US0080940l0B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Wesby-van Swaay
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,094,010 B2
`*Jan. 10, 2012
`
`(54) PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`.......... .. 179/5 R
`8/1984 Gottsegen et al.
`.. 340/506
`8/1989 Brunius ........ ..
`.. 379/355
`3/1990 Matsumoto ..
`.. 340/506
`8/1990 Severson
`379/58
`1/1994 Higuchiet al.
`. . . . . . .. 379/58
`3/1994 Fukawa . . . . . . .
`. 340/825.44
`1/1995 Stair et al.
`.............. .. 345/146
`3/1995 Falcone et al.
`8/1996 Tsuchiyamaet al.
`.... .. 340/311.1
`(Continued)
`
`
`
`4,465,904 A
`4,855,713 A
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`4,951,029 A
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`5,548,271 A
`
`DE
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`196 25 581
`12/1997
`
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Azzaro et al., U.S. Appl. No. 60/162,249, dated Oct. 28, 1999 (21
`pages).
`
`Primary Examiner — Nam V Nguyen
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Sunstein Kann Murphy &
`Timbers LLP
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor: Eveline Wesby-van Swaay, Tiddington
`(GB)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. l54(b) by 126 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`(21) Appl.No.: 12/538,603
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Aug. 10, 2009
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2010/0035580 A1
`
`Feb. 11,2010
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. 11/329,212, filed on
`Jan. 10, 2006, now Pat. No. 7,583,197, which is a
`continuation of application No. 10/296,571, filed as
`application No. PCT/EP0l/05738 on May 18, 2001,
`now abandoned.
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`May 23, 2000
`
`(F1)
`
`.................................... .. 20001239
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G08B 1/08
`(2006.01)
`G08B 23/00
`(2006.01)
`G08B 5/22
`(2006.01)
`H04Q 1/30
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`........... .. 340/539.12; 340/573.4; 340/693.5;
`340/729; 340/733; 340/7.52
`(58) Field of Classification Search ........... .. 340/539.12,
`340/573.4, 693.5, 7.29, 7.33, 7.52, 455/456,
`455/456.2, 4184119, 425; 379/142, 373,
`379/375
`
`A programmable communicator device is disclosed having a
`wireless communications circuit, including an antenna, con-
`figured to receive a transmission, and an identity module
`having a unique identifier. The programmable communicator
`further includes a processing module including program code
`configured to determine ifthe transmission is from an authen-
`ticated caller by determining whether a received transmission
`contains the unique identifier, and memory configured to
`store telephone numbers or IP addresses received in transmis-
`sions from an authenticated caller.
`
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`197 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`OUTGOING MESSAGE OR CALL
`
`ACTION PERFORMED BY
`PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`
`AUTHENTICATED MESSAGE
`COMPRISING UNIQUE
`IDENTIFIER RECEIVES
`REQUESTED DATA FROM
`DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR COLLECTS
`DATA FROM AN ASSOCIATED
`DEVICE AND TRANSMITS [T
`O LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`‘ DDRESS
`
`REMOTE
`DEVICE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`CHANGE IN STATUS OF THE
`
`ADDRESS OF IP DEVICE OR
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR CAUSES
`INTERNET WEB PAGE
`RECEIVES INFORMATION
`MESSAGE TO BE SENT TO
`ABOUT THE CHANGE IN
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`STATUS.
`‘ DDRESS.
`
`
`
`
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`ADDRESS OF IP DEVICE OR
`INTERNET WEB PAGE
`RECEIVES INFORMATION
`ABOUT THE CURRENT STATUS.
`
`PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`COLLECTS INFORMATION ON
`CURRENT STATUS CONDITION
`
`ND SENDS IT PERIODICALLY TO
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`DDRESS
`
`1
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`
`US 8,094,010 B2
`Page 2
`
`............ .. 701/213
`12/2002 Tennison etal.
`6,496,777 B2
`709/224
`4/2003 Collins etal. .
`6,553,418 B1
`.. 340/7.51
`6/2003 Okano
`6,573,825 B1
`
`455/563
`6/2003 Eh“
`6’577’881 B1
`455/567
`8/2003 Be°ke“°'“" '
`6’6°6’5°8 B2
`" 701/2 3
`8/2003 C0366 ‘M1’
`6’6“’755 B1
`.700/65
`10/2003 Lovelace, Hetal.
`6,633,784 B1
`714/4
`12/2003 LeV1 ............... ..
`6,658,586 B1
`
`.340/539. 9
`.
