Page 1 of 19
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`NOVATEL EXHIBIT 1010
`
`

`
`US 8,094,010 B2
`Page 2
`
`6,496,777 B2
`E}
`6’577’881 B1
`6,606,508 B2
`6,611,755 B1
`6,633,784 B1
`6,658,586 B1
`6,759,956 B2
`6,832,102 B2
`6,833,787 B1
`6,873,842 B2
`6’922’547 B2
`6,970,917 B1
`6,985,742 B1
`6’988’989 B2
`7,027,808 B2
`7,084,771 B2
`7,254,601 B2
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`7,583,197 B2
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`2001/0001,234 A1
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`2003/0176952 A1
`2010/0035580 A1
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`12/1996 Grube etal.
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`455/54.1
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`5,089,442 A
`11/1997 SW3-1150110131
`304/550
`5,589,553 A
`11/ 1997 Bmwn 6‘ 31‘
`~~ 380/23
`5,742,666 A
`4/1998 AIPGIT ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
`~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ 379/58
`517455049 A
`4/1998 AkiY‘“““”’1~
`340/870“
`5752975 A
`5/1998 D1110“ 6”“ ~
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`6/1998 Williams
`455/419
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`340/825.49
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`3/1999 Z1CkeTet31~ ~
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`..... .. 379/127
`5,940,752 A
`8/1999 Henrick ~~~~~~~~ ~~
`455/419
`519465535 A
`8/1999 UY°“° 6‘ 31‘
`~
`455/555
`519485054 A
`9/1999 Bertram 6‘ 31‘
`709/225
`5,960,366 A
`9/1999 Duwaer
`..... ..
`.. 455/556
`519745312 A * 10/1999 Hayes 6‘ 31‘
`455/419
`51995503 A *
`11/ 1999 Andemn
`379/14205
`5,999,990 A
`12/1999 Sham‘ 6‘ 31‘
`~~~~~~ ~~ 710/8
`0,020,293 A
`2/2000 05130111 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ 455/411
`6,031,828 A
`2/2000 K010 et 31 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ 370/336
`510415229 A
`3/2000 Turner
`455/420
`~~~~~~ ~~
`0,072,390 A *
`0/2000 Gaukel
`~ 340/5734
`610751451 A
`6/2000 Leb°W“Z 6”“
`34°/82506
`6,078,948 A
`6/2000 Podgorny etal.
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`12/2000 Minata ................... .. 340/825.44
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`6,198,390 B1*
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`340/540
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`6,208,839 B1
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`6,208,854 B1
`3/2001
`455/417
`6,215,994 B1
`4/2001
`455/419
`6,230,002 B1
`5/2001 Flodén etal.
`455/411
`6,275,143 B1
`8/2001 Stobbe ..................... .. 340/10.34
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`9/2001 Bushnell
`.... ..
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`6,295,449 B1
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`6,308,083 B2
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`11/2001
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`6,377,161 B1
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`340/7.45
`6,411,198 B1
`6/2002
`340/7.6
`6,424,623 B1
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`6,442,432 B2
`8/2002
`.. 607/59
`
`6,487,478 B1
`11/2002
`................. .. 701/24
`
`
`
`
`..
`
`~
`
`~
`
`
`
`..
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`
`
`Page 2 of 19
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`............ .. 701/213
`12/2002 TenI}is0n et al.
