Mobile station emergency beacon system
First Claim
1. An emergency beacon method, comprising:
- at a mobile device at which a plurality of telephone numbers may be dialed, detecting that an emergency telephone number has been dialed;
responsive to the dialing, the mobile device attempting to complete a voice call with an emergency call center at the dialed telephone number;
the mobile device determining whether the attempt to complete the voice call was successful; and
in response to a determination that the attempt to complete the voice call was not successful, the mobile device activating an emergency beacon of the mobile device, wherein the emergency beacon of the mobile device comprises at least one of an audio beacon and a visual beacon.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile telephone is provided with an emergency beacon. When the telephone'"'"'s user dials an emergency number, such as 9-1-1, the telephone detects that an emergency number has been dialed, and it activates the beacon. The beacon may be a radio beacon, and, if the telephone is GPS-equipped, the radio beacon may send out the mobile telephone'"'"'s location. Safety personnel can locate the caller by following the beacon to the caller. Other optional features include an audio emergency beacon and/or a visual emergency beacon, such as a strobe, in addition to or in place of a radio beacon. In one embodiment, the beacon is not activated unless the mobile telephone is unable to complete the call to the emergency number. In another embodiment, the beacon is activated without receiving any remote authorization from, for example, a 9-1-1 call center.
76 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An emergency beacon method, comprising:
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at a mobile device at which a plurality of telephone numbers may be dialed, detecting that an emergency telephone number has been dialed; responsive to the dialing, the mobile device attempting to complete a voice call with an emergency call center at the dialed telephone number; the mobile device determining whether the attempt to complete the voice call was successful; and in response to a determination that the attempt to complete the voice call was not successful, the mobile device activating an emergency beacon of the mobile device, wherein the emergency beacon of the mobile device comprises at least one of an audio beacon and a visual beacon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An emergency beacon method, comprising:
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at a mobile device at which a plurality of telephone numbers may be dialed, detecting that an emergency telephone number has been dialed; in response to the detecting, the mobile device attempting to complete a voice call with an emergency call center at the dialed telephone number; the mobile device determining whether the attempt to complete the voice call was successful; and in response to a determination that the attempt to complete the voice call was not successful, the mobile device activating an emergency audio beacon of the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A mobile telephone at which a plurality of telephone numbers may be dialed, including:
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a keypad input operative to receive a dialed telephone number; emergency number detection logic operative to determine whether the dialed telephone number is an emergency telephone number; an emergency beacon system operable to activate an emergency beacon of the mobile telephone, wherein the emergency beacon comprises at least one of an audio beacon and a visual beacon; beacon activation logic operative to activate the emergency beacon of the mobile telephone in response to a determination that the dialed telephone number is an emergency telephone number, wherein the beacon activation logic is operative to activate the emergency beacon of the mobile telephone without remote authorization; and wireless voice communication logic operative to complete a wireless voice call at the dialed telephone number; wherein the beacon activation logic is further operative to determine whether the wireless voice communication logic is successful in completing a wireless voice call to the emergency telephone number, and wherein the beacon activation logic is operative to activate the emergency beacon of the mobile telephone in response to determining that the wireless voice communication logic was not successful in completing the wireless voice call to the emergency telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification