Method and apparatus for generating distress signal

• US 9,749,831 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jung-Yub, Ha, Do-Hyuk, Lee, Young-Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US14/980,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20160192168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041, 4554042, 455 111, 455445, 455450, 3405731, 340988, 701517
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a sensor network, Machine Type Communication (MTC), Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication, and technology for Internet of Things (IoT). The present disclosure may be applied to intelligent services based on the above technologies, such as smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, connected car, health care, digital education, smart retail, security and safety services. Disclosed are an apparatus and method for generating distress signals in a mobile device. The apparatus comprises a coil antenna for NFC communication, a first communication circuit configured to perform the NFC communication using the coil antenna in a normal mode, a second communication circuit transmitting a distress signal having a rescue-dedicated frequency through the coil antenna in a distress mode, a switch connecting the coil antenna to the first communication circuit or the second communication circuit, and a processor determining the normal mode or the distress mode to control the switch.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating a distress signal in a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

a coil antenna configured for a short-range communication;

a first communication circuit configured to transmit or receive signals for the short-range communication using the coil antenna in a normal mode;

a second communication circuit configured to transmit a distress signal on a rescue-dedicated frequency using the coil antenna in a distress mode;

a switch configured to connect the coil antenna to either the first communication circuit or the second communication circuit; and

a processor configured to determine the normal mode and the distress mode to control the switch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the short-range communication comprises at least one of near-field communication (NFC), wireless power transfer (WPT), or magnetic secure transmission (MST).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover coil antenna disposed on at least one edge of a cover case of the mobile device to at least partially surround the coil antenna, and configured to be used for the rescue-dedicated frequency.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second communication circuit comprises a variable power amplifier configured to amplify the distress signal having the rescue-dedicated frequency to generate an amplified distress signal, and the variable power amplifier varies amplification of the distress signal to vary signal strength of the amplified distress signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second communication circuit further comprises a variable matching circuit having a matching value that varies depending on whether the cover case of the mobile device is open or closed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor, if the mobile device fails to detect a user'"'"'s movement for a predetermined time, controls the switch to periodically connect the coil antenna to the second communication circuit for a predetermined transmission period, and

wherein the predetermined time and a connection interval for which the coil antenna is connected to the second communication circuit depends on a remaining battery power of the mobile device.

7. A method for generating a distress signal from a mobile device, the method comprising:

determining a distress mode;

connecting a coil antenna to a second communication circuit if the distress mode is detected, wherein the second communication circuit is configured to transmit a distress signal on a rescue-dedicated frequency using the coil antenna; and

connecting a coil antenna to a first communication circuit if the distress mode is not detected, wherein the first communication circuit is configured to transmit or receive signals for short-range communication using the coil antenna in a normal mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the short-range communication comprises at least one of near-field communication (NFC), wireless power transfer (WPT), or magnetic secure transmission (MST).

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the coil antenna comprises a first coil antenna for the short-range communication of the mobile device and a cover coil antenna disposed on at least one edge of a cover case of the mobile device to at least partially surround the coil antenna, and the cover coil antenna is configured to be used for the rescue-dedicated frequency.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein determining comprises controlling a switch to periodically connect the coil antenna to the second communication circuit for a predetermined transmission period if the mobile device fails to detect a user'"'"'s movement for a predetermined time, and

wherein a the predetermined time and a connection interval for which the coil antenna is connected to the second communication circuit depends on a remaining battery power of the mobile device.