Abstract:
A safety device includes a radio frequency (RF) receiver, an RF transmitter, and a controller coupled to the receiver and transmitter. The controller utilizes at least one discovery protocol to determine the presence of a radiator. Discovery protocol commands are provided to disable or create an alarm on the radiator. A cardiac device and an airplane including a safety device are also provided. Related safety methods are included.

Description:
INTRODUCTION  
         [0001]    Electronic devices, including portable consumer electronics such as portable computers, cellular phones, portable electronic games, radios, portable compact disc players, electric razors, etc. have become widely available in recent years as a result of advances in technology which have made possible the miniaturization of electronic components. The increased portability of electronic devices has caused them to become widely utilized in a variety of places. An extremely popular situation where portable electronic devices are used is during airplane travel, particularly during long airplane flights.  
           [0002]    Recently, there has been great concern over the use of electronic devices aboard aircraft. Specifically, there is concern that the electronic devices act as sources of electromagnetic interference (EMI) which may affect an aircraft&#39;s avionics and other electronic equipment. This EMI can potentially produce disastrous results if the interference occurs at an inopportune time during a flight, such as take-off or landing. As a precaution, airplane passengers are routinely requested to turn off all electronic devices during take-off and landing. In fact, Federal Regulation 14 C.F.R. § 135.144 prohibits operation of most portable electronic devices on U.S. registered civil aircraft.  
           [0003]    Some electronic devices may interfere with the aircraft&#39;s avionics and other aircraft equipment by giving off radio frequency (RF) emissions in the course of their designed operation. Intentional RF emissions can be a form of EMI. Transmitting devices, such as cellular phones, generate strong narrow band RF signals, while non-transmitting devices, such as laptop computers without wireless capability, emit weak but broadband RF signals as a side effect of their operation while communicating. Modern avionics systems are becoming increasingly susceptible to interference caused by the RF emissions, especially strong signals, because the avionics utilize smaller circuit elements which require less energy to be damaged or to change their electrical state. Due to the varying conductor lengths between circuits in the avionics systems, and due to exposed connections, the systems are also susceptible to weak broadband interference. If a passenger&#39;s electronic devices produce radiation at the critical frequencies of the avionics&#39; operating sources or produce intermediate signals with enough strength, they could confuse or disable an aircraft&#39;s avionics and other aircraft electronic equipment including navigation and communication gear.  
           [0004]    Various methods for solving the problem caused by EMI from electronic devices aboard aircraft have been proposed. Banning all electronic devices from being present on an airplane is not preferable, as it would deprive travelers of the tools they may need when arriving at their destination. Travelers, can be asked, as they are now, to turn off all electronic devices during critical times of the flight, such as take-offs and landing. This type of procedure relies on the honor system, the ability of the travelers to hear and understand airline steward instructions to turn off electronic devices, a visual inspection by the stewards of the travelers to ensure that electronic devices are turned off, and the assumption that the devices in question are within the traveler&#39;s immediate reach and not stored in an overhead bin or in the cargo area of the airplane. In some cases the preceding conditions are met, and electronic devices are easy to visually detect in operation by a steward while walking up and down an airplane aisle. However, there are increasingly devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDA&#39;s) and cellular phones, which are small enough to be hidden away in a pocket or bag, and while apparently not in use, these devices may be operating in an “unconscious mode”, where transmission can be occurring without the user&#39;s knowledge, even if to the user or owner, the device appears to be turned off. While operating in this unconscious mode, the device may be continuously or periodically “looking” for other devices in the vicinity, by transmitting a coded RF signal, to establish two-way communication. This transmission, whether deliberate or not, may violate federal regulations when present on a commercial airplane.  
