System and method for detecting and responding to an emergency

• US 8,830,054 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavemarket Incorporated (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Weiss, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/538,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20130214925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/573.4, 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0241 Data exchange details, e.g. data protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/188 Data fusion; cooperative systems, e.g. voting among different detectors

Abstract

A computer-implemented method is provided including receiving sensor data from a mobile device corresponding to a first user. A user state of the first user is predicted based on the sensor data. A request is transmitted to the first user to confirm the predicted user state, and a notification is transmitted regarding the predicted user state to a second user responsive to the first user'"'"'s confirmation of the predicted user state or the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request. A computing system for monitoring and reporting activity of a mobile device is also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring and reporting mobile device user activity comprising:

receiving sensor data from a mobile device corresponding to a first user;

predicting an emergency situation corresponding to the first user based on the sensor data;

transmitting a request to the first user to confirm the predicted emergency situation; and

transmitting a notification regarding the predicted emergency situation to a second user responsive to at least one of the first user'"'"'s confirmation of the predicted emergency situation and the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving details regarding the predicted emergency situation from the first user responsive to the request to confirm.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising selecting the second user from a plurality of users based on the details received from the first user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the details comprise at least one of an indication of whether the first user is injured or disabled, an indication of a degree of injury of the first user, and an indication of a degree of injury of the first user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the second user from a plurality of users based on at least one of the predicted emergency situation and whether or not a confirmation is received from the first user responsive to the request.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving position data, the method further comprising:

determining based on the sensor data that the first user has deviated from a predetermined route; and

predicting the emergency situation based on the determination that the first user has deviated from the predetermined route.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

further comprising receiving the sensor data over a period of time; and

determining a pattern based on the sensor data received over the period of time, wherein the predetermined route corresponds to the pattern.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving position data, the method further comprising:

determining based on the sensor data that the first user is located outside of a predetermined route for a predetermined time period; and

predicting the emergency situation based on the determination that the first user is located outside of a predetermined route for a predetermined time period.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving at least one of position data and velocity data, the method further comprising:

determining based on the sensor data that the first user fails to move from a location on a predetermined route for a predetermined period of time; and

predicting the emergency situation based on the determination that the first user fails to move from a location on a predetermined route for a predetermined period of time.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving at least one of position data, velocity data and acceleration data, the method further comprising:

determining based on the sensor data a mode of transportation of the first user; and

predicting the emergency situation based on the determination that the mode of transportation differs from a predetermined mode of transportation.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining the mode of transportation based on a velocity/acceleration signature of the first user.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined mode of transportation is dependent on at least one of a time of day and a location along a predetermined route.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined mode of transportation is at least one of a bicycle mode and a pedestrian mode;

the method further comprising predicting the emergency situation if the determined mode of transportation is a driving mode.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined mode of transportation corresponds to a pattern determined based on sensor data received over time.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving at least one of position data, velocity data and acceleration data, the method further comprising:

obtaining pattern information corresponding to at least one of position, velocity and acceleration of the first user during at least one time period;

comparing current sensor data with the pattern information; and

predicting the emergency situation based on the comparison of the current sensor data with the pattern information.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising obtaining the pattern information from the second user.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving at least one of position data, velocity data and acceleration data, the method further comprising:

obtaining at least one of position data, velocity data and acceleration data corresponding to the first user over a period of time;

determining a pattern based on the at least one of the position data, the velocity data and the acceleration data corresponding to the first user over the period of time;

comparing current sensor data with the determined pattern; and

predicting the emergency situation based on the comparison of the current sensor data with the determined pattern.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises a current location of the first user, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication of a location of an environmental event;

comparing the current location of the first user with the location of the environmental event; and

predicting the emergency situation responsive to the current location of the first user corresponding to the location of the environmental event.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the environmental event comprises at least one of a weather condition and a geological condition.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the environmental event comprises reported criminal activity.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving at least one of position data, velocity data and acceleration data, the method further comprising:

determining based on the sensor data a mode of transportation of the first user; and

comparing the determined mode of transportation with at least one of a time of day and a level of ambient light;

