EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20140199946A1
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobileHelp, LLC
• Original Assignee: Integrity Tracking LLC
• Inventors: Flippo, Robert, Otto, Chris A., Robichaud, Jean
• Granted Patent: US 9,735,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

The present disclosure is an emergency response system that has a wearable device that receives an input from a user and transmits data indicative of the input. In addition, the system has a base station communicatively coupled to the wearable device that receives the data indicative of the input and transmits a test signal requesting a test be performed. Further, the system comprises logic that receives the test signal and initiates a call to the base station based upon the test signal.

Claims

1. An emergency response system, comprising:

a wearable device configured for receiving an input from a user and transmitting data indicative of the input;

a base station communicatively coupled to the wearable device for receiving the data indicative of the input, the base station configured to transmit a test signal requesting a test be performed of one or more communication pathways to a central station; and

logic configured to receive the test signal and initiate a call to the base station, based upon the test signal received.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station comprises an actuator, and when the actuator is selected, the base station transmits the test signal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the actuator is a test button adapted and arranged for selection by the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to automatically transmit a test signal when the base station is provided power.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device comprises an actuator and when the actuator is selected, the wearable device transmits test data indicative of a test request to the base station.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the base station transmits the test signal to a backend computing device based upon receipt of the test data from the wearable device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to respond to the call initiated by the logic, the logic further configured to record data indicating status of the base station based upon the response to the call in memory.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is configured to receive an input from a user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the logic is further configured to initiate the call to the mobile device based upon a test signal received from the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile device is configured to respond to the call initiated by the logic, the logic further configured to record data in memory indicating status of the mobile device based upon the response to the call.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to determine the call to the base station has not been received and to isolate a possible cause for failure of the call.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database communicatively coupled to the logic.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the test signal comprises data indicative of a hardware identifier.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the logic is further configured to compare the data indicative of the hardware identifier with pre-stored account data comprising data indicative of a plurality of users and determine, based upon the comparison, if the data indicative of the hardware identifier is associated with one of the plurality of users.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein when the hardware identifier is not associated with one of the plurality of users, the logic is further configured to request, via a voice message data identifying a user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the logic is further configured to receive a voice response via the call in response to the voice message and store data indicative of the voice response associated with the hardware identifier in memory.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to provide, via a voice message, one or more test instructions.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the test signal comprises data identifying the test signal as initiating a test and the logic is further configured to automatically initiate the call based upon the test signal.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the logic is further configured to store data indicating results of the test correlated with data identifying the user in a memory.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein when the test is not successful, the logic is further configured to automatically notify personnel of an unsuccessful test.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to receive a voice signal from the call, analyze the integrity of the received voice signal, and determine the efficacy of the one or more communication pathways based upon the analysis.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the test signal comprises data indicative of a location of the base station.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the logic is further configured to compare the data indicative of the location with pre-stored account data comprising data indicative of a plurality of users and determine, based upon the comparison, the user associated with the location.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the test signal is a phone call originating from an identifiable phone number.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station plays at least one audible installation instruction for guiding installation of the base station and wearable device.

27. An emergency response method, comprising:

receiving an input from a user via a wearable device;

transmitting data indicative of the input to a base station;

receiving, by the base station, the data indicative of the input;

transmitting, by the base station, a test signal requesting a test be performed of one or more communication pathways to a central station;

receiving the test signal; and

initiating a call to the base station, based upon the test signal received.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the transmitting step further comprises transmitting the test signal in response to the user actuating an actuator.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein transmitting step further comprises actuating a test button adapted and arranged for selection by the user.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising automatically transmit a test signal when the base station is provided power.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting test data indicative of a test request to the base station from the wearable device.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising transmitting the test signal to a backend computing device based upon receipt of the test data from the wearable device.

33. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

responding to the call initiated;

recording data indicating status of the base station based upon the response to the call.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising receiving, by a mobile device, an input from a user via the wearable device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising initiating the call to the mobile device based upon a test signal received from the mobile device.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising responding by the mobile device to the call.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising recording data in memory indicating status of the mobile device based upon the response to the call.

38. The method of claim 27, further comprising determining the call to the base station has not been received and isolate a possible cause for failure of the call.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein the transmitting a test signal step further comprises transmitting the test signal comprising data indicative of a hardware identifier.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

comparing the data indicative of the hardware identifier with pre-stored account data comprising data indicative of a plurality of users; and

determining, based upon the comparison, if the data indicative of the hardware identifier is associated with one of the plurality of users.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising wherein when the hardware identifier is not associated with one of the plurality of users, requesting, via a voice message, data identifying a user.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising receiving a voice response via the call in response to the voice message and store data indicative of the voice response associated with the hardware identifier in memory.

43. The method of claim 27, further comprising providing, via a voice message, one or more installation instruction via the call.

44. The method of claim 27, wherein the initiating step further comprises when the test signal comprises data identifying the test signal as initiating a test, automatically initiating the call based upon the test signal.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising storing data indicating results of the test correlated with data identifying the user in a memory.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising when the test is not successful, automatically notifying personnel of an unsuccessful test.

47. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a voice signal from the call;

analyzing the integrity of the received voice signal; and

determining the efficacy of the one or more communication pathways based upon the analysis.

48. The method of claim 27, wherein the transmitting a test signal step further requires transmitting a test signal comprising data indicative of a location of the base station.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the logic is further configured to compare the data indicative of the location with pre-stored account data comprising data indicative of a plurality of users and determine, based upon the comparison, the user associated with the location.

50. The method of claim 27, wherein the transmitting a test signal step further comprises wherein the test signal is a call originating from an identifiable phone number.

51. The method of claim 27, further comprising wherein the base station plays at least one audible installation instruction for guiding installation of the base station and wearable device.