Location based information for emergency services systems and methods

• US 8,510,319 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stevens, Gilman R.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TRUONG V
• Application Number:
  US11/219,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20070055684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,902 Days
• Field of Search: 707/758
• US Class Current: 707/758
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods, and software for identifying location based rules related to a network connected device are described. A network connected device may transmit a set of data identifying the location of the device and an identifier unique to the device to a server. The server may also receive an action request, wherein the action request is associated with the identifier. The server may select a rule in a database to address the action request, the rule applicable to the identifier and location of the device. Various embodiments related to financial card transactions, access to financial information, emergency services contact, and electronic message filtering are also addressed.

Claims

1. A system for contacting emergency services, the system comprising:

a network connected device, wherein the device is configured to;

receive a set of data identifying the location of the device; and

transmit a communications signal which includes information comprising;

the set of data;

an identifier unique to the device; and

a request to contact emergency services; and

a database which comprises a table of identifiers including the identifier unique to the device, wherein,

each of at least a subset of identifiers in the table is associated with one or more of a plurality of network connected devices and is associated with different geographic region-specific user information stored in the database, wherein the different geographic region-specific user information includes one of user information associated with a home of a user associated with the device, or user information associated with a work of the user; and

the identifier unique to the device in the table is;

associated with a first subset of user information for a first geographic region, wherein the first subset of user information for the first geographic region includes one of the user information associated with the home of the user, or the user information associated with the work of the user; and

associated with a second subset of user information for a second geographic region, wherein the first subset of user information for the first geographic region includes the other of the user information associated with the home of the user, or the user information associated with the work of the user; and

a location comparison server, in communication with the device and the database, wherein the server is configured to;

receive the communications signal;

determine, based on a location comparison in the database, that the location of the device is within the first geographic region and thereby identify the first subset for transmission to an emergency services provider;

determine, based on the location comparison in the database, that the location of the device is outside the second geographic region and thereby exclude the second subset from transmission to the emergency services provider; and

transmit the request, the location of the device, and the first subset to an emergency services provider determined by the location of the device,

wherein the user information associated with the home of the user comprises at least one of a home floor plan, a listing of persons living in the home, or a map of a geographic region around a home location,

wherein the user information associated with the work of the user comprises at least one of a work floor plan, a listing of persons employed at work, or a map of a geographic region for a work location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network connected device comprises a mobile communications device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of data is received by hardware configured to receive the set of data, the hardware coupled with the device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the hardware is removable from the device, and may be coupled with another network connected device without reconfiguration of the hardware.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the hardware configured to receive the set of data comprises a GPS receiver.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifier unique to the device is selected from the group consisting of:

a MAC address, an IP address, a telephone number, and any combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of data is stored in the database.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user information comprises a home floor plan, work floor plan, a floor plan associated with the location of the device, a listing of persons living in the home, a listing of persons employed at work, a map of a geographic region for a work location, a map of a geographic region around a home location, a map of a geographic region around the location of the device, a listing of medical conditions, and a listing of emergency contacts.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user information may be modified by a user associated with the user information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the network connected device is communicatively coupled with a screen;

the screen contains a graphical representation of a button or other icon which initiates a request to contact emergency services.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein use of the button or other icon requires a confirmatory response from a user before the request, the location of the device, and the subset are transmitted.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the network connected device is coupled with a button or other touchpad;

the button or other touchpad initiates a request to contact emergency services.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the location comparison server is further configured to establish a two-way communications link between the emergency services provider and the device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communications link comprises a telephone call.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the communications link comprises electronic text messaging.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein after the server transmits the request, the location of the device, and the first subset, the server continues to receive updated sets of data identifying the location of the device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographic region representing the area in which a given emergency services provider will be contacted is variable with time.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the geographic region varies depending on the response time for the given provider of emergency services.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications signal comprises one or more signals, the signals each transmitted at different times.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point).