`"'37,,°03/72?,‘
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`'
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`............... ,, 701/213
`10/2003 Lovelace 11 e121,,
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`,,
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`340/53919
`12/2004 I’Ans0n
`,
`455/5561
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`12/2004 Levi
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`3/2005 E1ayn;;‘;1‘;;i
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`'
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`455/17
`11/2005 Kushwaha et, 21,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,709/217
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`,,
`
`,
`
`,,,, ,,
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`,
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`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`197 07 681
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`* cited by examiner
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`
`Page 2 of 19
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 10, 2012
`
`Sheet 1 013
`
`US 8,094,010 B2
`
`MEANS TO RESELECT
`LINKED TELEPHONE
`NUMBER OR IP
`ADDRESS
`150
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`INTERFACE M EAN S
`140
`
`PERIODIC STATUS
`REPORT GENERATION
`MEANS
`
`ANTENNA
`20
`
`RINGING TONE
`GENERATOR /
`AUTO ANSWER
`
`MOEELE
`
`130
`
`BA-|—|-E RY
`CHARGE
`
`TELEPHONE
`
`BLU ETOOTH
`MODULE
`
`35
`
`30
`
`10
`
`SMS ALARM
`GENERATION MEANS
`70
`
`SMS PROCESSING
`MEANS
`60
`
`
`
`SOU N D- BYTE
`CAPTURE
`M EAN S +
`THRESHOLD
`DETECTOR
`100
`
`AUTH ENTICATION
`MEANS
`90
`
`
`
`PERMI'|'|'ED
`CALLERS LIST
`110
`
`ALARM MESSAGE
`LIST
`120
`
`SENSOR MEANS
`80
`
`Fig. 1
`
`Page 3 of 19
`
`Page 3 of 19
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 10, 2012
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
`
`US 8,094,010 B2
`
`INCOMING MESSAGE OR CALL
`
`ACTION PERFORM ED BY
`PROG RAM MABLE COM MU NICATOR
`
`AUTHENTIC MESSAGE
`COMPRISING UNIQUE
`IDENTIFIER AND
`LINKING TELEPHONE
`NUMBER OR IP
`ADDRESS
`
`AUTHENTIC MESSAGE
`COMPRISING UNIQUE
`IDENTIFIER AND ONE
`OR MORE TELEPHONE
`NUMBERS OR IP
`ADDRESSES
`
`INCOMING CALL
`
`INCOMING CALL
`
`INCOMING CALL
`
`INCOMING CALL IS
`TERMINATED
`
`Fig.2
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR PROCESSES
`MESSAGE AND STORES NEW
`LINKING TELEPHONE NUMBER
`OR IP ADDRESS
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR PROCESSES
`MESSAGE AND STORES
`NUMBERS IN THE PERMITTED
`CALLERS LIST
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR VERIFIES
`HAT CALLER IS ON
`PERMITTED CALLERS LIST
`‘ ND CAUSES THE RINGING
`ONE TO BE GENERATED.
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR IS UNABLE
`O VERIFY THAT THE CALLER
`IS ON THE PERMITTED
`CALLERS LIST AND THE CALL
`IS TERMINATED
`
`HE PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR VERIFIES
`HAT THE CALLER IS ON THE
`PERMITTED CALLERS LIST
`AND AUTO ANSWERS
`
`AUTO—ANSWERED CALL IS
`ERMINATED BY THE
`ERMINATION OF THE
`INCOMING CALL AND THE
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR REVERTS TO
`IDLE STATE.
`
`Page 4 of 19
`
`Page 4 of 19
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 10, 2012
`
`Sheet 3 of3
`
`Us 8,094,010 B2
`
`OUTGOING MESSAGE OR CALL
`
`ACTION PERFORMED BY
`PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`
` REMOTE
`DEVICE
`
`REMOTE
`DEVICE
`
`
`
`AUTHENTICATED MESSAGE
`COMPRISING UNIQUE
`IDENTIFIER RECEIVES
`REQUESTED DATA FROM
`DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR COLLECTS
`DATA FROM AN ASSOCIATED
`DEVICE AND TRANSMITS IT
`O LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`ADDRESS
`
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`ADDRESS OF IP DEVICE OR
`INTERNET WEB PAGE
`RECEIVES INFORMATION
`ABOUT THE CHANGE IN
`STATUS.
`
`CHANGE IN STATUS OF THE
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR CAUSES
`MESSAGE TO BE SENT TO
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`ADDRESS.
`
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`ADDRESS OF IP DEVICE OR
`INTERNEF WEB PAGE
`RECEIVES INFORMATION
`
`ABOUT THE CURRENT STATUS.
`
`PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`COLLECTS INFORMATION ON
`CURRENT STATUS CONDITION
`AND SENDS IT PERIODICALLY TO
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`ADDRESS
`
`Fig. 3
`
`Page 5 of 19
`
`Page 5 of 19
`
`

`
`US 8,094,010 B2
`
`1
`PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This patent application is a continuation of and claims
`priority from all priority dates of U.S. patent application Ser.
`No. 11/329,212, filed Jan. 10, 2006, and entitled “Program-
`mable Communicator”. As a consequence of this priority
`claim, this patent application also claims priority to U.S.
