Patent Publication Number: US-2011063105-A1

Title: Emergency message relay

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/242,985, filed Sep. 16, 2009, which is incorporated herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to emergency messaging, more particularly to devices and a wireless communication infrastructure delivering an emergency message. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Emergency messages, e.g., SOS messages, are typically sent using a phone connection, e.g., 911 call via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) phone, a cellular telephone, a satellite phone, etc. A person in distress may not necessarily have access to a phone or he may not be in a position to place a SOS call. For example, a person using a media player may be in a traffic accident and may not have access to a phone to send an SOS message or otherwise to make an SOS call to obtain emergency services. While the media player may support Bluetooth or another wireless connection type it cannot access a cellular network for SOS messaging. Other handheld devices such as personal digital assistant (PDAs), networked computers such as laptops or palm top computers typically support Bluetooth and infrared communications but have no cellular phone connections or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) connection. Further, while the user may also have access to a cellular phone, the cellular phone may be present in a geographic location that is not serviced. In such case, the cellular phone is also not available for use in sending an SOS message. 
     Another example of an emergency situation is when a person has a heart attack and is not able to send an SOS message due to incapacity, even though the person has a pacemaker that detects the heart attack. Similarly, a sphygmomanometer or a pulse rate measuring instrument or another medical device attached to a patient&#39;s body may determine that the person needs immediate attention. However these devices, which may have local wireless communications capabilities do not have networked phone connectivity and cannot be used for sending an SOS message. 
     There are situations where a generic SOS message sent from a phone is not sufficient to identify the location of the phone or the user of the phone. However, some phones may have a coupled GPS receiver, which locates the phone. While appending GPS coordinates to a SOS would make it easier and quicker for responders to locate the phone, infrastructure and messaging for such operations are not currently available and human intervention is required. 
     Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art through comparison of such systems with various aspects of the present invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operation that are further described in the following Brief Description of the Drawings, the Detailed Description, and the claims. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Aspects and teachings of the present invention will now be described for purposes of illustration and not limitation in conjunction with the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a system diagram illustrating a plurality of wireless devices and a network infrastructure operating according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a system diagram illustrating devices and a communication infrastructure supporting emergency message generation and relay according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a system diagram illustrating a system that supports emergency message generation and relay according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating operations according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating message translation operations according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating a wireless device that generates emergency messages according to one or more embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating a wireless or wired device that performs emergency message conversion according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a system diagram illustrating a plurality of wireless devices and a network infrastructure operating according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The system  100  of  FIG. 1  includes a plurality of wireless devices that are capable of generating emergency messages (SOS messages). These wireless devices include a personal video recorder  114 , a laptop computer  116 , a digital camera  118 , a video game player  120 , a video player  122 , and a Personal Data Assistant (PDA)  124 . Each of these devices  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 , and  124  supports the generation of an emergency message based upon an emergency message direction received from a user via a user interface to the device. Further, one or more of these devices  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 , and  124  may be capable of generating an SOS message without user initiation, e.g., based upon accelerometer sensing, temperature sensing, accident recognition, or another technique. Upon initiation of SOS message operation functionality, each of these devices persistently transmits an emergency message via one or more of its wireless interfaces. 
     The example of the system  100  of  FIG. 1 , one or more of the wireless devices  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 , and/or  124  does not have available thereto communication capability with communications network(s)  102 . The communications network(s)  102  support one or more of Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) communications, cellular communications and/or satellite communications and have network connectivity with an emergency location authority location  106 , e.g., police station, fire station, 911 location, third party emergency monitoring location, etc. However, WWAN device  108 , cell phone  110 , and WWAN/cell phone enabled vehicle  112  each have the capability of communicating with the communications network(s)  102 . Thus, one or wireless devices  108 ,  110 , and/or  112  serves as an SOS message relay device for one or more of the wireless devices  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 , and  124 . 
     In some embodiments, wireless devices  108 ,  110 , and  112  include multiple wireless interfaces. A first one of these wireless interfaces, which may be a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) interface, an infrared interface, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) interface, a millimeter-wave (60 GHz) interface, or another type of wireless interface services communications with one or more of the wireless devices  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 , and  124  and another commonly enabled communication device. For example, the personal video recorder  114 , laptop computer  116 , digital camera  118 , video game  120 , video player  122 , or personal data assistant  124  may include a short-range communication interface suitable for the exchange of data with a proximately located device. 
