Disseminating information to facilitate user safety

• US 10,373,478 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Protector LLC
• Original Assignee: Life Protector LLC
• Inventors: Nepo, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Parikh, Dakshesh D
• Application Number:
  US15/262,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20160379479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/004 using portable personal devices hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellent gases or chemicals F41H9/10
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/12 Checking intermittently signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications

Abstract

A method for disseminating information regarding a problem and administering medical interventions comprises providing a mobile device wirelessly connectable to a network, receiving and storing contact information corresponding to a designated list of information recipients, receiving, via the mobile device and via the wireless trigger transmitting to the mobile device, a signal from a user indicating the problem, receiving, via the mobile device, information regarding the problem, transmitting an indication of the problem to a rescue clearinghouse via the network, prompting a participant of the rescue clearinghouse, different from the user, to make a decision about a course of action regarding the problem, and at least one of transmitting the information regarding the problem to the information recipients from the designated list and transmitting the information regarding the problem to a government rescue organization, based at least in part on the decision.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, at a mobile device that is communicatively coupled to a finger-worn ring, a signal indicating an event, wherein the signal indicating the event is generated by at least one of the mobile device or the finger-worn ring;

in response to obtaining the signal indicating the event, obtaining information corresponding to the event based on examining the signal, including at least one of

(i) determining a type of a user interaction of a plurality of available user interactions of different types with an input mechanism on the finger-worn ring,

(ii) determining that the mobile device is entering or exiting a designated boundary at, before or after a specified time, or

(iii) determining that the mobile device does not enter or exit a designated boundary at a specified time,

wherein different sequences of actions are triggered depending on the determined type of user interaction;

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a first type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types;

identifying a current mode of operation of an application that is associated with the finger-worn ring and executed on the mobile device,

upon identifying the current mode of operation of the application as a first mode, transmitting the information corresponding to the event to at least one of a preselected remote network server or one or more preselected information recipients, and

upon identifying the current mode of operation of the application as a second mode that is distinct from the first mode, transmitting the information corresponding to the event to one or more of the preselected information recipients;

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a second type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types, transmitting the information corresponding to the event to the preselected remote network server irrespective of the current mode of operation of the application;

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a third type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types, transmitting a medical alert to the preselected remote network server and one or more of the preselected information recipients, irrespective of the current mode of operation of the application;

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a fourth type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types;

causing a speaker coupled to the mobile device to generate an audible alert, wherein the audible alert includes a loud spoken warning that states that at least one of video, audio, images or location data corresponding to the event has been successfully transmitted to a public authority, and

transmitting the information corresponding to the event to one or more of the preselected remote network server and the preselected information recipients irrespective of the current mode of operation of the application; and

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a fifth type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types, canceling a scheduled transmission of the information corresponding to the event to the preselected remote network server,

wherein at least one of medical information, location data, audio, video or image is recorded using at least one of the mobile device or the finger-worn ring, including continuously transmitting at least one of the audio, video, image, location data or medical information of the user to the remote network server for a duration of the event,

wherein upon a user-initiated recording of one or more of the audio, video, image, location data or the medical information while no event is occurring, a corresponding recording is stored in local storage of the mobile device, and

wherein at least one of the locally stored audio, video, image, location data or the medical information recorded prior to an event occurrence is transmitted to the remote network server upon receiving a signal indicating an event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the event includes a present location of the mobile device, the method further comprising:

determining, by the mobile device, the present location of the mobile device; and

transmitting the present location of the mobile device as part of the information corresponding to the event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon a parameter corresponding to the stored recording of one or more of the audio, location data or the medical information reaching a predetermined threshold value, overwriting, in the local storage of the mobile device, previously stored audio, location data or medical information with a most recent recording of one or more of the audio, location data or the medical information,

wherein the overwriting ceases in response to one of (i) obtaining the signal indicating the event, or (ii) receiving a user input to stop the recording; and

in response to obtaining the signal indicating the event, transmitting, to one or more of the preselected remote network server and the preselected information recipients, (i) at least one of the audio, location data or the medical information stored in local storage of the mobile device prior to obtaining the signal indicating the event, and (ii) at least one of the location data, medical information, audio, video or image recorded subsequent to obtaining the signal indicating the event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of transmitting the information corresponding to the event or transmitting the medical alert comprises transmitting one or more of real-time medical information about the user, or a medical history of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining health information about a user using the finger-worn ring, wherein obtaining the health information comprises one or more of;

monitoring at least one of a pulse, an activity level, or a blood pressure of the user,

performing at least one of a sweat analysis or a sleep analysis of the user, or

measuring a pedometer statistic of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein information about the preselected information recipients is stored on the mobile device, and wherein transmitting the information corresponding to the event to one or more of the preselected information recipients comprises:

determining that the user interaction of the first type does not correspond to cancellation of the transmission of the information corresponding to the event; and

