Electronic terminal having an emergency message function and insurance system using the same

• US 7,027,798 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hashizume, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US10/327,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/556.1, 455/80, 455/82, 455/575.1, 455/567, 455/128, 379/1.01, 379/33, 379/38, 379/37, 379/47, 379/188, 379/93.17, 379/88.2, 340/870.09, 340/825.56, 340/506, 340/571
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An electronic terminal having an emergency message function which can be easily used little inducing erroneous operation or operation out of fun. The electronic terminal comprises a predetermined breakable portion that can be intentionally broken by a user, break detector means for detecting the breakage of the breakable portion, first storage means storing predetermined data related to a place to be accessed, second storage means storing predetermined emergency data, radio communication means for connection to a network in a wireless manner, and emergency message means in which the break detector means detects the breakage when the breakable portion is intentionally broken by the user, the data related to a place to be accessed is read out from the first storage means, the emergency data is read out from the second storage means, and the emergency data is transmitted by the radio communication means to the place to be accessed.

Claims

1. An electronic terminal comprising:

a predetermined breakable portion that can be intentionally broken by a user;

break detector means for detecting the breakage of the breakable portion;

first storage means storing predetermined data related to a place to be accessed;

second storage means storing predetermined emergency data;

radio communication means for connection to a network in a wireless manner;

emergency message means in which the break detector means detects the breakage when the breakable portion is intentionally broken by the user, the data related to a place to be accessed is read out from the first storage means, the emergency data is read out from the second storage means, and the emergency data is transmitted by the radio communication means to the place to be accessed.

2. An electronic terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

third storage means for storing a predetermined software key; and

emergency message means-locking means which permits the emergency message means to operate when the predetermined software key is stored in the third storage means.

3. An electronic terminal according to claim 2, wherein there are a plurality of places to be accessed, the data related to the places to be accessed include one or more of telephone number, fax number and URL or e-mail address, and the emergency data includes one or more of voice message, text message, image data, position data and binary data, the emergency data being related to one or more places to be accessed.

4. An electronic terminal according to claim 3, further comprising:

position data obtaining means for obtaining position data; and

position data storage means for storing, as the emergency data, the position data obtained by the position data obtaining means in the second storage means.

5. An electronic terminal according to claim 4, further comprising:

image data obtaining means for obtaining image data; and

image data storage means for storing, as the emergency data, the image data obtained by the image data obtaining means in the second storage means.

6. An electronic terminal according to claim 4, further comprising alarm sound generating means to generate an alarm sound when the break detector means has detected the breakage of a predetermined portion.

7. An electronic terminal according to claim 4, further comprising means for connection to an internet.

8. An electronic terminal according to claim 4, wherein the radio communication means is the one of the cellular system.

9. An electronic terminal according to claims 4, wherein the radio communication means has communication mode change-over means for changing over the voice communication mode and the data communication mode over to each other.

10. An insurance system comprising:

an electronic terminal having;

a predetermined breakable portion that can be intentionally broken by a user;

break detector means for detecting the breakage of the breakable portion;

first storage means storing predetermined data related to a place to be accessed;

second storage means storing predetermined emergency data;

radio communication means for connection to a network in a wireless manner;

emergency message means in which the break detector means detects the breakage when the breakable portion is intentionally broken by the user, the data related to a place to be accessed is read out from the first storage means, the emergency data is read out from the second storage means, and the emergency data is transmitted by the radio communication means to the place to be accessed;

third storage means for storing a predetermined software key; and

emergency message means-locking means which permits the emergency message means to operate when the predetermined software key is stored in the third storage means; and

a computer system including;

means for connection to a network;

means for receiving predetermined insurance contract data;

means for transmitting the software key;

means for receiving predetermined emergency data;

means for receiving predetermined break confirmation data;

payment criterion judging means for judging

whether a predetermined criterion for paying the insurance money is satisfied; and

means for settling the predetermined insurance money.

12. An insurance system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the computer system includes one or more computers.

11. An insurance system comprising:

an electronic terminal having;

an electronic terminal having;

a predetermined breakable portion that can be intentionally broken by a user;

break detector means for detecting the breakage of the breakable portion;

first storage means storing predetermined data related to a place to be accessed;

second storage means storing predetermined emergency data;

radio communication means for connection to a network in a wireless manner;

emergency message means in which the break detector means detects the breakage when the breakable portion is intentionally broken by the user, the data related to a place to be accessed is read out from the first storage means, the emergency data is read out from the second storage means, and the emergency data is transmitted by the radio communication means to the place to be accessed;

third storage means for storing a predetermined software key; and

emergency message means-locking means which permits the emergency message means to operate when the predetermined software key is stored in the third storage means; and

a program which works as;

means for connecting a computer system to a network;

means for receiving predetermined insurance contract data;

means for transmitting the software key;

means for receiving predetermined emergency data;

means for receiving predetermined break confirmation data;

payment criterion judging means for judging whether a predetermined criterion for paying the insurance money is satisfied; and

insurance money settling means.