Disseminating information to facilitate user safety

• US 9,443,415 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Protector LLC
• Original Assignee: Michael Nepo
• Inventors: Nepo, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe, Gims
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARIKH, DAKSHESH D
• Application Number:
  US14/587,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20150137972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/004 using portable personal devices hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellent gases or chemicals F41H9/10
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• 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 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/12 Checking intermittently signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications

Abstract

A method for disseminating information regarding a problem and administering medical interventions comprises providing a mobile device wirelessly connectable to a network, receiving and storing contact information corresponding to a designated list of information recipients, receiving, via the mobile device and via the wireless trigger transmitting to the mobile device, a signal from a user indicating the problem, receiving, via the mobile device, information regarding the problem, transmitting an indication of the problem to a rescue clearinghouse via the network, prompting a participant of the rescue clearinghouse, different from the user, to make a decision about a course of action regarding the problem, and at least one of transmitting the information regarding the problem to the information recipients from the designated list and transmitting the information regarding the problem to a government rescue organization, based at least in part on the decision.

Claims

1. A method for disseminating information regarding an event, comprising:

receiving and storing, in a mobile device that is wirelessly connectable to a network, contact information corresponding to a designated list of information recipients;

receiving, at the mobile device, a signal indicating the event wherein the signal indicating the event is activated by a user pressing a panic button with a thumb a designated number of times, the panic button being included in a ring that is separate from the mobile device and worn on a finger of the user, the ring being in wireless communication with the mobile device;

receiving, at the mobile device, information regarding the event;

in response to receiving the information regarding the event, determining a user action request based on the designated number of times the panic button is pressed;

identifying a current mode of operation of the panic button and an associated application running on the mobile device, wherein the current mode of operation comprises one of a real mode, a test mode and a bad date mode;

in response to determining the user action request and upon identifying the current mode of operation, determining whether to contact a rescue center, wherein determining whether to contact the rescue center comprises;

determining whether the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to at least one of a first designated number associated with a panic alert, a second designated number associated with a silent panic alert, a third designated number associated with a medical panic, a fourth designated number associated with a loud panic, or a fifth designated number associated with cancellation of an alert,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the first designated number, performing one of;

transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center in response to identifying the current mode of operation as the real mode, or transmitting the information regarding the event to the information recipients from the designated list in response to identifying the current mode of operation as the test mode or the bad date mode,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the second designated number, transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center, irrespective of the current mode of operation,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the third designated number, transmitting information indicating a medical emergency to one or more of the rescue center, the information recipients from the designated list, or a public authority,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the fourth designated number, causing a speaker coupled to the mobile device to produce a loud spoken warning, irrespective of the current mode of operation, and

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the fifth designated number, canceling a scheduled transmission of an indication of the event to the rescue center; and

conditioned on determining to contact the rescue center, transmitting an indication of the event to the rescue center via the network to prompt a participant of the rescue center, different from the user, to make a decision about a course of action regarding the event in order that the information regarding the event can be transmitted to at least one of the information recipients from the designated list or a public authority, based at least in part on the decision.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a locating device connected to the mobile device; and

recording a location of the user in real time via the locating device to produce location information, wherein the information regarding the event comprises the location information preceding and subsequent to an indication of the event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the recording the location of the user in real time comprises recording the location of the user in discrete time intervals that depend at least in part on a remaining battery power of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the location information comprises instructions to locate the user based at least in part on an information recipient location.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a recording device connected to the mobile device and configured to record at least one of audio, video, and image; and

recording at least one of audio, video, and image in real time via the recording device to produce recording information, wherein the information regarding the event comprises the recording information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the recording device comprises a head-mounted video recorder wirelessly connected to the mobile device, and wherein the step of recording comprises pointing the head-mounted video recorder in a direction corresponding to the event.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

storing the recording information on the mobile device until after the transmitting of the indication of the event wherein the information regarding the event comprises both the location information and the recording information for a period of at least one minute prior to and at least one minute after the step of receiving the signal from the user indicating the event.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the information regarding the event comprises a time stamp of the step of receiving the signal from the user indicating the event, to thereby provide time stamps for all recording information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting, on a display of the mobile device, the user for a password;

receiving a designated false password from the user;

presenting, on the display of the mobile device, information indicating that the password is correct, to thereby deceive a perpetrator, wherein the presented information indicates cancellation of a panic mode, while the panic mode; and

in conjunction with presenting the information on the display, continuing transmission of the indication of the event to the rescue center without indicating the continued transmission on the display of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the event comprises real-time and past medical information of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a sound speaker connected to the mobile device; and

after receiving the signal indicating the event, emitting a noise from the sound speaker having a loudness of at least 60 decibels at the sound speaker.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal indicating the event activates a silent panic or a loud panic, wherein the silent panic comprises transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center via the network without detection by an intruder or an attacker, wherein the loud panic comprises transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center via the network while the mobile device produces a loud spoken warning that states that an attacker'"'"'s video, still images, audio and location information have been successfully transmitted to public authorities.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein pressing the panic button with a thumb comprises pressing the panic button with the thumb of the same hand corresponding to the finger on which the ring including the panic button is worn.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein activating the loud panic comprises:

