Delayed emergency position determination and transmission

• US 8,401,565 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sandberg, Jesper, Tang, Wing Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, WESLEY LEO
• Application Number:
  US12/125,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20090291664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 4554561-457
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02522 The radio-map containing measured values of non-radio values
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• 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 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A method including detecting a communication call attempt in a portable communication device, determining whether the portable communication device is outside of a communication network coverage area, determining a location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected if outside of the communication network coverage area with a position determining module of the portable communication device and storing the location in a memory of the portable communication device, determining at least one route from the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected to at least one communication network coverage area with a navigation module of the portable communication device and presenting the at least one route on a display of the portable communication device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a communication call attempt in a portable communication device;

determining whether the portable communication device is outside of a communication network coverage area;

identifying data corresponding to a location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected if outside of the communication network coverage area and causing storage of the data in a memory of the portable communication device;

determining at least one route from the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected to at least one communication network coverage area, where the at least one route is a fastest or shortest route to the at least one communication network coverage area, a route to a closest communication network coverage area, a route back to a last known communication network coverage area, or a route to a predetermined coverage area corresponding to a predetermined network provider;

causing display of the at least one route on a display of the portable communication device; and

automatically establishing a communication connection and causing transmission of;

a call corresponding to the communication call attempt, the data corresponding to the location of the portable communication device where the communication call is detected, and data corresponding to a present location of the portable communication device to a recipient when the user enters the at least one communication network coverage area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location is determined by a global positioning system, a dead reckoning system or an inertial navigation system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one route guides a user of the portable communication device to the at least one communication network coverage area for establishing communication between the portable communication device and a network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically determining at least one return route from the at least one communication network coverage area to the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected; and

causing display of the at least one return route on a display of the portable communication device for guiding a user of the portable communication device back to the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication call attempt is an attempt to establish an emergency call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one route is based on terrain and/or an ability of a user of the portable communication device to traverse the terrain between the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected and the at least one communication network coverage area.

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least;

detect a communication call attempt made with the apparatus;

determine whether the apparatus is outside of a communication network coverage area;

identify data corresponding to a location of the apparatus where the communication call attempt is detected if outside of the communication network coverage area;

cause storage of the data in a memory connected to the processor;

determine at least one route from the location of the apparatus where the communication call attempt is detected to at least one communication network coverage area, where the at least one route is a fastest or shortest route to the at least one communication network coverage area, a route to a closest communication network coverage area, a route back to a last known communication network coverage area, or a route to a predetermined coverage area corresponding to a predetermined network provider;

cause display of the at least one route on the display for guiding a user to the at least one communication network coverage area; and

automatically establish a communication connection and cause transmission of;

a call corresponding to the communication call attempt, the data corresponding to the location of the portable communication device where the communication call is detected, and data corresponding to a present location of the portable communication device to a recipient when the user enters the at least one communication network coverage area.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a location of the apparatus with one or more of a global positioning system, a dead reckoning system and an inertial navigation system.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to:

automatically determine at least one return route from the at least one communication network coverage area to the location of the apparatus where the communication call attempt is detected; and

present the at least one return route on the display for guiding a user of the apparatus back to the location of the apparatus where the communication call attempt is detected.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the communication call attempt is an attempt to establish an emergency call.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one route is based on terrain and/or an ability of a user of the apparatus to traverse the terrain between the location of the apparatus where the communication call attempt is detected and the at least one communication network coverage area.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is a mobile communication device.

13. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to:

detect a communication call attempt in a portable communication device;

determine whether the portable communication device is outside of a communication network coverage area;

identify data corresponding to a location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected if outside of the communication network coverage area and causing storage of the data in a memory of the portable communication device;

determine at least one route from the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected to at least one communication network coverage area, where the at least one route is a fastest or shortest route to the at least one communication network coverage area, a route to a closest communication network coverage area, a route back to a last known communication network coverage area, or a route to a predetermined coverage area corresponding to a predetermined network provider;

cause display of the at least one route on a display of the portable communication device; and

automatically establish a communication connection and cause transmission of;

a call corresponding to the communication call attempt, the data corresponding to the location of the portable communication device where communication call is detected, and data corresponding to a present location of the portable communication device to a recipient when the user enters the at least one communication network coverage area.

14. The computer program product claim 13, wherein the location is determined by a global positioning system, a dead reckoning system or an inertial navigation system.

15. The computer program product claim 13, wherein the at least one route guides a user of the portable communication device to the at least one communication network coverage area for establishing communication between the portable communication device and a network.

16. The computer program product claim 13, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions comprise program code instructions to:

automatically determine at least one return route from the at least one communication network coverage area to the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected; and

cause display of the at least one return route on a display of the portable communication device for guiding a user of the portable communication device back to the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected.

17. The computer program product claim 13, wherein the communication call attempt is an attempt to establish an emergency call.

18. The computer program product claim 13, wherein the at least one route is based on terrain or an ability of a user of the portable communication device to traverse the terrain between the location of the portable communication device where the communication call attempt is detected and the at least one communication network coverage area.