`patent application Ser. No. 10/296,571, filed Jan. 21, 2003,
`and entitled “Programmable Communicator,” which is a
`National Phase filing of and claims priority to PCT/EP01/
`05738 filed on May 18, 2001, which further claims priority
`from Finland Application 20001239, filed May 23, 2000. The
`disclosures of each of these applications are incorporated
`herein by reference in their entirety.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention relates to a programmable wireless commu-
`nications apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a program-
`mable wireless communications apparatus, which can pro-
`vide an improved means of communication between children
`and their parents, between elderly persons and caring rela-
`tives, and between mentally less-able individuals and super-
`vising adults. In addition, the invention provides a solution for
`smart clothes applications, which may comprise a telecom-
`munications means within the lining of a jacket or other
`article of clothing, as well as a solution for user-program-
`mable data tags which convey information from remotely
`located devices such as vending machines. The invention
`relates to and significantly improves upon a previously filed
`patent application claiming Finnish priority of Sep. 9, 1997
`entitled a Portable Hotlink Communicator published as inter-
`national patent application PCT/GB98/02715.
`In this previously filed application, is taught the invention
`ofusing a mobile phone comprising a programmable identity
`module such as a SIM card, in the context of the GSM tele-
`communications standard, to program the number of any
`mobile or fixed telephone to which the Hotlink communica-
`tor, comprising a similar type ofprogrammable identity mod-
`ule, is to be linked. Existing and known methods of commu-
`nication
`between
`the mobile
`phone
`and Hotlink
`communicator for the purpose of programming comprise the
`obvious choice of data calls such as the Short Message Ser-
`vice in the GSM telecommunications standard. Alternatively
`a PDA type communicator might call up a web page to
`instruct a network element to program the programmable
`identity module ofthe Hotlink with the number ofany fixed or
`mobile telephone to which the Hotlink communicator is to be
`linked.
`
`This use of a separate mobile phone to program the number
`to which the Hotlink may call is particularly useful and con-
`venient should a parent wish to change the number if the
`parent must leave shortly and want that the Hotlink is con-
`nected immediately to the mobile phone or fixed line of
`another parent or supervising neighbour.
`The current invention builds upon the teaching of this
`earlier application and extends the concept significantly that
`it has more general and suitable application to both the child
`Hotlink communicator and also to the field of programmable
`wireless data communication tags for the purpose of provid-
`ing information about the status ofa vending machine or other
`piece of technical equipment such as a home appliance or a
`device to monitor whether a door is open or closed.
`
`10
`
`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`50
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`55
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`60
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`65
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`2
`
`In addition to this, the current invention relates directly to
`programmable wireless data communication tags, which
`comprise the means to be interfaced directly with other tech-
`nical equipment such that each tag can be programmed
`remotely by any means to be linked to any fixed or mobile
`telephone to enable data to be sent to or from the device and
`to allow a person to make a voice call connection to the linked
`telephone.
`Today parents are concerned whether to provide a young
`child with a mobile phone or not. The concern relates to the
`cost ofthe mobile phone should it be lost or stolen and also to
`the cost ofthe use ofthe mobile phone. Clearly there is a need
`to provide a means to limit the cost of calling and also to
`provide a means to prevent the child dialing overseas numbers
`for extensive periods of time.
`In the context of mobile phone operators, there exists a
`need to provide a simple and effective communication device,
`which can provide the means for family tariffing such that
`subscriptions for children can be related to the subscriptions
`of their parents’ mobile phones. An improved child Hotlink
`communicator, which restricts the usage of the mobile phone
`and thereby does not generate high charges through uncon-
`trolled calling,
`is clearly a solution to the family tarifiing
`challenge.
`Parents are often concerned about the whereabouts of their
`
`children and new positioning technologies are being devel-
`oped for locating mobile phones. These solutions include
`self-positioning solutions and remote positioning solutions.
`One example of a self-positiomng solution includes the sat-
`ellite-based Global Positioning System technology in which
`the mobile phone comprising a GPS signal processing circuit
`is able to determine the coordinates of its own position by
`processing signals received from satellites and communicate
`these coordinates to a location centre associated with the
`
`network. One example of a remote positioning solution is the
`method taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,051 ,741 claiming priority of
`Mar. 27, 1990 in which the mobile phone is paged and caused
`to transmit a response which is processed by communication
`stations such as time-of-arrival measurement units associated
`with the network of master stations or base stations.
`
`This remote positioning method has the advantage that the
`position of the mobile phone can be determined by making
`use of existing signalling between the mobile phone and the
`network without requiring any changes to the mobile phone,
`which would increase its cost. The generic network-based,
`remote-positioning architecture method of U.S. Pat. No.
