Method and apparatus for making an emergency call using a mobile communication terminal

• US 8,036,630 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Kyung-Tack, Sim, Dae-Hyun, Kim, Hyun-Soo, Park, Jung-Hun
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nair; Sowmini
• Application Number:
  US11/717,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20070218923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/456.1, 455/404.2, 704/235
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for making an emergency call by using a mobile communication terminal. The method includes identifying a current position when a user makes an emergency call request; retrieving an emergency call number from emergency call numbers pre-stored for respective regions, the emergency call number being used in a region corresponding to the current position; and dialing the emergency call number.

Claims

1. A method for making an emergency call by using a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a current position of the mobile communication terminal when a user makes an emergency call request;

retrieving an emergency call number from emergency call numbers pre-stored for respective regions, the emergency call number being used in a region corresponding to the current position; and

dialing the emergency call number;

automatically determining an emergency voice message corresponding to the current position of the mobile communication terminal from emergency voice messages pre-stored in the mobile terminal in different languages for respective regions, the emergency voice message being prepared in a language used in the region corresponding to the current position of the mobile communication terminal;

transmitting the emergency voice message to a receiving party when a call is connected to the receiving party;

converting the current position into a voice message; and

transmitting the voice message to the receiving, party when a call is connected to the receiving party.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in identifying a current position, a positional coordinate is detected from a received GPS signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in identifying a current position, a request for information regarding the current position is transmitted to a mobile communication network, and the information is received from the mobile communication network.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising transmitting a text message regarding the current position when a call is connected to the receiving party.

5. An apparatus for making an emergency call by using a mobile communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a memory unit for storing a plurality of emergency call numbers used in respective regions; and

a control unit for identifying a current position of the mobile communication terminal when a user makes an emergency call request, the control unit retrieving an emergency call number from the emergency call numbers, the emergency call number being used in a region corresponding to the current position, dialing the emergency call number, automatically determining an emergency voice message from the plurality of voice messages pre-stored in different languages for respective regions corresponding to the current position of the mobile communication terminal, the emergency voice message being prepared in a language used in the region corresponding to the current position of the mobile communication terminal, transmitting the emergency voice message to a receiving party when the emergency call is connected to the receiving party, converting the current position into a voice message, and transmitting the voice message to the receiving party when a call is connected to the receiving party.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the memory unit is adapted to store emergency text messages prepared in languages used in respective regions, and the control unit is adapted to retrieve an emergency text message prepared in a language used in a region corresponding to the current position, and convert the emergency text message into the emergency voice message.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control unit is adapted to detect a positional coordinate from a received GPS signal so as to identify the current position.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control unit is adapted to transmit a request for information regarding the current position to a mobile communication network and receive the information from the mobile communication network so as to identify the current position.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to transmit a text message regarding the current position when a call is connected to the receiving party.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the memory unit is adapted to store emergency voice messages prepared in languages used in respective regions and retrieve an emergency voice message prepared in a language used in a region corresponding to the current position, the emergency voice message being transmitted to a receiving party when a call is connected to the receiving party.