Emergency call apparatus and method for smart phone

An emergency call apparatus and method for a smart phone are disclosed in which the apparatus includes a personal data assistant unit including a telephone power control unit for generating a telephone power-on signal when an emergency call requirement occurs in a state in which the telephone unit is powered off, and an emergency call number storage unit for storing an emergency call number, the personal data assistant unit sending a call set-up command to the telephone unit; a power supply for supplying power the telephone unit and the personal data assistant unit; a first power path connected to the power supply, for sending power to the personal data assistant unit; a second power path connected to the power supply, for sending power to the telephone unit in response to the power-on signal; and an on-screen keyboard which enables a user to make an emergency call.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority to an application entitled “Emergency Call Apparatus And Method For Smart Phone” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 5, 2003 and assigned Serial No. 2003-78140, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an emergency call apparatus and method of a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly to an emergency call apparatus and method for utilizing a smart phone.

2. Description of the Related Art

In order to use an emergency call function in a mobile communication terminal having a telephone function, a user must push a soft key or input an emergency call number such as 112, 911, or 999 in a state in which a telephone unit is powered on.

However, typically, a smart phone includes a telephone unit and a personal data assistant (hereinafter referred to as a PDA) unit. When only a PDA function is used, the smart phone is used in a state in which the telephone unit is powered off. Accordingly, when a situation requiring an emergency call occurs while only the PDA function is being used, the user must turn on the power of the telephone unit by means of the PDA unit and must try to initiate an emergency call in a manner similar to when using a general telephone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method which enables performance of a quick emergency call by means of a smart phone when in a state in which its telephone unit is powered off and its personal data assistant unit is powered on.

In order to accomplish the aforementioned object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an emergency call apparatus for a smart phone capable of independently turning off power of a telephone unit while supplying power to a personal data assistant unit, the emergency call apparatus including: the telephone unit having an emergency call performing unit; the personal data assistant unit having a telephone power control unit for generating a telephone power-on signal when an emergency call is required when the telephone unit is powered off, and an emergency call number storage unit for storing an emergency call number, the personal data assistant unit sending a call set-up command to the telephone unit; a power supply for supplying power to the telephone unit and the personal data assistant unit; a first power path connected to the power supply, for sending power to the personal data assistant unit; and a second power path connected to the power supply, for sending power to the telephone unit in response to the power-on signal.

In order to accomplish the aforementioned object, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an emergency call method for a smart phone capable of independently turning off only power of a telephone unit, the smart phone including the telephone unit and a personal data assistant unit, the method including the steps of determining, by the personal data assistant unit, whether a user is trying to make a call, and determining whether the telephone unit is powered on when it is detected that the user is trying to make the call; determining, by the personal data assistant unit, whether an emergency call number is inputted when the telephone unit is powered off; generating, by the personal data assistant unit, a telephone power supply control signal for controlling power to be supplied from a power supply to the telephone unit when the emergency call number is inputted; powering on and initializing the telephone unit in response to the telephone power supply control signal; and the personal data assistant unit ordering a call set-up to drive the telephone unit and the telephone unit performing an emergency call.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many particular items, such as specific telephone numbers 112, 911 or 999, are shown, but these are provided for helping the general understanding of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied without such particular items. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein is omitted to avoid making the subject matter of the present invention unclear.

Referring now toFIG. 1, the smart phone includes a telephone unit100and a PDA unit500. The telephone unit100includes an emergency call performing unit140. The PDA unit500includes a telephone power control unit220and an emergency call number storage unit240. The telephone power control unit220generates a telephone power on/off signal S2and the emergency call number storage unit240stores emergency call numbers in advance.

A telephone mode button320independently turns off only power of the telephone unit100, and the power of the telephone unit100may be turned off when the smart phone is used only for a PDA function.

A power supply420supplies power to the PDA unit500through a first power path440and power to the telephone unit100through a second power path460.

A power button340turns on/off the smart phone. When a user pushes the power button340, the first power path440connects the PDA unit500to the power supply420, so that the PDA unit500is powered on. Then, the second power path460connects the telephone unit100to the power supply420, by telephone power on/off control signal S2received from the telephone power control unit220of the PDA unit500, so that the telephone unit100is powered on.

An on-screen keyboard360is a user interface preferably provided via a touch pad and a liquid crystal display. The user may push the emergency call numbers and a communication key315or an emergency call key316on the on-screen keyboard360using a stylus pen or similar means. Further, the user may turn on/off the power of the phone by means of a phone menu provided on the display.

A power-on melody generating unit600generates a melody for recognition of the user when the phone is powered on. However, in an emergency call mode, the melody is not generated when an inhibition signal S3is outputted from the PDA unit500.

Turning now toFIG. 2, in step2a, the PDA unit500checks whether a user is trying to make a call. From the result of the check, when it is detected that the user is trying to make the call, the PDA unit500checks whether or not the telephone unit100is powered on in step2b. This may be determined by checking the telephone power control unit220.

When the telephone unit100is powered off, the PDA unit500checks whether an emergency call number is inputted in step2c. That is, the PDA unit500checks whether a phone number coinciding with the phone number to which the user has tried to make a call exists in the emergency call number storage unit240. When the phone number is found to exist in the emergency call number storage unit240, the telephone power on/off signal S2is generated in step2e, so that the second power path460connects the telephone unit100to the power supply420. Therefore, the telephone unit100is powered on. Through these steps, power is supplied to the telephone unit100and an initialization is performed. Further, in step2e, the PDA unit500generates the inhibition signal S3to control the power-on melody generating unit600and not to generate a melody. Herein, this is a selective item considering an emergency situation.

After step2e, step2fis performed. That is, the PDA unit500sends a call set-up command to the telephone unit100, so that the emergency call performing unit140of the telephone unit100performs an emergency call. The call set-up command includes the emergency call number.

From the result of the check in step2c, when the emergency call number is not inputted, step2dis performed. That is, the PDA unit500generates a power-off warning message. Then, step2ais performed again.

A process performed in a sequence of step2a→step2b→step2fcorresponds to a case in which a general call or an emergency call occurs when the telephone unit100is powered on.

In the present invention as described above, when a user tries an emergency call when a telephone unit is powered off, the telephone unit is automatically powered on without an operation in which the user turns on the power of the telephone unit by using a PDA unit, so that the emergency call may be quickly performed.