Interactive emergency visualization methods

• US 10,257,663 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patrocinium Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Patrocinium Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: South, John A., Murphy, Jr., Richard Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US15/783,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20180054713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 455457, 370338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Methods for emergency visualization are disclosed. The methods include a computer-implemented method for interactive emergency visualization that includes receiving a notification concerning an incident associated with a multi-floor structure, requesting location information from a user device geographically associated with the multi-floor structure, and receiving, in response to the request, a beacon identifier from the user device, the beacon identifier being associated with a beacon disposed within the multi-floor structure. The method also includes determining on which floor of the multi-floor structure the user device is located based on the beacon identifier and stored information indicating the location of the beacon and displaying a graphical map of the multi-floor structure and information indicating the specific floor on which the user device is located.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency visualization, which comprises:

receiving a notification concerning an incident associated with a multi-floor structure;

requesting current location information from a plurality of user devices geographically associated with the multi-floor structure, each user device being associated with an individual;

receiving, in response to the request, current location information from at least a subset of the user devices;

determining, based on the received current location information, which of the subset of the user devices is currently located within the multi-floor structure and on which floor; and

displaying a graphical map illustrating the multi-floor structure and, in association with each floor of the multi-floor structure, displaying a graphical marker representing the user devices determined to be on that floor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating, in association with the graphical marker, the number of user devices represented by the graphical marker.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the plurality of user devices determined to be located within the multi-floor structure, safety status information about respective individuals associated with the user devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the graphical marker visually indicates the safety status information about the individuals associated with the user devices represented by the graphical marker.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the graphical marker is color-coded based on the safety status information about the individuals associated with the user devices represented by the graphical marker.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the received current location information includes beacon information associated with respective beacons disposed within the multi-floor structure.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a user input, displaying a subset of the graphical map and visually replacing the graphical marker for a specific floor with a plurality of graphical icons respectively representing each of the user devices determined to be on that specific floor.

8. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency visualization, which comprises:

receiving a notification concerning an incident associated with a multi-floor structure;

requesting current location information from a plurality of user devices geographically associated with the multi-floor structure, each user device being associated with an individual;

receiving, in response to the request, first location information from a first user device and second location information from a second user device, wherein the first and second location information each includes a first beacon identifier associated with a first beacon physically disposed within the multi-floor structure;

determining on which floor of the multi-floor structure the first and second user devices are located based on the first beacon identifier and stored information indicating the location of the first beacon in the multi-floor structure; and

displaying a graphical map illustrating the multi-floor structure and visually overlaying on the graphical map a graphical marker representing both the first and second user devices, the graphical marker being visually associated with the floor of the multi-floor structure on which the first and second user devices are located.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first location information includes a second beacon identifier associated with a second beacon physically disposed within the multi-floor structure and also includes proximity information indicative of the proximity between the first user device and each of the first and second beacons.

10. The method of claim 9, further including determining whether the first user device is currently closer to the first beacon or second beacon based on the proximity information.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

visually indicating, in association with the graphical marker, the number of user devices represented by the graphical marker.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from the first and second user devices, safety status information about individuals respectively associated with the first and second user devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the graphical marker visually indicates the safety status information about the individuals associated with the first and second user devices.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to a user input, displaying a subset of the graphical map and visually replacing the graphical marker with individual graphical icons respectively representing the first and second user devices.

15. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency visualization, which comprises:

receiving a notification concerning an incident associated with a multi-floor structure;

requesting current location information from a plurality of user devices geographically associated with the multi-floor structure, each user device being associated with an individual;

receiving, in response to the request, first location information from a first user device and second location information from a second user device;

determining on which floor of the multi-floor structure the first and second user devices are located based on the first and second location information;

receiving, from the first and second user devices, safety status information about respective individuals associated with the first and second user devices;

displaying a graphical map illustrating at least a floor plan of the floor of the multi-floor structure on which the first and second user devices are determined to be; and

visually overlaying on the floor plan a graphical marker representing both the first and second user devices, the graphical marker visually indicating the respective safety status information of the individuals associated with the first and second user devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first location information and the second location information each includes a beacon identifier associated with a beacon physically disposed at a location within the floor of the multi-floor structure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein visually overlaying includes overlying the graphical marker on the floor plan at the location in which the beacon is physically disposed within the floor of the multi-floor structure.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

visually indicating, in association with the graphical marker, the number of user devices represented by the graphical marker.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

in response to a user input, displaying a subset of the graphical map and visually replacing the graphical marker with individual graphical icons respectively representing the first and second user devices.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the graphical marker is color-coded based on the safety status information about the individuals associated with the first and second user devices.

21. A system for interactive emergency visualization, which comprises:

an emergency information server, the emergency information server being configured to;

receive a notification concerning an incident associated with a multi-floor structure;

request current location information from the plurality of user devices geographically associated with the multi-floor structure, each user device being associated with an individual;

receive, in response to the request, current location information from at least a subset of the user devices;

determine, based on the received current location information, which of the subset of the user devices is currently located within the multi-floor structure and on which floor; and

display a graphical map illustrating the multi-floor structure and, in association with each floor of the multi-floor structure, display a graphical marker representing the user devices determined to be on that floor.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the emergency information server is further configured to receive, from the plurality of user devices determined to be located within the multi-floor structure, safety status information about respective individuals associated with the user devices.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the graphical marker visually indicates the safety status information about the individuals associated with the user devices represented by the graphical marker.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the received current location information includes beacon information associated with respective beacons disposed within the multi-floor structure.