           [0005]    In addition to the world of avionics, such RF transmissions can endanger individuals who use a cardiac device, by interfering with the operation of the cardiac device, if the RF power level is high enough or if the RF transmitter is in close proximity.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a safety device for use in the detection, prevention and/or avoidance of unwanted or potentially harmful RF radiation from electronic devices utilizing a discovery protocol.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of actions which may be performed by a safety device for use in the detection, prevention and/or avoidance of unwanted or potentially harmful RF radiation from electronic devices utilizing a discovery protocol.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a safety device for use in the detection, prevention, and/or avoidance of unwanted or potentially harmful RF radiation from electronic devices utilizing a discovery protocol.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of actions which may be performed by a safety device for use in the detection, prevention and/or avoidance of unwanted or potentially harmful RF radiation from electronic devices utilizing a discovery protocol.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 schematically illustrates one embodiment of using multiple safety devices for use in the detection, prevention and/or avoidance of unwanted or potentially harmful RF radiation from electronic devices utilizing a discovery protocol.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 schematically illustrates one embodiment of a cardiac device with an integrated safety device for use in the detection, prevention, and/or avoidance of unwanted or potentially harmful RF radiation from electronic devices utilizing a discovery protocol.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of actions which may be performed by a cardiac device with a safety device for use in the detection, prevention and/or avoidance of unwanted or potentially harmful RF radiation from electronic devices utilizing a discovery protocol.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]    In order to protect an airplane&#39;s  20  avionics  22  and assist an airplane crew in determining the presence of radiators  24  within the airplane  20 , a safety device  48  may be used. Examples of radiators  24  may include cellular phones  26 , radio modems  28 , two-way pagers  30 , portable computers  32 , personal data assistants (PDA&#39;s)  34 , or electronic devices  36  which utilize a discovery protocol, for example, a Bluetooth device  38 , or an IEEE 802.11 device  40 .  
         [0014]    A discovery protocol, such as Bluetooth, allows electronic devices having both a transmitter and a receiver to form a connection with other electronic devices speaking the same protocol. These electronic devices are radiators  24  which can actively transmit coded instructions inquiring about the presence of other devices equipped with the same discovery protocol within the transmission and reception vicinity of the intentional radiator  24 . Nearby devices receiving a discovery protocol inquiry can respond with identifying information which allows the intentional radiator  24  to differentiate between and communicate with more than one discovery protocol device at a given time.  
         [0015]    While these discovery protocol communications are desirable and useful most of the time, they can prove hazardous to an airplane&#39;s  20  avionics  22 . When a person  42  carries a portable electronic device  44 , which is capable of intentionally radiating RF signals to implement a discovery protocol, onboard an airplane  20 , the airplane crew will likely not be able to identify the danger because the portable electronic device  44  may be hidden from view or visibly appear to be turned “off”. It is harder still for the airplane crew to know if there are dangerous RF transmissions coming from a cargo area  46  of the airplane  20 , where radiators  24  may also be stored.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 schematically illustrates one embodiment of a safety device  48 . The safety device  48  has a controller  50  which may include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a suitably programmed microprocessor, discrete logic components, a separate computer with an operating system and control program, or any combination thereof. The safety device  48  also has an RF receiver  52  and an RF transmitter  54  which are coupled to the controller  50 . The RF receiver  52  and controller  50  monitor for incoming coded data sequences  56 . The RF transmitter  54  and controller  50  transmit outgoing coded data sequences  58 . The controller  50  may be configured to receive and transmit one or more discovery protocols  60 , including Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, cellular communication, radio modem, and/or two-way paging. The safety device  48  has a user interface  62 , coupled to the controller  50 , which may be visual, tactile, and/or auditory in this embodiment. The safety device  48  may be configured as a portable safety device  64 , or as a safety device  66  which is integrated into the airplane  20 .  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of actions which may be performed by the safety device  48 . The safety device  48  monitors  68  for an RF signal from a radiator  24 . If no RF signals are detected  70 , the safety device  48  continues to monitor  68 . If the safety device  48  detects  72  an RF signal, the controller then determines  74  compatibility with known discovery protocols  60 . If the signal data is not compatible  76  with the known discovery protocols  60 , then the safety device  48  continues to monitor  68  for more RF signals. If the signal data is compatible  78  with the known discovery protocols, then the safety device  48  communicates  80  with the radiating device  24  to discover information about the radiating device  24 . The safety device  48  performs these communications  80  by using the known discovery protocol which was identified in action  74  to transmit queries and instructions with the RF transmitter  54  to the radiator  24  and listen for responses with the RF receiver  52 .  
         [0018]    At any time after compatibility with a known discovery protocol has been determined  78 , a safety device  48  with a user interface  62  may alert  82  a safety device user that an undesired RF signal from a known device is present or in proximity to the safety device  48 . This alert can be visual, tactile, or auditory.  