     Wireless devices  108 ,  110 , and  112  include both a first wireless interface operable to communicate with one or more of wireless devices  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 , and/or  124  and include a second wireless interface operable to communicate with communications network  102 . With these multiple wireless interfaces, wireless devices  108 ,  110 , and  112  serve as SOS message relay devices. Further, with other embodiments, while one of wireless devices  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 , or  124  includes a wireless interface capable of communicating with the communications network(s)  102 , if such a wireless interface is unavailable (no service, out of battery power, broken, etc.), one of devices  108 ,  110 , or  112  may serve as an SOS relay device for such other of devices  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 , or  124 . 
     In a typical operation according to the present invention, a user of the digital camera  118  is in an emergency situation. The user of the digital camera  118  may be in a car that is involved in a traffic accident, for example. The user requires emergency assistance that would be dispatched from an emergency authority location  106 . However, because the digital camera  118  does not have communications connectivity with communications network  102 , the digital camera  118  persistently and repeatedly transmits an emergency message via its available wireless interface(s), e.g., WPAN/Bluetooth interface. Vehicle  112  driving past the scene of the accident includes both a Bluetooth transceiver and a cellular network transceiver. The Bluetooth transceiver of the vehicle  112  receives one or more emergency messages transmitted by digital camera  118 . Then, communication circuitry of the vehicle  112  relays the emergency message received from the digital camera  118  to the communications network  102  using a wireless interface capable of communicating with the communications network(s)  102 . 
     In relaying the emergency message emanating from the digital camera  118  to the communications network  102 , the vehicle  112  may translate the message from a format consistent with the WPAN/Bluetooth message to a format consistent with a cellular network/WWAN network/satellite network that is supported by the communications network  102 . Alternately, emergency message translation  104  may occur within the communications network  102 . In such, the communication circuitry of the vehicle  112  simply relays the emergency message received from the digital camera  118  to the communications network  102 , emergency message translation function  104  translates the emergency message, and the translated message is forwarded to the emergency authority location  106 . 
     Additional examples of the operations of the system of  FIG. 1  include generation of emergency messages by any other of the devices  114 ,  116 ,  120 ,  122 , and/or  124 . Any of the WWAN device  108 , the cell phone  110 , or the vehicle  112  of  FIG. 1  may serve to relay emergency messages between the communications network  102  and any of the source emergency message devices  114 ,  116 ,  120 ,  122 , and/or  124 . The operation of the system  100  of  FIG. 1  may also include the relaying of an emergency message response emanating from the emergency authority location  106  and terminating at a source device, e.g., digital camera  118 . In such case, the vehicle  112 , which includes communications circuitry, may relay the emergency response message between the communications network(s)  102  and the digital camera  118 . Alternately, the emergency response message may be relayed through the communications network and via another of the devices  108  or  110  to the digital camera  118 . Upon receipt, the digital camera  118  may cease repeatedly transmitting the emergency message. With such operation, the emergency message translation component  104  of communications network(s)  102  may also be required to translate the emergency response message that the emergency authority location  106  produces. 
     The emergency message typically includes the identity of the source device, e.g., digital camera  118 , may include information relating to the relaying device, e.g.,  112 . Additional location information relating to the emergency message may be generated using various techniques and appended to the emergency message. For example, using one technique, digital camera  118  has a Global Positioning System (GPS) contained therein. In such case, the emergency message generated by the digital camera  118  includes location coordinates based upon its GPS position. In such case, the emergency authority location  106  may then dispatch emergency services based upon the GPS location. Alternatively, the digital camera  118  may have no GPS receiver. In such case, a GPS receiver within vehicle  112  (or device  108  or  110 ) may be employed to append GPS location coordinates of the vehicle  112  to the emergency message before it is relayed to communications network  102  and to the emergency authority location  106  thereby. Moreover, the communications network  102  may determine a general location of vehicle  112  (and likewise digital camera  118 ) based upon a base station that receives the relayed communication from the vehicle  112  and append that location information to the emergency message. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, additional information may be appended to the emergency message by one of the WWAN device  108 , the cell phone  110 , and/or the vehicle  112  in order to assist in the direction of emergency services. Such additional information may include the device type of digital camera  118 , the wireless interface type used to communicate with digital camera  118 , and/or other information pertinent to the dispatch of emergency services to render assistance to the user of the digital camera  118 . For example, the digital camera  118  may take a picture that is appended to the emergency message. 
