Emergency phone with single-button activation

• US 6,636,732 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SecureAlert Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SecureAlert Incorporated
• Inventors: Boling, Brian M., Bernstein, Michael C., Natale, Nicolas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US09/538,364
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/456, 455/434, 455/423, 455/67.1, 455/552, 455/553, 455/521, 455/161.1, 455/161.2, 455/161.3, 455/550, 455/575, 455/90, 455/564, 342/357.1, 342/357.12, 342/357.06
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6775 by providing access to preprogrammed keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

An emergency-use-only cellular phone provides for contacting and establishing full duplex voice communication with emergency personnel at an emergency response center with the press of a single activation button. When the activation button is pressed a first time, the following functions are initiated: (1) electrical power from a power supply is provided to a cellular transmitter and receiver, (2) the cellular receiver is activated to search for an available channel from among A or B cellular system channels, (3) an emergency telephone number is accessed from memory, and (4) the cellular transmitter is activated to establish communication with the emergency response center. Since all of these functions are initiated by pressing a single activation button, communication with the emergency response center may be established simply and speedily, even under stressful conditions.

Claims

1. An emergency communication apparatus comprising:

a cellular transmitter;

a cellular receiver;

a power supply for providing power to the cellular transmitter and receiver; and

a single call activation switch which, when closed, provides power from the power supply to the cellular transmitter and receiver, activates the cellular receiver to search for an available cellular system channel, and activates the cellular transmitter to transmit an outgoing cellular signal,

the apparatus having no switching devices other than the single call activation switch for providing power from the power supply to the cellular transmitter and receiver, activating the cellular receiver to search for an available cellular system channel, and activating the cellular transmitter to transmit an outgoing cellular signal.

2. A cellular telephone having a rigid housing containing a cellular transmitter, a cellular receiver, and a power supply for providing power to the cellular transmitter and receiver, the cellular telephone further comprising:

a single call activation switch disposed within the rigid housing which, when activated by an operator of the telephone, provides power from the power supply to the cellular transmitter and receiver, activates the cellular receiver to search for an available cellular system channel, and activates the cellular transmitter to transmit an outgoing cellular signal,

the power supply, cellular transmitter, and cellular receiver requiring no means for activation other than the single call activation switch.

3. The cellular telephone of claim 2 further comprising:

a microprocessor for controlling the cellular telephone based on execution of a set of operational instructions;

the single call activation switch, when activated the first time, causing the electrical power from the power supply to be provided to the microprocessor, thereby energizing the microprocessor to begin executing the set of operational instructions.

4. The cellular telephone of claim 2 further comprising:

the microprocessor for controlling the cellular receiver based on execution of the set of operational instructions;

the single call activation switch, when activated the first time, causing the electrical power from the power supply to be provided to the cellular receiver, thereby energizing the cellular receiver; and

the cellular receiver for scanning for a strongest cellular signal from among available cellular system channels based on the set of operational instructions executed by the microprocessor.

5. The cellular telephone of claim 4 further comprising the microprocessor and receiver for determining a strongest B cellular signal from among cellular signals found in B cellular system channels when the single call activation switch is activated the first time, for determining whether the strongest B cellular signal has a signal strength greater than a minimum threshold, and for determining a strongest A cellular signal from among cellular signals found in A cellular system channels when the strongest B cellular signal has a signal strength less than the minimum threshold.

6. The cellular telephone of claim 4 further comprising the microprocessor and receiver for determining a strongest A cellular signal from among cellular signals found in A cellular system channels when the single call activation switch is activated the first time, for determining whether the strongest A cellular signal has a signal strength greater than a minimum threshold, and for determining a strongest B cellular signal from among cellular signals found in B cellular system channels when the strongest A cellular signal has a signal strength less than the minimum threshold.

7. The cellular telephone of claim 4 further comprising:

a low signal indicator light attached to the housing; and

the microprocessor for causing illumination of the low signal indicator light if the signal strength of the strongest signal is less than the minimum threshold when the single call activation switch is activated the first time.

8. The cellular telephone of claim 4 further comprising:

a high signal indicator light attached to the housing; and

the microprocessor for causing illumination of the high signal indicator light if the signal strength of the strongest signal is greater than the minimum threshold when the single call activation switch is activated the first time.

9. The cellular telephone of claim 4 further comprising:

a memory device for storing a telephone number associated with a response center;

the microprocessor for accessing the telephone number from the memory device and for activating the cellular transmitter, if the signal strength of the strongest signal is greater than the minimum threshold when the single call activation switch is activated the first time; and

the cellular transmitter for transmitting the cellular phone signal when activated by the microprocessor to attempt to establish full-duplex cellular communication with the response center.

10. The cellular telephone of claim 9 further comprising the microprocessor for determining whether cellular communication with the response center has been successfully established, and, if cellular communication with the response center has not been successfully established, waiting a predetermined period and then activating the cellular transmitter to again attempt to establish full-duplex cellular communication with the response center.

11. The cellular telephone of claim 3 further comprising:

an interface port electrically connected to the microprocessor and accessible through the housing; and

the microprocessor operable to exchange signals with an external device via the interface port.

12. The cellular telephone of claim 2 further comprising the single call activation switch for causing activation of the cellular telephone to establish full duplex cellular voice communication with a response center only when the single call activation switch is activated for longer than a minimum period of time, thereby preventing accidental activation of the cellular telephone and inadvertent communication with the response center.

13. The cellular telephone of claim 2 further comprising:

activation prevention means for preventing inadvertent activation of the cellular telephone, the activation prevention means including a rigid cover member movably attached to the rigid housing, and movable from a closed position at which the rigid cover member covers the single call activation switch to an open position at which the rigid cover member does not cover the single call activation switch; and

the single call activation switch being the only control switch disposed beneath the rigid cover member when the rigid cover member is in the closed position.

14. The cellular telephone of claim 13 wherein the activation prevention means further comprise:

the rigid cover member having a first edge and an opposing second edge;

a hinge member disposed at the first edge of the cover member for engaging the housing to form a hinged connection thereto; and

a latch member disposed at the second edge of the cover member for making a latched connection to the housing when the cover member is in the closed position.

15. The cellular telephone of claim 13 wherein, after communication has been established between the cellular telephone and the response center, the cellular transmitter and cellular receiver are operable to support full-duplex voice communication between the cellular telephone and the response center with the rigid cover member in the closed position, the rigid cover member thereby preventing accidental deactivation of the cellular telephone and inadvertent termination of communication with the response center.

16. The cellular telephone of claim 11 further comprising:

locator means electrically connected to the interface port for providing location signals indicating a physical location of the cellular telephone;

the interface port for receiving the location signals from the locator means, and providing the location signals to the microprocessor; and

the microprocessor for receiving the location signals from the interface port, and providing the location signals to the cellular transmitter for transmission to a response center.

17. The cellular telephone of claim 16 wherein the locator means further comprise a Global Positioning Satellite system receiver.

18. The cellular telephone of claim 2 wherein the power supply further comprises:

a battery compartment for retaining a plurality of replaceable batteries therein, the battery compartment formed by a cavity in the rigid housing, whereby the plurality of batteries are recessed within the housing;

the plurality of replaceable batteries disposed within the battery compartment; and

a battery compartment cover, operable to removably attach to the rigid housing and enclose the battery compartment, thereby protecting the plurality of replaceable batteries.

19. The cellular telephone of claim 18 wherein the plurality of replaceable batteries further comprise alkaline batteries.