         [0019]    At any time after discovering information  80  about the radiating device, identifying information may be reported  84  to the user. Such information on the radiating device  24  may include device name, product type, owner name, or device location (if communicating with a global positioning system (GPS) device). This information may then be used by the airplane crew to help locate the radiator.  
         [0020]    At any time after compatibility with a known discovery protocol has been determined  78 , a safety device  48  may remotely play  86  an alarm on the radiator  24  through transmission of an alarm command in the discovery protocol. The sounding alarm on the radiator  24  may help the airplane crew to locate the offending device, or the alarm may alert the device owner that they have an actively transmitting device which needs to be disabled.  
         [0021]    At any time after compatibility with a known discovery protocol has been determined  78 , a safety device  48  may remotely disable  88  the radiator  24  with an appropriate disabling command in the discovery protocol. This action would not require intervention on the part of the airplane crew.  
         [0022]    The actions illustrated in FIG. 2 represent one embodiment of actions which may be performed by a safety device  48 . A safety device  48  may also perform a subset of the actions illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 2.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 schematically illustrates another embodiment of a safety device  90 . Safety device  90  in FIG. 3 is similar to safety device  48  in FIG. 1, with the addition of a global positioning system  92  (GPS) coupled to the controller  50 . In situations where the safety device  90  is communicating with a radiator  24  which has its own GPS capabilities, the safety device  90  can discover the GPS position of the radiator  24 , compare it with the safety device GPS location and provide instructions to a safety device user on how to locate the radiator  24 .  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of actions which may be performed by the safety device  90 . The safety device  90  may perform actions  68 - 88  as already discussed with regard to FIG. 2. Additionally, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, at any time after discovering information  80  about the radiating device  24 , the controller  50  may compare a reported radiating device  24  GPS position to the safety device GPS position (as determined by GPS system  92 ) to determine  112  the relative distance and/or direction from the safety device  90  to the undesired intentional radiating device  24 . The relative distance and/or direction from the safety device  90  to the undesired intentional radiating device  24  may then be reported  114  to the safety device user.  
         [0025]    The actions illustrated in FIG. 4 represent one embodiment of actions which may be performed by a safety device  90 . A safety device  90  may also perform a subset of the actions illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 4.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of using multiple safety devices  48 ,  90  in conjunction with one another to help locate an intentional radiator  120  which speaks a known discovery protocol, but may not accept disabling, or alarm commands, and may not provide GPS information. A master safety device  122 , after initially determining that an intentional radiator  120  speaking a discovery protocol is present, queries  124  the intentional radiator  120  using discovery commands as represented by line A. The intentional radiator  120  responds  126  as represented by line B. From this interchange the master safety device  122  makes a determination of the distance from the intentional radiator  120  to the master safety device  122 . Since the master safety device  122  is screening for discovery protocol signals, the master safety device  122  identifies a valid radiator  120 , but the direction to the device is not known. The master safety device  122  then communicates  128  with a first slave safety device  130  as represented by line C. The first slave safety device  128  then communicates  132 ,  134  with the intentional radiator  120  as represented by lines D and E. As a result of these communications  132 ,  134 , the first slave safety device  130  determines a distance from the intentional radiator  120  to the first slave safety device  130 . The first safety device  130  then communicates  136  this distance information to the master safety device  122 , as represented by line F. At this point, the master safety device  122  still may not be able to determine the location of the intentional radiator  120 . The master safety device  122  then communicates  138  with a second slave safety device  140  as represented by line G. The second slave safety device  140  communicates  142 ,  144  with the intentional radiator  120  as represented by lines H and I. As a result of these communications  142 ,  144 , the second slave safety device  140  determines a distance from the intentional radiator  120  to the second slave safety device  140 . The second safety device  140  then communicates  146  this distance information to the master safety device  122 , as represented by line J. Using its own distance calculations as well as the distance calculations from the slave safety devices  130 ,  140 , the master safety device  122  triangulates on the position of the intentional radiator  120 , and the airplane crew should know that they are locating a signal source they can disable because the intentional radiator  120  has been pre-screened with the discovery protocol. Additional slave safety devices  148  may be utilized for more accuracy as desired.  