`7/2004 Menardet
`6,759,956 B2
`455/556.1
`12/2004 I’AI_1s0n
`6,832,102 B2
`. 340/539. 3
`12/2004 Lev1 ........ ..
`6,833,787 B1
`" 455/4 8
`3/2005 Elayd?‘ 6‘ 31‘
`6’873’842 B2
`' 455/ 7
`7/2005 O’Ne‘”‘°“”1'
`6922547 B2
`709/2 7
`11/2005 Knsnwnhaetal.
`6,970,917 B1
`455/4564
`$332 $’V"‘.‘ge”“‘1‘
`g’g§§’;§§ 3:
`'
`600/300
`e”‘‘°“r 6‘ 31'
`’
`’
`4/2006 Wesby ........................ .. 455/4 9
`7,027,808 B2
`8/2006 Gonzalez ................. .. 340/573.1
`7,084,771 B2
`8/2007 Balleretal.
`709/200
`7,254,601 B2
`7/2009 Wesby ............... ..
`455/4 9
`7,558,564 B2
`9/2009 Wesbyvan SW3”
`340/5734
`7583497 B2
`10/2009 L1nk,IIeta1.
`455/4 1
`7,599,681 B2
`5/2001 A_c1c1yeta1.
`340/531
`2001/0001234 A1
`4/2002 K1sh1m0t0 ............... .. 713/202
`2002/0046353 A1
`6/2002 A1exn_nc1er,111eta1.
`. 379/106.01
`2002/0080938 A1
`12/2002 L1nt1_11cum et a1.
`.......... .. 709/227
`2002/0198997 A1
`9/2003 C0111ns etal. ............... .. 700/286
`2003/0176952 A1
`2/2010 Wesby-Van Swaay
`455/411
`2010/0035580 A1
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`
`'
`
`
`
`197 07 681
`DE
`0432 746
`EP
`0 524 652
`EP
`0772 336
`EP
`0996 302
`EP
`1013 055
`EP
`07-087211
`JP
`09-64950
`JP
`2000-115859
`JP
`2000-135384
`JP
`2001-177668
`JP
`2001-249860
`JP
`2002-077438
`JP
`W0 97/23104
`W0
`W0 98/51059
`W0
`W0 99/13629
`W0
`W0 99/34339
`W0
`W0 00/56016
`W0
`W0 00/70889
`W0
`W0 01/03414
`W0
`* cited by examiner
`
`5/1998
`6/1991
`1/1993
`5/1997
`4/2000
`4/2005
`3/1995
`3/1997
`4/2000
`5/2000
`6/2001
`9/2001
`3/2002
`6/1997
`11/1998
`3/1999
`7/1999
`9/2000
`11/2000
`1/2001
`
`M2M
`
`EX. 2019
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`..
`gflggg gflgeegfgl """""""""" "A5357/if?
`:2
`4/1997 Kikuchi et 51""
`379/58
`5,623,533 A
`11/1997 Swanson eta1 ’
`W364/550
`5,689,442 A
`11/1997 Brown etal
`‘
`‘
`380/23
`5,689,563 A
`~
`A/1998 Alpert
`379/58
`5,742,666 A
`A/1998 Akiyam6"6{*6i"'
`3A6/87017
`5745049 A
`5/1998 Duffin em ~
`667232
`57521976 A
`6/1998 Williams
`' """"""""""" "A55/A19
`5374604 A
`9/1998 Pmulescfigtgl""""""" " A55/92
`5805460 A
`11/1998 Murra etal
`’
`340/825 49
`5,831,545 A
`3/1999 Zickeryetal ‘ H
`455/419
`5,878,339 A
`3/1999 Hegeman ~~
`A55/A14
`5684661 A
`5/1999 Wakabayashietal.
`. 379/127
`5,903,634 A
`8/1999 Henrick ........... ..
`. 455/419
`5 940 752 A
`8/1999 Uyeno et 61
`455/566
`5946636 A
`9/1999 Bemamet 61:
`709/225
`5’948’064 A
`9/1999 Duwaer
`A55/556
`59601366 A
`5974312 A ,, 10/1999 Hayesetéi
`"A55/A19
`5,995,603 A * 11/1999 Anderson
`379/142 05
`59991990 A
`12/1999 Shmitetalw
`716/8
`6,026,293 A
`2/2000 Osborn
`~
`~~~~ A55/All
`6’031’828 A
`2/2000 Koro et
`' 370/336
`6,041,229 A
`3/2666 Turner
`~ A55/A26
`6’072’396 A *
`6/2000 Gaukel
`""340/5734
`6675451 A
`6/2000 Leb6WitZ'6t"61
`640/825 06
`6:078:96; A
`6/2000 Podgornyetai
`709/264
`6,108,521 A
`8/2000 Fo1adar_ee_t al.
