User-worn devices, systems, and methods for directing a user in an emergency

• US 9,726,503 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Moore, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, ISAAC G
• Application Number:
  US14/813,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20170030720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 701433, 701434, 701519
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information

Abstract

User-worn devices, systems containing such user-worn devices, and methods of assisting a user in an emergency are disclosed. A user-worn device includes a processing device and a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium. The non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium includes one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to receive an input from a building system, determine that the input corresponds to an emergency, determine a response protocol for responding to the emergency, provide directions to a user, and provide tracking information regarding the location of the user inside the building. The input is only received when the user-worn device is located within a building having the building system. The directions guide the user to a location.

Claims

1. A user-worn device that is worn by a user within a building comprising a building system, the user-worn device comprising:

a sensor component comprising an environmental sensor for sensing an environment surrounding the user-worn device;

a processing device; and

a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium, wherein the non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to;

receive an input from the building system;

determine that the input corresponds to an emergency;

determine a response protocol for responding to the emergency based on information received from the building system and the sensor component, wherein the response protocol comprises directions to a location;

provide the directions, via audio cues and haptic cues, to the user, wherein the directions guide the user to the location; and

provide tracking information regarding the location of the user inside the building.

2. The user-worn device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:

send an acknowledgement to the building system, wherein the acknowledgement is a transmission that verifies receipt of the input and verifies that the user-worn device is functioning.

3. The user-worn device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:

determine that an evacuation of the building is not necessary; and

provide directions that guide the user to the location, wherein the location is within the building.

4. The user-worn device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:

determine that an evacuation of the building is necessary; and

provide directions that guide the user to the location, wherein the location is an exit of the building.

5. The user-worn device of claim 4, wherein the non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:

determine a selected evacuation route from the plurality of evacuation routes,

wherein the directions guide the user along the most appropriate evacuation route to the location.

6. The user-worn device of claim 1, further comprising a communications interface, and wherein the non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:

provide, via the communications interface, a communications link between the user and an emergency responder.

7. The user-worn device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to provide the tracking information to an emergency responder.

8. The user-worn device of claim 1, further comprising a display, wherein the display provides information related to at least one of the emergency, the location, and the directions.

9. The user-worn device of claim 1, further comprising one or more input components.

10. The user-worn device of claim 1, wherein the sensor component further comprises a biometric sensor.

11. A method of assisting a user in an emergency with a user-worn device that is worn by a user within a building comprising a building system, the user-worn device comprising a processing device and a sensor component having an environmental sensor, the method comprising:

receiving, by the processing device, an input from the building system;

determining, by the processing device, that the input corresponds to an emergency;

determining, by the processing device, a response protocol for responding to the emergency based on information received from the building system and the sensor component, wherein the response protocol comprises directions to a location;

providing the directions, via audio cues and haptic cues, to the user, wherein the directions guide the user to the location; and

providing tracking information regarding the location of the user inside the building.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending an acknowledgement to the building system, wherein the acknowledgement is a transmission that verifies receipt of the input and verifies that the user-worn device is functioning.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that an evacuation of the building is not necessary; and

providing directions that guide the user to the location, wherein the location is within the building.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that an evacuation of the building is necessary; and

providing directions that guide the user to the location, wherein the location is an exit of the building.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a selected evacuation route from the plurality of evacuation routes, wherein the directions guide the user along the selected evacuation route to the location.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing, via a communications interface coupled to the processing device, a communications link between the user and an emergency responder.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the tracking information further comprises providing, by the processing device, tracking information to an emergency responder.

18. An emergency service system comprising:

a building system within a building, wherein the building system monitors the building and detects emergencies; and

a user-worn device carried by a user located within the building, wherein the user-worn device interfaces with the building system to receive an input corresponding to an emergency, determines instructions for responding to the emergency based on the input from the building and information received from a sensor component of the user-worn device, provides the user with the instructions, via audio cues and haptic cues, for moving inside of the building during the emergency, and tracks a location of the user inside the building.