Michael Alan Skopec, 48, did not say what was wrong with his Apple smartphone or what he wanted police to do about it.
However, sheriff's deputies said he complained that the device was malfunctioning.
Skopec is no techno-novice. In 2007, he and another man received a software patent for a complex method of more quickly and efficiently loading large volumes of information into electronic databases.
When Kendall County sheriff's deputies traced the calls back to his home about 1 am Wednesday, they found Skopec intoxicated and uncooperative.
The sheriff's office said he would not comply with orders from deputies. As a result he was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor offense.
It is unclear how he contacted emergency dispatchers if his iPhone was broken.
Skopec was released from jail on his own recognizance and is due to appear in court Nov. 18.
A new iPhone 4S costs up to $400 with a contract and up to $850 without one. Full service for cost up to $165 a month.
