USER INTERFACE FOR EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM

• US 20100313148A1
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Warning Systems LLC (Mircom Technologies Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Warning Systems LLC (Mircom Technologies Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hochendoner, David, McHenry, William, Means, Tim, Kollar, Charles, Lindqvist, Blerta
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/759
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A user interface for interacting with an emergency notification system. The user interface comprises at least one software module installed on a computer readable medium and containing instructions for operating a computer processor. The instructions comprise first instructions for causing the processor to display on a computing device display an alert selection window configured to receive a user entered alert message; second instructions for causing the processor to display on the computing device display a group selection window configured to receive a user selection of one or more notification units to receive the alert message; and third instructions for causing the processor to display on the computer device display a selection button for instructing the processor, upon selection, to transmit the alert message to the selected one or more notification units.

Claims

1. A user interface for interacting with an emergency notification system comprising:

at least one software module installed on a computer readable medium and containing instructions for operating a computer processor, the instructions comprising;

first instructions for causing the processor to display on a computing device display an alert selection window configured to receive a user entered alert message;

second instructions for causing the processor to display on the computing device display a group selection window configured to receive a user selection of one or more notification units to receive the alert message; and

third instructions for causing the processor to display on the computer device display a selection button for instructing the processor, upon selection, to transmit the alert message to the selected one or more notification units.

2. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising fourth instructions for causing the processor to receive the alert message based upon a user selected alert message selected from a listing of alert messages to be transmitted as the alert message, or a user entered custom alert message to be transmitted as the alert message.

3. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the custom alert message comprises:

a text message to be displayed on the one or more notification units; and

a spoken text message to be emitted via a speaker on the one or more notification units.

4. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the group selection window is configured such that, in response to a user selection of a group to receive the alert message, a sub-set of the selected group is displayed to the user for additional selection.

5. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising fourth instructions for causing the processor to display a map on the computer device display showing a geographical area covered by the emergency notification system.

6. The user interface of claim 5, further comprising fifth instructions for causing the processor to alter a view of the map in response to receiving a user command to alter the view of the map.

7. The user interface of claim 5, further comprising fifth instructions for causing the processor to display user selectable portions on the map and additional detail related to the user selectable portions in response to a user selection of a user selectable portion.

8. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the user selectable portions comprise at least one of one or more buildings, a floor of a building, and one or more notification units.

9. The user interface of claim 7, further comprising sixth instructions for causing the processor to display on the computer device display a map setup toolbar thereby enabling a user to define the one or more user selectable portions of the map.

10. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising fourth instructions for causing the process to display a historical log related to alert messages.

11. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising fourth instructions for causing the processor to display a user authentication window in response to selection of the selection button and prior to transmitting the entered alert message.

12. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising fourth instructions for causing the processor to display on the computing device display a set of tabs indicating various functions that, in response to a user selection, are performed by the processor.

13. The user interface of claim 12, wherein the various functions comprise at least one of view a map, list notification devices, send an alert, view a call log, view an alert log, enter setup mode, and enter administrator mode.

14. The user interface of claim 13, further comprising fifth instructions for causing the processor to modify the set of tabs to display a subset of the various activities depending on a security level of a user accessing the user interface.

15. A user interface for interacting with one or more notification units in an emergency notification system comprising:

at least one software module installed on a computer readable medium and containing instructions for operating a computer processor, the instructions comprising;

first instructions for causing the processor to display on a computing device display a user interface window, wherein the user interface window comprises a set or one or more tabs indicating various functions that, in response to a user selection, are performed by the processor;

second instructions for causing the processor to display on a computing device display a map of a geographic area covered by the notification system, wherein the map comprises information related to status information for the one or more notification units;

third instructions for causing the processor to display on a computing device display, in response to a user selection to send an alert, an alert selection window configured to allow the user to enter an alert message;

fourth instructions for causing the processor to display on the computing device display a group selection window configured to receive a user selection of one or more notification units to receive the alert message; and

fifth instructions for causing the processor to display on the computer device display a selection button for instructing the processor, upon selection, to transmit the alert message to the selected one or more notification units.

16. The user interface of claim 15, further comprising sixth instructions for causing the processor to receive the alert message based upon a user selected alert message selected from a listing of alert messages to be transmitted as the alert message, or a user entered custom alert message to be transmitted as the alert message.

17. The user interface of claim 16, wherein the custom alert message comprises:

a text message to be displayed on the one or more notification units; and

a spoken text message to be emitted via a speaker on the one or more notification units.

18. The user interface of claim 15, further comprising sixth instructions for causing the processor to display on the computer device display a map setup toolbar thereby enabling a user to define the user selectable portions of the map.

19. The user interface of claim 15, wherein the various functions comprise at least one of view the map, list the one or more notification devices, send an alert, view a call log, view an alert log, enter setup mode, and enter administrator mode.

20. The user interface of claim 19, further comprising sixth instructions for causing the processor to modify the set of tabs to display a subset of the various activities depending on a security level of a user accessing the user interface.