`5,051,741 may make use of time of arrival methods or phase
`difference calculations to increase the resolution ofthe area or
`
`sector within which the mobile phone is located.
`While the location of the mobile phone itself is a good
`indication of the present location of the person carrying the
`mobile phone, an improvement would be a means to lock the
`mobile phone to the child, such that use of the mobile phone
`positioning technologies would then determine the position
`of the child.
`
`In addition to these concerns about the failures of existing
`mobile communications technology to provide an improved
`and more secure method of instant communication between a
`
`parent and a young child, and the means to determine the
`position of the child, there is additional concern that the
`battery of the communicator may drain its power without the
`parent knowing, or may be removed, which would prevent the
`communicator from receiving calls or dialing to the pro-
`grammed fixed or mobile number to which the communicator
`is linked.
`
`In addition to these specific communication problem
`needs, there is a growing yet unsubstantiated concern about
`
`Page 6 of 19
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`Page 6 of 19
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`

`
`US 8,094,010 B2
`
`3
`the potentially harmful effect of electromagnetic radiation
`from mobile phones upon the developing brains of young
`children. Within this context, there is an opportunity to design
`a communication device for children, which positions the
`radiating electromagnetic field of a communication device
`away from the close proximity of the brain. In this regard,
`parents who maintain the belief that mobile telephones
`present a health risk due to the radiating antenna may rest
`secure in the knowledge that this risk can be significantly
`reduced.
`
`In a separate context, there exists a growing need for a
`mobile telephone solution, which is cost effective to manu-
`facture, but which is versatile such that it can form the basis
`for a smart clothes tag or communications application plat-
`form. In this context the requirement is for an embedded
`mobile phone platform comprising no keypad or display,
`which may be sewn into the lining of a jacket, or other article
`of clothing, having only the call button protruding and a
`simple pin connection to recharge the battery. The problem
`with prior art solutions is that unless the smart clothes tag can
`be user-programrnable to call any fixed or mobile number by
`making use of an acceptable method such as via an SMS data
`call or via a BlueTooth radio transmission from a mobile
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`phone or intelligent PDA, the solution is impractical to imple-
`ment.
`
`25
`
`In security applications where emergency service person-
`nel carry hand-held primary communications devices such as
`conventional mobile phones, a back-up communications
`device such as a smart clothes embedded tag can be of great
`value in the instance that the primary communications device
`is lost or broken.
`
`In sports areas such as on lakes where there may be people
`using canoes, a smart clothes communications tag embedded
`in a life vest may serve to alert a central control point that a
`person is in difficulty and also to alert otherpersons in the area
`to go to their rescue.
`In an additional application area, skiers in difficulty would
`benefit from a smart clothes user-programmable communi-
`cations tag attached to their clothing, which is pre-pro-
`grammed to be linked with a fixed or mobile telephone and
`need only have its protruding button pressed to make com-
`munication with a central alarm point.
`In an additional application area there exists the need for a
`user-programmable remote wireless communications data
`tag, which can be used to relay information about the status of
`a remote piece of technical equipment such as a vending
`machine. Home networks could be simplified by making use
`of the existing mobile network infrastructure to relay data
`about the status of a home appliance or to indicate whether a
`door is open or closed. Packet switched technologies such as
`GPRS may be used as the radio access technology to com-
`municate the status of the technical equipment.
`In an additional application area there exists the need for a
`versatile communications platform, which can be combined
`with remote health monitoring technology to assist doctors
`with remote diagnosis of patients.
`In an additional application there is the need for a versatile
`communications which is able to work effectively when the
`network is temporarily overloaded such that it has the means
`to store a sound message as a sound byte or convert it using
`voice recognition software such that it can be forwarded as
`soon as the network capacity becomes less loaded.
`Further to these limitations of existing technologies, and so
`far as is known, no portable communication apparatus is
`presently available which serves to offer an improved pro-
`grammable communicator which is directed towards the spe-
`cific needs of this problem area as outlined.
`
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`35
`
`40
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`50
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`65
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`4
`OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
`
`Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
`provide an improved programmable communications appa-
`ratus, which can be remotely programmed by any mobile
`phone or IP device such that it can be linked to any particular
`fixed or mobile phone or IP device.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which may be
`programmed at close range using infrared light or a Blue-
`Tooth radio connection, or via a terminal-to-terminal network
`based data call such as the GSM SMS short message service
`or via a GPRS packet data communication.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which may be
`programmed by a mobile or fixed device which is able to call
`up an Internet web page and which comprises the means to
`instruct the network to reprogram the communications appa-
`ratus with the mobile or fixed number to which the program-
`mable communications device is to be linked.