predicting the emergency situation based on the comparison of the determined mode of transportation and the at least one of the particular time of day and the particular level of ambient light.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least one of the particular time of day and the particular level of ambient light corresponds to night time.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing a user interface of the mobile device with a button enabling direct communication with the second user responsive to predicting the emergency situation.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising activating at least one of audio recording and video recording on the mobile device responsive to at least one of predicting the emergency situation, receiving confirmation of the predicted emergency situation, and the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request to confirm the predicted emergency situation.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, further comprising providing the at least one of the audio recording and video recording to the second user.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, further comprising resolving the at least one of the audio recording and video recording using a classifier to predict the emergency situation.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, further comprising:

detecting a bodily function of the first user based on the at least one of the audio recording and video recording; and

predicting the emergency situation based on the detected bodily function.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising activating location monitoring and recording on the mobile device responsive to at least one of predicting the emergency situation, receiving confirmation of the predicted emergency situation, and the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request to confirm the predicted emergency situation.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 28, further comprising providing recorded location to the second user.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising recording at least one of the last phone number called, the last call detail record, the last electronic message sent, the last electronic message received, the last web page visited, the last photograph recorded, and the last video recorded responsive to at least one of predicting the emergency situation, receiving confirmation of the predicted emergency situation, and the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request to confirm the predicted emergency situation.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, further comprising providing the at least one of the last phone number called, the last call detail record, the last electronic message sent, the last electronic message received, the last web page visited, the last photograph recorded, and the last video recorded to the second user.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising detecting and recording identifying information of at least one other mobile device corresponding to at least one other user within a geographic area defined by the position of the first user responsive to at least one of predicting the emergency situation, receiving confirmation of the predicted emergency situation, and the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request to confirm the predicted emergency situation.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 32, wherein the geographic area defined by the position of the first user is an area within a predetermined distance from the first user.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 32, determining a frequency at which the at least one other user has been positioned within the geographic area, and providing a notification to the second user regarding the at least one other user responsive to the determined frequency being less than a predetermined value.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, repeating transmission of the request at a predetermined time interval.

36. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising resolving the sensor data using a classifier to predict the emergency situation.

37. The computer implemented method of claim 36, wherein the classifier comprises a plurality of components respectively corresponding to a plurality of emergency situations, wherein each component is configured to resolve a particular collection of inputs to predict a respective one of the plurality of emergency situations.

38. The computer implemented method of claim 36, further comprising:

receiving from the first user a confirmation that the prediction of the emergency situation is valid or an indication that the prediction of the emergency situation is invalid; and

applying the sensor data to the classifier with the indication that the prediction of the emergency situation is valid or invalid to retrain the classifier.

39. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving training data comprising sensed data and an indication of at least one known emergency situation corresponding to the sensed data;

training a classifier using the training data; and

applying the classifier to the sensor data to predict the emergency situation.

40. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising applying a plurality of classifiers to the sensor data to predict the emergency situation, wherein each classifier corresponds to at least one unique emergency situation.

41. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a notification regarding the predicted emergency situation to the second user responsive to the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request within a predetermined period of time.

42. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises acceleration data and velocity data, and wherein the predicted emergency situation comprises a vehicular accident.

43. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a response from the first user comprising an identifying code responsive to the request to confirm.

44. A computing system including at least one non-transitory memory comprising instructions operable to enable the computing system to perform a procedure for monitoring and reporting mobile device user activity, the procedure comprising:

receiving sensor data from a mobile device corresponding to a first user;

predicting an emergency situation corresponding to the first user based on the sensor data;

transmitting a request to the first user to confirm the predicted emergency situation; and

transmitting a notification regarding the predicted emergency situation to a second user responsive to at least one of the first user'"'"'s confirmation of the predicted emergency situation and the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request.

45. Non-transitory computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a processor to implement a method for monitoring and reporting mobile device user activity, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data from a mobile device corresponding to a first user;

predicting an emergency situation corresponding to the first user based on the sensor data;

transmitting a request to the first user to confirm the predicted emergency situation; and

transmitting a notification regarding the predicted emergency situation to a second user responsive to at least one of the first user'"'"'s confirmation of the predicted emergency situation and the first user'"'"'s failure to respond to the request.