Mobile emergency attack and failsafe detection

• US 8,929,853 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Butler, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAPA, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US13/604,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041-4042, 455/412.2, 4554561-457, 455/466, 379 37- 51, 340/425.5, 340/463, 340/468, 340/474, 340/500, 340/527, 340/529, 340/531, 34053911-53913, 340/540, 340/6.1, 340 75- 81, 340313-314
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• 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 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm

Abstract

A mobile communication device can be placed into an “attack detection mode.” While the device is in attack detection mode, certain events can cause the device to summon assistance automatically. For example, while the device is in attack detection mode, if the device'"'"'s user ceases to interact with the device, then the device can automatically place a telephone call to emergency services (e.g., by calling 911). For another example, while the device is in attack detection mode, if an accelerometer contained within the device detects a sudden shock, then the device similarly can automatically place a telephone call to emergency services. After detecting a probable emergency situation, the mobile device can responsively and continuously emit a loud audible alarm through the device'"'"'s speakers at maximum volume regardless of the device'"'"'s current silence or volume settings, in an effort to attract help from other people who may be nearby.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a mobile device entering a particular mode of operation and starting a timer;

while the mobile device is in the particular mode of operation, the mobile device determining whether a particular input has been received at the mobile device prior to expiration of the timer;

in response to determining that the particular input was not received prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device automatically performing operations comprising;

determining a current location of the mobile device;

sending the current location to a repository that stores mappings between (a) particular locations of other mobile devices determined when the other mobile devices sent the particular locations to the repository and (b) telephone numbers that the other mobile devices sent to the repository when the other mobile devices sent the particular locations to the repository;

receiving, from the repository, a particular telephone number that the repository previously mapped to the current location in response to receiving the particular telephone number from another mobile device that was also at the current location; and

sending information to a specified recipient associated with the particular telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile device, user input commanding the mobile device to enter a first mode of operation;

in response to receiving the user input, the mobile device entering the first mode of operation;

while the mobile device is in the first mode of operation, the mobile device detecting continuous movement of a user'"'"'s finger on a touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device;

for as long as the mobile device detects continuous movement of the user'"'"'s finger on the touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device, the mobile device remaining in the first mode of operation;

while the mobile device is in the first mode of operation, the mobile device detecting a cessation of the previously detected continuous movement of the user'"'"'s finger on the touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device;

in response to detecting the cessation while the mobile device in the first mode of operation, the mobile device entering the particular mode of operation and starting the timer; and

in response to detecting the cessation while the mobile device in the first mode of operation, the mobile device emitting an audible signal warning a user of the mobile device that the specified recipient will be called unless the user performs a specified action.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a disarm code that a user of the mobile device specified.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a re-establishment of contact of a user'"'"'s finger with a touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a re-connection of headphones into a headphone jack of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a re-depression of a volume button of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input is a shaking of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

playing a recorded audio message to an answerer of a call to the telephone number.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether an incorrect disarm code was entered prior to the expiration of the timer; and

in response to determining that an incorrect disarm code was entered prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device automatically sending information to a specified recipient without providing any indication that an incorrect disarm code was entered and without providing any indication that the information was sent.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether an incorrect disarm code was entered prior to the expiration of the timer; and

in response to determining that an incorrect disarm code was not entered prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device emitting an audible alarm that indicates that emergency services have been called.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the information to the specified recipient associated with the particular telephone number comprises sending a text message containing the information to the particular telephone number.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the current location to the repository comprises sending the current location to the repository in response to determining that the mobile device has exited a particular geographical location.

13. A method comprising:

receiving particular user input that indicates a default telephone number to be automatically called by a mobile device in case of an emergency;

using a global positioning system of the mobile device to automatically determine a geographical region in which the mobile device is located at the time of the receipt of the particular user input; and

sending the default telephone number and an identity of a geographical region from the mobile device over a network to a server that stores mappings between telephone numbers and geographical regions and the method further comprising;

subsequently receiving, at the mobile device, first user input commanding the mobile device to enter a first mode of operation;

in response to receiving the first user input, the mobile device entering the first mode of operation;

while the mobile device is in the first mode of operation, the mobile device detecting an occurrence of a particular event from a set of specified events;

in response to detecting the occurrence of the particular event while the mobile device in the first mode of operation, the mobile device entering a second mode of operation and starting a timer;

while the mobile device is in the second mode of operation, the mobile device determining whether a second input has been received at the mobile device prior to expiration of the timer;

in response to determining that the second input was not received prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device automatically sending information to a specified recipient of the default telephone number for the geographical region of the mobile device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

a mobile device entering a particular mode of operation and starting a timer;

while the mobile device is in the particular mode of operation, the mobile device determining whether a particular input has been received at the mobile device prior to expiration of the timer;

in response to determining that the particular input was not received prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device automatically performing operations comprising;

determining a current location of the mobile device;

sending the current location to a repository that stores mappings between (a) particular locations of other mobile devices determined when the other mobile devices sent the particular locations to the repository and (b) telephone numbers that the other mobile devices sent to the repository when the other mobile devices sent the particular locations to the repository;

receiving, from the repository, a particular telephone number that the repository previously mapped to the current location in response to receiving the particular telephone number from another mobile device that was also at the current location; and

sending information to a specified recipient associated with the particular telephone number.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein sending the information to the specified recipient associated with the particular telephone number comprises sending a text message containing the information to the particular telephone number.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein sending the current location to the repository comprises sending the current location to the repository in response to determining that the mobile device has exited a particular geographical location.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving particular user input that indicates a default telephone number to be automatically called by a mobile device in case of an emergency;

using a global positioning system of the mobile device to automatically determine a geographical region in which the mobile device is located at the time of the receipt of the particular user input; and

sending the default telephone number and an identity of the geographical region from the mobile device over a network to a server that stores mappings between telephone numbers and geographical regions and the method further comprising;

subsequently receiving, at the mobile device, first user input commanding the mobile device to enter a first mode of operation;

in response to receiving the first user input, the mobile device entering the first mode of operation;

while the mobile device is in the first mode of operation, the mobile device detecting an occurrence of a particular event from a set of specified events;

in response to detecting the occurrence of the particular event while the mobile device in the first mode of operation, the mobile device entering a second mode of operation and starting a timer;

while the mobile device is in the second mode of operation, the mobile device determining whether a second input has been received at the mobile device prior to expiration of the timer;

in response to determining that the second input was not received prior to the expiration of the timer, the mobile device automatically sending information to a specified recipient of the default telephone number for the geographical region of the mobile device.