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which may be
`programmed via the Internet such that the network commu-
`nicates with a device in the vicinity of the programmable
`communications apparatus which itself causes the said appa-
`ratus to be programmed using any means such as wireless
`communication, infrared light or a BlueTooth radio link.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`plurality of programmable communications apparatuses,
`which may be simultaneously programmed by a mobile or
`fixed device which is able to call up an Internet web page and
`select one or more apparatuses of the said plurality and cause
`each of the selected number of apparatuses to be linked to the
`identical mobile or fixed telephone.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which comprises
`a processing means to process coded transmissions and per-
`mit only transmissions comprising a coded number, which
`determines the authenticity of the message, to be allowed to
`program the number to which the said apparatus be linked.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which comprises
`a wrist strap, or an attachment such as in the case of the smart
`clothes application, and a first alarm means which can be
`programmed such that it can cause a message to be sent to the
`fixed or mobile number to which the said apparatus is linked
`in the case that the wrist strap be broken or undone or in the
`case that the said attachment be broken or displaced from an
`initial position of equilibrium.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which may have a
`separate pressure sensitive means or displaceable means
`which becomes activated in the pressed position or displaced
`position respectively such that it is able to generate an alarm
`or data message when pressure is removed or when the dis-
`placement returns to the non-displaced position. Such a fea-
`ture serves, by way of example, to replace the need for the
`wrist strap feature of the previous object such that when the
`wrist worn communicator is removed from the wrist the pres-
`sure sensitive means or displaceable means can provide the
`required alarm message.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which comprises
`a heat sensor, which can detect that the communicator is
`adjacent to a heat source such as the skin of a child and the
`means to generate an alarm message if the heat source is
`removed.
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`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which has the
`means to detect any other detectable physical characteristic of
`the human skin, which may be used to trigger an alarm if the
`means is moved away from the skin.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable commumcations apparatus for a security
`application, which comprises an infrared heat detector and
`which is able to generate an alarm message if a change in the
`level of infrared radiation is detected.
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which may form
`part of a home network of devices, which is used to monitor
`a domestic appliance such as a washing machine or a device
`to monitor whether a door or window is open or closed and to
`react to a change in status of said appliance or device by
`sending an alarm message or data message to a linked fixed or
`mobile telephone or internet IP address to indicate a current
`status of said appliance or device. In addition the said appa-
`ratus may be incorporated in a bicycle frame or attached to a
`bicycle for monitoring movement of the bicycle.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which has a
`memory means to store sound as a sound byte for a certain
`period of time such as the voice of the child wearing the
`programmable communicator and the means to send this
`sound to the telephone number to which the said apparatus is
`linked.
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which has a
`means to store and transmit a sound byte in response to
`receiving a sound above a predetermined threshold such that
`a person who is in distress may shout out and the distress call
`is processed by the programmable communicator and for-
`warded to the fixed or mobile telephone or IP address to
`which the said communicator is linked.
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which is able to
`make a call to a linked fixed or mobile telephone or IP address
`and which if it detects that the telephone number is engaged or
`does not answer or that the IP address is invalid, the said
`apparatus has the means to select any other telephone number
`or IP address in the permitted callers list such that it can be
`connected to said other telephone or IP device.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which is able to
`store a sound byte or store a data record and send the sound
`byte or data record to any other telephone number or IP
`address in the permitted callers list after a certain interval of
`time in the instance that the primary number or IP address is
`engaged or connection is not able to be made at that time due
`to the network capacity not being sufiicient at that time. The
`feature may also include a continuous retry feature such that
`the attempt to send the sound byte or data record is continued
`until the sound byte or data record is successfully sent.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which has the
`means to convert a voice message into text and send this as a
`data message to a fixed or mobile telephone or IP address to
`which the said apparatus is linked.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which is able to
`receive data from a plurality of data monitoring devices,
`which may be connected by any wired or wireless means, and
`that each of said devices has an associated status condition,
`such that the programmable communications apparatus can
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`transmit data from said devices on request or periodically to a
`fixed or mobile telephone or IP address to which the said
`apparatus is linked.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, in which the said
`first alarm means may communicate directly with a central
`communications point in the network.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, in which the said
`first alarm means may communicate directly with a web page
`and write information to that page or cause an E-mail to be
`sent to a specific address.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which comprises
`a second alarm means, which can be programmed to cause a
`message to be sent to the fixed or mobile number to which the
`said apparatus is linked in the case that the battery is low in
`power or in the case that the battery is removed or in the case
`that the communicator be switched off.
