EMERGENCY INFORMATION ACCESS ON PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20150052618A1
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: MICHALSKE, Steven Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,311,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6775 by providing access to preprogrammed keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Improved techniques for facilitating emergency access to one or more contacts stored on a portable electronic device are disclosed. One or more contacts on the portable electronic device are designated as emergency contacts. While the portable electronic device is password-locked, a request to display the one or more emergency contacts on the password-locked portable electronic device is received. Without requiring a password, the one or more emergency contacts are displayed on the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for displaying emergency contacts in an emergency call screen, the method comprising:

by a computing device that is password-locked;

receiving a request to enter the emergency call screen;

retrieving one or more emergency contacts from a list of contacts;

for each contact of the one or more emergency contacts;

displaying, within the emergency call screen, a user interface control, wherein the user interface control includes a name for an emergency contact, but does not include a phone number for the emergency contact.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more emergency contacts are retrieved in response to receiving a selection of an emergency access icon.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the emergency access icon is displayed on the emergency call screen.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein an alphanumeric keypad is concurrently displayed with the emergency access icon within the emergency call screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps further include:

when one of the user interface controls is selected;

accessing the phone number of the emergency contact that corresponds to the selected user interface control; and

causing a phone call to be initiated in accordance with the phone number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps further include:

displaying emergency information in response to an input received at the emergency call screen.

7. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor in a computing device cause the computing device to perform the steps of:

when the computing device is password-locked;

receiving a request to enter an emergency call screen;

retrieving one or more emergency contacts from a list of contacts;

for each emergency contact of the one or more emergency contacts, displaying, within the emergency call screen, a user interface control, wherein the user interface control includes a name for the emergency contact, but does not include a phone number for the emergency contact.

8. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more emergency contacts are retrieved in response to receiving a selection of an emergency access icon.

9. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, wherein the emergency access icon is displayed within the emergency call screen.

10. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, wherein an alphanumeric keypad is concurrently displayed with the emergency access icon within the emergency call screen.

11. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the steps further include:

when one of the user interface controls is selected;

accessing the phone number of the emergency contact that corresponds to the selected user interface control; and

causing a phone call to be initiated in accordance with the phone number.

12. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the steps further include:

displaying emergency information in response to an input received at the computing device.

13. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein each of the user interface controls are displayed adjacent to one another within the emergency call screen.

14. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computing device to perform the steps of;

when the computing device is password-locked;

receiving a request to enter an emergency call screen;

retrieving one or more emergency contacts from a list of contacts;

displaying, at the emergency call screen, a user interface control for each emergency contact of the one or more emergency contacts, wherein the user interface control includes a user-created identifier associated with a name field that is different than a phone number field for a corresponding emergency contact, and does not include a phone number.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the one or more emergency contacts are retrieved in response to receiving a selection of an emergency access icon.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the emergency access icon is displayed within the emergency call screen.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein an alphanumeric keypad is concurrently displayed with the emergency access icon within the emergency call screen.

18. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the steps further include:

when one of the user interface controls is selected;

accessing the phone number of the emergency contact that corresponds to the selected user interface control; and

causing a phone call to be initiated in accordance with the phone number.

19. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the steps further include:

displaying emergency information in response to an input received at the computing device.

20. The computing device of claim 14, wherein displaying the user interface control includes concurrently displaying a plurality of adjacent user interface controls.