Method and system for alerting a person to a situation

• US 20040227629A1
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adamczyk, Maria, Silver, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,071,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/005 Alarm destination chosen according to a hierarchy of available destinations, e.g. if hospital does not answer send to police station
• 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 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method of alerting a person to a situation is disclosed. An alert signal is received from a mobile communication device in signal communication with a wireless communication system and an alert system. In response to the alert signal, a database of an alert service is accessed for information relating to the subscriber of the mobile communication device and for information relating to a contact list associated with the subscriber. Information is obtained from the wireless communication system relating to the location of the subscriber, and a communication is made to a member of the subscriber'"'"'s contact list providing information relating to the subscriber and the situation.

Claims

1. A method of alerting a person to a situation, comprising:

receiving an alert signal from a mobile communication device in signal communication with a wireless communication system and an alert system;

accessing a database of an alert service for information relating to the subscriber of the mobile communication device and for information relating to a contact list associated with the subscriber, in response to the alert signal;

obtaining information at least partially from the wireless communication system relating to the location of the subscriber; and

communicating to a member of the subscriber'"'"'s contact list information relating to the subscriber and the situation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said accessing further comprises:

accessing a database for information relating to a first and a second contact list associated with the subscriber, the first list identifying contacts to be contacted upon receipt of the alert signal, the second list identifying contacts to be contacted upon receipt of the alert signal and if in the vicinity of the subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

polling the alert system to identify a second-list-contact in the vicinity of the subscriber and communicating to the second-list-contact information relating to the subscriber and situation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information relating to the subscriber and situation comprises at least one of the identity of the subscriber, information relating to an emergency situation, the location of the subscriber, and a text message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining information at least partially from the wireless communication system relating to the location of the subscriber comprises:

obtaining information from at least one of a global positioning system, a server-aided global positioning system, a position locating service, a triangulation method, and a alert signal strength analysis.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the subscriber and situation comprises at least one of the identity of the subscriber, information relating to an emergency situation, the location of the subscriber, and a text message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the location of the subscriber comprises an address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cellphone, a panic button device, or a self-activating emergency signaling device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the self-activating emergency signaling device is in signal communication with a vehicle and is triggered by an emergency situation involving the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inputting information into the database of the alert service relating to the subscriber of the mobile communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information relating to the subscriber includes at least one of the subscriber'"'"'s name, the subscriber'"'"'s home telephone number, the subscriber'"'"'s work telephone number, the subscriber'"'"'s cellphone number, the subscriber'"'"'s home address, information relating to a first contact list, and information relating to a second contact list.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first contact list comprises a list of contacts who are to be contacted upon the occurrence of the alert signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second contact list comprises a list of contacts who are to be contacted upon the occurrence of the alert signal if they are in the vicinity of the subscriber.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein information relating to a first and a second contact list includes at least one of a name, a home telephone number, a work phone number, a cellphone number, a pager address, and an email address.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

accessing the alert service via the Internet.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an alert signal from a mobile communication device to a wireless communication network.

17. An application server for alerting a person to a situation, the application server comprising application software for:

inputting information into a database of an alert service relating to a subscriber of a mobile communication device;

receiving an alert signal from a mobile communication device in signal communication with a wireless communication system and an alert system;

accessing the database for information relating to the subscriber of the mobile communication device and for information relating to a contact list associated with the subscriber, in response to the alert signal;

obtaining information at least partially from the wireless communication system relating to the location of the subscriber; and

communicating to a member of the subscriber'"'"'s contact list information relating to the subscriber and the situation.

18. The application server of claim 17, wherein:

the information relating to a subscriber includes at least one of the subscriber'"'"'s name, the subscriber'"'"'s home telephone number, the subscriber'"'"'s work telephone number, the subscriber'"'"'s cellphone number, the subscriber'"'"'s home address, information relating to a first contact list, and information relating to a second contact list.

19. The application server of claim 18, wherein:

the information relating to a first contact list includes a list of contacts who are to be contacted upon the occurrence of the alert signal;

the information relating to a second contact list includes a list of contacts who are to be contacted upon the occurrence of the alert signal if they are in the vicinity of the subscriber; and

the information relating to a first and a second list of contacts includes at least one of a name, a home telephone number, a work phone number, a cellphone number, a pager address, and an email address.

20. The application server of claim 19, further comprising application software for:

accessing the database for information relating to the first and the second contact list, the first list identifying contacts to be contacted upon receipt of the alert signal, the second list identifying contacts to be contacted upon receipt of the alert signal and if in the vicinity of the subscriber;

obtaining information relating to the location of the subscriber from at least one of a global positioning system, a server-aided global positioning system, a position locating service, a triangulation method, and an alert signal strength analysis; and

polling the alert system to identify a second-list-contact in the vicinity of the subscriber, and communicating to the second-list-contact information relating to the subscriber and the situation.

21. The application server of claim 17, wherein:

the information relating to the subscriber and the situation includes at least one of the identity of the subscriber, information relating to an emergency situation, the location of the subscriber, and a text message.

22. The application server of claim 17, further comprising application software for:

accessing the alert service via the Internet.