Emergency information access on portable electronic devices

• US 9,311,498 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Michalske, Steven Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Korsak, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US14/526,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6775 by providing access to preprogrammed keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Improved techniques for facilitating emergency access to one or more contacts stored on a portable electronic device are disclosed. One or more contacts on the portable electronic device are designated as emergency contacts. While the portable electronic device is password-locked, a request to display the one or more emergency contacts on the password-locked portable electronic device is received. Without requiring a password, the one or more emergency contacts are displayed on the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for displaying emergency contacts in an emergency call screen, the method comprising:

by a computing device that is password-locked;

receiving a request to enter the emergency call screen that includes an emergency contact icon, an emergency call icon, and a keypad configured for initiating an emergency phone call;

retrieving one or more emergency contacts from a list of contacts;

displaying, within the emergency call screen, the emergency contact icon, wherein the emergency contact icon includes a name for an emergency contact, but does not include a phone number for the emergency contact; and

when the emergency call icon is selected;

displaying a status of an emergency call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the keypad is limited to initiating emergency related phone calls.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the emergency related phone calls correspond to numbers that are stored by the computing device and designated as emergency contact numbers.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the keypad is concurrently displayed with the emergency contact icon within the emergency call screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps further include:

when emergency contact icon is selected;

accessing the phone number of the emergency contact that corresponds to the selected emergency contact icon; and

causing a phone call to be initiated in accordance with the phone number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps further include:

displaying emergency information in response to an input received at the emergency call screen.

7. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor in a computing device cause the computing device to perform the steps of:

when the computing device is password-locked;

receiving a request to enter an emergency call screen that includes an emergency contact icon, an emergency call icon, and a keypad configured for initiating an emergency phone call;

retrieving one or more emergency contacts from a list of contacts;

displaying, within the emergency call screen, the emergency contact icon, wherein the emergency contact icon includes a name for an emergency contact, but does not include a phone number for the emergency contact; and

when the emergency call icon is selected;

displaying a status of an emergency call.

8. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the keypad is further configured only for initiating emergency related phone calls.

9. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, wherein the emergency related phone calls correspond to numbers that are stored by the computing device and designated as emergency contact numbers.

10. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, wherein the keypad is concurrently displayed with the emergency contact icon within the emergency call screen.

11. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the steps further include:

when the emergency contact icon is selected;

accessing the phone number of the emergency contact that corresponds to the selected emergency contact icon; and

causing a phone call to be initiated in accordance with the phone number.

12. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein the steps further include:

displaying emergency information in response to an input received at the computing device.

13. The machine-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 7, wherein emergency contact icons are displayed adjacent to one another within the emergency call screen.

14. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computing device to perform the steps of;

when the computing device is password-locked;

receiving a request to enter an emergency call screen that includes an emergency contact icon, an emergency call icon, and a keypad configured for dialing an emergency phone call;

retrieving one or more emergency contacts from a list of contacts;

displaying the emergency contact icon, wherein the emergency contact icon includes a user-created identifier associated with a name field that is different than a phone number field for a corresponding emergency contact, and does not include a phone number; and

when the emergency call icon is selected;

displaying a status of an emergency call.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the keypad is limited to initiating emergency related phone calls.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the emergency related phone calls correspond to numbers that are stored by the computing device and designated as emergency contact numbers.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the keypad is concurrently displayed with the emergency contact icon within the emergency call screen.

18. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the steps further include:

when the emergency contact icon is selected;

accessing the phone number of the emergency contact that corresponds to the selected emergency contact icon; and

causing a phone call to be initiated in accordance with the phone number.

19. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the steps further include:

displaying emergency information in response to an input received at the computing device.

20. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the emergency call screen includes a plurality of adjacent emergency contact icons.