METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCING EMERGENCY CALLING WITH MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20140087680A1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: LUUKKALA, Vesa-Veikko, KAAJA, Jari-Jukka Harald, UUSITALO, Mikko Aleksi
• Granted Patent: US 9,055,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• 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 is provided for leveraging mobile devices to enhance emergency calling. The connectivity processor determines a request to initiate at least one call from at least one device. Next, the connectivity processor determines one or more devices with connectivity to the at least one device. Then, the connectivity processor determines at least one main devices from among the at least one device and the one or more other devices to initiate the at least one call based, at least in part, on operational status information, device capability information, resource availability information, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:

a request to initiate at least one call from at least one device;

at least one determination of one or more other devices with connectivity to the at least one device;

at least one determination of at least one main device from among the at least one device and the one or more other devices to initiate the at least one call based, at least in part, on operational status information, device capability information, resource availability information, or a combination thereof.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a generation of the request to initiate the at least one call based, at least in part, on a determination of at least one emergency condition,

wherein the at least one call is at least one emergency call.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

an establishment of a multiple antenna system comprising at least a subset of the at least one device, the one or more other devices, or a combination thereof; and

an initiation of the at least one call using the multiple antenna system.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

causing, at least in part, activation of short-range wireless connections associated with the at least one device and one or more other devices; and

processing and/or facilitating a processing of the short-range wireless connections to cause, at least in part, creation of the multiple antenna system.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination that the at least one main device is unable to initiate the at least one call for a predetermined period of time; and

a selection of at least one other main device to initiate the at least one call.

6. A method of claim 3, wherein the at least one device, one or more other devices, or a combination thereof are within a proximity threshold of an emergency condition.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein a detection system determines the presence of the one or more other devices.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of the presence of the at least one devices, the one or more other devices, or a combination thereof via one or more docks associated with the detection system; and

a signal when the presence is not detected.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of an association between the at least one device and the one or more other devices with connectivity to the at least one device; and

a validation of a potential network between the at least one device and the one or more other devices.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of data associated with the at least one main device; and

a transmission of the data over the multiple antenna system,

wherein data include, at least in part, vehicle information, user health information, location information, or a combination thereof.

11. 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,

determine a request to initiate at least one call from at least one device;

determine one or more other devices with connectivity to the at least one device;

determine at least one main device from among the at least one device and the one or more other devices to initiate the at least one call based, at least in part, on operational status information, device capability information, resource availability information, or a combination thereof.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the identification of the one or more triggering devices based, at least in part, on a cause, at least in part, a generation of the request to initiate the at least one call based, at least in part, on a determination of at least one emergency condition,

wherein the at least one call is at least one emergency call.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, an establishment of a multiple antenna system comprising at least a subset of the at least one device, the one or more other devices, or a combination thereof; and

causing, at least in part, an initiation of the at least one call using the multiple antenna system.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, activation of short-range wireless connections associated with the at least one device and one or more other devices; and

process and/or facilitate a processing of the short-range wireless connections to cause, at least in part, creation of the multiple antenna system.

15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine that the at least one main device is unable to initiate the at least one call for a predetermined period of time; and

cause, at least in part, a selection of at least one other main device to initiate the at least one call.

16. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one device, one or more other devices, or a combination thereof are within a proximity threshold of an emergency condition.

17. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein a detection system determines the presence of the one or more other devices.

18. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the presence of the at least one devices, the one or more other devices, or a combination thereof via one or more docks associated with the detection system; and

cause, at least in part, a signal where the presence is not detected.

19. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine an association between the at least one device and the one or more other devices with connectivity to the at least one device; and

cause, at least in part, a validation of a potential network between the at least one device and the one or more other devices.

20. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine data associated with the at least one main device; and

cause, at least in part, a transmission of the data over the multiple antenna system,

wherein data include, at least in part, vehicle information, user health information, location information, or a combination thereof.

21-48. -48. (canceled)