INTERACTIVE EMERGENCY INFORMATION AND IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150111524A1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lost Mountain Ranch LLC
• Original Assignee: Patrocinium Systems, LLC
• Inventors: South, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,572,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information and identification is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a processor, a notification concerning an emergency situation, wherein the notification includes a location of the emergency situation, and defining, by the processor, a geo-fence representing a first physical area surrounding the location of the emergency situation. The method further includes receiving, by the processor, location information representing locations of a plurality of user devices, each user device being associated with an individual, and determining, by the processor, which of the user devices are located within the geo-fence based on the location information. Additionally, the method includes transmitting, by the processor, information about the emergency situation to the user devices located within the geo-fence.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information and identification, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a notification concerning an emergency situation, wherein the notification includes a location of the emergency situation;

defining, by the processor, a geo-fence representing a first physical area surrounding the location of the emergency situation;

receiving, by the processor, location information representing locations of a plurality of user devices, each user device being associated with an individual;

determining, by the processor, which of the user devices are located within the geo-fence based on the location information; and

transmitting, by the processor, information about the emergency situation to the user devices located within the geo-fence.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, feedback from at least one of the user devices located within the geo-fence, the feedback being generated in a user interface provided on the user devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the feedback includes one of a request for help and a statement that no help is required.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

consolidating, by the processor, the feedback to generate a safety status report describing the safety of the individuals associated with the user devices located within the geo-fence.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if the feedback include a statement that no help is required, transmitting a message to an emergency contact associated with the at least one of user device indicating that the individual associated with the user device is safe.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the feedback includes at least one of textual information related to the emergency situation, audio information related to the emergency situation, and video information related to the emergency situation.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting, by the processor, the feedback to one or more emergency agencies.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the geo-fence includes a plurality of proximity zones representing physical areas of different distances from the location of the emergency situation;

and

further comprising;

determining in which proximity zone each user device located within the geo-fence is respectively located.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the geo-fence is defined by a circle having a radius extending from the location of the emergency situation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the radius is defined automatically based on characteristics of the emergency situation.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

redefining the geo-fence to represent a second physical area different than the first physical area based on information received from at least one of the user devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting includes sending a push message that is displayed on the respective screens of the user devices located within the geo-fence.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting to each user device within the geo-fence the location of the emergency situation relative to the position of the user device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency situation includes one or more of a terrorist attack, a shooting event, a bombing event, a building collapse, a natural disaster, an earthquake, a flood, a fire, a hurricane, and an accident.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the locations of the plurality of user devices are determined by at least one of multilateration of radio signals between radio towers, triangulation of a GPS signals, WiFi positioning, and Bluetooth sensor signals.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting emergency instructions associated with the emergency situation to the user devices located within the geo-fence.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the emergency instructions vary based on a proximity of a user device to the location of the emergency situation.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the emergency instructions include graphical directions shown in relation to the location of the emergency situation.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the processor, a map showing the locations of the plurality of user devices respective to the location of the emergency situation.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is outside of the geo-fence.

21. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information and identification, the method comprising:

establishing, by a processor, a virtual beacon in association with a landmark;

receiving, by the processor, location information representing locations of a plurality of user devices, each user device being associated with an individual associated with the landmark;

determining, by the processor, which of the user devices are located within a subscription distance from the virtual beacon based on the location information;

subscribing the individuals associated with user devices within the subscription distance to an emergency notification list;

unsubscribing from the emergency notification list the individuals associated with user devices outside of the subscription distance;

after establishing the virtual beacon, receiving, by a processor, a notification concerning an emergency situation, wherein the notification includes a location of the emergency situation; and

transmitting, by the processor, information about the emergency situation to the user devices associated with the subscribed individuals.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the subscription distance forms a virtual boundary around the virtual beacon that encompasses the landmark.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the virtual boundary is three-dimensional.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

defining, by the processor, a geo-fence representing a physical area surrounding the location of the emergency situation;

determining, by the processor, which of the user devices are located within the geo-fence based on the location information; and

transmitting, by the processor, further information about the emergency situation to the user devices located within the geo-fence.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the geo-fence encompasses less than the entire landmark.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the number of user devices located within the geo-fence is less than the number of user devices located within the subscription distance from the virtual beacon.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein transmitting information about the emergency situation to the user devices includes transmitting push messages to be displayed on the respective screens of the user devices associated with the subscribed individuals.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the processor is located remote from the landmark.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the landmark is one of a building and a collection of adjacent buildings.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein transmitting information about the emergency situation includes transmitting emergency instructions to the user devices associated with individuals subscribed to the emergency notification list.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the emergency instructions include graphical directions shown in relation to the location of the emergency situation.

32. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information and identification, the method comprising:

displaying, with a user interface executing on a user device associated with an individual, information about an emergency situation received by the user device;

prompting, with the user interface, the individual to provide a current safety status of the individual;

receiving, via an input to the user interface, the current safety status of the individual, the received safety status being subsequently transmitted to a transmitted to an emergency information and identification system;

prompting, with the user interface, the individual to provide emergency situation data; and

receiving, via an input to the user interface, emergency situation data, the received emergency situation data being subsequently transmitted to the emergency information and identification system.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein prompting the individual to provide a current safety status includes displaying a first control element that the individual may activate if help is needed and a second control element that the individual may activate if no help is needed.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein prompting the individual to provide emergency situation data includes displaying at least one of a first control element that the individual may activate to provide textual information related to the emergency situation, a second control element that the individual may activate to provide audio information related to the emergency situation, and a third control element that the individual may activate to provide video information related to the emergency situation.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein displaying information about an emergency situation includes displaying a graphical map showing a location of the emergency situation relative to a position of the user device.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein displaying information about an emergency situation includes altering the appearance of the user interface based on the proximity of the emergency situation to the user device.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein displaying information about an emergency situation includes displaying emergency instructions based on a position of the user device.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein displaying emergency instructions includes displaying graphical directions on a map showing a location of the emergency situation and the position of the user device.