Emergency Notification System for Mobile Devices

• US 20110319051A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emergensee, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Emergensee, LLC
• Inventors: Reitnour, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• 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

An emergency notification system for a mobile device. The system includes a mobile device application that is adapted to be stored in memory on the mobile device. The application, upon activation during an emergency, determines the GPS coordinates of the mobile device, records digital images over a period of time, sends a preset message from the mobile device to at least one recipient, preferably a emergency responder, and sends the GPS coordinates and the digital images. The coordinates and images may be sent to a remote server for storage and which can be accessed by the emergency provider. The coordinates and images are periodically updated and sent while the program is activated. The application can be hidden during operation.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising at least one computer storage media having program logic stored thereon, the program logic comprising code executable by a processor, the code programmed upon activation to perform the steps of:

(a) determining a set of global position system (GPS) coordinates associated with the location of a mobile device;

(b) activating a camera on the mobile device to record digital images over a period of time;

(c) sending a preset message from the mobile device to at least one recipient;

(d) sending the set of GPS coordinates and the digital images from the mobile device to at least one remote recipient

(e) after a predetermined period of time, capturing another set of GPS coordinates associated with the current location of the mobile device and recording additional digital images over a period of time;

(f) sending the current set of GPS coordinates and the additional digital images from the mobile device to at least one remote recipient; and

(g) repeating the steps (e) and (f).

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the camera is a video camera and wherein the digital images form a video.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the camera is a still camera and wherein the digital images are still photos.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the remote recipient where the GPS coordinates and the digital images are sent is a server, and wherein at least one of the remote recipients where the preset message is sent is an emergency responder.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the emergency responder is also sent the GPS coordinates.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the server stores the sets of GPS coordinates and is programmed to calculate a heading and speed of the mobile device based on the sets of GPS coordinates.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the server is programmed to use mapping software to display the location of the mobile device and at least the heading on a map representative the region in the vicinity of the GPS coordinates.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the remote recipient where the GPS coordinates and the digital images are sent and the remote recipient where the preset message is sent are the same.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote recipient where the GPS coordinates and the digital images are sent are multiple recipients selected from stored list.

10. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising the step of activating the microphone on the mobile device and recording audio data over a period of time;

and wherein the audio data is sent with the digital images to the at least one recipient.

11. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein the preset message includes a link to the server to permit the recipient to access the stored GPS coordinates and the digital images.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the preset message is sent to a multiple recipients.

13. The computer program product of claim 4 further comprising the step of depicting the location of the mobile device and the heading on a map, and providing a link to the map in the message that is sent.

14. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising the step of changing a screen display on the mobile device to hide the fact that a certain program is running.

15. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising the step of permitting a user of the mobile phone to deactivate the program by entering a preset code.

16. An emergency notification system for a mobile device, the system comprising

a mobile device application stored in memory on a mobile device, the application including program logic comprising code executable by a processor, the code programmed upon activation to perform the steps of:

(a) determining a set of global position system (GPS) coordinates associated with the location of a mobile device,

(b) activating a camera on the mobile device to record digital images over a period of time,

(c) sending a preset message from the mobile device to at least one recipient,

(d) sending the set of GPS coordinates and the digital images from the mobile device to a remote server,

(e) after a predetermined period of time, capturing another set of GPS coordinates associated with the current location of the mobile device and recording additional digital images over a period of time,

(f) sending the current set of GPS coordinates and the additional digital images from the mobile device to the remote server, and

(g) repeating the steps (e) and (f); and

a server application stored in memory on a server remote from the mobile device, the application including program logic comprising code executable by a processor on the server, the code programmed upon activation to perform the steps of;

storing the sets of GPS coordinates and digital images received from the mobile device,

calculating a heading and speed of the mobile device based on the sets of GPS coordinates, and

sending to at least one remote recipient an internet link the stored data on the server.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least remote recipient where the preset message is sent is an emergency responder.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the emergency responder is also sent the GPS coordinates.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the server is programmed to perform the steps of generating a map representative the region in the vicinity of the GPS coordinates and displaying the location of the mobile device and at least the heading on the map.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the mobile device or the server also sends the preset message to multiple recipients selected from stored list.

21. The system of claim 16, the program logic on the mobile device further comprising the step of activating a microphone on the mobile device and recording audio data over a period of time;

and wherein the audio data is sent with the digital images to the server.

22. An emergency notification system for a mobile device, the system comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a set of global position system (GPS) coordinates associated with the location of a mobile device;

(b) activating a camera on the mobile device to record digital images over a period of time;

(c) sending a preset message to multiple recipients indicating that the user of the mobile device is involved in an emergency situation;

(d) sending the set of GPS coordinates and the digital images from the mobile device;

(e) after a predetermined period of time, capturing another set of GPS coordinates associated with the current location of the mobile device and recording additional digital images over a period of time;

(f) sending the current set of GPS coordinates and the additional digital images from the mobile device;

(g) calculating a heading and speed of the mobile device based on the sets of GPS coordinates;

(h) permitting at least one remote recipient to retrieve the calculated heading and speed of the mobile device; and

(i) repeating steps (e) through (h).

23. The system of claim 22, where the set of GPS coordinates and the digital images are sent with the preset message to the mobile recipients.

24. The system of claim 22, where the set of GPS coordinates and the digital images are sent to a server, wherein the heading and speed are calculated by the server, and wherein the server permit the at least one remote recipient to access the server to retrieve the calculated heading and speed.

25. The system of claim 22, further comprising the steps of activating a microphone on the mobile device and recording audio data over a period of time;

and sending the audio data with the digital images.