Abstract
The reliability of emergency signaling from computing devices (e.g., smartphones, smart watches, or wearable devices) with direct-to-satellite communication can be affected when a primary communication link is unavailable due to factors such as antenna obstruction, environmental shielding, or power constraints. Systems and methods are described that provide a peer-to-peer relay mechanism. For example, upon failure to establish a primary long-range connection, a first device can broadcast an emergency relay request using a low-power, short-range radio. A proximate second device can detect the request and, if it has a viable communication link (e.g., cellular, Wi-Fi, or its own satellite link), it can receive an encrypted emergency data packet from the first device. The second device can then transmit this packet to a remote emergency response center. This approach can create a redundant communication path to improve the likelihood of successful emergency message transmission in challenging environments.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Shevde, Sumukh and Almalki, Nazih, "Peer-to-Peer Relay of Emergency Signals Following Primary Communication Link Failure", Technical Disclosure Commons, (March 11, 2026)
https://www.tdcommons.org/dpubs_series/9499