Providing safety status information

• US 8,688,146 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safety Network Partnership
• Original Assignee: Evan Edward Quisenberry, Gary W. Grube, John Edward Buchalo
• Inventors: Grube, Gary W., Quisenberry, Evan Edward, Buchalo, John Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/566,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20130040661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/457, 455/466, 455/456.1, 709/204, 709/206, 705/300
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• 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 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A method begins by a processing module receiving a safety status request for a safety status level associated with a user device and determining whether to generate a safety status response. When generating a safety status response, the method continues with the processing module obtaining the safety status level associated with the user device and determining whether to include location information in the safety status response. When including the location information, the method continues with the processing module obtaining location coordinates corresponding to the user device, obtaining street address location information based on the location coordinates, generating the location information based on the location coordinates and the street address location information, generating the safety status response to include the safety status level and the location information, and outputting the safety status response to a requesting entity.

Claims

1. A method comprises:

receiving a safety status request for a safety status level associated with a user device;

determining whether to generate a safety status response; and

when generating the safety status response;

obtaining the safety status level associated with the user device;

determining whether to include location information in the safety status response;

when including the location information;

obtaining location coordinates corresponding to the user device;

obtaining street address location information based on the location coordinates;

generating the location information based on the location coordinates and the street address location information;

generating the safety status response to include the safety status level and the location information; and

outputting the safety status response to a requesting entity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when not including the location information;

generating the safety status response to include the safety status level; and

outputting the safety status response to the requesting entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the safety status level comprises at least one of:

a safety status level text string generated by the user device;

a safety status text string generated by the user device;

a safety status text string generated by a social network server;

location information associated with the user device;

a timestamp corresponding to generation of the safety status response; and

a timestamp estimate corresponding to when the safety status response is expected to be received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to generate the safety status response comprises:

identifying allowable requesting entities based on at least one of a social network contact list, social network sub-contact list, a group affiliation, a social network information stream, accessing an auto-respond to all requesters indicator, accessing an allowable requesting entity list, accessing a set of identifiers (IDs) corresponding to a set of user devices associated with the user device, and receiving a user input; and

indicating to generate the safety status response when a requesting entity identifier of the safety status request compares favorably to the identified allowable requesting entities.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the safety status level associated with the user device comprises at least one of:

querying social network server;

accessing a predetermined safety status level;

querying the user device;

receiving the safety status level from the user device;

receiving a safe/not-safe indicator;

receiving a safety status text string associated with the safety status level;

generating the safety status text string based on the location schedule;

interpreting a schedule adherence deviation indicator;

obtaining a user input;

obtaining accelerometer information associated with the user device;

obtaining a picture associated with the user device;

receiving at least one of a radio frequency identifier (RFID), a near field communication (NFC) signal, and a barcode scanner value;

obtaining a timestamp;

obtaining geographic location alert information with regards to a comparison of a real-time geographic location to a predetermined geographic location;

generating a safety status level text string to include a not-safe indication when the comparison of the real-time geographic location to the predetermined geographic location is unfavorable; and

generating the safety status level text string to include the not-safe indication when a comparison of the real-time geographic location to a geographic location associated with the safety status text string is unfavorable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to include the location information in the safety status response comprises at least one of:

receiving a user input;

querying a social network server;

receiving a request for location information from a member of a social network group, wherein the user device is affiliated with the social network group;

interpreting a schedule adherence deviation indicator;

obtaining a user preference with regards to including the location information in the safety status response; and

indicating to include location information in the safety status response when the safety status request includes an indicator to always include the location information in the safety status response.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining location coordinates corresponding to the user device comprises at least one of:

receiving the location coordinates from at least one location sensor associated with the user device;

receiving the location coordinates from a wireless location modem associated with the user device;

querying the user device to obtain the location coordinates;

querying a internet protocol (IP) address to location coordinates table based on an identified IP address;

querying a social network server to obtain the location coordinates; and

accessing last known location coordinates when a location quality level associated with the location coordinates compares unfavorably to a location quality level threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the street address location information comprises at least one of:

accessing a location coordinates to street address location table based on the location coordinates to produce the street address location information;

querying a location server based on the location coordinates;

querying another user device associated with a social network group, wherein the social network group includes the user device;

accessing an internet protocol (IP) address to street address location table utilizing an identified IP address;

accessing a wireless communication network access device identifier (ID) to street address location table utilizing an identified wireless communication network access device ID;

receiving the street address location information from the location server; and

accessing a last known street address location when a location quality level associated with the location coordinates compares unfavorably to a location quality level threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the safety status response comprises at least one of:

generating a short message service (SMS) message that includes at least one of;

a mobile phone number corresponding to the user device;

an identifier associated with the user device;

a social networking posting associated with the user device;

a requesting entity ID associated with the requesting entity;

the safety status level;

a timestamp corresponding to transmission of the safety status response;

the location information; and

a safety status response code;

generating a data message that includes at least one of;

a mobile phone number corresponding to the user device;

an identifier associated with the user device;

a social networking posting associated with the user device;

a requesting entity ID associated with the requesting entity;

the safety status level;

a timestamp corresponding to transmission of the safety status response;

the location information; and

a safety status response code; and

generating an instant message that includes at least one of;

a mobile phone number corresponding to the user device;

an identifier associated with the user device;

a social networking posting associated with the user device;

a requesting entity ID associated with the requesting entity;

the safety status level;

a timestamp corresponding to transmission of the safety status response;

the location information; and

a safety status response code.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting the safety status response to the requesting entity comprises at least one of:

transmitting the safety status response on a control channel of a wireless communication network;

transmitting the safety status response on a data channel of the wireless communication network;

outputting the safety status response to a social network server for distribution;

transmitting the safety status response to the requesting entity via at least one of the wireless communication network and the wireline communication network; and

transmitting the safety status response to an application server via at least one of the wireless communication network and the wireline communication network.

