Portable device for indicating emergency events

Abstract

A portable device including a gesture recognizer module for automatically detecting a specific sequence of gestures is described. The portable device may be used to detect a health, safety, or security related event. The portable device may further include an emergency event module for automatically determining whether the sequence of gestures corresponds to an emergency event. The portable device may further include a proximity detection module for automatically determining whether a mobile device corresponding to a user listed as an emergency contact is in a state of proximity to the portable device. The portable device may further include a notification module for automatically transmitting a message, indicating the emergency event, to the user of the mobile device determined to be in the state of proximity.

1 . A portable device comprising:
 a gesture recognizer module for automatically detecting a specific sequence of gestures;   an emergency event module for automatically determining whether the sequence of gestures corresponds to an emergency event;   a proximity detection module for automatically determining whether a mobile device corresponding to a user listed as an emergency contact is in a state of proximity to the portable device; and   a notification module for automatically transmitting a message, indicating the emergency event, to the user of the mobile device determined to be in the state of proximity.   
     
     
         2 . The portable device of  claim 1  further comprising a GPS sensor for: (1) automatically determining a location of the portable device and (2) automatically providing the location to at the emergency event module. 
     
     
         3 . The portable device of  claim 1  further comprising an accelerometer for automatically detecting a shock to the portable device and automatically providing shock related information to the emergency event module. 
     
     
         4 . The portable device of  claim 3 , wherein the emergency event module is configured to automatically analyze the shock related information and automatically determine whether the shock related information corresponds to an emergency event. 
     
     
         5 . The portable device of  claim 1  comprising a first battery for providing power to the portable device and a second battery for providing power to the portable device, wherein the second battery is used only in association with the emergency event module and other functionality needed to detect and manage the emergency event. 
     
     
         6 . The portable device of  claim 5 , wherein the second battery is for providing power to the emergency event module and the other functionality required to detect and manage the emergency event even when the portable device is powered off. 
     
     
         7 . The portable device of  claim 6 , wherein the second battery is powered based on kinetic energy. 
     
     
         8 . The portable device of  claim 1 , wherein the emergency event module is programmable to automatically dial 911 upon detection of the specific sequence of gestures. 
     
     
         9 . The portable device of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of sensors and wherein the emergency event module is programmable to automatically process data from the plurality of sensors and automatically modify the message before automatically transmitting it to the user of the mobile device determined to be in the state of proximity. 
     
     
         10 . A portable device comprising:
 a touch screen;   a tap recognizer module for automatically detecting a specific sequence of taps on the touch screen;   an emergency event module for automatically determining whether the sequence of taps corresponds to an emergency event;   a proximity detection module for automatically determining whether a mobile device corresponding to a user listed as an emergency contact is in a state of proximity to the portable device;   a notification module for automatically transmitting a message, indicating the emergency event, to the user of the mobile device determined to be in the state of proximity; and   a plurality of sensors and wherein the emergency event module is programmable to: (1) automatically process data from the plurality of sensors and (2) automatically modify the message before automatically transmitting it to the user of the mobile device determined to be in the state of proximity.   
     
     
         11 . The portable device of  claim 10  further comprising a GPS sensor for automatically determining a location of the portable device and automatically providing the location to the emergency event module. 
     
     
         12 . The portable device of  claim 10  further comprising an accelerometer for detecting a shock to the portable device and providing shock related information to the emergency event module. 
     
     
         13 . The portable device of  claim 12 , wherein the emergency event module is configured to analyze the shock related information and determine whether the shock related information corresponds to an emergency event. 
     
     
         14 . The portable device of  claim 10  further comprising a first battery for providing power to the portable device and a second battery for providing power to the portable device, wherein the second battery is used only in association with the emergency event module and other functionality required to detect and manage the emergency event. 
     
     
         15 . The portable device of  claim 14 , wherein the second battery is for providing power to the emergency event module and the other functionality required to detect and manage the emergency event even when the portable device is powered off. 
     
     
         16 . The portable device of  claim 15 , wherein the second battery is powered based on kinetic energy. 
     
     
         17 . The portable device of  claim 10 , wherein the emergency event module is configured to automatically dial 911 upon detection of the specific sequence of taps. 
     
     
         18 . A portable device comprising:
 a touch screen;   a swipe recognizer module for automatically detecting a specific pattern of swipes on the touch screen;   an emergency event module for automatically determining whether the pattern of swipes corresponds to an emergency event;   a proximity detection module for automatically determining whether a mobile device corresponding to a user listed as an emergency contact is in a state of proximity to the portable device;   a notification module for automatically transmitting a message, indicating the emergency event, to the user of the mobile device determined to be in the state of proximity; and   a first battery for providing power to the portable device and a second battery for providing power to the portable device, wherein the second battery is used only in association with the emergency event module and other functionality needed to detect and manage the emergency event and wherein the second battery is for providing power to the emergency event module and the other functionality required to detect and manage the emergency event even when the portable device is powered off.   
     
     
         19 . The portable device of claim  21  further comprising a GPS sensor for automatically determining a location of the portable device and providing the location to the emergency event module. 
     
     
         20 . The portable device of claim  21  further comprising an accelerometer for automatically detecting a shock to the portable device and automatically providing shock related information to the emergency event module.