in response to identifying the current mode of operation of the application as the second mode and upon determining that the user interaction of the first type does not correspond to cancellation of the transmission of the information corresponding to the event, performing operations comprising one or more of;

generating a ringing tone simulating an incoming phone call to the mobile device, or

transmitting, to one or more of the preselected information recipients, information indicating that the event does not correspond to a physical danger.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism comprises a button coupled to the finger-worn ring, and wherein determining the type of the user interaction with the input mechanism of the plurality of available user interactions of different types comprises:

determining a number of presses of the button by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the finger-worn ring is in sleep mode prior to obtaining the signal indicating the event and the input mechanism comprises a microphone coupled to the finger-worn ring, and wherein obtaining the signal indicating the event comprises:

detecting a user press of a button of the finger-worn ring;

in response to detecting the user press of the button, waking the finger-worn ring from the sleep mode;

following waking the finger-worn ring from the sleep mode, detecting, using the microphone, utterance of a preselected verbal phrase of a plurality of preselected verbal phrases;

identifying a user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types corresponding to the uttered preselected verbal phrase; and

associating the identified user interaction with the signal indicating the event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the preselected remote network server is associated with a rescue center at which at least one of the user or the mobile device is registered, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the rescue center, additional information corresponding to the event;

examining, by the rescue center, the additional information corresponding to the event; and

in response to examining the additional information corresponding to the event, performing, by the rescue center, at least one of;

transmitting the additional information corresponding to the event to one or more of the preselected information recipients, or

transmitting the additional information corresponding to the event to a public authority.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, in the mobile device, information corresponding to a boundary identifying a geographic region and a specified time during which the mobile device is expected to be within the boundary, and wherein the method comprises:

monitoring whether the mobile device is within the boundary at the specified time; and

in response to the monitoring, transmitting an alert to one or more of the preselected remote network server or the preselected information recipients based on detecting at least one of;

the mobile device is within the boundary at, before or after the specified time,

the mobile device is outside the boundary at, before or after the specified time,

the mobile device is exiting the boundary at, before or after the specified time,

the mobile device is entering the boundary at, before or after the specified time,

the mobile device is not exiting the boundary at the specified time, or

the mobile device is not entering the boundary at the specified time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, in the mobile device, at least one of a specified location or a specified time, and wherein the method comprises:

monitoring whether the mobile device is at the specified location at the specified time;

conditioned on detecting that the mobile device is arriving at or departing from the specified location at, before or after the specified time, transmitting a first alert to one or more of the preselected remote network server or the preselected information recipients; and

conditioned on detecting that the mobile device has not arrived at the specified location or departed from the specified location at the specified time, transmitting a second alert to one or more of the preselected remote network server or the preselected information recipients.

12. A system comprising:

a finger-worn ring that includes an input mechanism configured to process an interaction by a user associated with the finger-worn ring, the ring configured to generate a non-telephonic signal indicating an event in response to processing the interaction by the user; and

a mobile device that is communicatively coupled to the finger-worn ring, the mobile device configured to;

obtain a signal indicating an event, wherein the signal indicating the event is generated by at least one of the mobile device or the finger-worn ring;

in response to obtaining the signal indicating the event, obtain information corresponding to the event based on examining the signal, including at least one of

(i) determining a type of a user interaction of a plurality of available user interactions of different types with an input mechanism on the finger-worn ring,

(ii) determining that the mobile device is entering or exiting a designated boundary at, before or after a specified time, or

(iii) determining that the mobile device does not enter or exit a designated boundary at a specified time,

wherein different sequences of actions are triggered depending on the determined type of user interaction;

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a first type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types;

identify a current mode of operation of an application that is associated with the finger-worn ring and executed on the mobile device,

upon identifying the current mode of operation of the application as a first mode, transmit the information corresponding to the event to at least one of a preselected remote network server or one or more preselected information recipients, and

upon identifying the current mode of operation of the application as a second mode that is distinct from the first mode, transmit the information corresponding to the event to one or more of the preselected information recipients;

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a second type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types, transmit the information corresponding to the event to the preselected remote network server irrespective of the current mode of operation of the application;

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a third type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types, transmit a medical alert to the preselected remote network server and one or more of the preselected information recipients, irrespective of the current mode of operation of the application;

