GEO-LOCATION SERVICES

• US 20150022348A1
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Jungtaik, Eyring, Matthew J., Nye, James E., Warren, Jeremy B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,934,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/222 Personal calling arrangements or devices, i.e. paging systems selective calling systems and call receivers H04W84/00, H04W68/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• 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 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A method for geo-location services is described. A location of a user is monitored, via a sensor, in relation to a predetermined location. Upon detecting a predetermined condition of the user, a determination is made of which contact on a contact list is nearest to the predetermined location. A notification is sent to the contact determined to be nearest to the predetermined location.

Claims

1. A method for geo-location services, the method comprising:

monitoring, via a sensor, a user at a predetermined location;

detecting, via the sensor, a predetermined condition of the user;

upon detecting the predetermined condition, determining which contact on a contact list is nearest to the predetermined location; and

sending a notification to the contact determined to be nearest to the predetermined location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, via the sensor, a condition of the user, wherein the condition includes at least one of temperature, heartbeat, breathing, brain waves, movement, and voice.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending the notification to emergency response personnel; and

sending the condition of the user to the emergency response personnel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification to the contact determined to be nearest to the predetermined location comprises at least one of a summary describing the predetermined condition of the user, a current status of the user, information related to sending a notification to emergency response personnel, and a current status of the emergency response personnel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a community contact list, the community contact list comprising a list of contacts within a predetermined geographic area; and

sending the notification to one or more contacts on the community contact list.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, via the sensor, a location of the user in relation to one or more predetermined locations; and

upon determining the user is within a predetermined distance of the one or more predetermined locations, generating a notification.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

learning a route of the user in relation to the one or more predetermined locations; and

upon determining the user is deviating from the learned route, generating a notification.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a public warning;

determining a location of the detected public warning; and

upon determining the location of the user is within a predetermined distance of a location of the detected public warning, generating a notification.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor may include any combination of a video sensor, motion sensor, audio sensor, accelerometer sensor, location sensor, capacitance sensor, and radio frequency sensor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

embedding the sensor in a light bulb, a light-bulb fixture, or light-switch fixture.

11. A computing device configured for geo-location services, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the memory stores computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of;

monitoring, via a sensor, a user at a predetermined location;

detecting, via the sensor, a predetermined condition of the user;

upon detecting the predetermined condition, determining which contact on a contact list is nearest to the predetermined location; and

sending a notification to the contact determined to be nearest to the predetermined location.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

monitoring, via the sensor, a condition of the user, wherein the condition includes at least one of temperature, heartbeat, breathing, brain waves, movement, and voice.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

sending the notification to emergency response personnel; and

sending the condition of the user to the emergency response personnel.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the notification to the contact determined to be nearest to the predetermined location comprises at least one of a summary describing the predetermined condition of the user, a current status of the user, information related to sending a notification to emergency response personnel, and a current status of the emergency response personnel.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

maintaining a community contact list, the community contact list comprising a list of contacts within a predetermined geographic area; and

sending the notification to one or more contacts on the community contact list.

16. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

monitoring, via the sensor, a location of the user in relation to one or more predetermined locations; and

upon determining the user is within a predetermined distance of the one or more predetermined locations, generating a notification.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

learning a route of the user in relation to the one or more predetermined locations; and

upon determining the user is deviating from the learned route, generating a notification.

18. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

detecting a public warning;

determining a location of the detected public warning; and

upon determining the location of the user is within a predetermined distance of a location of the detected public warning, generating a notification.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

monitoring, via a sensor, a user at a predetermined location;

detecting, via the sensor, a predetermined condition of the user;

upon detecting the predetermined condition, determining which contact on a contact list is nearest to the predetermined location; and

sending a notification to the contact determined to be nearest to the predetermined location.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the notification to the contact determined to be nearest to the predetermined location comprises at least one of a summary describing the predetermined condition of the user, a current status of the user, information related to sending a notification to emergency response personnel, and a current status of the emergency response personnel.