Emergency notification system for mobile devices

• US 8,862,092 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emergensee, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Emergensee, Inc.
• Inventors: Reitnour, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisner, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/004,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20110319051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 4554561-457, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455563-5692, 455/574, 340/539.13, 340988-996, D10/104.2
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• 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 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• 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

An emergency notification system for a mobile device. The system includes a mobile device application that is adapted to be stored in memory on the mobile device. The application, upon activation during an emergency, determines the GPS coordinates of the mobile device, records digital images over a period of time, sends a preset message from the mobile device to at least one recipient, preferably a emergency responder, and sends the GPS coordinates and the digital images. The coordinates and images may be sent to a remote server for storage and which can be accessed by the emergency provider. The coordinates and images are periodically updated and sent while the program is activated. The application can be hidden during operation.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions defining an application executable by the processor of the mobile device, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, causing the mobile device to perform steps comprising:

(a) detecting a user activating the application by either (i) detecting depressing of an icon representing the application for a predetermined period of time before being released, or (ii) detecting depressing of the icon twice within a predetermined period of time;

(b) in response to detecting the user activating the application, thereafter automatically performing each of the following additional steps (c) through (k) without further user input;

(c) determining a set of global position system (GPS) coordinates associated with the location of the mobile device;

(d) activating a camera on the mobile device to record digital images over a period of time;

(e) activating a microphone of the mobile device to retrieve audio sounds from the microphone;

(f) sending a preset message from the mobile device to one or more preset emergency numbers, said preset message including at least a name of the user of the mobile device and a description of an emergency situation, wherein the preset message is set before the user activates the application during use;

(g) sending the set of GPS coordinates, the retrieved audio sounds, and the digital images from the mobile device to at least one remote recipient;

(h) after a predetermined period of time, capturing another set of GPS coordinates associated with the current location of the mobile device, retrieving additional audio sounds, and recording additional digital images over a period of time;

(i) sending the current set of GPS coordinates and the additional audio sounds and digital images from the mobile device to the at least one remote recipient;

(j) repeating the steps (h) and (i); and

(k) operating in a hidden mode so as to prevent anyone that views the device other than the user from knowing that the application has been activated, said hidden mode including the application running in the background and maintaining the default screen view or darkening the screen;

and wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, further cause the mobile device to perform the steps of;

(l) deactivating the application upon detecting the user entering a correct PIN code; and

(m) sending a further message that said preset message is not a false alarm upon detecting the user entering a false PIN code.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the camera is a video camera and wherein the digital images form a video.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the camera is a still camera and wherein the digital images are still photos.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the remote recipient where the GPS coordinates and the digital images are sent is a server, and wherein at least one of the one or more preset emergency numbers where the preset message is sent is the emergency number of an emergency responder.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, further cause the mobile device to also send the GPS coordinates to the one or more preset emergency numbers.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote recipient where the GPS coordinates and the digital images are sent are multiple recipients selected from a stored list.

7. The mobile device of claim 4 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, further cause the mobile device to add to the preset message a link to the server to permit the recipient to access the stored GPS coordinates and the digital images.

8. The mobile device of claim 7 wherein the preset message is sent to multiple recipients that were previously stored and are accessible by the application.

9. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, further cause the mobile device to depict the location of the mobile device and the heading on a map, and providing a link to the map in the message that is sent.

10. An emergency notification system, the system comprising:

a mobile device comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions defining an application executable by a processor of the mobile device, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, causing the mobile device to perform steps comprising;

(a) detecting a user activating the application by either (i) detecting depressing of an icon representing the application for a predetermined period of time before being released, or (ii) detecting depressing of the icon twice within a predetermined period of time,

(b) in response to detecting the user activating the application, thereafter automatically performing each of the following additional steps (c) through (k) without further user input;

(c) determining a set of global position system (GPS) coordinates associated with the location of the mobile device,

(d) activating a camera on the mobile device to record digital images over a period of time,

(e) activating a microphone of the mobile device to retrieve audio sounds from the microphone,

(f) sending a preset message from the mobile device to one or more preset emergency numbers, said preset message including at least a name of the user of the mobile device and a description of an emergency situation, wherein the preset message is set before the user activates the application during an emergency,

(g) sending the set of GPS coordinates, the retrieved audio signals, and the digital images from the mobile device to a remote server,

(h) after a predetermined period of time, capturing another set of GPS coordinates associated with the current location of the mobile device, retrieving additional audio sounds, and recording additional digital images over a period of time,

(i) sending the current set of GPS coordinates and the additional audio sounds and digital images from the mobile device to the remote server,

(j) repeating the steps (h) and (i), and

(k) operating in a hidden mode so as to prevent anyone that views the device other than the user from knowing that the application has been activated, said hidden mode including the application running in the background and maintaining the default screen view or darkening the screen,

and wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, further cause the mobile device to perform the steps of;

(l) deactivating the application upon detecting the user entering a correct PIN code, and

(m) sending a further message that said preset message is not a false alarm upon detecting the user entering a false PIN code; and

a server located remote from the mobile device, the server comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions defining a server application executable by the processor of the server, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the server, causing the server to perform steps comprising

storing the sets of GPS coordinates and digital images received from the mobile device,

calculating a heading and speed of the mobile device based on the sets of GPS coordinates, and

sending to at least one remote recipient an internet link to the stored data on the server.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more preset emergency numbers where the preset message is sent is the emergency number of an emergency responder.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the emergency responder is also sent the GPS coordinates.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the executable instructions of the computer readable storage medium of the server, when executed by the processor of the server, further cause the server to perform the steps of generating a map representative a region in the vicinity of the GPS coordinates and displaying the location of the mobile device and at least the heading on the map.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile device or the server also sends the preset message to multiple recipients selected from a stored list.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions defining an application executable by the processor of a mobile device, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, causing the mobile device to perform steps comprising:

(a) detecting a user activating the application by either (i) detecting depressing of an icon representing the application for a predetermined period of time before being released, or (ii) detecting depressing of the icon twice within a predetermined period of time;

(b) in response to detecting the user activating the application, thereafter automatically performing each of the following additional steps (c) through (k) without further user input;

(c) determining a set of global position system (GPS) coordinates associated with the location of the mobile device;

(d) activating a camera on the mobile device to record digital images over a period of time;

(e) activating a microphone of the mobile device to retrieve audio sounds from the microphone;

(f) sending a preset message from the mobile device to one or more preset emergency numbers, said preset message including at least a name of the user of the mobile device and a description of an emergency situation, wherein the preset message is set before the user activates the application during use;

(g) sending the set of GPS coordinates, the retrieved audio sounds, and the digital images from the mobile device to at least one remote recipient;

(h) after a predetermined period of time, capturing another set of GPS coordinates associated with the current location of the mobile device, retrieving additional audio sounds, and recording additional digital images over a period of time;

(i) sending the current set of GPS coordinates and the additional audio sounds and digital images from the mobile device to the at least one remote recipient;

(j) repeating the steps (h) and (i); and

(k) operating in a hidden mode so as to prevent anyone that views the device other than the user from knowing that the application has been activated, said hidden mode including the application running in the background and maintaining the default screen view or darkening the screen;

and wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, further cause the mobile device to perform the steps of;

(l) deactivating the application upon detecting the user entering a correct PIN code; and

(m) sending a further message that said preset message is not a false alarm upon detecting the user entering a false PIN code.