between the user and a service having;

a transceiver for receiving from and transmitting to the service a signal carrying communication information in accord with a conventional personal communications protocol;

a beacon for directing the service to the geographic location of the device having;

a transmitter for selectively transmitting a wide band spread spectrum signal independent of the operation of said communicator wherein said wide band spread spectrum signal is transmitted in a band separate and distinct from frequencies assigned to personal communications systems, and a portable power supply for providing power to the beacon and communicator.

2. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 wherein said communicator includes a means for selecting a type of service.

3. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 wherein said transmitter for selectively transmitting a wide band spread spectrum signal transmits a beacon signal in a broad bandwidth in comparison to that of the signal carrying communication information.

4. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 3 wherein said transceiver for receiving from and transmitting to the service a signal carrying communication information operates in a conventional personal communications channel.

5. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 wherein said beacon includes a first modulator for generating the wide band spread spectrum signal and said transceiver includes a second modulator for generating the signal carrying communication information.

6. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 5 wherein said first modulator employs a type of modulation different from a type of modulation employed by said second modulator.

7. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 wherein said communicator and said beacon share circuitry.

8. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 wherein the device is hand-held.

9. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 wherein said beacon is responsive to said communicator.

10. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 further comprising a means for the service to activate said beacon.

11. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 wherein said beacon includes a means for activating said transmitter.

12. The mobile personal emergency communication device of claim 1 wherein said communicator includes a means for the user to activate the beacon.

13. A personal emergency assistance system for directing appropriate assistance to an emergency, comprising:

a personal telecommunication device having;

a communicator for providing two-way voice and data communications signals on a conventional telecommunications frequency, and

a generator for generating a beaconing signal directing assistance to a location of the device, wherein said beaconing signal is a wide band spread spectrum signal transmitted in a band separate and distinct from frequencies assigned to personal communications systems,

a first network of stations for providing two-way voice and data communications with said personal telecommunication device and for reaching an appropriate emergency assistance provider and for providing location information of said personal telecommunication device to the assistance provider; and

a second network of stations situated to receive the beaconing signal for locating said personal telecommunication device from the characteristics of the beaconing signal and for providing location information to said first network.

14. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said personal telecommunication device is portable.

15. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 14 wherein the personal telecommunication device includes a power supply for powering said generator and said communicator.

16. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13, said personal telecommunication device includes a switch for selectively activating said generator.

17. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 16, wherein said switch is at said generator.

18. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 17, wherein said switch is responsive to said communicator.

19. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 17, wherein said switch is responsive to the assistance provider.

20. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 16, wherein said switch is at said communicator.

21. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 20, switch is responsive to the assistance provider.

22. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said generator generates an asynchronous wideband spread spectrum signal as the beaconing signal.

23. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said second network of stations includes a station having mobility.

24. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said second network comprises:

a central office operatively connected to a plurality of

stations for locating said personal telecommunication

device from the characteristics of the beaconing signal received at the stations.

25. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 24 wherein said central office locates said personal telecommunication device from the time of arrival of a beaconing signal received at the stations.

26. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 24 wherein said central office locates said personal telecommunication device from the angle of arrival of a beaconing signal received at the stations.

27. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 24 wherein said central office locates said personal telecommunication device from the angle and time of arrival of a beaconing signal received at the stations.

28. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said first network includes a router responsive to said personal telecommunication device for automatically providing a communication path to the appropriate emergency assistance provider.

29. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said first network comprises an existing telecommunications infrastructure for providing personal communications services to consumers.

30. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said second network comprises stations dedicated to providing personal emergency assistance.

31. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said generator and said communicator share circuitry.

32. The personal emergency assistance system of claim 13 wherein said first network and said second network share infrastructure.

33. A method for providing assistance for a person in an emergency comprising the steps of:

(a) indicating a need for assistance using a personal telecommunications device;

(b) transmitting a homing signal from the personal telecommunication device on a wideband spread spectrum signal in a frequency band not assigned to personal communications systems;

(c) providing voice and data communications between the personal telecommunications device and a recipient of the assistance indication, wherein said voice and data communications are transmitted in a band separate and distinct from the homing signal;

(d) locating the personal telecommunications device from the characteristics of the homing signal; and

(e) directing appropriate assistance to the location of the personal telecommunications device.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of locating the personal telecommunications device comprises the step of determining a time of arrival of the homing signal at a plurality of antennas.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of locating the personal telecommunications device comprises the step of determining an angle of arrival of the homing signal at a plurality of antennas.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of locating the personal telecommunications device comprises the step of determining time and angle of arrival of the homing signal at a plurality of antennas.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of locating the personal telecommunications device is performed using multilateration.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein the homing signal is asynchronously transmitted.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of transmitting a homing signal is performed independent of the step of providing voice and data communications.

40. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of transmitting a homing signal is responsive to the step of providing voice and data communications.

41. The method of claim 33 wherein the recipient of the assistance indication is an operator.

42. The method of claim 33 wherein the recipient of the assistance indication is an automated operator.

43. The method of claim 33 wherein the recipient of the assistance indication is an emergency assistance service provider.