Device, system and method for confidentially communicating a security alert

• US 9,380,439 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2013
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LMR Inventions, L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: LMR Inventions, L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M
• Primary Examiner(s): PHUONG, DAI
• Application Number:
  US14/070,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 968 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041-4042, 455/414.2, 4554561-4563, 455/457, 455/567, 455/569.1, 455/575.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 25/005 Alarm destination chosen according to a hierarchy of available destinations, e.g. if hospital does not answer send to police 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: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• 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 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A device, system and method for confidentially communicating a security alert to a monitoring service or other entity are provided. A mobile device of the present disclosure, e.g., a cellular phone, GSM phone, media player, personal digital assistant (PDA), etc., will enable a user to send a security alert or emergency communication to another party, e.g., an alerting such a monitoring service, where the user can accomplish this alert without letting anyone know that they are sending the alert so that the user does not put themselves in further danger by alerting the perpetrator of the crime to the alert. Moreover, the user will be able to send the monitoring service information on the nature of the alert including a geographic location of the user.

Claims

1. A mobile system for communicating an alert, the mobile system comprising:

a mobile device;

a wireless headset including;

a first button placing the mobile system in a normal operation mode; and

a second button placing the mobile device in a security mode such that upon entering the security mode, the mobile device is configured to initiate a communication link between the mobile device and a first contact user device using a communication module wherein contact information for the first contact user device is in a predefined list of contacts and wherein and a trigger module on the mobile device waits a trigger signal;

wherein the mobile device includes;

the communication module;

a storage module operative to the predefined list of contacts;

the module receiving the trigger signal from the wireless headset;

a processing module receiving the trigger signal and, upon receipt of the trigger signal, to access the storage module to retrieve the contact information for the first contact user device;

wherein the communication module communicates an alert to the first contact user device.

2. The mobile system of claim 1, further comprising at least one input key on the wireless headset disposed on the housing operative to generate the trigger signal.

3. The mobile system of claim 2, wherein the trigger signal is generated in response to a predetermined combination of the at least one input key.

4. The mobile system of claim 1, further comprising a peripheral device located remotely from the housing operative to generate the trigger signal.

5. The mobile system of claim 4, wherein the peripheral device is wirelessly coupled to the mobile device.

6. The mobile system of claim 4, wherein the peripheral device is the wireless headset.

7. The mobile system of claim 1, further comprising a microphone operative to receive a voice command and generate the trigger signal therefrom.

8. The mobile system of claim 6, wherein the microphone is disposed in the wireless headset coupled to the mobile device.

9. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the storage module stores the at least one contact in a predetermined order for attempting communication therewith.

10. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the communication module is operative to receive confirmation that the alert has been sent.

11. The mobile system of claim 10, furthering comprising a vibration module on the mobile device to vibrate the device upon confirmation of the alert.

12. The mobile system of claim 10, furthering comprising a light module to indicate confirmation of the alert.

13. The mobile system of claim 6, wherein the communication module is operative to receive confirmation that the alert has been sent and to send the confirmation of the alert to the wireless headset for annunciation to the user.

14. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the alert includes at least one of an identifier, a telephone number of the user and at least one prestored message from the storage module.

15. The module system of claim 1, further comprising a locational information module operative to determine a geographic location of the mobile device, wherein the communicated alert includes the determined geographic location.

16. A system for communicating an alert comprising:

a mobile device;

a wireless headset including;

a first button placing the mobile system in a normal operation mode; and

a second button placing the mobile device in a security mode such that upon entering the security mode, the mobile device is configured to initiate a communication link between the mobile device and a first contact user device using the communication module wherein contact information for the first contact user device is in a predefined list of contacts and wherein a trigger module on the mobile device awaits a trigger signal;

wherein the mobile device includes;

the communication module;

a storage module operative to the predefined list of contacts;

the trigger module receiving the trigger signal from the wireless headset while in the security mode;

a processing module receiving the trigger signal and, upon receipt of the trigger signal, to access the storage module to retrieve the contact information for the first contact user device;

wherein the communication module communicates an alert to the first contact user device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein an identifier is a phone number of the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein retrieved information includes an address of the user, special medical conditions of the user, and designated persons to be contacted.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one server sends commands to the mobile device for controlling the mobile device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the commands include turn on/off a microphone of the mobile device, turn on/off a speaker of the mobile device, and capture an image or images including video via a capture module of the mobile device.