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Apple Patent To Safeguard 911 Cellphone Calls

Posted by Soulskill on from the in-case-of-seizure-please-shake-your-iphone dept.

MojoKid writes "Engineers from Apple have applied for a patent on an 'emergency' mode for cell phones that would squeeze every last drop of energy out of the batteries. The phone would recognize emergency calls when the user dialed an emergency number, such as 911 in the United States. But another number could also be stored as an 'emergency number' on the phone (a spouse, child, or parent, for example) or the user could manually put the phone in emergency mode. The process would do a variety of things. It would disable 'non-essential hardware components' and applications on the phone, reduce power to the screen and potentially reduce the phone's processor speed. It also would make it harder to disconnect the call and enable 'emergency phrase buttons' on the phone."

5 of 226 comments (clear)

  1. Not too bad.. by log0n · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Actually doesn't seem like that bad of an idea for a patent. Granted the system is full of abuse, but at least this one is well intentioned and could save a life.

    1. Re:Not too bad.. by GrpA · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You mean only save the lives of iPhone users... Everyone who chooses a different phone will be punished to death for their arrogance...

      Sadly, this scenario seems more likely IMO given Apple.

      After all, if they intended to patent it "to stop others blocking it" they could just as easily have made it into prior art and it would have been cheaper to do.

      GrpA

      --
      Enjoy science fiction? "Turing Evolved" - AI, Mecha, Androids and rail-gun battles. What more could you want?
    2. Re:Not too bad.. by MLCT · · Score: 5, Insightful

      but at least this one is well intentioned and could save a life.

      Not if phone manufacturers are dissuaded from adding this feature because they would either have to pay Apple royalties or risk being sued by them. In that case the fact that it has been patented may actually cost lives.

      If Apple came out and guaranteed royalty free licensing for all then it would be a positive move for society.

  2. Is a Good Idea = a patent? by Teun · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I have trouble accepting this type of Good Idea needs to be patentable.

    But then, when the same institution makes computer algorithms patentable maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

    This is very much comparable to the One Click fiasco, you get a couple of desirable but common applications linked to a single action and Bingo!

    --
    "The likes of Facebook and WhatsApp are free to those whose privacy is of zero value."
  3. Re:Great. Just amazing. by maxume · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A big problem for you?

    --
    Nerd rage is the funniest rage.