Method of facilitating access to IP-based emergency services
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating access to emergency services comprising:
- establishing an instant connection with an emergency service center (ESC) when a user requests emergency help using a panic button located on an Internet Protocol (IP) based household device; and
delivering a help request message in an IP format to the ESC in response to the user'"'"'s request for the emergency help wherein said help request comprises information about said user;
wherein the instant connection is established by accessing the ESC via the Internet;
wherein establishing an instant connection with an emergency service center (ESC) includes sending the help request message to a support service provider (SSP), the SSP communicating the help request message to the ESC.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for reporting a user'"'"'s emergency condition by sending an emergency help request message in a TCP/IP format to an emergency service center (ESC). The help request message may be sent over the Internet to advantageously harness the data transmission resources provided by the Internet. A support service provider may commercially provide such an emergency reporting service to a group of subscribers. The service provider may receive emergency requests from the subscribers and may send those requests over the Internet to the emergency service center. The service provider may also convert any non-TCP/IP message received from the subscriber into a TCP/IP message prior to sending the message to the ESC. A per-usage fee or a flat subscription fee may be charged by the service provider to allow users to report emergency conditions over the Internet. The support service provider thus coordinates the emergency help on behalf of the user. Internet-based emergency message delivery may be useful in many situations, for example, when the person in need of help is mute, disabled or in a situation that prevents the person from orally requesting emergency help from the ESC.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating access to emergency services comprising:
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establishing an instant connection with an emergency service center (ESC) when a user requests emergency help using a panic button located on an Internet Protocol (IP) based household device; and
delivering a help request message in an IP format to the ESC in response to the user'"'"'s request for the emergency help wherein said help request comprises information about said user;
wherein the instant connection is established by accessing the ESC via the Internet;
wherein establishing an instant connection with an emergency service center (ESC) includes sending the help request message to a support service provider (SSP), the SSP communicating the help request message to the ESC. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of providing access to emergency services comprising:
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establishing an instant connection with an emergency service center (ESC) when a subscriber of a subscription-based emergency support service requests emergency help using a panic button located on an Internet Protocol (IP) based household device; and
informing the ESC about the emergency help requested by the subscriber by delivering an help request message in IP format to the ESC wherein said help request message comprises information about said subscriber;
wherein the instant connection is established by accessing the ESC via the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement:
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establishing an instant connection with an emergency service center (ESC) when a subscriber of a subscription-based emergency support service requests emergency help using a panic button located on an Internet Protocol (IP) based household device; and
informing the ESC about the emergency help requested by the subscriber by delivering an help request message in IP format to the ESC wherein said help request message comprises information about said subscriber;
wherein the instant connection is established by accessing the ESC via the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of responding to an emergency comprising:
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monitoring for an internet protocol based help request message;
receiving the help request message;
evaluating the help request message and additional information; and
dispatching emergency help in response to the help request message and the additional information. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A device for requesting emergency assistance, comprising:
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a processing unit;
a panic button coupled to the processing unit, wherein the panic button is configured to send a first indication to the processing unit, wherein the sending of the first indication is in response to a user of said device activating the panic button;
a communication module coupled to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to send a second indication to said communication module, wherein the sending of the second indication is in response to the first indication, and wherein said communication module is configured to deliver a help request message in a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) format to an emergency service center (ESC), wherein the delivering of the help request message is in response to the second indication. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification