Method of providing additional information to emergency services about emergency locator beacons

• US 9,049,585 B1
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACR Electronics, Inc. (Drew Marine USA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ACR Electronics, Inc. (Drew Marine USA, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Christopher Paul, Cox, William, Pack, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US13/959,798
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/3.02, 455/427, 455/428, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

An emergency locating communications device that includes an emergency locator beacon that transmits emergency signals at 406 MHz and a SEND commercial satellite transmitter and receiver is provided. The communications device can be identified for both 406 MHz originator and SEND capable emergency locator device to an emergency services provider by sending a first message to the emergency services provider including a unique identity number of the 406 MHz transmitter of the device and. sending a second message to the emergency services providing including an International Mobile Equipment Identity number of the SEND transmitter of the device. The second message further includes at least a portion of the unique identity number of the 406 MHz transmitter of said device such that the emergency services provider can process the first and second messages to identify both the 406 MHz transmitter and the SEND transmitter of said emergency locator device.

Claims

1. A method of identifying an emergency locator device to an emergency services provider, comprising:

providing a communications device having an emergency locator 406 MHz beacon for transmitting emergency signals to the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system;

providing a Satellite Emergency Notification Device (SEND) transmitter and receiver in said communications device for transmitting and receiving communications with a commercial satellite communications system that includes an emergency services provider;

sending a first message to said emergency services provider, said first message including a unique identity number of a 406 MHz transmitter of said device;

sending a second message to said emergency services provider, said second message including an International Mobile Equipment Identity number of the Satellite Emergency Notification Device transmitter of said device;

wherein said second message further includes at least a portion of said unique identity number of a 406 MHz transmitter of said device;

wherein said emergency services provider processes said first and second messages to identify both said 406 MHz transmitter and said Satellite Emergency Notification Device transmitter of said emergency locator device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said unique identity number of said 406 MHz transmitter of said device comprises a 15 digit hexadecimal string.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said unique identity number comprises digits 7 through 11 of said 15 digit hexadecimal string.