Automatic Notification of Potential Emergency Condition During Travel

• US 20160006855A1
• Filed: 07/04/2015
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Osann Jr
• Original Assignee: Robert Osann Jr
• Inventors: Osann, Robert Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,386,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for tracking the progress of a trip where a person or persons wish to have a third party automatically informed of a delayed return. For long duration trips and/or trips to distant destinations, people typically make provision for having their pets and/or children watched over. However for short trips, they typically do not, especially with respect to their pets. The disclosed methods provide monitoring of a trip'"'"'s progress such that if a traveler doesn'"'"'t return home by a certain time, a third party is notified, thus avoiding a prolonged period of time wherein the pets and/or children are unattended, especially in the event of a catastrophic accident. The third party may be notified if an arrival time is predicted to be delayed, and when an actual arrival occurs. Provision is also included for adjusting the trip duration to delay or advance a designated arrival time.

Claims

1. A computerized method performed using one or more processors and a cellular communications network for notification of a potential emergency condition, comprising:

receiving from a first user;

cellular phone numbers for one or more designated travelers;

a designated date and time for an expected arrival (hereinafter;

the designated arrival time) at an arrival location;

one or more emergency contact persons to be notified of a potential emergency condition; and

contact information for the one or more emergency contact persons;

tracking using at least GPS data, locations of the one or more designated travelers to determine a proximity of the one or more designated travelers with respect to the arrival location; and

determining at the designated arrival time, that a potential emergency condition exists because the one or more travelers have not reached the arrival location.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

contacting the one or more emergency contact persons to inform them of the potential emergency condition.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determination that a potential emergency condition exists, before contacting the one or more emergency contact persons, attempting to contact the one or more travelers to determine if the potential emergency condition is, or is not, an actual emergency condition.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

additionally receiving from the first user, a prioritized sequence for contacting the one or more emergency contact persons, when the one or more emergency contact persons comprise a plurality of persons.

5. The computerized method of claim 4, further comprising:

contacting the one or more emergency contact persons in the prioritized sequence.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the designated arrival time during the trip to create a new designated arrival time, the adjusting performed by the user or any of the designated travelers.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a warning message to one or more of the travelers at a specified point in time in advance of the designated arrival time under one or more of the following conditions;

a) regardless of the one or more traveler'"'"'s current location;

b) if the one or more traveler'"'"'s current location is not within a specified distance from the arrival location;

or

c) if a rate of travel of the one or more travelers isn'"'"'t consistent with an arrival at the arrival location by the designated arrival time.

8. The computerized method of claim 7, further comprising:

if the one or more travelers don'"'"'t respond to the warning message within a specified amount of time, then informing the one or more emergency contact persons of a current location or last known location of the one or more travelers.

9. The computerized method of claim 7, further comprising:

if the last known location of the one or more travelers was in or near areas known to have little or no cellular coverage, allowing additional time before informing the one or more emergency contact persons that the one or more travelers didn'"'"'t respond to the warning message.

10. A computerized method performed using one or more processors and a cellular communications network for notification of a potential emergency condition, comprising:

receiving from a first user;

cellular phone numbers for one or more designated travelers;

a designated date and time for an expected arrival (hereinafter;

the designated arrival time) at an arrival location;

one or more emergency contact persons to be notified of a potential emergency condition; and

contact information for the one or more emergency contact persons;

tracking using at least GPS data, locations of the one or more designated travelers to determine a proximity of the one or more designated travelers with respect to the arrival location;

determining a predicted arrival time for the one or more designated travelers to reach the arrival location, based at least in part on a current location for the one or more designated travelers and applicable route conditions; and

if the predicted arrival time is later than the designated arrival time, determining that a potential emergency condition exists.

11. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising:

contacting the one or more emergency contact persons to inform them of the potential emergency condition.

12. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising:

upon determination that a potential emergency condition exists, before contacting the one or more emergency contact persons, attempting to contact the one or more travelers to determine if the potential emergency condition is, or is not, an actual emergency condition.

13. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising:

additionally receiving from the first user, a prioritized sequence for contacting the one or more emergency contact persons, when the one or more emergency contact persons comprise a plurality of persons.

14. The computerized method of claim 13, further comprising:

contacting the one or more emergency contact persons in the prioritized sequence.

15. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting the designated arrival time during the trip to create a new designated arrival time, the adjusting performed by the user or any of the designated travelers.

16. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending a warning message to one or more of the travelers at a specified point in time in advance of the designated arrival time under one or more of the following conditions;

a) regardless of the one or more traveler'"'"'s current location;

b) if the one or more traveler'"'"'s current location is not within a specified distance from the arrival location;

or

c) if a rate of travel of the one or more travelers isn'"'"'t consistent with an arrival at the arrival location by the designated arrival time.

17. The computerized method of claim 16, further comprising:

if the one or more travelers don'"'"'t respond to the warning message within a specified amount of time, then informing the one or more emergency contact persons of a current location or last known location of the one or more travelers.

18. The computerized method of claim 16, further comprising:

if the last known location of the one or more travelers was in or near areas known to have little or no cellular coverage, allowing additional time before informing the one or more emergency contact persons that the one or more travelers didn'"'"'t respond to the warning message.