System and method for the emergency voice and image e-mail transmitter device

• US 7,751,534 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nicholas Sun
• Original Assignee: Nicholas Sun
• Inventors: Sun, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US11/207,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20070042747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 455/413
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision

Abstract

A voice-image e-mail transmitter device that is designed for emergency and surveillance purposes is disclosed. This device converts voice signals and picture images into digital format, which are transmitted to the nearest voice-image message receiving station from where the digital signal strings are parsed and converted into audio and image files, such as “.wav” and “.jpeg” files. The generated files are attached to e-mails and delivered to pre-defined e-mail addresses and a 911 rescue team. The message information includes the caller'"'"'s voice, pictures of a potential attacker, time the message was sent and received, device serial number, and approximate location of the caller. An external camera and microphone may be connected by wire or wireless means to a CPU element in a base portion of the voice-image e-mail transmitter device. Data may be recorded and sent within seconds by simply pressing and releasing a push button on the device.

Claims

1. A communication device also known as a voice-image e-mail transmitter device for sending information in digital format wherein said information includes an e-mail address and user name, a device serial number, and one or both of a voice message and an image, said device comprising:

a base portion comprised of a keyboard for data entry, a key button pad for selecting different functions, a three-way toggle switch for message type selection, and a sliding push button for sending voice and image signals, voice message with no image, or image with no voice message that are subsequently converted to one or more message files at a receiving station, said sliding push button is pressed to record a message and released to send said recorded message and said information to a pre-determined e-mail address and moves sideways along a side of the base portion to enable a security lock feature; and

a cover portion comprised of a viewing screen.

2. The communication device of claim 1 further comprised of an internal central process unit (CPU), an internal clock, and static and dynamic memory chips in the base portion.

3. The communication device of claim 2 wherein the CPU is used to convert voice input data and image input data into digital signals, and the dynamic memory chips are used to store the converted digital signals.

4. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the base portion is further comprised of a wire that connects the voice-image e-mail transmitter device to an external microphone and/or camera device that is attached to an ornament or an article of clothing the user is wearing.

5. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the voice and image information further comprises a time code.

6. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the sliding push button is pushed in to collect voice input from an external microphone and image data from an external camera device and is released to transmit the voice and image data in a digital string format to a receiving station through an antenna connected to or imbedded in the base portion.

7. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the base portion is equipped with security features that allow the user to slide said push button sideways to temporarily disable the send function and prevent an unauthorized user from sending a message and require a password to re-enable the sliding push button function.

8. The communication device of claim 1 wherein a secret code is embedded in the message files to maintain the information in its original form so that the associated message files may be kept together in an e-mail file as a legal document for forensic evidence.

9. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the dynamic memory capacity is large enough to enable the transmission of voice and image data messages that may be converted into a “

.mpg”

or “

.wmv”

format by a voice-image message receiving station.

10. A system for sending and receiving voice and image information in digital format, said system comprising:

(a) a voice-image e-mail transmitter device for sending information wherein said information includes an e-mail address and user name, a device serial number, and one or both of a voice message and an image, said voice-image e-mail transmitter device is comprised of

(1) a base portion having a keyboard for data entry, a button pad for selecting different functions, a three-way toggle switch for selecting message type, and a sliding push button for sending voice and image signals, voice message with no image, or image with no voice message that are subsequently converted to one or more message files at a receiving station, said sliding push button is pressed to record a message and released to send said recorded message and said information to a pre-determined address and moves sideways to enable a security lock feature;

(2) a cover portion comprised of a viewing screen;

(b) at least one cellular phone tower which is at a location that can relay voice and image signals received from the voice-image e-mail transmitter device; and

(c) a voice-image message receiving station that can convert voice and image signals from the voice-image e-mail transmitter device into one or more message files which are forwarded to one or more e-mail addresses.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the voice-image message receiving station comprises software capability that is used to parse out the voice and image information from the received digital signal strings and create e-mail files.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the voice-image e-mail transmitter device comprises software functionality that is used to imbed a secret code in the voice and image signals which maintains the integrity of the text files in newly created e-mails that are sent to pre-defined e-mail addresses over the Internet.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprised of an external camera device and external microphone that collect image and voice data, which are transmitted to the voice-image e-mail transmitter device by a wireless means or by a wire.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the voice-image e-mail transmitter device is further comprised of an internal central process unit (CPU), static and dynamic internal memory chips, and an internal clock in the base portion.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the CPU converts voice signals and picture images into digital signals and the dynamic memory is used to store the converted digital signals.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the three way toggle switch enables the voice-image e-mail transmitter device to send voice messages only, image messages only, or voice and image messages simultaneously.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the voice-image e-mail transmitter device is further comprised of functionality that enables two-way voice and picture e-mail communication.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the voice-image e-mail transmitter device and an alarm device are connected to a movement sensor and are affixed to a wall or another structure for household surveillance use.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein the sliding push button is formed on a side of the base portion and is pushed inward to collect image and voice input from a camera device and external microphone and is released to send a voice message and/or picture messages to at least one cellular phone tower or a voice-image message receiving station through an antenna connected to or imbedded in the base portion.

20. The system of claim 10 wherein the voice and image signals are received essentially simultaneously by two cellular phone towers that allow the voice-image e-mail transmitter device user'"'"'s approximate location to be determined by a triangulation process.