METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONFIGURING A MOBILE DEVICE TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION

• US 20120164968A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Velusamy, Umashankar, Moore, Devin C., Thompson, Wade P., Gudlavenkatasiva, Bhaskar R., Hughes, George L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,886,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• 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 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

An approach for configuring a mobile device to enable accident detection and notification functionality for use within a vehicle is described. An emergency notification platform receives position information and acceleration information associated with a mobile device. The emergency notification platform applies a rule to the position information and the acceleration information to determine an alert condition. A notification message is then generated for presentation on the mobile device based on the application of the rule, wherein the notification message specifies information relating to the alert condition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving position information and acceleration information associated with a mobile device;

applying a rule to the position information and the acceleration information to determine an alert condition; and

generating a notification message based on the application of the rule, wherein the notification message specifies information relating to the alert condition.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the rule specifies one or more parameters indicating an accident condition or an emergency condition associated with a user of the mobile device, the method further compromising:

presenting the notification message via a display of the mobile device.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the rule specifies a threshold level for a degree of severity of the accident condition or the emergency condition.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a deviation from a known course that is traversed by the mobile device, wherein the rule relates to the detected deviation.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

initiating transmission of the notification message to one or more predetermined destinations specified by a user of the mobile device.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a communication session, by the mobile device, with a predetermined communication device in response to the alert condition.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device includes a mobile phone or a mobile computer.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive position information and acceleration information associated with a mobile device,

apply a rule to the position information and the acceleration information to determine an alert condition, and

generate a notification message based on the application of the rule, wherein the notification message specifies information relating to the alert condition.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the rule specifies one or more parameters indicating an accident condition or an emergency condition associated with a user of the mobile device, the apparatus being further caused to:

present the notification message via a display of the mobile device.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the rule specifies a threshold level for a degree of severity of the accident condition or the emergency condition.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

detect a deviation from a known course that is traversed by the mobile device, wherein the rule relates to the detected deviation.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

initiate transmission of the notification message to one or more predetermined destinations specified by a user of the mobile device.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

establish a communication session, by the mobile device, with a predetermined communication device in response to the alert condition.

14. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the mobile device includes a mobile phone or a mobile computer.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a notification message from a mobile device configured to generate the notification message in response to an alert condition that is determined using position information and acceleration information of the mobile device; and

selectively initiating transmission of the alert notification to one or more destinations specified by a user of the mobile device.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the determination of the alert condition is based on a rule that specifies one or more parameters indicating deviation from a predetermined travel path, an accident condition, and an emergency condition associated with a user of the mobile device, wherein the rule specifies a threshold level for a degree of severity of the deviation from the predetermined travel path, the accident condition, or the emergency condition.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a request from the mobile device to establish a communication session with a predetermined communication device in response to the alert condition.

18. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive a notification message from a mobile device configured to generate the notification message in response to an alert condition that is determined using position information and acceleration information of the mobile device, and

selectively initiate transmission of the alert notification to one or more destinations specified by a user of the mobile device.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the determination of the alert condition is based on a rule that specifies one or more parameters indicating deviation from a predetermined travel path, an accident condition, and an emergency condition associated with a user of the mobile device, wherein the rule specifies a threshold level for a degree of severity of the deviation from the predetermined travel path, the accident condition, or the emergency condition.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive a request from the mobile device to establish a communication session with a predetermined communication device in response to the alert condition.