       FIG. 2  is a system diagram illustrating devices and a communication infrastructure supporting emergency message generation and relay according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The system  200  of  FIG. 2  includes a notebook computer  203 , cell phone  232 , and a media player  211 . Further shown in the system  200  of  FIG. 2  are a communication infrastructure  204  and an emergency authority location  106 . 
     The notebook computer  203  includes a wireless interface  207  and a keyboard  209  that is employed to receive input from a user to generate an emergency message direction. Likewise, media player  211  includes wireless interface  217 , display  213 , and keyboard  215 . The keyboard  215  receives input from a user to generate an emergency message. Cell phone  232  includes display  233 , keypad  235 , a first wireless interface  239 , a second wireless interface  237 , and an antenna  242 . The cell phone  232  wirelessly communicates with the terrestrial cellular network (satellite network, wireless wide area network, etc.) via a base station/access point/earth station  273 . Thus, communications between cell phone  232  and base station  273  operate according to a particular communication protocol. This communication protocol may be one or more of a number of cellular telephony communication protocols supported according to currently and future communication standards, e.g., North American CDMA, North American TDMA, GSM, UMTS, WCDMA, etc. The cellular network  204  also includes a gateway  275  and routers  277  and  279 . Emergency authority location  106  couples to router  279  which allows the emergency authority location  106  to be communicatively coupled to cell phone  232 . Gateway  275  includes emergency message translation functionality  276 . 
     According to a first operation according to the present invention, a user of notebook computer  203  desires emergency service. In such case, the user provides an emergency message direction to the notebook computer  203  via the keyboard  209 . The notebook computer  203  prepares at least one emergency message based upon the emergency message direction received from the user. Notebook computer  203  then repeatedly and persistently transmits at least one emergency message via its wireless interface  207 . Because this wireless interface  207  cannot access the terrestrial cellular network  204 , it simply repeatedly transmits the emergency message via the wireless interface  207 . Cell phone  232  includes a wireless interface  239  that is compatible to wireless interface  207  of the notebook computer  203  and a wireless interface  237  that is compatible with the terrestrial cellular network  204 . The cell phone  232  receives the broadcast emergency message from the notebook computer  203  in a first communication protocol via the wireless interface  239 . The format of this message may be a WPAN format, a WLAN format, a millimeter-wave/60 GHz format, a near field wave wireless communication format, an infrared wireless communication format, or another type of short communication range wireless format. 
     The cell phone  232  receives the first emergency message in the first communication protocol via the wireless interface  239  and translates the first emergency message in the first communication protocol to a second emergency message in a second communication protocol. The second communication protocol is consistent with the second wireless interface  237 , which transmits the second emergency message in the second communication protocol to the terrestrial cellular network  204 . The terrestrial cellular network, in other embodiments may be a WWAN network or a satellite network. Thus, the cell phone  232  serves to the relay emergency message(s) generated by notebook computer  203  to the cellular network  204 , which then forwards the emergency message to the emergency authority location  106 . The cellular network  204  may also translate the message from the format in which it is received to a format which the emergency authority location  106  using the emergency message translation functionality  276  of gateway  275 . 
     Likewise, media player  211  may generate a first emergency message in a first communication protocol based upon user input received by keyboard  215 . The media player  211  may interact with the user via the display  213  and the keyboard  215  in order to elicit additional information that will be included with the emergency message that it generates. After interacting with the user, the media player  211  produces a first emergency message in a first communication protocol format and repeatedly and persistently transmits the emergency message via the wireless interface  21 . The media player  211  persistently transmits the first emergency message in the first communication protocol via the wireless interface  217  in order to maximize the probability that the emergency message will be received by another proximately located device. Because the media player  211  supports only short range wireless communications, there is no guaranty that any other device will be able to receive the transmitted emergency message. Thus, the media player  211  may continue to repeatedly transmit the emergency message via the wireless interface  217  until a termination event is reached. Such termination event may be met upon receipt of a response to the emergency message. However, the termination event may simply be when the media player  211  battery no longer has sufficient energy to transmit the emergency message. The termination event also could be met upon input by user when emergency service is rendered or when the emergency no longer exists. 