`455/313
`6,125,273 A
`9/2000 Yamag1sh1
`. 455/411
`6,144,859 A
`11/2000 LaDue ....... ..
`. 455/511
`..
`6,148,197 A
`11/2000 Bridges et al.
`. 455/432
`6,157,318 A
`12/2000 Minata .......... ..
`340/825.44
`6,172,616 B1
`1/2001 Johnson etal.
`.
`340/870.12
`6,198,390 B1 *
`3/2001 Schlageretal.
`340/540
`6,208,039 B1
`3/2001 Mendelsohn etal.
`307/52
`6,208,839 B1
`3/2001 Davani
`455/31.3
`
`3/2001 R0be1ts eta. ..
`6,208,854 B1
`. 455/417
`4/2001 Schmidtetal.
`6,215,994 B1
`.
`. 455/419
`6,230,002 B1
`5/2001 Flodén etal.
`455/411
`6,275,143 B1
`8/2001 Stobbe ..................... .. 340/10.34
`6,288,641 B1
`9/2001 Casais ......................... .. 340/539
`6,289,084 B1
`9/2001 Bushnell .......... ..
`379/67.1
`6,295,449 B1
`9/2001 Westerlage etal.
`. 455/422
`6,308,083 B2
`10/2001 King ............. ..
`. 455/556
`6,314,270 B1
`11/2001 Uchida ......... ..
`455/67.1
`6,377,161 B1
`4/2002 Gromelski etal.
`340/7.45
`6,411,198 B1
`6/2002 Hiraietal.
`....... ..
`.. 340/7.6
`6,424,623 B1
`7/2002 Borgstahletal.
`. 370/230
`6,442,432 B2
`8/2002 Lee ............................... .. 607/59
`6,487,478 B1
`11/2002 Azzaro et al.
`................. .. 701/24
`
`
`
`.
`
`~
`
`2
`
`M2M
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 10, 2012
`
`Sheet 1 of3
`
`Us 8,094,010 B2
`
`MEANS TO RESELECT
`LINKED TELEPHONE
`NUMBER OR IP
`ADDRESS
`150
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`INTERFACE MEANS
`140
`
`PERKEHCSTATUS
`REPORT GENERATION
`MEANS
`
`ANTENNA
`20
`
`RINGING TONE
`GENERATOR /
`AUTO ANSWER
`
`MO3¥LE
`
`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
`
`3
`
`DAZDA
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`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 10, 2012
`
`Sheet 2 of3
`
`Us 8,094,010 B2
`
`INCOMING MESSAGE OR CALL
`
`ACTION PERFORM ED BY
`PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`
`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.
`
`4
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`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 10, 2012
`
`Sheet 3 of3
`
`Us 8,094,010 B2
`
`°"TG°I"G MESSAGE °R CALL
`
`ACTION PERFORMED BY
`PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`
` REMOTE
`DEVICE
`
`REMOTE
`DEVICE
`
`6
`
`I
`
`7
`
`-
`
`8
`
`
`
`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
`
`CHANGE IN STATUS OF THE
`
`ADDRESS OF IP DEVICE OR
`INTERNET WEB PAGE
`RECEIVES INFORMATION
`ABOUT THE CHANGE IN
`STATUS.
`
`PROGRAMMABLE
`COMMUNICATOR CAUSES
`MESSAGE TO BE SENT TO
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`ADDRESS.
`
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`ADDRESS OF IP DEVICE OR
`
`INTERN|:_|' WEB PAGE
`RECEIVES INFORMATION
`ABOUT THE CURRENT STATUS.
`
`ADDRESS
`
`PROGRAMMABLE COMMUNICATOR
`COLLECTS INFORMATION ON
`
`CURRENT STATUS CONDITION
`AND SENDS IT PERIODICALLY TO
`LINKED TELEPHONE OR IP
`
`Fig. 3
`
`5
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`
`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 li11e 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
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`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 tariffing
`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-positioning 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 oftime 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
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`Ex. 2019
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`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
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`phone or intelligent PDA, the solution is impractical to imple-
`ment.
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`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 difiiculty 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 lin1itations 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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`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 fron1 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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`5
`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 communications 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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`M2M
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`Ex. 2019
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`M2M
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`US 8,094,010 B2
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`7
`facility to connect the caller immediately with an associated
`microphone and loudspe