Extended emergency notification systems and methods

• US 8,886,158 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Best Buy Health Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GreatCall Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuo, Kotaro, Williams, Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Sabouri, Mazda
• Application Number:
  US12/981,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20120171988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• 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 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/15 related to dial plan and call routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for notifying an extended group of persons that a person has requested assistance from a private response center. In one example, an electronic communication is received from the first person, requesting assistance. One or more potential assisting persons are automatically identified as being in position to render assistance to the first person. An electronic message is sent to the one or more potential assisting persons indicating that the first person has requested assistance. The potential assisting persons may be identified based at least in part on their proximity to the first person, for example based on their interaction with the same cell of a cellular communications network, or based on global positioning system data. The electronic message may contain other information, such as information about the first person. In this way, the original caller may be assisted more quickly than would otherwise occur.

Claims

1. A computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance, the system comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable memory, the computer readable memory holding processor instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computerized system to;

receive a communication from a mobile device associated with a first person, the communication including a request for assistance;

receive, from the mobile device associated with the first person, an identifier of an identifiable wireless signal continually broadcast by the mobile device associated with the first person when the broadcast is enabled, the identifiable wireless signal being usable to locate the mobile device associated with the first person;

automatically identify one or more persons who are in position to render assistance to the first person;

access a database listing persons who have opted in to receive electronic notification messages indicating that persons have requested assistance;

transmit an electronic notification message to at least one of the one or more persons in position to render assistance, the electronic notification message indicating that the first person has requested assistance, wherein the electronic notification message is sent only to one or more persons who have opted in;

include in the electronic notification message the identifier of the identifiable wireless signal broadcast by the mobile device associated with the first person; and

send an instruction message to the mobile communication device, the instruction message instructing the mobile communication device to begin broadcasting the identifiable wireless signal.

2. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more persons are identified as being in position to render assistance to the first person based at least in part on their membership in an affinity group related to the first person.

3. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 2, wherein the affinity group comprises persons associated with each other in a computerized social networking environment.

4. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computerized system to contact a public safety answering point in response to the communication.

5. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computerized system to automatically identify persons in physical proximity to the first person.

6. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 5, wherein the communication is received via a cellular communications network, and wherein persons in physical proximity to the first person are identified as being in proximity to the first person based at least in part on a determination that communications devices registered to the persons in physical proximity to the first person are interacting with the same cell of the cellular communications network as the mobile device associated with the first person.

7. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 5, wherein persons in physical proximity to the first person are identified as in proximity to the first person based at least in part on information from a global positioning system receiver or an assisted global positioning system.

8. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic notification message comprises information about the location of the first person.

9. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic notification message is transmitted to at least one person in position to render assistance in the form of a short message service message or in the form of a telephone call.

10. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic notification message comprises a digital image.

11. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic notification message comprises information about a likely location of the first person.

12. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause computerized system to:

receive a return telephone call from at least one of the persons in position to render assistance; and

connect the return telephone call to a customer service representative.

28. The computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more persons are identified as being in position to render assistance to the first person based at least in part on the nature of the request for assistance.

13. A method for operating a service center, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic communication from a mobile device associated with a first person, the electronic communication including a request for assistance;

receiving, from the mobile device associated with the first person, an identifier of an identifiable wireless signal continually broadcast by the mobile device associated with the first person when the broadcast is enabled, the identifiable wireless signal being usable to locate the mobile device associated with the first person;

automatically identifying one or more persons who are in position to render assistance to the first person;

accessing a database listing persons who have opted in to receive electronic notification messages indicating that persons have requested assistance;

automatically transmitting, over a communications network, an electronic notification message to at least one of the one or more persons in position to render assistance, the electronic notification message indicating that the first person has requested assistance, wherein the electronic notification message is sent only to one or more persons who have opted in;

including in the notification message the identifier of the identifiable wireless signal broadcast by the mobile device associated with the first person; and

sending an instruction message to the mobile communication device, the instruction message instructing the mobile communication device to begin broadcasting the identifiable wireless signal.

14. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 13, wherein automatically identifying one or more persons in position to render assistance to the first person comprises automatically identifying one or more persons based at least in part on their membership in an affinity group related to the first person.

15. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 14, wherein the affinity group comprises persons associated with each other in a computerized social networking environment.

16. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 13, further comprising contacting a public safety answering point in response to the communication.

17. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 13, further comprising automatically identifying persons in physical proximity to the first person.

18. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 17, wherein the communication is received via a cellular communications network, and wherein persons in physical proximity to the first person are identified as being in proximity to the first person based at least in part on a determination that communications devices registered to the persons in physical proximity to the first person are interacting with the same cell of the cellular communications network as the mobile device associated with the first person.

19. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 17, wherein identifying persons in physical proximity to the first person comprises identifying persons based at least in part on information from a global positioning system receiver or an assisted global positioning system.

20. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 13, wherein the electronic notification message comprises information about the location of the first person.

21. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 13, wherein transmitting the electronic notification message comprises transmitting a short message service message or placing a telephone call.

22. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 13, wherein transmitting the electronic notification message comprises transmitting an electronic message comprising a digital image.

23. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 13, wherein transmitting the electronic notification message comprises transmitting an electronic message comprising information about the first person.

24. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 23, wherein transmitting the electronic notification message comprises transmitting an electronic message comprising information about a likely location of the first person.

25. The method for operating a call service center as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a return telephone call from at least one person in position to render assistance; and

connecting the return telephone call to a customer service representative.

26. A computerized system for responding to electronic messages that request assistance, the system comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable memory, the computer readable memory holding processor instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computerized system to;

receive a communication from a mobile device associated with a first person, the communication including a request for assistance;

receive, from the mobile device associated with the first person, an identifier continually broadcast in a wireless signal when the broadcast is enabled, the identifier and identifiable wireless signal being usable to locate a device broadcasting the wireless signal;

automatically identify one or more devices that are potentially in position to detect the wireless signal;

access a database listing devices associated with persons who have opted in to receive electronic notification messages indicating that persons have requested assistance;

transmit an electronic notification message to at least one of the one or more devices that are potentially in position to detect the identifiable wireless signal, the electronic notification message including the identifier being broadcast in the wireless signal, wherein the electronic notification message is sent only to one or more devices associated with persons who have opted in; and

send an instruction message to the mobile communication device associated with the first person, the instruction message instructing the mobile communication device to begin broadcasting the identifiable wireless signal.

27. A method for operating a service center, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic communication from a mobile device associated with a first person, the electronic communication including a request for assistance;

receiving, from the mobile device associated with the first person, an identifier continually broadcast in a wireless signal when the broadcast is enabled, the identifier and the wireless signal being usable to locate a device broadcasting the wireless signal;

automatically identifying one or more devices that are potentially in position to detect the wireless signal;

accessing a database listing devices associated with persons who have opted in to receive electronic notification messages indicating that persons have requested assistance;

automatically transmitting, over a communications network, an electronic notification message to at least one of the one or more devices that are potentially in position to detect the wireless signal, the electronic notification message including the identifier being broadcast in the wireless signal, wherein the electronic notification message is sent only to one or more devices associated with persons who have opted in; and

sending an instruction message to the mobile communication device associated with the first person, the instruction message instructing the mobile communication device to begin broadcasting the identifiable wireless signal.