System for automatic wireless utilization of cellular telephone devices in an emergency by co-opting nearby cellular telephone devices

• US 7,844,247 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Keith Raymond, Handy-Bosma, John Hans, Chen, Yen-Fu, Morgan, Fabian F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Huy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magloire; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/338,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,770 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/404.1, 455/41.2, 455/575.9, 455/99, 455/412.2
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

Parties are automatically notified mounting a controller and a peer-to-peer short-range wireless communicator on a vehicle; responsive to a vehicle urgency, pinging by the short-range communicator a long-range communication device within peer-to-peer range, the long-range device being capable of delivering a notification to a party via a wireless network which has a longer range than the peer-to-peer range, and being physically detached from the vehicle; receiving a message indicating that user authorization is required; sending a request for authorization; receiving temporary authorization to co-opt the long-range communications device to deliver the emergency notification message via the wireless network; and sending the emergency notification message from the short-range wireless communicator through the co-opted long- range communication device first over the peer-to-peer communications and second over the wireless network, to a hotline service.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a controller and a short-range wireless communicator mounted on a vehicle, the short-range communicator having a peer-to-peer communications capability;

responsive to a requirement to transmit an emergency notification message, pinging by the short-range wireless communicator a long-range communication device contemporaneously within range of the peer-to-peer communications capability, the long-range communication device having a long-range communication capability for delivering the notification to a specified party via a wireless network, the long-range communication device being physically detached from the vehicle and having a communication range capability longer than the peer-to-peer communications capability;

subsequent to the pinging, receiving from the long-range communication device a response message indicating that user authorization is required;

responsive to receipt of the response message, sending from the short-range wireless communicator to the long-range communication device a request for authorization message selected from a group consisting of a telephone call, a pager message, an instant message and an electronic mail message;

subsequent to a user of the long-range communication device responding in an affirmative manner to the request for authorization message, receiving from the long-range communication device temporary authorization to co-opt the long-range communications device to deliver the emergency notification message via the wireless network; and

sending the emergency notification message from the short-range wireless communicator through the co-opted long-range communication device first over the peer-to-peer communications and second over the wireless network, to a hotline service.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising sending an acknowledgment message by the co-opted long-range communication device to the short-range wireless communicator responsive to successful delivery of the notification message.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the short-range wireless communicator selecting one of multiple long-range communication devices found within range of the peer-to-peer communications contemporaneously.