Linked notification system, portable communication device, and linked notification method for portable communication device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023410637-A1
Application number	US-202018035317-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 5, 2020
Priority date	Nov 5, 2020
Publication date	Dec 21, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a linked notification system configured by communication-connecting at least one external device to a portable notification device, on receipt of a state signal indicating a state of the external device from the external device, the portable notification device refers to the notification control information in which a notification destination is associated with a notification condition defined by using a state of the external device, and determines whether the notification condition is satisfied or not on the basis of the state signal. When it is determined that the notification condition is satisfied, the portable notification device notifies the notification destination associated with the notification condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A linked notification system configured by communication-connecting at least one external device to a portable notification device, wherein
the portable notification device comprises a first processor, a nonvolatile memory, a first communication device performing communication with the external device, and a notification device sending a notification to a predetermined notification destination, each of the external devices has a second communication device performing communication with the portable notification device, the nonvolatile memory stores notification control information in which a notification destination is associated with a notification condition defined by using a state of the external device, and the first processor, on receipt of a state signal indicating a state of the external device from the external device, refers to the notification control information, determines whether the notification condition is satisfied or not on the basis of the state signal, and when it is determined that the notification condition is satisfied, executes control for sending a notification to a notification destination associated with the notification condition on the notification device.

2 . The linked notification system according to claim 1 , wherein the first processor executes the control for sending a notification on the notification device and, after that, notifies the notification destination of information expressing ambient environment of the portable notification device collected by the portable notification device.

3 . The linked notification system according to claim 2 , wherein information expressing the ambient environment includes any of a video image, sound, and position information.

4 . The linked notification system according to claim 2 , wherein the external device operates in a state where a function of the external device is suppressed before the notification execution by the portable notification device and, according to the notification execution, cancels the function suppression using a notification as a precondition.

5 . The linked notification system according to claim 1 , wherein
the external device is a self-defense tool, the self-defense tool includes a second processor, a high-voltage pulse generator, and a pulse button receiving a high-voltage pulse output operation, the notification control information includes the notification condition defined by using operation of the pulse button, and the second processor outputs the state signal indicating that the pulse button is operated to the portable notification device.

6 . The linked notification system according to claim 5 , wherein
the self-defense tool has operation modes: a low-output mode in which output from the high-voltage pulse generator is restricted; and a normal output mode in which the restriction is cancelled, when the self-defense tool activates, the second processor sets the operation mode of the high-voltage pulse generator to the low-output mode, the first processor executes a biometric authentication process to a user of the self-defense tool, when the biometric authentication process succeeds, transmits an authentication success signal indicating success of the biometric authentication process to the self-defense tool, when a notification response is received from the notification destination, transmits a connection confirmation signal indicating that a connection to the notification destination is confirmed to the self-defense tool, and the second processor switches, in the case where the authentication success signal and the connection confirmation signal are received, the operation mode of the high-voltage pulse generator from the low-output mode to the normal output mode.

7 . The linked notification system according to claim 6 , wherein
the portable notification device includes a display and a speaker, and the first processor executes the biometric authentication process on receipt of operation of terminating communication connection to the self-defense tool, when biometric authentication succeeds, transmits a normal termination signal to the self-defense tool and, when a forced termination signal indicating that maintenance of communication connection to the portable notification device is impossible is received from the second processor, stops display of the display and voice output from the speaker while maintaining the communication connection to the portable notification device and the notification destination.

8 . A portable communication device which can be communication-connected to at least one external device,
comprising a first processor, a nonvolatile memory, a first communication device performing communication with the external device, and a notification device sending a notification to a predetermined notification destination, the nonvolatile memory stores notification control information in which a notification destination is associated with a notification condition defined by using a state of the external device, and the first processor, on receipt of a state signal indicating a state of the external device from the external device, refers to the notification control information, determines whether the notification condition is satisfied or not on the basis of the state signal, and when it is determined that the notification condition is satisfied, executes control for sending a notification to a notification destination associated with the notification condition.

9 . The portable communication device according to claim 8 , wherein the first processor executes the control for sending a the notification on the notification device and, after that, notifies the notification destination of information expressing an ambient environment of the portable communication device collected by the portable communication device.

10 . The portable communication device according to claim 9 , wherein the information expressing the ambient environment includes any of a video image, sound, and position information.

11 . The portable communication device according to claim 9 , wherein the first processor transmits an instruction for cancelling function suppression using a notification as a precondition in accordance with the notification execution to the external device.

12 . The portable communication device according to claim 8 , further comprising a position sensor, wherein
the nonvolatile memory stores address data including at least one contact, and the first processor obtains position information from the position sensor when it is determined that the notification condition is satisfied, retrieves a contact of a person in a point closest to the position information from the address data, and executes control for sending a notification to the retrieved contact.

13 . The portable communication device according to claim 8 , wherein when an operation of editing the notification condition and the notification destination in the notification control information is received, the first processor updates the notification control information stored in the nonvolatile memory in accordance with the editing operation.

14 . A linked notification method for a portable communication device which can be communication-connected to at least one external device, comprising:
a step of receiving a state signal indicating a state of the external device from the external device; a step of referring to notification control information in which a notification destination is associated with a notification condition defined by using a state of the external device and, on the basis of the stat

Assignees

• Maxell Ltd

Inventors

• ESAKA Fumiaki

Classifications

• G08B15/004 Primary

  using portable personal devices (hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellent gases or chemicals F41H9/10) · CPC title

• G08B25/016 Primary

  Personal emergency signalling and security systems (emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12) · CPC title

• G06F21/32

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title

• G08B15/005

  by electric shock · CPC title

• H04M1/72424

  with manual activation of emergency-service functions · CPC title