EMERGENCY CALL REDIRECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120178403A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Best Buy Health Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GreatCall Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Sieg, Jonathan J., Matsuo, Kotaro, Williams, Dean
• Granted Patent: US 9,439,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for connecting a caller to an alternate telephone number, such as 911, when a call to a private response center does not result in immediate assistance. In one example, when the call to the private response center does not connect, the communications device used to make the call may prompt the user to indicate that the call relates to an emergency, and the communications device may call the emergency services telephone number. Failure to connect may result when the call does not connect to a receiving party, or upon failure to timely reach a customer service representative. In another example, the call to the private response center may connect, but the private response center may signal the communications device that the call will not be handled immediately. The communications device may then prompt the user to indicate whether an alternate telephone number should be called.

Claims

1. A communications device, comprising:

an input interface;

a transceiver;

a microprocessor; and

a computer readable memory, the computer readable memory holding microprocessor instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the communications device to;

receive an input via the input interface;

in response to the input, place a first call to a first telephone number that is not an emergency services telephone number;

recognize that the first call failed to complete;

recognize a particular state of the communications device, the state indicating that a second telephone number is to be called; and

after recognition of the particular state, place a second call to the second telephone number using the transceiver.

2. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second telephone number is an emergency services telephone number.

3. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the communications device to recognize that the first call failed to complete when no connection was made to a receiving party.

4. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the communications device to recognize that the first call failed to complete when no confirmatory message is received within a predetermined time after the first call is placed.

5. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the communications device to prompt a user of the communications device to indicate using the input interface that the second telephone number is to be called.

6. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular state of the communications device is that an input is received from a user of the communications device indicating that the second telephone number is to be called.

7. The communications device as recited in claim 6, wherein the input indicating that the second telephone number is to be called is received via a button on the communications device, via an audible cue from the user of the communications device, or via a sensor that detects a mechanical manipulation of the communications device.

8. The communications device as recited in claim 7, wherein the instructions further cause the communications device to process the audible cue from the user of the communications device using voice recognition software.

9. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular state of the communications device is that no input has been received from a user of the communications device within a predetermined time interval.

10. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the communications device is a wireless telephone.

11. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises one and only one button.

12. The communications device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the communications device to alter the behavior of the input interface after recognition that the first call failed to complete.

13. A method of operating a communications device, the method comprising:

receiving, via an input interface of the communications device, an input from a user of the communications device;

in response to the input, under control of a processor comprised in the communications device, placing a first call to a first telephone number that is not an emergency services telephone number;

recognizing that the first call failed to complete;

recognizing a particular state of the communications device, the state indicating that a second telephone number is to be called; and

after recognition of the particular state, placing a second call to the second telephone number using the transceiver.

14. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 13, wherein the second telephone number is an emergency services telephone number.

15. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 13, wherein recognizing that the first call failed to complete comprises recognizing that the first call did not result in a connection to a receiving party.

16. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 13, wherein recognizing that the first call failed to complete comprises recognizing that no confirmatory message is received within a predetermined time after the first call is placed.

17. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 13, further comprising prompting a user of the communications device to indicate using the input interface that the second telephone number is to be called.

18. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 13, wherein recognizing the particular state of the communications device comprises recognizing that an input is received from a user of the communications device indicating that the second telephone number is to be called.

19. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 18, wherein the input indicating that the second telephone number is to be called is received via a button on the communications device, via an audible cue from the user of the communications device, or via a sensor that detects a mechanical manipulation of the communications device.

20. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 19, further comprising processing the audible cue from the user of the communications device using voice recognition software.

21. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 13, wherein recognizing the particular state of the communications device comprises recognizing that no input has been received from a user of the communications device within a predetermined time interval.

34. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 20, wherein recognizing the particular state of the communications device comprises recognizing that an input is received from a user of the communications device indicating that the second telephone number is to be called.

22. A communications device, comprising:

an input interface;

a transceiver;

a microprocessor; and

a computer readable memory, the computer readable memory holding microprocessor instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the communications device to;

receive an input via the input interface;

in response to the input, place a first call to a first telephone number that is not an emergency services telephone number;

recognize a predetermined signal from the recipient of the first call, the predetermined signal indicating that the call has been rejected;

recognize a particular state of the communications device, the particular state indicating that a second telephone number is to be called; and

upon recognition of the particular state, place a second call to the second telephone number using the transceiver.

23. The communications device as recited in claim 22, wherein the second telephone number is an emergency services telephone number.

24. The communications device as recited in claim 22, wherein the predetermined signal is communicated from the recipient of the first call to the communications device via a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal or via a short message service (SMS) message.

25. The communications device as recited in claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the communications device to prompt a user of the communications device to indicate using the input interface that the second telephone number is to be called.

26. The communications device as recited in claim 22, wherein the particular state of the communications device is that an input is received from a user of the communications device indicating that the second telephone number is to be called.

27. The communications device as recited in claim 22, wherein the particular state of the communications device is that no input has been received from a user of the communications device within a predetermined time interval.

28. The communications device as recited in claim 22, wherein the communications device is a wireless telephone.

29. The communications device as recited in claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the communications device to alter the behavior of the input interface after recognition of the predetermined signal.

30. A method of operating a communications device, the method comprising:

receiving, via an input interface of the communications device, an input from a user of the communications device;

in response to the input, under control of a processor comprised in the communications device, placing a first call to a telephone number that is not an emergency services telephone number;

recognizing a predetermined signal from the recipient of the first call, the predetermined signal indicating that the call has been rejected;

recognizing a particular state of the communications device, the particular state indicating that a second telephone number is to be called; and

upon recognition of the particular state, placing a second call to the second telephone number using the transceiver.

31. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 30, wherein the second telephone number is an emergency services telephone number.

32. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 30, wherein recognizing the predetermined signal comprises recognizing a predetermined signal that is communicated from the recipient of the first call to the communications device via a dual-tone multiple-frequency (DTMF) signal or recognizing a predetermined signal that is communicated from the recipient of the first call to the communications device via a short message service (SMS) message.

33. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 30, further comprising prompting a user of the communications device to indicate using the input interface that the second telephone number is to be called.

35. The method of operating a communications device as recited in claim 30, wherein recognizing the particular state of the communications device comprises recognizing that no input has been received from a user of the communications device within a predetermined time interval.

36. A method for operating a service center, the method comprising:

receiving a call at the service center from a communications device;

determining that the call will not be answered by a customer service representative within a predetermined time; and

sending a signal to the communications device indicating that the call is rejected.

37. The method for operating a service center as recited in claim 36, wherein sending a signal to the communications device indicating that the call is rejected comprises sending a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal across an audio link between the service center and the communications device.

38. The method for operating a service center as recited in claim 36, wherein sending a signal to the communications device indicating that the call is rejected comprises sending a short message service (SMS) message from the service center to the communications device.

39. A method for operating a service center, the method comprising:

receiving a call at the service center from a communications device;

connecting the call with a customer service representative; and

upon connecting the call with the customer service representative, sending a confirmatory message to the communications device indicating that the call has been answered by the customer service representative.

40. The method for operating a service center as recited in claim 39, wherein sending the confirmatory message to the communications device indicating that the call has been answered by the customer service representative comprises sending a short message service (SMS) message.