Method and system of providing emergency data

• US 6,882,706 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Andrew, Felix G. T. I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/999,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37, 379/38, 379/40, 379/41, 379/42, 379/43, 379/44, 379/45, 379/90.01, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/93.23, 379/93.24, 379/93.25, 379/218.01, 379/201.04, 379/201.05, 455/564, 455/566
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and system for providing access to emergency data. Emergency data is collected from various sources and maintained such that it can be efficiently recalled in an emergency. In one implementation, the data is maintained in XML documents. An emergency application program provides a page and/or sub-pages via which a user interacts to obtain the data. The data is typed according to types of emergencies to facilitate user access to the appropriate data when needed. The emergency data may be automatically loaded from a remote source, such as a .NET service, or provided by a retailer. Actions may be associated with emergency data, such as to provide an easy or automated way to send an alert, email message, and the like in the event of an emergency.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

maintaining a plurality of records in an emergency data store, each record comprising emergency data and having type of emergency information associated therewith that classifies the record as corresponding to at least one type of emergency;

providing an emergency page, the emergency page including a plurality of emergency type links, each emergency type link corresponding to a particular type of emergency;

receiving an indication that an emergency type link was actuated, and in response,

accessing the emergency data store to locate at least two records that are each associated with the type of emergency that corresponds to the actuated link;

aggregating the data from each located record into aggregated emergency data; and

providing an emergency sub-page based on the aggregated emergency data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising merging data from each located record that is repeated.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing an emergency sub-page comprises providing at least one sub-link to another emergency sub-page.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one sub-link corresponds to a sub-type associated with a record.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, evaluating duration information maintained with at least one record to determine whether to delete that record.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing an emergency sub-page comprises displaying at least some emergency data.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, obtaining action information from at least one of the records and taking an action based on the action information.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, requesting and verifying security information prior to providing the emergency sub-page.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising evaluating sensitivity data in at least one of the records prior to requesting and verifying the security information.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving emergency data from a remote source for maintaining in the data store.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.