Mobile Emergency Attack and Failsafe Detection

• US 20140066000A1
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Butler, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,929,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm

Abstract

A mobile communication device can be placed into an “attack detection mode.” While the device is in attack detection mode, certain events can cause the device to summon assistance automatically. For example, while the device is in attack detection mode, if the device'"'"'s user ceases to interact with the device, then the device can automatically place a telephone call to emergency services (e.g., by calling 911). For another example, while the device is in attack detection mode, if an accelerometer contained within the device detects a sudden shock, then the device similarly can automatically place a telephone call to emergency services. After detecting a probable emergency situation, the mobile device can responsively and continuously emit a loud audible alarm through the device'"'"'s speakers at maximum volume regardless of the device'"'"'s current silence or volume settings, in an effort to attract help from other people who may be nearby.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, user input commanding the mobile device to enter a first mode of operation;

in response to receiving the user input, the mobile device entering the first mode of operation;

while the mobile device is in the first mode of operation, the mobile device detecting an occurrence of a particular event from a set of specified events;

in response to detecting the occurrence of the particular event while the mobile device in the first mode of operation, the mobile device entering a second mode of operation and starting a timer;

while the mobile device is in the second mode of operation, the mobile device determining whether a particular input has been received at the mobile device prior to expiration of the timer;

in response to determining that the particular input was not received prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device automatically sending information to a specified recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular event is an absence of a user'"'"'s finger on a touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular event is a lack of movement of a user'"'"'s finger on a touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular event is an accelerometer-detected shock indicating that the mobile device has been dropped.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular event is a mobile device microphone-detected noise having a volume that exceeds a specified level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular event is disconnection of headphones from an audio jack of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular event is a release of a volume button of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting the occurrence of the particular event while the mobile device in the first mode of operation, the mobile device emitting an audible signal warning a user of the mobile device that the specified recipient will be called unless the user performs a specified action.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a disarm code that a user of the mobile device specified when the user commanded the mobile device to enter the first mode of operation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a re-establishment of contact of a user'"'"'s finger with a touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a re-connection of headphones into a headphone jack of the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a re-depression of a volume button of the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a shaking of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically sending information to a specified recipient comprises placing a telephone call to a public emergency services phone number and playing a recorded audio message to an answerer of the call.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically sending information to a specified recipient comprises placing a telephone call to a telephone number that is mapped to a geographical area in which the mobile device is currently located.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving particular user input that indicates a default telephone number;

storing the default telephone number in a memory of the mobile device in association with a first geographical location in which the mobile device is located at the time of the receipt of the particular user input;

in response to determining that the mobile device has exited the first geographical location, (a) determining a second geographical location in which the mobile device is located, (b) downloading, over a network, a new telephone number that is associated with the second geographical location, and (c) storing the new telephone number in the memory of the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving particular user input that indicates a default telephone number to be automatically called by the mobile device in case of an emergency;

using a global positioning system of the mobile device to automatically determine a geographical region in which the mobile device is located at the time of the receipt of the particular user input; and

sending the default telephone number and an identity of a geographical region from the mobile device over a network to a server that stores mappings between telephone numbers and geographical regions.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether an incorrect disarm code was entered prior to the expiration of the timer; and

in response to determining that an incorrect disarm code was entered prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device automatically sending the information to the specified recipient without providing any indication that an incorrect disarm code was entered and without providing any indication that the information was sent.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether an incorrect disarm code was entered prior to the expiration of the timer; and

in response to determining that an incorrect disarm code was not entered prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device emitting an audible alarm that indicates that emergency services have been called.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, user input commanding the mobile device to enter a first mode of operation;

in response to receiving the user input, the mobile device entering the first mode of operation;

while the mobile device is in the first mode of operation, the mobile device detecting an occurrence of a particular event from a set of specified events;

in response to detecting the occurrence of the particular event while the mobile device in the first mode of operation, the mobile device starting a timer and entering a second mode of operation in which the mobile device will automatically send information to an emergency service unless a particular input is received at the mobile device prior to expiration of the timer;

while the mobile device is in the second mode of operation, the mobile device determining whether the particular input has been received at the mobile device prior to expiration of the timer;

in response to determining that the particular input was received prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device exiting the second mode of operation without sending information to any emergency service.

22. A computer-readable memory storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

receiving, at a mobile device, an indication of a time interval;

in response to receiving the indication of a time interval, starting a timer that expires after an amount of time based on the time interval has passed;

in response to the expiration of the timer, instructing a user of the mobile device to interact with the mobile device;

after instructing the user of the mobile device to interact with the mobile device, determining whether a person has interacted with the mobile device within a specified quantity of time since the user was instructed; and

in response to determining that no person has interacted with the mobile device within the specified quantity of time, automatically placing a telephone call to a specified telephone number and playing a recorded audio message to an answerer of the call.

23. A computer-readable memory storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

receiving, at a mobile device, an indication of a time interval;

in response to receiving the indication of a time interval, starting a timer that expires after an amount of time based on the time interval has passed since the indication;

in response to the expiration of the timer, instructing a user of the mobile device to interact with the mobile device;

after instructing the user of the mobile device to interact with the mobile device, determining whether a person has interacted with the mobile device within a specified quantity of time since the user was instructed; and

in response to determining that a person has interacted with the mobile device within the specified quantity of time, resetting the timer to expire after an amount of time based on the time interval has passed since the interaction.

24. The computer-readable memory of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to perform:

automatically extending the amount of time remaining on the timer in a quantity sufficient to prevent the timer from expiring during a specified time-of-day range.

25. A system comprising:

a processor;

a cellular telephony mechanism;

a global positioning system configured to determine a current location of a mobile device containing the processor and cellular telephony mechanism; and

an electronic memory that stores a program which is configured to cause the cellular telephony mechanism to place, automatically, one or more telephone calls to one or more telephone numbers that are mapped to the current location in response to detecting that a particular event from a specified plurality of events has occurred relative to the mobile device, and to play a recorded audio message to one or more answerers of the one or more telephone calls.