System and method for requesting and providing location-based assistance

• US 9,485,642 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jia-Cing Lin
• Original Assignee: Hung Yuan Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Hung Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US13/071,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/227
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for requesting location-based assistance executed on a mobile device of an assistance requester, and a method and system for providing location-based assistance executed on a server of a joint assistance service provider. The present invention integrates mobile positioning and telecommunications technologies to provide assistance provision information. In the present invention, an assistance request module of the mobile device is activated for execution to locate the assistance requester; assistance request information containing the assistance requester'"'"'s location information is transmitted to the server of the joint assistance service provider. Then, the mobile device is connected to a social networking website or an assistance provider via the server of the joint assistance service provider to receive real-time assistance provision information. The present invention improves conventional assistance request methods as well as assistance provision timings. Also, the assistance request information, containing the assistance requester'"'"'s location information, is analyzed to provide more accurate assistance-related data to the assistance provider. Therefore, the present invention allows the efficiency of providing assistance to be improved.

Claims

1. A method for requesting location-based assistance executed on a mobile device of an assistance requester, including the following steps:

executing an assistance request module to obtain information on the assistance requester'"'"'s location, the assistance request module activated via a keyboard of the mobile device; and

transmitting assistance request information containing the assistance requester'"'"'s location information from the mobile device to a server of a joint assistance service provider of an assistance service selected by the assistance requester, the server analyzing the assistance request information and generating an assistance service list containing assistance-related data that is related to the assistance requester'"'"'s location information based on the assistance request information, the server then providing the assistance service list to the assistance service provider of the assistance service selected by the assistance requester, and

the server executing an assistance request dialogue management module to enable an assistance provider to carry out a two-way dialogue with the assistance requester via the server and via an assistance request dialogue interface displayed on the mobile device, and to provide assistance based on the assistance-related data of the assistance service list,

wherein the mobile device selects an emergency level of the assistance request information according to the assistance requester'"'"'s settings and determines a method and frequency of transmitting the assistance request information, and

wherein when the assistance request information is of an emergency type, the mobile device executes a tracker program in the background to obtain location updates of the assistance requester and transmits updated assistance request information to the server and an emergency contact person pre-specified by the assistance requester.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including:

transmitting the assistance request information and a dynamic URL link to a social networking website, an instant messaging service, an online discussion site, a bulletin board system (BBS), or a widget, wherein the dynamic URL link enables a user to connect to the server of the joint assistance service provider for obtaining the assistance service list.

3. The method according to claim 1, further including:

transmitting the assistance request information and a dynamic URL link to a mobile device of an emergency contact person pre-specified by the assistance requester, wherein the dynamic URL link enables the emergency contact person to connect to the server of the joint assistance service provider for obtaining the assistance service list.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including:

the mobile device being connected via the server of the joint assistance service provider to a social networking website, an instant messaging service, an online discussion site, a bulletin board system (BBS), or a widget to receive real-time assistance provision information.

5. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further including:

determining a method and frequency of transmission according to the assistance requester'"'"'s settings.

6. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further including:

executing a tracker program in the background to obtain location updates of the assistance requester and transmitting updated assistance request information.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the assistance service list is received by the mobile device from the server, the mobile device returns an assistance service determined by selecting the assistance service list under the control of the assistance requester, and the server provides the two-way dialogue based on the assistance service.

8. The method according to claim 7, the assistance request dialogue management module carry out the two-way dialogue between the assistance provider of the assistance service and the assistance requester.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the location-based assistance having a plurality of different types, and the assistance request module activated via a touchscreen or keyboard of the mobile device by selecting a respective one of said different types of location-based assistance upon pressing a preset function key displayed on said touchscreen or a preset sequence of keys of said keyboard.

10. A method for providing location-based assistance used to jointly provide assistance to an assistance requester having a mobile device, the method including the following steps:

receiving assistance request information containing the assistance requester'"'"'s location information from the mobile device;

analyzing the assistance request information to generate an assistance service list containing assistance-related data that is related to the assistance requester'"'"'s location information;

the server executing an assistance request dialogue management module to enable an assistance provider of an assistance service selected by the assistance requester to carry out a two-way dialogue with the assistance requester via the server and via an assistance request dialogue interface on the mobile device; and

the assistance provider providing assistance based on the assistance related data of the assistance service list,

wherein the mobile device selects an emergency level of the assistance request information according to the assistance requester'"'"'s settings and determines a method and frequency of transmitting the assistance request information, and

wherein when the assistance request information is of an emergency type, the mobile device executes a tracker program in the background to obtain location updates of the assistance requester and transmits updated assistance request information to the server and an emergency contact person pre-specified by the assistance requester.

