Emergency response systems and methods

• US 9,735,896 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobileHelp, LLC
• Original Assignee: Integrity Tracking LLC
• Inventors: Otto, Chris A., Flippo, Robert, Robichaud, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US14/157,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20140199946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

The present disclosure is an emergency response system that has a wearable device that receives an input from a user and transmits data indicative of the input. In addition, the system has a base station communicatively coupled to the wearable device that receives the data indicative of the input and transmits a test signal requesting a test be performed. Further, the system comprises logic that receives the test signal and initiates a call to the base station based upon the test signal.

Claims

1. An emergency response system, comprising:

a wearable device communicatively coupled to a backend computing device via a first communication path, the wearable device configured for receiving a test input from a user and transmitting data indicative of the test input to the backend computing device via the first communication path, the data indicative of the test input comprising data identifying the first communication path;

a base station communicatively coupled to the wearable device and communicatively coupled to the backend computing device via a second communication path, the base station configured for receiving the data indicative of the test input from the user and simultaneously transmitting the data indicative of the test input over the first communication path and transmitting the data indicative of the test input over the second communication path; and

a processor resident on the backend computing device and communicatively coupled to the wearable device via the second communication path and communicatively coupled to the wearable device via the first communication path, the processor configured to receive the data indicative of the test input from the first communication path and the second communication path simultaneously, the data indicative of the test input comprising an identifier identifying the first and/or second communication path, the processor further configured for initiating a call over the first and/or second communication path as is identified in the data indicative of the test input to determine if the first and/or second communication path is operating properly thereby creating redundancy for testing communications between the wearable device and the backend computing device via the first communication path and the second communication path, the processor further configured to wait for a signal from the first communication path and the second communication path identified in memory for the user and when the processor does not receive a test signal from the first communication path and/or the second communication path, the processor transmits a notification that one or both of the first and/or second communication paths is inoperable.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station comprises an actuator, and when the actuator is selected, the base station transmits the data indicative of the test input.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the actuator is a test button adapted and arranged for selection by the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to automatically transmit the data indicative of the test input when the base station is provided power.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device comprises an actuator and when the actuator is selected, the wearable device transmits the data indicative of the test input to the base station.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the base station transmits the data indicative of the test input to a backend computing device based upon receipt of the test data from the wearable device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to respond to the call initiated by the processor, the processor further configured to record data indicating status of the base station based upon the response to the call in memory.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is configured to receive an input from a user initiated by the wearable device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the call to the mobile device based upon the data indicative of the test input received from the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile device is configured to respond to the call initiated by the processor, the processor further configured to record data in memory indicating status of the mobile device based upon the response to the call.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the call to the base station has not been received and to isolate a possible cause for failure of the call.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database communicatively coupled to the processor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data indicative of the test input comprises data indicative of a hardware identifier.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the data indicative of the hardware identifier with pre-stored account data comprising data indicative of a plurality of users and determine, based upon the comparison, if the data indicative of the hardware identifier is associated with one of the plurality of users.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein when the hardware identifier is not associated with one of the plurality of users, the processor is further configured to request, via a voice message data identifying a user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a voice response via the call in response to the voice message and store data indicative of the voice response associated with the hardware identifier in memory.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide, via a voice message, one or more test instructions.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the test input comprises data identifying the test signal as initiating a test and the processor is further configured to automatically initiate the call based upon the data indicative of the test input.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to store data indicating results of the test correlated with data identifying the user in a memory.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein when the test is not successful, the processor is further configured to automatically notify personnel of an unsuccessful test.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a voice signal from the call, analyze the integrity of the received voice signal, and determine the efficacy of the one or more communication paths based upon the analysis.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the test input comprises data indicative of a location of the base station.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the data indicative of the location with pre-stored account data comprising data indicative of a plurality of users and determine, based upon the comparison, the user associated with the location.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the test input is a phone call originating from an identifiable phone number.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station plays at least one audible installation instruction for guiding installation of the base station and wearable device.

27. The emergency response system of claim 1, wherein the first communication path comprises at least a mobile device and a cell tower.

28. The emergency response system of claim 1, wherein the second communication path comprises at least a cell tower.

29. An emergency response method, comprising:

receiving a test input from a user via a wearable device, wherein the wearable device is communicatively coupled to a backend computing device via a first communication path;

transmitting, by the wearable device, data indicative of the test input to the backend computing device over the first communication path, the data comprising an communication path identifier;

receiving from the wearable device, by the base station, the data indicative of the test input;

transmitting, by the base station, data indicative of the test input requesting a test be performed on the second communication path to the backend computing device based on the data indicative of the test input and simultaneously with the transmitting by the wearable device;

receiving the data indicative of the test input from the wearable device and the base station, wherein the data indicative of the test input indicates which of the first and/or second communication paths is to be tested; and

initiating a call on the first communication path when the data indicative of the test input is received from the wearable device and initiating a call on the second communication path when the data indicative of the test input is received from the base station thereby testing the first and second communication paths simultaneously;

waiting for a signal from the first communication path and the second communication path identified in memory for the user;

when the processor does not receive a test signal from the first communication path and/or the second communication path, notifying that one or both of the first and/or second communication paths is inoperable.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the transmitting step further comprises transmitting the data indicative of the test input in response to the user actuating an actuator.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein transmitting step further comprises actuating a test button adapted and arranged for selection by the user.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising automatically transmitting the data indicative of the test input when the base station is provided power.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising transmitting the data indicative of the test input to the base station from the wearable device.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting the data indicative of the test input to a backend computing device based upon receipt of the test data from the wearable device.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

responding to the call initiated; and

recording data indicating status of the base station based upon the response to the call.

36. The method of claim 29, further comprising receiving, by a mobile device, an input from a user via the wearable device.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising initiating the call to the mobile device based upon the data indicative of the test input received from the mobile device.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising responding by the mobile device to the call.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising recording data in memory indicating status of the mobile device based upon the response to the call.

40. The method of claim 29, further comprising determining the call to the base station has not been received and isolating a possible cause for failure of the call.

41. The method of claim 29, wherein the transmitting the data indicative of the test input step further comprises transmitting the data indicative of the test input comprising data indicative of a hardware identifier.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

comparing the data indicative of the hardware identifier with pre-stored account data comprising data indicative of a plurality of users; and

determining, based upon the comparison, if the data indicative of the hardware identifier is associated with one of the plurality of users.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising wherein when the hardware identifier is not associated with one of the plurality of users, requesting, via a voice message, data identifying a user.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising receiving a voice response via the call in response to the voice message and store data indicative of the voice response associated with the hardware identifier in memory.

45. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing, via a voice message, one or more installation instruction via the call.

46. The method of claim 29, wherein the initiating step further comprises when the data indicative of the test input comprises data identifying the test signal as initiating a test, automatically initiating the call based upon the data indicative of the test input.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising storing data indicating results of the test correlated with data identifying the user in a memory.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising when the test is not successful, automatically notifying personnel of an unsuccessful test.

49. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a voice signal from the call;

analyzing the integrity of the received voice signal; and

determining the efficacy of the one or more communication paths based upon the analysis.

50. The method of claim 29, wherein the transmitting a test signal step further requires transmitting the data indicative of the test input comprising data indicative of a location of the base station.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the data indicative of the location with pre-stored account data comprising data indicative of a plurality of users and determine, based upon the comparison, the user associated with the location.

52. The method of claim 29, wherein the transmitting the data indicative of the test input step further comprises wherein the data indicative of the test input is a call originating from an identifiable phone number.

53. The method of claim 29, further comprising wherein the base station plays at least one audible installation instruction for guiding installation of the base station and wearable device.