Portable wireless terminal apparatus and method for sending information in emergency

• US 7,778,625 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Connected Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ito, Eriko, Harima, Masahiro, Yamauchi, Osamu, Ito, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/261,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20070026889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/552.1, 455/424, 455/425, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/561, 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/414.3, 455/334, 455/343.3, 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 379/37, 379/41, 379/38, 379/39, 379/40, 379/33, 379/44, 379/47, 379/58, 379/59, 379/100, 379/49, 379/161, 379/45, 340/309.15, 340/531, 340/573.1, 340/521, 340/539, 340/517, 340/573, 340/539.26, 340/539.18, 340/539.17, 340/539.11, 340/539.1, 340/286.01, 340/286.06, 340/531.1, 340/309.1, 340/292, 340/293
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

An operation-mode control unit controls switching of an operation mode of a portable wireless terminal apparatus between a normal mode and an alarm mode. An alarm-data sending unit sends data pertaining to a situation of a user to a predetermined destination as alarm data, when the operation mode is switched to the alarm mode. In the normal mode, the portable wireless terminal apparatus performs normal functions, such as a phone call and an e-mail. In the alarm mode, the portable wireless terminal apparatus performs a user protecting function in addition to the normal functions, such as sending the alarm data to the predetermined destination.

Claims

1. A portable wireless terminal apparatus comprising:

an operation-mode control unit to control switching of an operation mode of the portable wireless terminal between a normal mode and an alarm mode, and switching of the operation mode to an emergency mode when a condition is satisfied in the alarm mode, the condition being a switch-off of the portable wireless terminal apparatus;

an alarm-data sending unit to send data pertaining to a situation of a user to a destination as alarm data, when the operation mode is switched to the alarm mode; and

an emergency-data sending unit to send data pertaining to the situation of the user to the destination as emergency data by turning the portable wireless terminal apparatus on if the portable wireless terminal is in a powered-off state when the operation mode is switched to the emergency mode, wherein

in the normal mode, the portable wireless terminal apparatus performs normal functions as a portable wireless communication terminal,

in the alarm mode, the portable wireless terminal apparatus performs a user protecting function that includes sending the alarm data in addition to the normal functions, and

in the emergency mode, the user protecting function is activated even if the portable wireless terminal apparatus is in a powered-off state.

2. The portable wireless terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the alarm-data sending unit sends the alarm data to the destination at regular intervals.

3. The portable wireless terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the operation-mode control unit turns on the portable wireless terminal apparatus if the portable wireless terminal is in the emergency mode, but in a powered-off state.

4. The portable wireless terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the emergency-data sending unit sends the emergency data to the destination at regular intervals.

5. The portable wireless terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display; and

sound devices, wherein

the display and sound devices have the appearance of being off when the emergency-data sending unit sends the emergency data to the destination.

6. The portable wireless terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the operation-mode control unit controls the switching of the operation mode based on a key operation by the user.

7. The portable wireless terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the operation-mode control unit controls the switching of the operation mode based on a schedule.

8. The portable wireless terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the alarm data and the emergency data include location information acquired using a global positioning system.

9. The portable wireless terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein operation-mode control unit controls switching the operation mode of the portable wireless terminal from the alarm mode to the emergency mode without user input.

10. A method of securing a safety of a user of a portable wireless terminal apparatus, the method comprising:

controlling switching of an operation mode of a portable wireless terminal between a normal mode and an alarm mode and switching the operation mode of the portable wireless terminal between the alarm mode and the emergency mode; and

sending data pertaining to a situation of a user to a destination as alarm data when the operation mode is switched to the alarm mode, and as emergency data when the operation mode is switched to the emergency mode, wherein

in the normal mode, the portable wireless terminal apparatus performs normal functions as a portable wireless communication terminal,

in the alarm mode, the portable wireless terminal apparatus performs a user protecting function that includes sending the alarm data in addition to the normal functions,

in the emergency mode, the user protecting function is activated even if the portable wireless terminal apparatus is in a powered-off state, and

in the alarm mode, the controlling includes switching the operation mode to the emergency mode when a condition is satisfied, the condition being a switch-off of the portable wireless terminal apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the sending sends the alarm data to the destination at regular intervals.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

turning the portable wireless terminal apparatus on if the portable wireless terminal is in the emergency mode, but in a powered-off state.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the sending sends the emergency data to the destination at regular intervals.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the sending sends the emergency data to the destination while a display and sound devices of the portable wireless terminal apparatus have the appearance of being off.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the controlling controls the switching of the operation mode based on a key operation by the user.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the controlling controls the switching of the operation mode based on a schedule.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the alarm data and the emergency data include location information acquired using a global positioning system.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a computer program for securing a safety of a user of a portable wireless terminal apparatus, wherein the computer program causes a computer to execute:

controlling switching of an operation mode of a portable wireless terminal between a normal mode and an alarm mode and switching of the operation mode of the portable wireless terminal between the alarm mode and the emergency mode; and

sending data pertaining to a situation of a user to a destination as alarm data when the operation mode is switched to the alarm mode and as emergency data when the operation mode is switched to the emergency data mode, wherein

in the normal mode, the portable wireless terminal apparatus performs normal functions as a portable wireless communication terminal,

in the alarm mode, the portable wireless terminal apparatus performs a user protecting function that includes sending the alarm data in addition to the normal functions,

in the emergency mode, the user protecting function is activated even if the portable wireless terminal is in a powered-off state, and

in the alarm mode, the controlling includes switching the operation mode to the emergency mode when a condition is satisfied, the condition being a switch-off of the portable wireless terminal apparatus.