21. A computer-implemented method of contacting emergency services, the method comprising:

maintaining a database which comprises a table of identifiers, wherein each of at least a subset of identifiers in the table is associated with one or more of a plurality of network connected devices and is further associated with different geographic region-specific user information stored in the database, wherein the different geographic region-specific user information includes one of user information associated with a home of a user associated with the device, or user information associated with a work of the user, wherein the user information associated with the home of the user comprises at least one of a home floor plan, a listing of persons living in the home, or a map of a geographic region around a home location, wherein the user information associated with the work of the user comprises at least one of a work floor plan, a listing of persons employed at work, or a map of a geographic region for a work location;

receiving a communications signal from one device of the plurality of network connected devices, the signal including information comprising;

a request to contact emergency services, a set of data identifying the location of the one device, and an identifier unique to the one device;

determining, based on a location comparison in the database, that the location of the one device is within a first geographic region associated with a first subset of the user information, and thereby identify the first subset for transmission to an emergency services provider, wherein the first subset of user information for the first geographic region includes one of the user information associated with the home of the user, or the user information associated with the work of the user;

determining, based on the location comparison in the database, that the location of the one device is outside the second geographic region associated with a second subset of the user information, and thereby exclude the second subset from transmission to the emergency services provider, wherein the first subset of user information for the first geographic region includes the other of the user information associated with the home of the user, or the user information associated with the work of the user; and

transmitting the request, the location of the device, and the first subset to the emergency services provider determined by the location of the one device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

establishing a two-way communication connection between the emergency services provider and the one device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting information related to the request to contact emergency services to a hospital.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user of the one device to modify the user information; and

modifying the user information for the user in response to the request.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

tracking, after the transmitting step, the location of the one device by receiving updated sets of data identifying the location of the device.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein,

the one device comprises a mobile communications device;

the set of data is received by hardware configured to receive the set of data, the hardware coupled with the one device comprising a GPS receiver;

the identifier unique to the one device is selected from the group consisting of;

a MAC address, an IP address, a telephone number, and any combination thereof;

the set of data is stored in the database;

the one device is communicatively coupled with a screen;

the screen contains a graphical representation of a button or other icon which initiates the request to contact emergency services;

use of the button or other icon requires a confirmatory response from a user before the request, the location of the one device, and the subset are transmitted;

the geographic region representing an area in which a given emergency services provider will be contacted is variable with time; and

the geographic region varies depending on response time for the given provider of emergency services.

27. A computer program embodied on at least one storage computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by a computer to:

maintain a database which comprises a table of identifiers, wherein each of at least a subset of identifiers in the table is associated with one or more of a plurality of network connected devices and is further associated with different geographic region-specific user information stored in the database, wherein the different geographic region-specific user information includes one of user information associated with a home of a user associated with the device, or user information associated with a work of the user, wherein the user information associated with the home of the user comprises at least one of a home floor plan, a listing of persons living in the home, or a map of a geographic region around a home location, wherein the user information associated with the work of the user comprises at least one of a work floor plan, a listing of persons employed at work, or a map of a geographic region for a work location;

receive a communications signal from one device of the plurality of network connected devices, the signal including information comprising;

a request to contact emergency services, a set of data identifying the location of the one device, and an identifier unique to the one device;

determine, based on a location comparison in the database, that the location of the one device is within a first geographic region associated with a first subset of the user information, and thereby identify the first subset for transmission to an emergency services provider, wherein the first subset of user information for the first geographic region includes one of the user information associated with the home of the user, or the user information associated with the work of the user;

determine, based on the location comparison in the database, that the location of the one device is outside the second geographic region associated with a second subset of the user information, and thereby exclude the second subset from transmission to the emergency services provider, wherein the first subset of user information for the first geographic region includes the other of the user information associated with the home of the user, or the user information associated with the work of the user; and

transmit the request, the location of the device, and the first subset to the emergency services provider determined by the location of the one device.