Method and apparatus for tracking and disseminating health information via mobile channels

• US 9,171,451 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Blom, Jan Otto, Joshi, Dhaval Jitendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MONG-THUY THI
• Application Number:
  US13/394,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20120244886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/456.3, 379/38
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/80 for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics, e.g. flu
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• 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: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An approach is provided for tracking and disseminating health information. Health information corresponding to a geographic location is caused, at least in part, to be received. Location information associated with a user equipment configured to receive a message specifying content is determined. Whether the location information is encompassed by the geographic location is determined. The message is modified to present a health alert indicator by appending supplemental content to the message or by amending the content. Initiation of delivery of the modified message to the user equipment when the user equipment is in or within a predetermined range of the geographic location is caused, at least in part.

Claims

1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the method comprising:

at least one determination to collect health information from the one or more collecting user equipment;

receipt of the health information corresponding to a receiving geographic location;

at least one determination to map one or more identifiers, associated with the one or more collecting user equipment, to respective collecting geographic locations;

analyzing the health information with respect to the respective collecting geographic locations;

issuing a health alert indicator based on the analysis to one or more receiving user equipment when the respective receiving user equipment is determined to be within a predetermined range of the respective collecting geographic locations;

at least one determination of location information associated with the receiving user equipment configured to receive a message specifying content;

at least one determination of whether the location information is encompassed by the receiving geographic location;

at least one determination of the message to present the health alert indicator for the receiving geographic location by appending supplemental content to the message or by amending the content;

an initiation of delivery of the modified message to the receiving user equipment when the receiving user equipment is in or within the predetermined range of the collecting geographic locations;

at least one determination to designate the one or more collecting user equipment to a plurality of geographic locations; and

wherein the identifiers are telephone numbers of one or more mobile devices and the respective collecting geographic locations are independent of area code information of the telephone numbers.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental content specifies a name of a disease associated with the health information.

3. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine to collect health information from one or more collecting user equipment,

receive the health information corresponding to a receiving geographic location, and

determine to map one or more identifiers, associated with one or more collecting user equipment, to respective collecting geographic locations,

analyze the health information with respect to the respective collecting geographic locations;

issue a health alert indicator based on the analysis to one or more receiving user equipment when the respective receiving user equipment is determined to be within a predetermined range of the respective collecting geographic locations

determine location information associated with the receiving user equipment configured to receive a message specifying content,

determine whether the location information is encompassed by the receiving geographic location,

determine to modify the message to present the health alert indicator for the receiving geographic location by appending supplemental content to the message or by amending the content,

cause, at least in part, an initiation of delivery of the modified message to the receiving user equipment when the receiving user equipment is in or within a predetermined range of the collecting geographic locations; and

determine to designate the one or more collecting user equipment to a plurality of geographic locations, wherein the identifiers are telephone numbers of one or more mobile devices and the respective collecting geographic locations are independent of area code information of the telephone numbers.

4. An apparatus of claim 3, wherein the supplemental content specifies a name of a disease associated with the health information.

5. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the method comprising:

an initiation of presentation of a graphical user interface, on a collecting user equipment, for collecting health information pertaining to a geographic location that is assigned to the collecting user equipment;

receipt of input, via the collecting user equipment, specifying the health information; and

an initiation of transmission of the health information to a disease tracking platform,

wherein the disease tracking platform is configured to

receive the transmitted health information, and

determine to map one or more identifiers, associated with the collecting user equipment, to respective collecting geographic locations, analyze the health information with respect to the respective collecting geographic locations; and

issue a health alert indicator based on the analysis to one or more receiving user equipment when the respective receiving user equipment is determined to be within a predetermined range of the respective collecting geographic locations wherein the identifiers are telephone numbers of one or more mobile devices and the respective collecting geographic locations are independent of area code information of the telephone numbers.

6. A method of claim 5, wherein the disease tracking platform is configured to

determine to collect health information associated with the collecting user equipment,

determine location information associated with the receiving user equipment configured to receive a message specifying content,

determine whether the location information is encompassed by a receiving geographic location,

determine to modify the message to present the health alert indicator for the receiving geographic location by appending supplemental content to the message or by amending the content, and

cause, at least in part, an initiation of delivery of the modified message to the receiving user equipment when the receiving user equipment is in or within a predetermined range of the collecting geographic locations.

7. A method of claim 5, further comprising:

receipt of the modified message over a web server; and

an initiation of a presentation of the message in an inbox view.

8. A method of claim 5, wherein the collecting user equipment is a mobile device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

cause, at least in part, an initiation of presentation of a graphical user interface, on a collecting user equipment, for collecting health information pertaining to a geographic location that is assigned to the collecting user equipment,

receive input, via the collecting user equipment, specifying the health information, and

cause, at least in part, an initiation of transmission of the health information to a disease tracking platform,

wherein the disease tracking platform is configured to

receive the transmitted health information, and

determine to map one or more identifiers, associated with the collecting user equipment, to respective collecting geographic locations,

analyze the health information with respect to the respective collecting geographic locations; and

issue a health alert indicator based on the analysis to one or more receiving user equipment when the respective receiving user equipment is determined to be within a predetermined range of the respective collecting geographic locations wherein the identifiers are telephone numbers of one or more mobile devices and the respective collecting geographic locations are independent of area code information of the telephone numbers.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the disease tracking platform is configured to

determine to collect health information associated with the collecting user equipment,

determine location information associated with the receiving user equipment configured to receive a message specifying content,

determine whether the location information is encompassed by a receiving geographic location,

determine to modify the message to present the health alert indicator for the receiving geographic location by appending supplemental content to the message or by amending the content, and

cause, at least in part, an initiation of delivery of the modified message to the receiving user equipment when the receiving user equipment is in or within a predetermined range of the collecting geographic locations.

11. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive the modified message over a web server; and

cause, at least in part, an initiation of a presentation of the message in an inbox view.

12. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the collecting user equipment is a mobile device.