11. The method according to claim 10, further including:

connecting to a social networking website, an instant messaging service, an online discussion site, a bulletin board system (BBS), or a widget to transmit assistance request information thereto.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including:

providing an assistance request dialogue interface for the assistance requester to communicate with a user browsing content of the social networking website, the instant messaging service, the online discussion site, the bulletin board system, or the widget, or for the assistance requester to communicate with the assistance provider.

13. The method according to claim 11, further including:

providing a dynamic URL link to an emergency contact person or a user browsing content of the social networking website, the instant messaging service, the online discussion site, the bulletin board system, or the widget, so that the emergency contact person or the user can connect to a server of a joint assistance service provider to obtain the assistance service list.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the assistance-related data contains maps of the assistance requester'"'"'s location, route plans for assistance provision, surrounding area map search, or assistance provision information search.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the assistance service list is received by the mobile device from the server, the mobile device returns an assistance service determined by selecting the assistance service list under the control of the assistance requester, and the server provides the two-way dialogue based on the assistance service.

16. The method according to claim 15, the assistance request dialogue management module carry out the two-way dialogue between the assistance provider of the assistance service and the assistance requester.

17. A system for providing location-based assistance used to jointly provide assistance to an assistance requester having a mobile device, wherein the system includes a server which comprises:

a mobile device connection module receiving assistance request information containing the assistance requester'"'"'s location information from the mobile device, wherein the assistance requester'"'"'s location information is obtained by executing an assistance request module of the mobile device;

an assistance request information analysis module receiving and analyzing the assistance request information to generate and provide an assistance service list containing assistance-related data that is related to the assistance requester'"'"'s location information and that is provided to an assistance service provider of an assistance service requested by the assistance requester; and

an assistance request dialogue management module for enabling an assistance provider to carry out a two-way dialogue with the assistance requester via the server and via an assistance request dialogue interface displayed on the mobile device;

wherein the assistance provider provides assistance based on the assistance related data of the assistance service list,

wherein the mobile device selects an emergency level of the assistance request information according to the assistance requester'"'"'s settings and determines a method and frequency of transmitting the assistance request information, and

wherein when the assistance request information is of an emergency type, the mobile device executes a tracker program in the background to obtain location updates of the assistance requester and transmits updated assistance request information to the server and an emergency contact person pre-specified by the assistance requester.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the assistance-related data contains maps of the assistance requester'"'"'s location, route plans for assistance provision, surrounding area map search, or assistance provision information search.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the server further comprises an external module connection module which connects to a social networking website, an instant messaging service, an online discussion site, a bulletin board system (BBS), or a widget to transmit assistance request information thereto.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the server provides a dynamic URL link to an emergency contact person or a user browsing content of the social networking website, the instant messaging service, the online discussion site, the bulletin board system, or the widget, so that the emergency contact person or the user can connect to the server to obtain the assistance service list.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the server provides an assistance request dialogue interface for the assistance requester to communicate with a user browsing content of the social networking website, the instant messaging service, the online discussion site, the bulletin board system, or the widget, or for the assistance requester to communicate with the assistance provider.

22. The system according to claim 17 or 19, wherein the assistance request module of the mobile device is activated for execution by a sequence of keyboard inputs.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the assistance request module of the mobile device is activated for execution by the sequence of keyboard inputs, and the assistance request module transmits the assistance request information containing the assistance requester'"'"'s location information to the server.

24. The system according to claim 17, wherein the assistance service list is received by the mobile device from the server, the mobile device returns an assistance service determined by selecting the assistance service list under the control of the assistance requester, and the server provides the two-way dialogue based on the assistance service.

25. The system according to claim 24, the assistance service including executing the two-way dialogue.

26. The system according to claim 17, wherein the location-based assistance having a plurality of different types, and the assistance request module activated via a touchscreen or keyboard of the mobile device by selecting a respective one of said different types of location-based assistance upon pressing a preset function key displayed on said touchscreen or a preset sequence of keys of said keyboard.