Emergency text messaging

• US 9,148,396 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sennett, DeWayne, Daly, Brian, Musgrove, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONADO, FRANK E
• Application Number:
  US13/232,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20130065549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Emergency text messaging provides the ability to send and receive partial text-based messages and text messages that were prematurely ended. When a sender of a text message is not able to complete the message, the recipient of the partial/prematurely concluded message is provided information such that the recipient can ascertain that an exceptional condition exists. A text message can be sent on a character-by-character basis, a text message can be sent when a lack of activity is detected for a predetermined amount of time, when a character entry is consecutively repeated a predetermined amount of times or for a predetermined amount of time, or any appropriate combination thereof. The recipient of the text message has the ability to adjust parameters on the device, activate sensors on the device, and/or trigger the transmission of information from the device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a mobile device while generating a message, that the message is a partial message;

determining at least one type of an exceptional condition from a plurality of types of exceptional conditions,

the plurality of types of exceptional conditions consisting of;

generation of the message ended prematurely;

a time out condition occurred on the mobile device;

a response from the mobile device to a prompt was not received;

inactivity on the mobile device for a predetermined amount of time;

and sequentially repeated characters entered on the mobile device;

generating, by the mobile device, a tag indicative of the at least one type of the exceptional condition;

combining the tag with the current contents of the message; and

sending the combined tag and current contents of the message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the exceptional condition comprises inactivity for the predetermined amount of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the exceptional condition comprises unintentionally sequentially repeated characters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the exceptional condition comprises a number of sequentially repeated characters exceeding a threshold amount of characters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the exceptional condition comprises sequentially repeated characters being received for a predetermined amount of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a prompt to determine if an indication of an exceptional condition is intentional.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that an exceptional condition exists when a response to the prompt is not received.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding to the combined tag and current contents of the message, and the express indication of the exceptional condition, an indication that the exceptional condition exists.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

determining, by the mobile device while generating a message, that the message is a partial message;

determining at least one type of an exceptional condition from a plurality of types of exceptional conditions, the plurality of types of exceptional conditions

consisting of;

generation of the message ended prematurely;

a time out condition occurred on the mobile device;

a response from the mobile device to a prompt was not received;

inactivity on the mobile device for a predetermined amount of time;

and sequentially repeated characters entered on the mobile device;

generating a tag indicative of the at least one type of the exceptional condition and that the message is a partial message;

combining the tag with the current contents of the message; and

sending the combined tag and current contents of the message.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the exceptional condition comprises inactivity for predetermined amount of time.

11. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the exceptional condition comprises unintentionally sequentially repeated characters.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the exceptional condition comprises sequentially repeated characters being received for a predetermined amount of time.

13. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the exceptional condition comprises a number of sequentially repeated characters exceeding a threshold amount of characters.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

providing a prompt to determine if an indication of an exceptional condition is intentional.

15. The mobile device of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

determining that an exceptional condition exists when a response to the prompt is not received.

16. The mobile device of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

adding to the combined tag and current contents of the message, and the express indication of the exceptional condition, an indication that the exceptional condition exists.

17. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising determining, by the mobile device while generating a message, that the message is a partial message;

determining at least one type of an exceptional condition from a plurality of types of exceptional conditions, the plurality of types of exceptional conditions consisting of;

generation of the message ended prematurely;

a time out condition occurred on the mobile device;

a response from the mobile device to a prompt was not received;

inactivity on the mobile device for a predetermined amount of time;

and sequentially repeated characters entered on the mobile device;

generating, by the mobile device, a tag indicative of the at least one type of the exceptional condition and that the message is a partial message;

combining the tag with the current contents of the message; and

sending the combined tag and current contents of the message.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the exceptional condition comprises at least one of:

inactivity for the predetermined amount of time;

or

sequentially repeated characters.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the operations further comprising:

providing a prompt to determine if an indication of an exceptional condition is intentional.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the operations further comprising:

adding to the combined tag and current contents of the message, and the express indication of the exceptional condition, an indication that the exceptional condition exists.