EMERGENCY EVENT DETECTION AND ALERT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080303660A1
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telasio, LLC
• Original Assignee: Telasio, LLC
• Inventors: Lombardi, Carl A.
• Application Number:
  US12/137,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided herein that provide for emergency event detection and alert.

Claims

1. A method of providing an emergency event alert, the method comprising:

obtaining criteria for detecting an emergency event,

detecting at least one event indicator from an emergency event source,

determining whether said at least one event indicator meets said criteria for said emergency event; and

presenting an alert of the presence of said emergency event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

said criteria for an emergency event comprises presence of an invisible inaudible emergency signal;

and

said at least one event indicator comprises an invisible inaudible signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said inaudible invisible emergency signal is an emergency vehicle preemption signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

said criteria for an emergency event comprises presence of a visible emergency signal;

and

said at least one event indicator comprises a visible signal.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said visible emergency signal is an emergency light.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

said criteria for an emergency event comprises presence of an audible emergency signal;

and

said at least one event indicator comprises an audible signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the approximate direction of the source of said event indicator; and

wherein said presenting comprises indicating an approximate direction of said source of said event indicator.

8. An emergency event alert apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing obtained criteria for an emergency event;

a sensor for obtaining at least one event indicator from an emergency event source;

a processor for determining whether said at least one event indicator meets said criteria for said emergency event; and

a display for presenting an alert of the presence of said emergency event, and

wherein said criteria for an emergency event further comprises at least one of;

presence of an inadudible invisible emergency signal;

presence of an audible emergency signal, and

presence of a visible emergency signal; and

wherein said at least one event indicator further comprises at least one of;

an inadudible invisible emergency signal

an audible signal, and

a visible signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said processor is further operable for determining an approximate direction of said emergency vehicle and said display is further operable to indicate the approximate direction of said emergency vehicle in relation to the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said processor is further operable for determining an approximate location of said emergency vehicle and said display is further operable to indicate the approximate location of said emergency vehicle in relation to the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein said criteria for an emergency event comprises presence of an inadudible invisible emergency signal;

wherein said at least one event indicator comprises an inaudible invisible emergency signal; and

wherein said inaudible invisible emergency signal is an emergency vehicle preemption signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein said criteria for an emergency event comprises presence of an audible emergency signal;

wherein said at least one event indicator comprises an audible emergency signal; and

wherein said audible emergency signal comprises an emergency vehicle siren.

13. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein said criteria for an emergency event comprises presence of a visible emergency signal;

wherein said at least one event indicator comprises a visible emergency signal; and

wherein said visible emergency signal comprises an emergency vehicle light.

14. An emergency event alert system comprising:

a first and second emergency alert device, each comprising;

a memory for storing obtained criteria for an emergency event;

a sensor for obtaining at least one event indicator from an emergency vehicle;

a processor for

determining whether said at least one event indicator meets said criteria for said emergency event, and

determining a location of said emergency vehicle; and

a display for presenting

an alert of the presence of said emergency event, and

an indication of an approximate location of said emergency event, and

wherein said first emergency alert device is operable to detect the presence of an emergency event source and determine an approximate location of said emergency event source and communicate said approximate location of said emergency event source to said second emergency alert device.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein

said criteria for an emergency event further comprises at least one of:

presence of an inadudible invisible emergency signal;

presence of an audible emergency signal, and

presence of a visible emergency signal; and

said at least one event indicator further comprises at least one of;

an inadudible invisible emergency signal

an audible signal, and

a visible signal.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said inaudible invisible emergency signal is an emergency vehicle preemption signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said at least one event indicator comprises an audible emergency signal, and

wherein said audible emergency signal comprises an emergency vehicle siren.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said at least one event indicator comprises a visible emergency signal, and

wherein said visible emergency signal comprises an emergency vehicle light.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said second emergency alert device is operable to detect the presence of an emergency vehicle and determine an approximate location of said emergency vehicle and communicate said approximate location of said emergency vehicle to said first emergency alert device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said communication is facilitated by an alert server.