Interactive emergency information and identification systems and methods

• US 9,572,002 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patrocinium Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Patrocinium Systems, LLC
• Inventors: South, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Mehmood B
• Application Number:
  US14/204,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20150111524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information and identification is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a processor, a notification concerning an emergency situation, wherein the notification includes a location of the emergency situation, and defining, by the processor, a geo-fence representing a first physical area surrounding the location of the emergency situation. The method further includes receiving, by the processor, location information representing locations of a plurality of user devices, each user device being associated with an individual, and determining, by the processor, which of the user devices are located within the geo-fence based on the location information. Additionally, the method includes transmitting, by the processor, information about the emergency situation to the user devices located within the geo-fence.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interactive emergency information and identification, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a notification concerning an emergency situation, wherein the notification includes a location of the emergency situation;

defining, by the processor, a geo-fence representing a first physical area surrounding the location of the emergency situation;

receiving, by the processor, location information representing locations of a plurality of user devices, each user device being associated with an individual;

determining, by the processor, which of the user devices are located within the geo-fence based on the location information;

transmitting, by the processor, information about the emergency situation to the user devices located within the geo-fence;

generating, by the processor, a graphical map showing the geographical locations of the plurality of user devices respective to the location of the emergency situation;

receiving, by the processor, a current safety status of at least one individual from the at least one user device associated with the at least one individual;

receiving, by the processor, information related to the emergency situation from the at least one user device associated with the at least one individual; and

displaying, by the processor, on a single screen of an administrator interface, the graphical map, the current safety status of the at least one individual, and the information related to the emergency situation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, feedback from at least one of the user devices located within the geo-fence, the feedback being generated in a user interface provided on the user devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the feedback includes one of a request for help and a statement that no help is required.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

consolidating, by the processor, the feedback to generate a safety status report describing the safety of the individuals associated with the user devices located within the geo-fence.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if the feedback include a statement that no help is required, transmitting a message to an emergency contact associated with the at least one of user device indicating that the individual associated with the user device is safe.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the feedback includes at least one of textual information related to the emergency situation, audio information related to the emergency situation, and video information related to the emergency situation.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting, by the processor, the feedback to one or more emergency agencies.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the geo-fence includes a plurality of proximity zones representing physical areas of different distances from the location of the emergency situation;

and

further comprising;

determining in which proximity zone each user device located within the geo-fence is respectively located.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the geo-fence is defined by a circle having a radius extending from the location of the emergency situation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the radius is defined automatically based on characteristics of the emergency situation.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

redefining the geo-fence to represent a second physical area different than the first physical area based on information received from at least one of the user devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting includes sending a push message that is displayed on the respective screens of the user devices located within the geo-fence.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting to each user device within the geo-fence the location of the emergency situation relative to the position of the user device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency situation includes one or more of a terrorist attack, a shooting event, a bombing event, a building collapse, a natural disaster, an earthquake, a flood, a fire, a hurricane, and an accident.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the locations of the plurality of user devices are determined by at least one of multilateration of radio signals between radio towers, triangulation of a GPS signals, WiFi positioning, and Bluetooth sensor signals.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting emergency instructions associated with the emergency situation to the user devices located within the geo-fence.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the emergency instructions vary based on a proximity of a user device to the location of the emergency situation.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the emergency instructions include graphical directions shown in relation to the location of the emergency situation.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is outside of the geo-fence.