SECURE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TECHNOLOGY

• US 20170019777A1
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digital Management, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digital Management, Inc.
• Inventors: Cole, Joseph W. Jr., Hettenhouser, Jeremy R., Cann, Richard P., Williams, Christopher T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,769,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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]

Abstract

Technology for securely processing emergency response. An emergency response server receives intermittent location data from a client device during non-emergency responses. Upon determining an emergency situation is occurring, the emergency response server sends an unencrypted notification to a client device to activate the client device remotely. Once the emergency response server receives an encrypted message from the client device, the emergency response server sends an encrypted emergency client device, causing the client device to enter an emergency mode. The emergency response server then receives encrypted location information at more frequent intervals from the client device in the emergency mode and displays the location of the client device. Once the emergency situation has ended, the location of the client device is no longer displayed, and a signal is sent to cause the client device to exit the emergency mode.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, performed by one or more processors, for emergency response, the method comprising:

receiving encrypted location data from a client device at long intervals;

sending an unencrypted notification to a client device to activate the device remotely to execute pre-defined processes;

receiving an encrypted confirmation from the client device, confirming the receipt the of the notification;

sending an encrypted emergency signal to the client device, wherein the signal is configured to cause the client device to enter an emergency mode;

after sending the encrypted emergency signal;

receiving encrypted location data from the client device at short intervals; and

causing a location of the client device to be displayed;

receiving an indication that the emergency situation has ended; and

based on receiving indication that the emergency situation has ended, removing the display of the location of the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the emergency situation has ended is received from a secure portal device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the emergency situation has ended is an all is well message received from the client device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the long interval is more than double the short interval.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an end of emergency signal to the client device, wherein the end of emergency signal is configured to cause the client device to end the emergency mode;

after sending the end of emergency signal, receiving the location information from the client device at long intervals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an SOS signal from the client device;

based on the receipt of the SOS signal, causing the display of the location of the client device to be displayed on a secure portal device;

receiving an all is well signal from the client device; and

removing the display of the location of the client device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wherein the long interval is more than double the short interval.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the emergency signal, enabling an all is well option.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an all is well signal to the emergency response server; and

based on the all is well signal, sending location information to the emergency response server at long intervals.

7. A computer-implemented method, performed by one or more processors, for emergency response, the method comprising:

sending location information to an emergency response server at long intervals, wherein the location information indicates the location of a client device;

receiving an unencrypted notification to activate;

sending an encrypted confirmation to the emergency response server confirming receipt of the notification;

receiving an encrypted emergency signal indicating an emergency situation is occurring; and

based on the emergency signal, entering an emergency mode and sending location information to the emergency response server at short intervals.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving an end emergency signal from an emergency response server; and

based on the end emergency signal, end the emergency mode and resume sending location information to the emergency response server at long intervals.

12. A computer-implemented method, performed by one or more processors, for emergency response, the method comprising:

defining a danger zone boundary;

receive location information from a client device at long intervals;

based on the location of the client device, determining whether the client device is within the danger zone boundary;

if the client device is within the danger zone boundary, performing the following actions;

sending a notification to the client device, wherein the notification is configured to activate the client device;

receive location information from the client device at short intervals;

display the location of the client device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, if the client device is not within the danger zone boundary:

determining whether the client device is heading towards the danger zone boundary; and

if the client device is heading towards the danger zone boundary, sending a warning signal to the client device notifying the client device that it is heading towards a danger zone boundary.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the short interval is about 3 minutes and the long interval is about 30 minutes.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an end emergency signal; and

based on the end emergency signal, removing any displayed location of the client device.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

performing a second determination to determine whether the client device is still within the danger zone boundary;

if the client device is no longer within the danger zone boundary, removing any displayed location of the client device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising sending a notification signal to the client device notifying the client device that the client device is no longer within the danger zone boundary.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein defining the danger zone boundary comprises:

receiving a location for a center of the danger zone;

receiving a value for the radius of the danger zone; and

determining the danger zone boundary based on the location for the center and the value for the radius.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein defining the danger zone boundary comprises receiving drawing input indicating the danger zone boundary.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein defining the danger zone boundary comprises:

receiving a location for a center of the danger zone;

receiving an indication of a type of emergency; and

determining the danger zone boundary based on the location for the center and the type of emergency.