Systems and methods of smart card based mobile pull stations

• US 9,798,966 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Krishnan, Lalu, E K, Vipin Das, Achuthan, Santhosh
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/830,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20170053523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913, 34053911, 3405731, 340574, 3404262, 3405734, 34028604, 34053918
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07713 the interface, upon reception of an interrogation signal, being capable of signaling to indicate its position to a user or a detection device
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods of a smart card based mobile pull station are provided. For example, a smart card can include control circuitry and an activation mechanism. In some methods, the smart card can receive user input to activate the activation mechanism of the smart card, and upon activation of the activation mechanism, the control circuitry of the smart card can transmit an emergency signal. In some methods, a wireless device can receive the emergency signal from the smart card, the wireless device can transmit the emergency signal to a remote device, and the remote device can identify a location of the smart card based on a location of the wireless device.

Claims

1. A smart card comprising:

control circuitry; and

an activation mechanism,

wherein activation of the activation mechanism causes the control circuitry to transmit an emergency signal,

wherein the control circuitry transmits a normal operation signal on a first frequency channel,

wherein the control circuitry transmits the emergency signal on a second frequency channel,

wherein the activation mechanism includes a break line that, when broken, causes the control circuitry to transmit the emergency signal, and

wherein breaking the break line comprises breaking the smart card across the break line.

2. The smart card as in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry includes a microcontroller, a memory device, and a transmitter, and wherein the activation of the activation mechanism causes the microcontroller to retrieve a unique identifier stored in the memory device and to transmit the unique identifier to the transmitter for transmission thereof in the emergency signal.

3. The smart card as in claim 1 wherein the activation mechanism further includes a break switch that, when activated by breaking the break line, causes the control circuitry to transmit the emergency signal.

4. The smart card as in claim 1 wherein the second frequency channel is dedicated to emergency signals.

5. A method comprising:

receiving user input to activate an activation mechanism of a smart card; and

upon activation of the activation mechanism, control circuitry of the smart card transmitting an emergency signal,

wherein the control circuitry transmits a normal operation signal on a first frequency channel,

wherein the control circuitry transmits the emergency signal on a second frequency channel,

wherein receiving the user input to activate the activation mechanism of the smart card includes receiving the user input to break a break line of the smart card that, when broken, causes the control circuitry to transmit the emergency signal, and

wherein breaking the break line comprises breaking the smart card across the break line.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the control circuitry of the smart card transmitting the emergency signal includes a microcontroller retrieving a unique identifier stored in a memory device, the microcontroller transmitting the unique identifier to a transmitter, and the transmitter transmitting the unique identifier in the emergency signal.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein receiving the user input to activate the activation mechanism of the smart card further includes receiving the user input to activate a break switch by breaking the break line that, when activated, causes the control circuitry of the smart card to transmit the emergency signal.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the second frequency channel is dedicated to emergency signals.

9. A method comprising:

a wireless device receiving a normal operation signal from a smart card via a first frequency channel;

the wireless device receiving an emergency signal from the smart card via a second frequency channel in response to a user breaking the smart card across a break line of smart card;

the wireless device transmitting the emergency signal to a remote device; and

the remote device identifying a location of the smart card based on a location of the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the second frequency channel is dedicated to emergency signals.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the wireless device transmits the emergency signal to the remote device via a mesh network of wireless devices.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the wireless device periodically scanning for emergency signals.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the wireless device detecting an event in an ambient region, and the wireless device transmitting an event signal indicative of the event to the remote device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the remote device executing a predetermined action based on a configuration of the emergency signal and based on the event in the ambient region.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising the remote device identifying a unique identifier in the emergency signal, and the remote device identifying the user of the smart card based on the unique identifier.