Wearable Beacon and Smartphone Relay for Emergency Communication
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems are inadequate for rapid and simultaneous contact with multiple recipients in emergency situations, particularly for individuals in dangerous or remote locations, such as the elderly, athletes, and those engaged in extreme sports, as they often face difficulties in accessing conventional cell phones due to environmental constraints or wearing protective gear that impedes phone use.
Innovation Solution
A portable device that connects wirelessly to a local communications module, such as a smartphone, allowing for rapid initiation of phone calls, texts, and email communications with preselected contacts, including GPS location sharing, using a simple user interface with few buttons, and employing Bluetooth technology for data transfer, which can be triggered by a single switch or button, mitigating limitations of existing wireless communication devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional cell phone is used for emergency communication, then communication capability is provided, but ease of operation deteriorates when wearing protective gear such as helmets and gloves
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the communication function into two separate components: a simple wearable alert device with minimal buttons for triggering emergencies, and a secondary smartphone device that handles all communication operations. This segmentation allows the wearable device to be easily operated with gloves or while wearing helmets, as it only requires simple button presses or motion detection, while the smartphone remains in a pocket or bag to handle complex communication tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a secondary device (smartphone) as an intermediary between the user and the communication network. The wearable alert device communicates with the smartphone via Bluetooth or other wireless means, and the smartphone then communicates with emergency contacts and services. This intermediary approach allows the user to trigger an emergency with a simple action on the wearable device while the smartphone handles the complex communication protocols, messaging, and contact management.
2Reliability
If multiple communication methods are used to contact recipients simultaneously, then communication reliability improves, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures multiple communication methods and recipient contacts in advance on the smartphone device. When an emergency is triggered by the wearable device, the pre-configured communication protocols are automatically activated, eliminating the need for real-time decision-making about which communication method to use. This preliminary setup allows the system to rapidly deploy multiple communication channels (SMS, email, voice calls, push notifications) simultaneously without consuming excessive energy during the emergency response.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a tiered communication approach where the system attempts communication through multiple channels simultaneously, but can be configured to stop after a certain number of successful contacts or after a predetermined time period. This partial action approach ensures that communication reliability is improved by attempting multiple methods, while energy consumption is controlled by not indefinitely maintaining all communication channels active. The system can be configured to use just enough communication methods to ensure reliable contact without wasting energy on redundant attempts.
3Reliability
If GPS location tracking is implemented, then safety and monitoring capability improve, but energy consumption and privacy concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The GPS location tracking is implemented as a periodic function rather than continuous monitoring. The wearable device can be configured to update location information at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes, every 15 minutes, or hourly) depending on the emergency situation and user preferences. This periodic action maintains safety monitoring capability by providing location updates at regular intervals while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous GPS tracking. The system can also activate more frequent tracking only when an emergency is detected, rather than maintaining high-frequency tracking at all times.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid and efficient communication with multiple recipients, saving battery life and time, allowing users to easily contact emergency contacts and track their location in real-time, providing peace of mind and enhancing independence, especially for the elderly and those in hazardous situations.
Implementation Method 1
The device connects wirelessly to a pre-existing local communications module that is in turn connected to a network
Data Source
AI summary
An personal portable communication device and system is provided which includes a handheld beacon that has a controller, a short range signal transmitter, and a power source, and at least one switch, an indicator light and a short range signal receiver that transmits and receives signals to a secondary relay communication device such as a smartphone wherein the secondary device sends second communication signals including messages according to predetermined instructions to predetermined destinations.