Mobile emergency notification system

• US 7,221,928 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Traffic Solutions Incorporated (Verra Mobility Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Mark D. Laird, Michael Glier
• Inventors: Laird, Mark D., Glier, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/957,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/11.1, 455/552.1, 342/386, 340/539.11, 340/825, 340/573, 379/39, 348/39
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

A handset uses one or more systems, such as GPS, a carrier-based network or a wireless local area network, to ascertain its location. The handset can include sensors, such as temperature or heart rate sensors. In response to detecting an attempt to place an emergency call or send a message, or in response to automatically detecting an emergency, the handset provides a server with the identity and location of the handset and information about the emergency. The server provides the handset with information to correct errors in the location information or the server corrects the location errors. Communications between the server and handset are carried over the carrier-based network, WLAN and/or another wireless channel. The server displays information about the handset, a user and the sensors, so a dispatcher can dispatch assistance and/or provide information about the emergency to another agency.

Claims

1. A system for providing an indication of a possible emergency situation, comprising:

a wireless communication device operable to place a call to at least one first predetermined destination over at least one first channel, to generate a data message that includes three-dimensional positioning location information about the wireless communication device, and to send the data message including the three-dimensional positioning location information to at least one second predetermined destination over at least one second channel if the wireless communication device attempts to place a call to the at least one first predetermined destination; and

a monitoring station in communication with the wireless communication device, the monitoring station comprising the second predetermined destination, the monitoring station being operable to receive the data message sent by the wireless communication device over the at least one second channel, and, in response to receiving the data message, to display information pertaining to a user of the wireless communication device including an indication of the three-dimensional positioning location information.

2. A wireless handset, comprising:

wireless communications apparatus operative to place an emergency call to at least one first predetermined destination over at least one first channel;

first logic operable to detect an attempt to place an emergency call to the at least one first predetermined destination; and

second logic operable, in response to detecting the attempt to place the emergency call, to perform at least one predetermined action other than placing the emergency call,

wherein the at least one predetermined action includes sending a data message containing information pertaining to at least one of the wireless handset and a user of the wireless handset to at least one second predetermined destination over at least one second channel.

3. The wireless handset of claim 2, wherein the first logic is operable to detect an attempt to place a telephone call to a predetermined number.

4. The wireless handset of claim 2, wherein the first logic is operable to detect an attempt to place a telephone call to 911.

5. The wireless handset of claim 2, wherein, to detect the attempt to place the emergency call, the first logic is operable to detect an attempt to send a data message to a predetermined address.

6. The wireless handset of claim 2, wherein the predetermined action comprises sending information about the emergency call attempt to the at least one second predetermined destination.

7. The wireless handset of claim 6, wherein the information includes the at least one first predetermined destination to which the emergency call was attempted.

8. The wireless handset of claim 6, wherein the information includes a current status of the emergency call.

9. The wireless handset of claim 6, wherein the information indicates if the emergency call was successfully connected.

10. The wireless handset of claim 6, wherein the information indicates a time at which the emergency call was attempted.

11. The wireless handset of claim 6, wherein

the first logic is operable to detect the attempt to place the emergency call over the at least one first channel, the at least one first channel comprising a wireless link;

and

the information is sent via the at least one second channel, the at least one second channel comprising a data bearer channel of the wireless link.

12. The wireless handset of claim 6, wherein

the first logic is operable to detect the attempt to place the emergency call over the at least one first channel, the at least one first channel comprising a first wireless link;

and

the information is sent via the at least one second channel, the at least one second channel comprising a second wireless link different than the first wireless link.

13. The wireless handset of claim 12, wherein the second wireless link comprises a wireless local area network link.

14. The wireless handset of claim 12, wherein the second wireless link comprises a Bluetooth link.

15. The wireless handset of claim 12, further comprising:

a second wireless handset;

wherein;

the second wireless link comprises a wireless link to the second wireless handset, and the second wireless handset is operable to relay the information.

16. The wireless handset of claim 6, wherein:

the first logic is operable to detect the attempt to place the emergency call over the at least one first channel, the at least one first channel comprising a wireless link; and

the second logic is operable to test for accessibility of each of a plurality of wireless networks and to send the information over the at least one second channel, the at least one second channel comprising an accessible at least one of the plurality of wireless networks.

17. The wireless handset of claim 16, wherein the plurality of. wireless networks includes a wireless local area network and a common carrier wireless communication network.

18. The wireless handset of claim 6, further comprising:

at least one sensor operable to detect at least one physical condition proximate to the wireless handset; and

wherein;

the information includes data from the at least one sensor.

19. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect ambient temperature.

20. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect smoke.

21. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect oxygen level.

22. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect at least one chemical.

23. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect acceleration.

24. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect sound.

25. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect a heart rate of a user of the wireless handset.

26. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect a body temperature of a user of the wireless handset.

27. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect a blood pressure of a user of the wireless handset.

28. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect a galvanic skin response of a user of the wireless handset.

29. The wireless handset of claim 18, wherein the sensor is operable to detect a respiration rate of a user of the wireldss handset.

30. The wireless handset of claim 18, further comprising:

a positioning system; and

wherein;

the predetermined action further comprises sending three-dimensional location information about the wireless handset to the at least one second predetermined destination.

31. The wireless handset of claim 2, wherein the predetermined action comprises sending information about the emergency call attempt to the at least one second predetermined destination after the emergency call ends.

32. The wireless handset of claim 2, wherein the predetermined action comprises placing a second telephone call to the at least one second predetermined destination after the emergency call ends.

33. The wireless handset of claim 32, wherein the predetermined action further comprises sending information about the emergency call attempt via the second telephone call.

34. The wireless handset of claim 2, wherein the first logic comprises a speech recognizer coupled to a voice path of the emergency call and operable to recognize at least one of a predetermined plurality of words.

35. The wireless handset of claim 2, wherein the first logic comprises a recognizer coupled to a data path of the emergency call to monitor text sent via the emergency call and operable to recognize at least one of a predetermined plurality of words.

36. A system for providing an indication of a possible emergency situation, comprising:

at least one first wireless handset; and

at least one second wireless handset,

wherein the at least one first wireless handset is operative to place a call to at least one first predetermined destination over at least one first channel, to send a data message containing information pertaining to at least one of the first wireless handset and a user of the first wireless handset to at least one second predetermined destination over at least one second channel if an attempt is made to place a call to the at least one first predetermined destination, and, in the event an attempt to send a data message to the at least one second predetermined destination is unsuccessful, to send the data message to the at least one second wireless handset, and

wherein the at least one second wireless handset includes a relay unit, the relay unit being operable to receive the data message from the first wireless handset, and to relay the information to the at least one second predetermined destination via a wireless link.

37. The wireless handset of claim 36, wherein relay unit is operable to relay the information such that the relayed information includes an identification of the other wireless handset.

38. The wireless handset of claim 37, wherein relay unit is operable to relay the information such that the relayed information includes an identification of the wireless handset.

39. The wireless handset of claim 36, wherein the relay unit is operable to relay the information by placing a telephone call.

40. The wireless handset of claim 36, wherein the relay unit is operable to relay the information by sending at least one text message.

41. The wireless handset of claim 36, wherein the relay unit is operable to relay the information by relaying an audio signal received from the other wireless handset.

42. The wireless handset of claim 36, wherein the relay unit is operable to relay the information by sending the information over a wireless local area network.

43. The wireless handset of claim 36, wherein the relay unit is operable to relay the information by sending the information over the wireless link, the wireless link comprising a data bearer channel of a common carrier wireless communication network.