Locating a victim via a first responder's device

• US 9,232,378 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Khosla, Chetan, Giacoletto, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Hua, Quan M
• Application Number:
  US13/682,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20140011471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Example methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture are disclosed herein that may be utilized, in whole or in part, to facilitate or support one or more operations or techniques for locating a victim via a first responder'"'"'s device for use in or with a mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

emulating, at a first mobile device, behavior of a cellular base station by broadcasting a pilot signal;

receiving a response signal to said broadcasted pilot signal from a second mobile device, said response signal being received while a wireless communications network service is unavailable and indicating at least a condition of an associated ambient environment, wherein said condition of said associated ambient environment is indicative of a naturally available light;

approximating a location of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal; and

setting a level of triage for said user based, at least in part, on the information in said response signal.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising transmitting, in response to said receiving said response signal, a message to said second mobile device to invoke a present signal mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said present signal mode is capable of broadcasting a signal to enable guiding said first mobile device to said location of said second mobile device while said wireless communications network service is unavailable.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said message comprises an overhead message having an indication of an emergency condition.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said message comprises a shorter message comprising at least one of the following:

an emergency declaration;

an update for time of day;

a command to change a power state of said second mobile device;

a message revision number;

a critical level number;

a message security signature;

or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said message comprises a longer message comprising at least one of the following:

a type of an emergency;

an expected duration of an emergency;

a severity of an emergency;

an affected coverage area;

a current status of weather;

a weather forecast;

map information for emergency services;

a message number for update comparisons;

a message security signature;

a shorter message;

a part of a shorter message;

a command to match a transmissions schedule;

or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said message comprises said pilot signal.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein said signal comprises at least one of the following:

an audio signal;

an encoded radio frequency (RF) signal;

an ultrasonic signal;

a visual signal;

or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said encoded RF signal comprises a standard present RF signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said standard present RF signal comprises a broadcast signal transmitted by said second mobile device to announce its presence in said location while said wireless communications network service is unavailable.

11. The method of claim 2, and further comprising changing a power state of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said transmitted message from:

a normal operational mode to a low-power mode;

or a low-power mode to a normal operational mode.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said transmitted message is indicative of an acknowledgment that said response signal has been received.

13. The method of claim 1, and further comprising transmitting, in response to said receiving said response signal, a message to said second mobile device to transition to a modified present signal mode.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said approximating comprises estimating a location of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:

a strength of said response signal;

a directionality of said response signal;

or any combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, and further comprising determining an identity of said user of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said identity of said user is determined via a user account associated with a cellular provider of said wireless communications network service.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said first mobile device comprises a peer device enabled to transmit a peer-to-peer-type signal capable of being detected by said second mobile device while said wireless communications network service is unavailable.

18. The method of claim 1, and further comprising changing a power state of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said broadcasted pilot signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said changing said power state of said second mobile device comprises changing at least one of the following:

said power state from a normal operational mode to a low-power mode;

said power state from a low-power mode to a normal operational mode.

20. The method of claim 1, and further comprising generating an electronic record with respect to said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said electronic record comprises at least one entry with respect to the following:

said approximated location of said second mobile device;

identification information for said second mobile device;

or any combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said electronic record is stored in a database accessible by said first mobile device.

23. The method of claim 20, and further comprising communicating said electronic record to a third mobile device to perform said approximating said location of said second mobile device.

24. The method of claim 20, and further comprising time-stamping said electronic record with time information derived from said response signal.

25. The method of claim 24, and further comprising correlating said time information with said approximated location of said second mobile device to coordinate a search and rescue (SAR) operation.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications network service is associated with at least one of the following:

a cellular provider network;

a wireless ad-hoc network;

a wireless safety network;

a wireless emergency communications network;

a satellite-based search and rescue (SAR) network;

or any combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 1, and further comprising broadcasting said pilot signal in multiple frequency bands.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein said pilot signal comprises an overhead message having an indication of an emergency condition and capable of invoking at said second mobile device at least one of the following:

a present signal mode;

a modified present signal mode;

or any combination thereof.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein said response signal being received while inside an operational range of said wireless communications network service.

30. A mobile device comprising:

a wireless transceiver to communicate with a second mobile device; and

at least one processor programmed with instructions to;

emulate behavior of a cellular base station by broadcasting a pilot signal via said wireless transceiver;

receive, at said wireless transceiver, a response signal to said broadcasted pilot signal from said second mobile device, said response signal being received while a wireless communications network service is unavailable and indicating at least a condition of an associated ambient environment, wherein said condition of said associated ambient environment is indicative of a naturally available light;

approximate a location of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal; and

set a level of triage for said user based, at least in part, on the information in said response signal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said at least one processor further to transmit, in response to said received response signal, a message to said second mobile device to invoke a present signal mode.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said present signal mode is capable of broadcasting a signal to enable guiding said mobile device to said location of said second mobile device while said wireless communications network service is unavailable.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said signal comprises at least one of the following:

an audio signal;

an encoded radio frequency (RF) signal;

an ultrasonic signal;

a visual signal;

or any combination thereof.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said present signal mode is invoked while inside an operational range of said wireless communications network service.

35. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said at least one processor is further to determine an identity of said user of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal.

36. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said at least one processor is further to change a power state of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said broadcasted pilot signal.

37. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said at least one processor is further to generate an electronic record with respect to said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal.

38. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said at least one processor is further to communicate said electronic record to a third mobile device to said approximate said location of said second mobile device.

39. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said at least one processor is further to time-stamp said electronic record with time information derived from said response signal.

40. An apparatus comprising:

means for emulating, at a first mobile device, behavior of a cellular base station by broadcasting a pilot signal and for receiving a response signal to said broadcasted pilot signal from a second mobile device, said response signal being received while a wireless communications network service is unavailable and indicating at least a condition of an associated ambient environment, wherein said condition of said associated ambient environment is indicative of a naturally available light;

means for approximating a location of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal and for setting a level of triage for said user based, at least in part, on the information in said response signal.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further transmit, in response to said receiving said response signal, a message to said second mobile device to invoke a present signal mode.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said present signal mode is capable of broadcasting a signal to enable guiding said first mobile device to said location of said second mobile device while said wireless communications network service is unavailable.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said signal comprises at least one of the following:

an audio signal;

an encoded radio frequency (RF) signal;

an ultrasonic signal;

a visual signal;

or any combination thereof.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said encoded RF signal comprises a standard present RF signal.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said standard present RF signal comprises a broadcast signal transmitted by said second mobile device to announce its presence in said location while said wireless communications network service is unavailable.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said present signal mode is invoked while inside an operational range of said wireless communications network service.

47. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further transmit, in response to said receiving said response signal, a message to said second mobile device to transition to a modified present signal mode.

48. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said means for approximating estimate a location of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:

a strength of said response signal;

a directionality of said response signal;

or any combination thereof.

49. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further determine an identity of said user of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said identity of said user is determined via a user account associated with a cellular provider of said wireless communications network service.

51. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said first mobile device comprises a peer device enabled to transmit a peer-to-peer-type signal capable of being detected by said second mobile device while said wireless communications network service is unavailable.

52. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further change a power state of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said broadcasted pilot signal.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said power state is changed from a normal operational mode to a low-power mode.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said power state is changed from a low-power mode to a normal operational mode.

55. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further generate an electronic record with respect to said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said electronic record comprises at least one entry with respect to the following:

said approximated location of said second mobile device;

identification information for said second mobile device;

or any combination thereof.

57. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said electronic record is stored in a database accessible by said first mobile device.

58. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further communicate said electronic record to a third mobile device to perform said approximating said location of said second mobile device.

59. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further time-stamp said electronic record with time information derived from said response signal.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further correlate said time information with said approximated location of said second mobile device to coordinate a search and rescue (SAR) operation.

61. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said wireless communications network comprises at least one of the following:

a cellular provider network;

a wireless ad-hoc network;

a wireless safety network;

a wireless emergency communications network;

a satellite-based search and rescue (SAR) network;

or any combination thereof.

62. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said means for emulating and for receiving further broadcast said pilot signal in multiple frequency bands.

63. An article comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium having instructions stored thereon executable by a special purpose computing platform at a first mobile device to;

initiate broadcast of a pilot signal to emulate behavior of a cellular base station;

obtain a response signal to said broadcasted pilot signal received from a second mobile device, said response signal being received while a wireless communications network service is unavailable and indicating at least a condition of an associated ambient environment, wherein said condition of said associated ambient environment is indicative of a naturally available light;

approximate a location of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal; and

set a level of triage for said user based, at least in part, on the information in said response signal.

64. The article of claim 63, wherein said storage medium further comprises instructions executable by said special purpose computing platform to initiate transmission, in response to said received response signal, of a message to said second mobile device to invoke a present signal mode.

65. The article of claim 64, wherein said present signal mode is capable of broadcasting a signal to enable guiding said first mobile device to said location of said second mobile device while said wireless communications network service is unavailable.

66. The article of claim 63, wherein said storage medium further comprises instructions executable by said special purpose computing platform to determine an identity of said user of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said response signal.

67. The article of claim 63, wherein said storage medium further comprises instructions executable by said special purpose computing platform to initiate change in a power state of said second mobile device based, at least in part, on said broadcasted pilot signal.