         [0027]    Triangulation is preferably used while the airplane  20  is on the ground. In the air, the speed of the airplane  20  may limit the effectiveness of triangulation. Additionally, the triangulation process may result in increased RF signals from the safety devices  122 ,  130 ,  140 , and  148  and the radiator  120 . It may be beneficial to allow the increased RF signals during the triangulation process, especially while the airplane  20  is on the ground, in order to avoid long-term RF-interference during flight. It may also be beneficial to alert the pilot before and/or during the triangulation process.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a cardiac device  150  with an integrated safety device. The cardiac device  150  may be a pacemaker, an implantable defibrillator, or other such device that regulates and/or monitors cardiac function. The cardiac device  150  has a controller  152  which may include an ASIC, a suitably programmed microprocessor, discrete logic components, distributed processing components, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the cardiac device  150  has heart monitoring and stimulation electronics  154  which perform the life sustaining and saving functions of keeping the cardiac device wearer&#39;s heart beating properly. The cardiac device  150  also has an RF receiver  156  and an RF transmitter  158  which are coupled to the controller  152 . The RF receiver  156  and controller  152  monitor for incoming coded data sequences  56 . The RF transmitter  158  and controller  152  transmit outgoing coded data sequences  58  timed so that the transmissions will not interfere with operation of the heart monitoring and stimulation electronics  154 . The controller  152  may be configured to receive and transmit one or more discovery protocols  160 , including Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, cellular communication, radio modem, and/or two-way paging. The cardiac device  150  has a user interface  162 , coupled to the controller  152 , which may be tactile, and/or auditory in this embodiment.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of actions which may be performed by the cardiac device  150 . Like the safety devices  48 ,  90  already discussed, the cardiac device  150  monitors  68  for an RF signal from an intentional radiator  24 , using a compatible discovery protocol  60 . These actions  68 - 78  have already been discussed with respect to FIG. 2. If the signal data is compatible  78  with the known discovery protocols  60 , then the cardiac device  150  communicates  176  with the radiating device  24  to discover information about the radiating device  24 . This communication  176 , as well as all transmissions from the cardiac device  150  are synchronized  176  with the heart monitoring and stimulation electronics  154  so as not to interfere with their activity.  
         [0030]    At any time after compatibility with a known discovery protocol has been determined  174 , the cardiac device  150  with a user interface  162  may alert  178  the cardiac device  150  wearer that an undesired RF signal from a known device is present or in proximity to the cardiac device  150 . Since the cardiac device  150  is implanted in the user, this alert  178  can be tactile, and/or auditory.  
         [0031]    At any time after compatibility with a known discovery protocol has been determined  174 , the cardiac device  150  may remotely play  180  an alarm on the radiator  24  through transmission of an alarm command in the discovery protocol. This transmission should be synchronized so it will not interfere with the heart monitoring and stimulation electronics. The sounding alarm on the radiator  24  may help the cardiac device user locate and avoid the offending device, or the alarm may alert the device owner that they have an actively transmitting device which needs to be disabled.  
         [0032]    At any time after compatibility with a known discovery protocol has been determined  174 , a cardiac device  150  may remotely disable  182  the radiator  24  with an appropriate disabling command in the discovery protocol. This transmission should be synchronized so it will not interfere with the heart monitoring and stimulation electronics. This action would not require intervention on the part of the cardiac device user.  
         [0033]    The actions illustrated in FIG. 7 represent one embodiment of actions which may be performed by a cardiac device  150 . A cardiac device  150  may also perform a subset of the actions illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 7.  
         [0034]    Although discovery protocols described herein include Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, cellular phone, radio modem, and 2-way pager, it is apparent that other discovery protocols may be used, and are deemed to be within the scope of the claims below. The embodiments discussed herein have described the interaction of a safety device or a cardiac device with one intentional radiator at a time. This method of description was adopted to simplify the explanation of the embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims below. It is apparent that a safety device and cardiac device may interact and communicate with several intentional radiating devices simultaneously, or in multiplexed order. Additionally, it is apparent that a variety of other structurally and functionally equivalent modifications and substitutions may be made to implement an embodiment of a safety device or a cardiac device according to the concepts covered herein, depending upon the particular implementation, while still falling within the scope of the claims below.