Method and apparatus for emergency map display system

• US 7,595,738 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilkin, George, Krock, Richard E., Pfleging, Gerald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phung
• Application Number:
  US11/586,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20080104631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/539.14, 340/995.1, 340/525, 340/601, 725/32, 725/33
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

A method and system for delivering emergency directions is provided. The disclosure includes the government delivering a warning message for potential evacuees on a gas station pump or automated teller machine point of service display screen. The method includes receiving an emergency alert from a government entity, constructing a warning message, including an evacuation route based at least in part on real time traffic data and the location of the display screen and displaying the warning message on the point of service display screen. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the warning message is authenticated. In another embodiment of the disclosure, the warning message is continuously updated to provide an effective escape route for evacuees.

Claims

1. A method of delivering emergency directions from the government to potential evacuees on a gas pump or automated teller machine point of service display screen comprising:

receiving an emergency alert from a government entity;

constructing a warning message based on said emergency alert, said warning message including an evacuation route based at least in part on real time traffic data and the location of the user; and

displaying said warning message on a point of service display screen;

wherein the warning message includes an estimated travel time associated with the evacuation route.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising authenticating said emergency alert with respect to the government entity.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said real time traffic data being derived, at least in part, from wireless communication network traffic data.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising updating said warning message based at least in part on said real time traffic data.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said warning message includes identification of service stations on said evacuation route.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said warning message includes a graphical map.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising printing said warning message.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising facilitating two way communication between a point of service terminal associated with the point of service display screen and said government entity.

9. A method of delivering emergency directions from a government entity, comprising:

receiving a warning message from the government entity, said warning message including information relating to evacuation;

constructing map and direction information for an evacuation route which is based at least in part on the warning message;

providing the warning message and map and direction information to a point of service terminal, the map and direction information based at least in part on a location of the point of service terminal and geared for current time; and

making said warning message, map and direction information, and evacuation route selectively accessible to a user at said point of service terminal;

wherein the map and direction information includes an estimated travel time associated with the evacuation route in relation to the location of the point of service terminal.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising updating said evacuation route based at least in part on traffic data.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said traffic data is based at least in part on wireless communications network traffic data.

12. The method according to claim 9 further comprising a printing at least part of any of said warning message, map and direction information, and evacuation route on a printer associated with the point of service terminal in response to corresponding user selection.

13. A system for delivering emergency directions from the government to potential evacuees, comprising:

a mapping module;

a traffic module configured to gauge traffic flow;

a server module configured to receive information from said mapping module and said traffic module and derive an emergency message with an evacuation route based at least in part on an emergency alert from a government entity and traffic flow; and

a point of service terminal in communication with the server module and configured to display at least a portion of the emergency message including said evacuation route on a display screen associated with the point of service terminal;

wherein the emergency message includes an estimated travel time from a location of the point of service terminal to a destination associated with the evacuation route.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein said traffic module gauges traffic flow based at least in part on monitoring wireless communication network traffic data.

15. The system according to claim 13 further comprising a printer in communication with the point of service terminal and configured to print at least part of said emergency message.

16. The system according to claim 13 wherein said emergency message is displayed on the display screen prior to the point of service terminal beginning normal operation.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein said emergency message on the display screen must be acknowledged by a user prior to beginning normal operation of said point of service terminal.

18. The system according to claim 13 wherein said emergency message includes a graphical map.

19. A method of delivering emergency directions from a government entity to potential evacuees, comprising:

receiving an emergency alert from the government entity with information relating to evacuation;

constructing a warning message based on the emergency alert, the warning message including an evacuation route selection of which is based at least in part on a current location of a point of service terminal, real time traffic flow conditions, and reduction of traffic congestion in relation to evacuation;

forwarding the warning message to the point of service terminal; and

making the warning message accessible to a user at the point of service terminal;

wherein the warning message includes an estimated travel time associated with the evacuation route in relation to the location of the point of service terminal and a destination associated with the evacuation route.