System and method for initiating communication

• US 20050096067A1
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Dannie E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for initiating communications with a called party using a wireless device. The wireless device comprises an input element and a microprocessor. In one embodiment, when a specific input is entered using the input element, the wireless device performs the following tasks: disabling one or more components of the wireless device; establishing a wireless communication session with the called party; communicating with a location system to generate location information of the location of the wireless device; and providing the location information to the called party. In other embodiments, the wire device performs additional tasks, including: capturing content during the wireless communication; communicating with the location system to generate subsequent location information; and providing one or more of the subsequent location information and the content to the called party. The called party may then use the location information and the content to perform one or more actions, including providing help to the user of the wireless device.

Claims

1. A wireless device for initiating communication, the wireless device comprising:

a microprocessor;

an input element in communication with the microprocessor;

a display in communication with the microprocessor; and

a location system in communication with the microprocessor,

wherein when an input is received by the input element, the microprocessor disables the display and establishes a wireless communication session with the called party; and

wherein when the wireless communication session is established, the location system generates location information and provides the location information to the called party.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the memory comprises the relationship between the input and the called party.

3. The wireless device of claim 2, wherein the memory comprises a user profile.

4. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein the user profile is transmitted to the called party during the wireless communication session.

5. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the called party provides the location information to a third party.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the input comprises one of pressing a plurality of keys in seriatim, pressing one key one or more times, and pressing a first key while holding down a second key.

7. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the called party has exclusive control over the wireless communication session.

8. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the location system generates subsequent location information, and wherein the subsequent location information is provided to the called party during the wireless communication session.

9. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is selected from the group of a wireless telephone, a pager, a handheld computer, and a personal digital assistant.

10. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the location system is a GPS receiver.

11. A system for initiating communication with a called party, the system comprising:

a wireless device in a wireless network, wherein the wireless device comprises a microprocessor, an input element, and a display; and

a location system, wherein the location system is in communication with the wireless device,

wherein when an input is received by the input element, the microprocessor disables the display and establishes a wireless communication session with the called party; and

wherein when the wireless communication session is established, the location system generates location information of a location of the wireless device and provides the location information to the called party.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the location system is provisioned at one or more of the wireless device, the wireless network, and the called party.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the called party has exclusive control over the wireless communication system.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the location system generates subsequent location information during the wireless communication session, and wherein the subsequent location information is provided to the called party.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the called party uses the location information to perform an action.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless device further comprises a sensing device, wherein the sensing device captures content during the wireless communication session, and wherein the content is provided to the called party.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the content comprises a sound.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the content comprises one or more of an image, a temperature, and a pressure.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the action comprises using the content to respond to the emergency situation.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising a signal detector to activate the sensing device.

21. A wireless device for initiating communication with a called party, the wireless device comprising:

a microprocessor;

an input element in communication with the microprocessor;

a signal detector in communication with the microprocessor; and

a location system in communication with the microprocessor,

wherein when an input is received by the input element the microprocessor deactivates normal operation of the wireless device and activates the signal detector;

wherein when the signal detector senses a stimulus, the microprocessor establishes a wireless communication session with the called party;

wherein when the wireless communication session is established, the location system generates location information of a location of the wireless device; and

wherein the wireless device transmits the location information to the called party.

22. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the stimulus comprises a sound.

23. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the stimulus comprises one or more of an image, a temperature, and a pressure.

24. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the signal detector comprises a microphone.

25. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the signal detector comprises one or more of a camera, a thermometer, and a barometer.

26. The wireless device of claim 21, further comprising a sensing device in communication with the microprocessor.

27. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein the sensing device comprises a microphone.

28. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein the sensing device comprises one or more of a camera, a thermometer, and a barometer.

29. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein the sensing device captures content surrounding the wireless device during the wireless communication session.

30. The wireless device of claim 29, wherein the content comprises a sound.

31. The wireless device of claim 29, wherein the content comprises one or more of an image, a temperature, and a pressure.

32. The wireless device of claim 29, wherein the content is transmitted to the called party during the wireless communication session.

33. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein the signal detector and the sensing device are one integrated component.

34. The wireless device of claim 21, wherein the called party has exclusive control over the wireless communication session.

35. A method for initiating communication with a called party, the method comprising:

creating a relationship between an input and the called party;

storing the relationship in a memory of a wireless device;

receiving the input through an input element of the wireless device;

deactivating a display of the wireless device;

establishing a wireless communication session with the called party;

generating location information of a location of the wireless device; and

providing the location information to the called party during the wireless communication session.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the wireless device is selected from the group of a wireless telephone, a pager, a handheld computer, and a personal digital assistant.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the called party has exclusive control over the wireless communication session.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising maintaining the wireless communication session.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising using the location information to locate the wireless device.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising generating subsequent location information, wherein the subsequent location information is provided to the called party.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the input comprises one of pressing a plurality of keys in seriatim, pressing one key one or more times, and pressing a first key while holding down a second key.

42. The method of claim 35, further comprising storing a user profile in the memory.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising transmitting the user profile to the called party during the wireless communication system.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising using the user profile to perform the action.

45. A method for initiating communication with a called party, the method comprising:

creating a relationship between an input and the called party;

storing the relationship in a memory of a wireless device;

receiving the input through an input element of the wireless device;

suspending normal operation of the wireless device when the input is received;

receiving a stimulus through a signal detector of the wireless device;

establishing a wireless communication session with the called party when the stimulus is received;

generating location information of a location of the wireless device; and

providing the location information to the called party.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the signal detector comprises a microphone.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the stimulus comprises a sound.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the signal detector comprises one or more of a camera, a thermometer, and a barometer.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein the stimulus comprises one or more of am image, a temperature, and a pressure.

50. The method of claim 45, further comprising capturing content using a sensing device of the wireless device during the wireless communication session.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the sensing device comprises a microphone.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the sensing device comprises one or more of a camera, a thermometer, and a barometer.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the content comprises a sound.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein the content comprises one or more of an image, a temperature, and a pressure.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein the content is transmitted to the called party during the wireless communication session.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein the signal detector and the sensing device are one integrated component.

57. The method of claim 45, further comprising generating subsequent location information, wherein the subsequent location information is provided to the called party.

58. The method of claim 45, wherein the called party has exclusive control over the wireless communication session.