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which comprises
`a second alarm means, which can be programmed to send a
`message periodically comprising any status message such as
`the current power status of the battery.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which comprises
`a battery charger adapter-pin such that the apparatus can
`make use of suitable battery chargers of other mobile phones.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which comprises
`the means to be interrogated remotely by another fixed or
`mobile telephone or network connected device, such that
`different codes are used to obtain different data from the said
`
`apparatus. In the context ofremote health monitoring, by way
`of example, a doctor could send different codes from her
`mobile terminal and obtain different data on blood pressure
`and the heart rate of the person wearing the apparatus asso-
`ciated with a health monitoring system. The said apparatus
`may make use of physical monitoring means associated with
`said apparatus for providing information about the skin tem-
`perature and blood pressure and other characteristics of the
`human body.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which has appli-
`cation to smart clothes such that it provides a secondary
`communications means for emergency service personnel.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which is suitable
`for attachment to a life vest. A further object of this applica-
`tion includes a water-enabled communications apparatus,
`which may be used to communicate with a portable central
`communications unit.
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which comprises
`a GPS signal processing circuit and the means to respond to
`an authenticated request to determine its own position and
`send data relating to its position to the linked fixed or mobile
`telephone or to a location determination centre or to a speci-
`fied web page.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which may be
`securely attached to a device such as a bicycle, which may be
`used for communication and for determining the position of
`the bicycle.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which is suitable
`for young children such that it comprises an auto-answer
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`facility to connect the caller immediately with an associated
`microphone and loudspeaker to avoid the need that the child
`must press a button to answer the call. This application also
`includes the feature, which returns the programmable com-
`municator automatically to idle state as soon as the caller to
`the child terminates the call remotely. This avoids the need
`that the child must terminate the call. It also prevents the child
`from terminating the call by accident.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`programmable communications apparatus, which can be
`used with mobile location based services such that it is pos-
`sible for an authenticated person to access a web page, either
`on a hand-held terminal or fixed device, which shows the
`position of the programmable communications apparatus as
`an icon on a map after its position has been determined by its
`own GPS signal processing circuitry or remotely by the net-
`work.
`
`Other objects and advantages ofthis invention will become
`apparent from the description to follow when read in conjunc-
`tion with the accompanying drawings.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Certain of the foregoing and related objects are readily-
`attained according to the present invention by the provision of
`a novel portable programmable communicator, which serves
`to address the diverse communication requirements of chil-
`dren and elderly persons and for the purposes of remote data
`monitoring applications such as for monitoring the status of
`remote technical devices.
`
`The programmable communicator preferably comprises a
`basic mobile telephone circuit having no keypad or display
`and a rechargeable battery and antenna and a basic two-way
`microphone device and remotely pre-programmable identity
`module linking it to a single mobile or fixed telephone. Where
`appropriate, in alternative embodiments, the programmable
`communicator comprises an alarm means to indicate certain
`conditions of the communicator such as the charge level of its
`battery or if the battery is removed. Similar alarm messages
`are generated according to the particular embodiment of the
`programmable communicator application which include the
`generation of messages when an associated wrist strap or
`attachment ofthe communicator in the case of a smart clothes
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`application is undone or displaced or when the communicator
`is switched on or off or when the communicator is set to
`monitor the status condition of an associated device and the
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`status changes beyond a preset threshold level. The invention
`also includes the generation of periodic messages to indicate
`that the communicator is working and that any associated
`status condition thresholds remain unchanged. This last set of
`messages, which includes periodic reassurances messages
`includes the facility that the user may set the duration of the
`period according to the application.
`The programmable communicator has direct and effective
`application to home networks for the purpose of transmitting
`information about the status condition ofdomestic appliances
`such as the pressure of water pipes and whether a door or
`window is opened or closed. The wireless programmable
`communicator can be attached to an associated monitoring
`device and programmed with the number of a mobile or fixed
`telephone to which it is to be linked or to an Internet web page
`which can be made accessible to authenticated users or to
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`security monitoring personnel.
`Other objects and features of the present invention will
`become apparent from the following detailed description
`considered in connection with the accompanying drawings,
`which disclose one e