     According to aspects of the present invention therefore, the transmitted emergency message for the media player  211  is received by cell phone  232  which relays the emergency message to the cellular network  204  for subsequent delivery to emergency authority location  106 . The cell phone  232  may translate the emergency message prior to forwarding the emergency message to the cellular network. Message translation may include appending additional information to the emergency message that is further used by the emergency authority location  106  to render service to the requesting user of media player  211 . 
       FIG. 3  is a system diagram illustrating a system that supports emergency message generation and relay according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The system  300  includes a plurality of devices that generate emergency messages, devices that relay emergency messages, and a network infrastructure that services transmission of emergency messages to the emergency authority location  106 . For example, pacemaker  301  includes an infrared interface  303  and a WPAN interface  305 . Likewise, PDA  307  includes an infrared interface  309  and a WPAN interface  311 . Likewise, watch  331  may include a WPAN interface and/or an infrared interface (not shown). Cell phone  313  includes a cellular interface  315 , an infrared interface  317 , and a WPAN interface  319 . 
     Pacemaker  301  resides within a patient&#39;s chest and has the ability to detect a medical emergency condition of the patient. However, the wearer of the pacemaker  301  does not have the ability to independently generate an emergency message direction due to medical emergency and/or may not know that an emergency medical condition exists. In such case, the pacemaker  301  may, based upon measurements of the patient&#39;s heart condition, generate an emergency message. In such case, the pacemaker  301  generates the emergency message and transmits the emergency message from both an infrared interface  303  and a WPAN interface  305 . However, the pacemaker  301  does not have the ability to couple the emergency message to a cellular network  339  for ultimate delivery to the emergency authority location  106 . The cell phone  313  receives the emergency message transmitted by the pacemaker  301  via one or both of its infrared interface  303  and its WPAN interface  305 . The cell phone  313  then optionally translates the emergency message and adds location information and/or other information to the emergency message before forwarding the emergency message via the cellular network  339  for delivery to the emergency authority location  106 . The emergency authority location  106 , based upon the receipt of the emergency message then dispatches emergency service to the wearer of the pacemaker  301 . Such dispatch of emergency service may be made based upon an identity of the pacemaker  301  which is included in the emergency message, based upon GPS location information appended to the emergency message by the cell phone  313 , and/or other information that would assist in rendering emergency service to a user of the pacemaker  301 . 
     Likewise, the watch  331  or PDA  307  may produce emergency messages and persistently transmit those emergency messages. The watch  331  may have a dedicated emergency button thereon or a sequence of inputs that causes the watch  331  to produce an emergency message via its one or more wireless interfaces. Likewise, the PDA  307  may receive either input from a keypad  312  or touch screen  310  to cause it to generate an emergency message. The emergency message is then persistently transmitted from one or more of its infrared interface  309 , its WPAN interface  311  for hopeful receipt by cell phone  313  or another device for subsequent delivery to the terrestrial cellular network  339 . In both of these examples, the cell phone  313  receives the emergency messages transmitted by the PDA  307  or the watch  331  and relays the emergency messages to the cellular network  339  for subsequent delivery to emergency authority location  106 . 
     The terrestrial cellular network  339  includes a base station  333  that services communication with cell phone  313 . The terrestrial cellular network  339  also includes a gateway  335  that includes emergency message translation functionality  337 . The emergency message translation functionality  337  translates emergency messages received from cell phone  313 , for example. Gateway  335  of cellular network  339  couples to backbone network  341  that couples to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)  343 , which couples to the emergency authority location  106 . The components of the cellular network  339 , the backbone network  341 , and the PSTN  343  service message transmission between cell phone  313  and emergency authority location  106 . This network infrastructure also supports the relay of a response emergency message generated by the emergency authority location  106  to cell phone  313  and ultimately to the source emergency device, e.g., pacemaker  301 , watch  331 , and/or PDA  307 . A communication link may be established between the emergency authority location  106  and a emergency services requesting device such as pacemaker  301 , watch  331 , or PDA  307 . The emergency authority location  106  may also query the source device  301 ,  331 , or  307  for additional information that will assist in dispatch of emergency services in response to the emergency message. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating operations according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The operations  400  of  FIG. 4  commence with a portable wireless device determining an emergency message condition (Step  402 ). The emergency message condition may be based upon receipt of an emergency message direction from a user via user interface or, alternatively, the portable wireless device may automatically initiate an emergency message operation based upon the triggering of an emergency event. For example, with reference to  FIG. 3 , the pacemaker  301  may automatically determine that an emergency condition exists based upon its monitoring of a heart of the user in which the pacemaker  301  is implanted. 