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a fourth type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types;

cause a speaker coupled to the mobile device to generate an audible alert, wherein the audible alert includes a loud spoken warning that states that at least one of video, audio, images or location data corresponding to the event has been successfully transmitted to a public authority, and

transmit the information corresponding to the event to one or more of the preselected remote network server and the preselected information recipients irrespective of the current mode of operation of the application; and

conditioned on determining that the type of the user interaction corresponds to a fifth type of user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types, cancel a scheduled transmission of the information corresponding to the event to the preselected remote network server,

wherein at least one of medical information, location data, audio, video or image is recorded using at least one of the mobile device or the finger-worn ring, including continuously transmitting at least one of the audio, video, image, location data or medical information of the user to the remote network server for a duration of the event,

wherein upon a user-initiated recording of one or more of the audio, video, image, location data or the medical information while no event is occurring, a corresponding recording is stored in local storage of the mobile device, and

wherein at least one of the locally stored audio, video, image, location data or the medical information recorded prior to an event occurrence is transmitted to the remote network server upon receiving a signal indicating an event.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the information corresponding to the event includes a present location of the mobile device, and wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

determine the present location of the mobile device; and

transmit the present location of the mobile device as part of the information corresponding to the event.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

upon a parameter corresponding to the stored recording of one or more of the audio, location data or the medical information reaching a predetermined threshold value, overwrite, in the local storage of the mobile device, previously stored audio, location data or medical information with a most recent recording of one or more of the audio, location data or the medical information,

wherein the overwriting ceases in response to one of (i) obtaining the signal indicating the event, or (ii) receiving a user input to stop the recording; and

in response to obtaining the signal indicating the event, transmit, to one or more of the preselected remote network server and the preselected information recipients, (i) at least one of the audio, location data or the medical information stored in local storage of the mobile device prior to obtaining the signal indicating the event, and (ii) at least one of the location data, medical information, audio, video or image recorded subsequent to obtaining the signal indicating the event.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of transmitting the information corresponding to the event or transmitting the medical alert comprises transmitting one or more of real-time medical information about the user, or a medical history of the user.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

obtain health information about a user using the finger-worn ring, wherein obtaining the health information comprises one or more of;

monitoring at least one of a pulse, an activity level, or a blood pressure of the user,

performing at least one of a sweat analysis or a sleep analysis of the user, or

measuring a pedometer statistic of the user.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein information about the preselected information recipients is stored on the mobile device, and wherein to transmit the information corresponding to the event to one or more of the preselected information recipients the mobile device is configured to:

determine that the user interaction of the first type does not correspond to cancellation of the transmission of the information corresponding to the event; and

in response to identifying the current mode of operation of the application as the second mode and upon determining that the user interaction of the first type does not correspond to cancellation of the transmission of the information corresponding to the event, perform one or more of;

generate a ringing tone simulating an incoming phone call to the mobile device, or

transmit, to one or more of the preselected information recipients, information indicating that the event does not correspond to a physical danger.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the input mechanism comprises a button coupled to the finger-worn ring, and wherein determining the type of the user interaction with the input mechanism of the plurality of available user interactions of different types comprises:

determining a number of presses of the button by the user.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the finger-worn ring is in sleep mode prior to obtaining the signal indicating the event and the input mechanism comprises a microphone coupled to the finger-worn ring, and wherein obtaining the signal indicating the event comprises:

detecting a user press of a button of the finger-worn ring;

in response to detecting the user press of the button, waking the finger-worn ring from the sleep mode;

following waking the finger-worn ring from the sleep mode, detecting, using the microphone, utterance of a preselected verbal phrase of a plurality of preselected verbal phrases;

identifying a user interaction of the plurality of available user interactions of different types corresponding to the uttered preselected verbal phrase; and

associating the identified user interaction with the signal indicating the event.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the preselected remote network server is associated with a rescue center at which at least one of the user or the mobile device is registered, and wherein the rescue center is configured to:

receive additional information corresponding to the event;

examine the additional information corresponding to the event; and

in response to examining the additional information corresponding to the event, perform at least one of;

transmit the additional information corresponding to the event to one or more of the preselected information recipients, or

transmit the additional information corresponding to the event to a public authority.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile device stores information corresponding to a boundary identifying a geographic region and a specified time during which the mobile device is expected to be within the boundary, and wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

monitor whether the mobile device is within the boundary at the specified time; and

in response to the monitoring, transmit an alert to one or more of the preselected remote network server or the preselected information recipients based on detecting at least one of;

the mobile device is within the boundary at, before or after the specified time,

the mobile device is outside the boundary at, before or after the specified time,

the mobile device is exiting the boundary at, before or after the specified time,

the mobile device is entering the boundary at, before or after the specified time,

the mobile device is not exiting the boundary at the specified time, or

the mobile device is not entering the boundary at the specified time.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile device stores at least one of a specified location or a specified time, and wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

monitor whether the mobile device is at the specified location at the specified time;

conditioned on detecting that the mobile device is arriving at or departing from the specified location at, before or after the specified time, transmit a first alert to one or more of the preselected remote network server or the preselected information recipients; and

conditioned on detecting that the mobile device has not arrived at the specified location or departed from the specified location at the specified time, transmit a second alert to one or more of the preselected remote network server or the preselected information recipients.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the finger-worn ring includes one or more of an electromechanical button that can be pressed by the user, a microphone, a speaker, a video recorder or a health monitor.