Patent ID: 8154444

Claim:
An emergency beacon device, comprising: a microprocessor, where said microprocessor is configured to receive electronic data, generate distress message bit strings with embedded bit sequences in the format dictated by COSPAS-SARSAT, and convert generated bit strings to an analog RF signal; a user control interface having a plurality of manual actuators, where said interface is configured to activate the beacon device and transmit electronic data representing a secret message to said microprocessor upon manual actuation of one or more of said actuators; where the actuation of said actuators in a first preset sequence causes the beacon device to transmit to said microprocessor a first secret message and the actuation of said actuators in a sequence other than said first preset sequence causes the beacon device to transmit to said microprocessor a second secret message; a GPS receiver configured to transmit electronic data representing the position coordinates of the beacon device to said microprocessor; where the transmission of said first secret message to said microprocessor causes the generation a first bit string having a first embedded bit sequence, where said first bit string is in the format dictated by COSPAS-SARSAT and said first embedded bit sequence communicates that the user who actuated the interface is authentic and safe and the transmission of said second secret message to said microprocessor causes the generation a second bit string having a second embedded bit sequence, where said second it bit string is in the format dictated by COSPAS-SARSAT and said second embedded bit sequence communicates that the user who actuated the interface may be in danger; and a radio transmitter configured to receive electronic data representing the RF signal from the microprocessor and broadcast said RF signal, said RF signal being the analog form of any bit string generated by the microprocessor.