     After an emergency condition has been detected based upon a direction from a user or another criterion at Step  402 , the wireless device determines the availability of wireless interfaces (Step  404 ). The wireless interfaces that are available may include a WPAN interface, an infrared interface, a millimeter-wave interface, or another type of wireless interface. The wireless device may then prepare multiple emergency messages (based upon the available wireless interfaces) (Step  406 ). For example, when the wireless device includes both an infrared and a WPAN interface, the wireless device will prepare emergency messages for each of these wireless interfaces. 
     The wireless device then transmits the emergency messages via the respective wireless interfaces (Step  408 ). When multiple wireless interfaces are available for transmission of emergency messages, the wireless device transmits the emergency messages via each of the wireless interfaces, e.g., WPAN interface, millimeter-wave interface, infrared interface, etc. The wireless device continues to transmit the emergency messages via the wireless interfaces at Step  408  until a termination event is met (Step  410 ). The termination event may be the receipt of a response message to the emergency message. Such response message may come from an emergency authority location. Alternatively, the termination event may be another input received from a user indicating that the emergency has either ceased or aid has been rendered. In either case, after the termination event is met, the transmission of emergency messages via the wireless interface ceases and a user may be notified that the termination event has been met. For example, notification at Step  412  to a user is provided when a response is received from the emergency authority location that help is on the way. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating message translation operations according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The operations  500  of  FIG. 5  commence with a wireless device, e.g., cell phone  232  of  FIG. 2  or a wired device, e.g., emergency message translation function  276  of  FIG. 2 , receiving an emergency message in a first communication protocol from a transmitting wireless device (Step  502 ). The wireless device or wired device then determines a second communication protocol that is available for translation of the emergency message (Step  504 ). The device then translates the emergency message from the first communication protocol to the second communication protocol (Step  506 ). The first communication protocol differs from the second communication protocol with the second communication protocol consistent with requirements of an emergency authority location  106 , in some embodiments. 
     The wireless device or wired device then transmits the emergency message in the second communication protocol to a network infrastructure (Step  508 ). The network infrastructure may be a cellular network infrastructure or another network infrastructure that is employed to relay the emergency message eventually to an emergency authority location. Transmission of the emergency message in the second communication protocol to the network infrastructure (Step  508 ) continues until an emergency response is received (Step  510 ). After receipt of an emergency response, the wireless or wired device then translates the emergency response from the second communication protocol to the first communication protocol (Step  512 ). The wired or wireless communication device then transmits the emergency message response in the first communication protocol to the wireless device that initially transmitted the emergency message at Step  502  (Step  514 ). From Step  514 , operation ends. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating a wireless device that generates emergency messages according to one or more embodiment of the present invention. The wireless device  602  of  FIG. 6  includes a wireless communication interface  604 , optional GPS receiver  605 , processing circuitry  608 , memory  610 , and one or more user interfaces  612 . The wireless device  602  of  FIG. 6  may be any of personal video recorder  114 , laptop computer  116 , digital camera  118 , video game  120 , video player  122 , or PDA  124  of  FIG. 1 . Likewise, the wireless device  602  of  FIG. 6  with lesser or greater number of components may be any of pacemaker  301 , watch  331 , and/or PDA  307  of  FIG. 3 . The wireless device  602  of  FIG. 6  includes one or more communication interfaces  604 . These communication interfaces may support WPAN communications, millimeter-wave communications, near field wave communications, infrared wireless communications, or another type of wireless communications. The processing circuitry may be a microprocessor, digital signal processor, custom logic, program logic, or any other type of processing circuitry capable of processing data based upon the execution of software instructions. Memory  610  may be any of RAM, ROM, flash RAM, flash ROM, magnetic memory, optical memory, or any other type of memory capable of storing data and/or instructions. Instructions stored in memory  612  include emergency message generation instructions  614  and emergency message response receipt instructions  616 . These software instructions  614  and  616  enable operations according to one or more embodiments of the present invention for generation and transmission of emergency messages via the wireless communication interface  604 . The optional user interface  612  may be accessed by user to generate an emergency message direction. 
       FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating a wireless or wired device that performs emergency message conversion according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The wireless or wired device  702  of  FIG. 7  may be any of the WWAN device  108 , cell phone  110 , communication circuitry contained within vehicle  112  of  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the wireless or wired device  702  of  FIG. 7  may be the cell phone  232  of  FIG. 2  or a component of cellular network  204  of  FIG. 2 , communications network  102  of  FIG. 1 , or the cellular network  339  of  FIG. 3 . 
     The device  702  of  FIG. 7  includes multiple wireless communication interfaces  704  and  706  and may include a wired communications interface  707  a GPS receiver  705 . Wireless communications interfaces  704 , for example, supports WPAN communications, WLAN communications, millimeter-wave communications, near field wave communications, and/or infrared wireless communications. Likewise, wireless communications interface  706  supports one or more cellular network communications, WWAN communications, and/or satellite communications. The wired communications interface  707  supports wired communications supported by wired media, optical media or other hard media that couples the communications device  702  to a network infrastructure. 
     Processing circuitry  708  of device  702  may be any of a microprocessor, digital signal processor, custom logic, fixed logic, program logic, or any other type of circuitry that is capable of executing software instructions to process data. Memory  710  includes any type of memory that is capable of storing software instructions and/or data. User interface  712  may include keyboards, mice, displays, or other types of interfaces that support the interaction of the user with the device  702 . 
     Memory  710  stores emergency message receipt instructions  714 , emergency message protocol conversion instructions  716 , and emergency message transmission instructions  718 . These instructions support the various operations previously described herein for the receipt of emergency messages, translation of emergency messages from a first communication protocol to a second communication protocol and vice versa. Further, these software instructions  704 ,  706 ,  707  support the operations of the device  702  to relay emergency messages between an emergency authority location  106 , and an emergency requesting device. 
     The terms “circuit” and “circuitry” as used herein may refer to an independent circuit or to a portion of a multifunctional circuit that performs multiple underlying functions. For example, depending on the embodiment, processing circuitry may be implemented as a single chip processor or as a plurality of processing chips. Likewise, a first circuit and a second circuit may be combined in one embodiment into a single circuit or, in another embodiment, operate independently perhaps in separate chips. The term “chip,” as used herein, refers to an integrated circuit. Circuits and circuitry may include general or specific purpose hardware, or may include such hardware and associated software such as firmware or object code. 
     The present invention has also been described above with the aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. 
     The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the performance of certain significant functions. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof. 
     As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately” provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding term and/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted tolerance ranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to, but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit process variations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermal noise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a few percent to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, the term(s) “coupled to” and/or “coupling” and/or includes direct coupling between items and/or indirect coupling between items via an intervening item (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, a component, an element, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for indirect coupling, the intervening item does not modify the information of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or power level. As may further be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to.” As may even further be used herein, the term “operable to” indicates that an item includes one or more of power connections, input(s), output(s), etc., to perform one or more its corresponding functions and may further include inferred coupling to one or more other items. As may still further be used herein, the term “associated with,” includes direct and/or indirect coupling of separate items and/or one item being embedded within another item. As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably,” indicates that a comparison between two or more items, signals, etc., provides a desired relationship. For example, when the desired relationship is that signal  1  has a greater magnitude than signal  2 , a favorable comparison may be achieved when the magnitude of signal  1  is greater than that of signal  2  or when the magnitude of signal  2  is less than that of signal  1 . 
     The present invention has also been described above with the aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. 
     Moreover, although described in detail for purposes of clarity and understanding by way of the aforementioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It will be obvious to one of average skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit and scope of the invention, as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.