receiving, at the mobile device and from the ring, a wireless signal corresponding to the user pressing the panic button on the ring a number of times;

determining whether the number of times the user pressed the panic button corresponds to a designated number associated with the loud panic; and

based on a determination that the number of times the user pressed the panic button corresponds to the designated number associated with the loud panic, activating the loud panic.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the ring further comprises a health monitor that is configured to perform operations comprising at least one of monitoring a pulse, an activity level, or a blood pressure, performing a sweat analysis, measuring a pedometer statistic, or performing a sleep analysis.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein when the mode of operation is a bad date mode, receiving the signal indicating the event comprises:

determining that the current mode of operation corresponds to the bad date mode;

determining that the designated number of times the panic button is pressed does not correspond to an override of the bad date mode; and

in response to determining that the current mode of operation corresponds to the bad date mode and the designated number of times the panic button is pressed does not correspond to an override of the bad date mode, performing at least one of;

causing the mobile device to ring as if a standard phone call is currently incoming without contacting the rescue center, or

limiting transmission of the indication of the event to the designated list, wherein the bad date mode further comprises notifying the designated list that the event is not a physical danger.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a monitor wirelessly connected to the mobile device, wherein receiving the signal indicating the event comprises receiving the signal via the monitor, wherein the monitor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a gyroscope, a barometer, a thermometer, a GPS location monitor, an assisted GPS monitor, a terrestrial transmitter assisted location monitor, an ultrasonic location monitor, a beacon monitor, a biosensor, a toxin detector, a radiation detector, a g-force monitor, a pedometer, a sleep monitor, a brainwave monitor, a heart pulse monitor, a sweat monitor, a breathing monitor, an activity monitor, or a nano-probe blood monitor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the monitor activates a transdermal medicine distribution patch that is configured to automatically expose a designated dose of medicine to the user'"'"'s skin before automatically resealing a barrier between the user'"'"'s skin and the transdermal medicine distribution patch.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the signal indicating the event is activated by processor coupled to a microphone in the ring worn on the user'"'"'s finger detecting a preselected verbal phrase.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting information regarding the event to the information recipients in the designated list comprises transmitting an SMS via an information server to members of the designated list,

wherein the SMS includes a hyperlink which directs the information recipients who click the hyperlink to an Internet website containing the information regarding the user in a time-period preceding, during and subsequent to transmission of the signal indicating the event.

21. The method of claim 20, further providing an online chat module via the Internet website accessible by the information recipients to thereby enable the information recipients to electronically communicate via the network.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing at least one of a g-force detector or an accelerometer attached to the mobile device; and

receiving and storing information of a threshold g-force amount and a threshold change in the rate of speed, wherein receiving the signal indicating the event comprises the mobile device reaching at least one of the threshold g-force amount and the threshold change in the rate of speed.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising a boundary identifying a geographic region, wherein coordinates of a boundary and a specified time when the mobile device will be located within the boundary are pre-programmed into the mobile device, and wherein receiving the signal indicating the event is activated by the user doing at least one of:

a) exiting the boundary at, before or after the specified time;

b) entering the boundary at, before or after the specified time;

c) not exiting the boundary at the specified time; and

d) not entering the boundary at the specified time.

27. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving and storing at least one specified location and a specified time, wherein receiving the signal indicating the event is activated by the mobile device by at least one of departing or arriving at the specified location at, before or after the specified time, or not departing or not arriving at the specified location at the specified time.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the user with a decoy phone that is separate from the mobile device, wherein the decoy phone is configured to provide a false indication that confiscation of the decoy phone will result in preventing the user from contacting and summoning public authorities.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein when the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the third designated number, the method comprises:

receiving, from the user, an additional input on the mobile device selecting an option from one of a plurality of preselected types of medical emergencies; and

transmitting information identifying the type of medical emergency to the rescue center.

23. A method for disseminating information regarding an event, the method comprising:

receiving and storing, in a mobile device that is wirelessly connectable to a network, contact information corresponding to a designated list of information recipients, wherein the mobile device is in wireless communication with a finger worn panic button;

receiving, at the mobile device, coordinates of an intended destination;

tracking movement of the mobile device from a current location to the intended destination;

determining when the mobile device stops making progress towards the intended destination, including determining that a relative distance between the current location of the mobile and the intended destination has not decreased in successive measurements of the movement of the mobile device;

in response to determining when the mobile device stops making progress towards the intended destination, starting a first timer, having a first designated period of time;

determining that the mobile device has not resumed making progress towards the intended destination by the expiration of the first designated period of time;

in response to determining that the mobile device has not resumed making progress towards the intended destination by the expiration of the first designated period of time, signaling a finger worn panic button, which is wirelessly connected to the mobile device, to indicate an imminent panic condition, comprising a pulsed vibration of the finger worn panic button, for a second designated time period; and

conditioned on the expiration of the second designated time period without receiving a cancel signal from a user of the mobile device responsive to the imminent panic condition, transmitting an indication of an event to a rescue center via the network to prompt a participant of the rescue center, different from the user, to make a decision about a course of action regarding the event in order that the information regarding the event can be transmitted to at least one of the information recipients from the designated list or a public authority, based at least in part on the decision,