11. A computer comprises:

memory; and

a processing module, wherein the memory stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processing module, causes the processing module to;

receive a safety status request for a safety status level associated with a user device;

determine whether to generate a safety status response; and

when generating the safety status response;

obtain the safety status level associated with the user device;

determine whether to include location information in the safety status response;

when including the location information;

obtain location coordinates corresponding to the user device;

obtaining street address location information based on the location coordinates;

generate the location information based on the location coordinates and the street address location information;

generate the safety status response to include the safety status level and the location information; and

output the safety status response to a requesting entity.

12. The computer of claim 11, wherein the processing module further functions to:

when not including the location information;

generate the safety status response to include the safety status level; and

output the safety status response to the requesting entity.

13. The computer of claim 11, wherein the safety status level comprises at least one of:

a safety status level text string generated by the user device;

a safety status text string generated by the user device;

a safety status text string generated by a social network server;

location information associated with the user device;

a timestamp corresponding to generation of the safety status response; and

a timestamp estimate corresponding to when the safety status response is expected to be received.

14. The computer of claim 11, wherein the processing module functions to determine whether to generate the safety status response by:

identifying allowable requesting entities based on at least one of a social network contact list, social network sub-contact list, a group affiliation, a social network information stream, accessing an auto-respond to all requesters indicator, accessing an allowable requesting entity list, accessing a set of identifiers (IDs) corresponding to a set of user devices associated with the user device, and receiving a user input; and

indicating to generate the safety status response when a requesting entity identifier of the safety status request compares favorably to the identified allowable requesting entities.

15. The computer of claim 11, wherein the processing module functions to obtain the safety status level associated with the user device by at least one of:

querying social network server;

accessing a predetermined safety status level;

querying the user device;

receiving the safety status level from the user device;

receiving a safe/not-safe indicator;

receiving a safety status text string associated with the safety status level;

generating the safety status text string based on the location schedule;

interpreting a schedule adherence deviation indicator;

obtaining a user input;

obtaining accelerometer information associated with the user device;

obtaining a picture associated with the user device;

receiving at least one of a radio frequency identifier (RFID), a near field communication (NFC) signal, and a barcode scanner value;

obtaining a timestamp;

obtaining geographic location alert information with regards to a comparison of a real-time geographic location to a predetermined geographic location;

generating a safety status level text string to include a not-safe indication when the comparison of the real-time geographic location to the predetermined geographic location is unfavorable; and

generating the safety status level text string to include the not-safe indication when a comparison of the real-time geographic location to a geographic location associated with the safety status text string is unfavorable.

16. The computer of claim 11, wherein the processing module functions to determine whether to include the location information in the safety status response by at least one of:

receiving a user input;

querying a social network server;

receiving a request for location information from a member of a social network group, wherein the user device is affiliated with the social network group;

interpreting a schedule adherence deviation indicator;

obtaining a user preference with regards to including the location information in the safety status response; and

indicating to include location information in the safety status response when the safety status request includes an indicator to always include the location information in the safety status response.

17. The computer of claim 11, wherein the processing module functions to obtain location coordinates corresponding to the user device by at least one of:

receiving the location coordinates from at least one location sensor associated with the user device;

receiving the location coordinates from a wireless location modem associated with the user device;

querying the user device to obtain the location coordinates;

querying a internet protocol (IP) address to location coordinates table based on an identified IP address;

querying a social network server to obtain the location coordinates; and

accessing last known location coordinates when a location quality level associated with the location coordinates compares unfavorably to a location quality level threshold.

18. The computer of claim 11, wherein the processing module functions to obtain the street address location information by at least one of:

accessing a location coordinates to street address location table based on the location coordinates to produce the street address location information;

querying a location server based on the location coordinates;

querying another user device associated with a social network group, wherein the social network group includes the user device;

accessing an internet protocol (IP) address to street address location table utilizing an identified IP address;

accessing a wireless communication network access device identifier (ID) to street address location table utilizing an identified wireless communication network access device ID;

receiving the street address location information from the location server; and

accessing a last known street address location when a location quality level associated with the location coordinates compares unfavorably to a location quality level threshold.

19. The computer of claim 11, wherein the processing module functions to generate the safety status response by at least one of:

generating a short message service (SMS) message that includes at least one of;

a mobile phone number corresponding to the user device;

an identifier associated with the user device;

a social networking posting associated with the user device;

a requesting entity ID associated with the requesting entity;

the safety status level;

a timestamp corresponding to transmission of the safety status response;

the location information; and

a safety status response code;

generating a data message that includes at least one of;

a mobile phone number corresponding to the user device;

an identifier associated with the user device;

a social networking posting associated with the user device;

a requesting entity ID associated with the requesting entity;

the safety status level;

a timestamp corresponding to transmission of the safety status response;

the location information; and

a safety status response code; and

generating an instant message that includes at least one of;

a mobile phone number corresponding to the user device;

an identifier associated with the user device;

a social networking posting associated with the user device;

a requesting entity ID associated with the requesting entity;

the safety status level;

a timestamp corresponding to transmission of the safety status response;

the location information; and

a safety status response code.

20. The computer of claim 11, wherein the processing module functions to output the safety status response to the requesting entity by at least one of:

transmitting the safety status response on a control channel of a wireless communication network;

transmitting the safety status response on a data channel of the wireless communication network;

outputting the safety status response to a social network server for distribution;

transmitting the safety status response to the requesting entity via at least one of the wireless communication network and the wireline communication network; and

transmitting the safety status response to an application server via at least one of the wireless communication network and the wireline communication network.