wherein transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center is based on determining a current mode of operation of the mobile device that is one of real mode, a test mode and a bad date mode, and wherein determining whether to contact the rescue center comprises;

determining whether the user has pressed the panic button a designated number of times, wherein the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to at least one of a first designated number associated with a panic alert, a second designated number associated with a silent panic alert, a third designated number associated with a medical panic, or a fourth designated number associated with a loud panic,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the first designated number, performing one of;

transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center in response to identifying the current mode of operation as the real mode, or transmitting the information regarding the event to the information recipients from the designated list in response to identifying the current mode of operation as the test mode or the bad date mode,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the second designated number, transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center, irrespective of the current mode of operation,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the third designated number, transmitting information indicating a medical emergency to one or more of the rescue center, the information recipients from the designated list, or a public authority, and

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the fourth designated number, causing a speaker coupled to the mobile device to produce a loud spoken warning, irrespective of the current mode of operation.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

conditioned on the user pressing the finger worn panic button to cancel the imminent panic condition within the second designated time period, resetting the first timer without transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center.

25. A method for disseminating information regarding an event, the method comprising:

receiving and storing, in a mobile device that is wirelessly connectable to a network, contact information corresponding to a designated list of information recipients, wherein the mobile device is in wireless communication with a finger worn panic button;

receiving, at the mobile device, a signal from a user indicating a safe time period that corresponds to a time period during which no alert is sent to a rescue center;

measuring an elapsing of the safe time period;

providing an alert to the user via a vibration of the finger worn panic button at a predetermined time before the expiration of the safe time period, wherein the alert is configured to remind the user to cancel the timed transmission of an indication of an event before the expiration of the safe time period; and

conditioned on expiration of the safe time period without receiving a completion indication from the user, transmitting an indication of an event to the rescue center via the network to prompt an operator of the rescue center, different from the user, to make a decision about a course of action regarding the event in order that the information regarding the event can be transmitted to at least one of the information recipients from the designated list or a public authority, based at least in part on the decision,

wherein the completion indication is signaled by the user pressing the finger worn panic button that is wirelessly connected to the mobile device, and

wherein transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center is based on determining a current mode of operation of the mobile device that is one of real mode, a test mode and a bad date mode, and wherein determining whether to contact the rescue center comprises;

determining whether the user has pressed the panic button a designated number of times, wherein the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to at least one of a first designated number associated with a panic alert, a second designated number associated with a silent panic alert, a third designated number associated with a medical panic, or a fourth designated number associated with a loud panic,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the first designated number, performing one of;

transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center in response to identifying the current mode of operation as the real mode, or transmitting the information regarding the event to the information recipients from the designated list in response to identifying the current mode of operation as the test mode or the bad date mode,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the second designated number, transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center, irrespective of the current mode of operation,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the third designated number, transmitting information indicating a medical emergency to one or more of the rescue center, the information recipients from the designated list, or a public authority, and

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the fourth designated number, causing a speaker coupled to the mobile device to produce a loud spoken warning, irrespective of the current mode of operation.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a panic button included in a ring worn on a finger, the panic button configured to be depressed by a thumb to generate a signal indicating an event;

one or more processors; and

a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, through a network connection, contact information corresponding to a designated list of information recipients;

storing the contact information;

receiving a signal indicating the event wherein the signal is activated by a user pressing the panic button a designated number of times;

receiving information regarding the event;

in response to receiving the information regarding the event, determining a user action request based on the designated number of times the panic button is pressed;

identifying a current mode of operation, wherein the current mode of operation comprises one of a real mode, a test mode and a bad date mode;

in response to determining the user action request and upon identifying the current mode of operation, determining whether to contact a rescue center, wherein determining whether to contact the rescue center comprises;

determining whether the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to at least one of a first designated number associated with a panic alert, a second designated number associated with a silent panic alert, a third designated number associated with a medical panic, a fourth designated number associated with a loud panic, or a fifth designated number associated with cancellation of an alert,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the first designated number, performing one of;

transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center in response to identifying the current mode of operation as the real mode, or transmitting the information regarding the event to the information recipients from the designated list in response to identifying the current mode of operation as the test mode or the bad date mode,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the second designated number, transmitting the indication of the event to the rescue center, irrespective of the current mode of operation,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the third designated number, transmitting information indicating a medical emergency to one or more of the rescue center, the information recipients from the designated list, or a public authority,

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the fourth designated number, causing a speaker coupled to the mobile device to produce a loud spoken warning, irrespective of the current mode of operation, and

conditioned on determining that the designated number of presses of the panic button corresponds to the fifth designated number, canceling a scheduled transmission of an indication of the event to the rescue center; and

conditioned on determining to contact the rescue center, transmitting an indication of the event to the rescue center over the network connection to prompt a participant of the rescue center, different from the user, to make a decision about a course of action regarding the event in order that the information regarding the event can be transmitted to at least one of the information recipients from the designated list or a public authority, based at least in part on the decision.