System and method to facilitate assistance in distress situations

• US 9,736,630 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rudolf C. King
• Original Assignee: Rudolf C. King
• Inventors: King, Rudolf C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US14/784,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20160037292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 4554042, 370338
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0415 detecting absence of activity per se
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• 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: 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]

Abstract

A system may comprise a processor-based portable device having a communication unit and a position determining unit and a life circle database. One or more life circle records are defined in the life circle database. Each life circle record is associated with a position/location and comprises contact information and/or instructions to be applied for contacting at least one responder and/or for performing one or more predefined operations in case of a distress situation of a bearer of the processor-based portable device. A life circle record to be used at a distress situation is selected on the basis of a current position of the processor-based portable device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor-based portable device having at least a communication unit and a position determining unit and a life circle database, in which one or more life circle records are defined, wherein each life circle record is associated with a position/location and comprises contact information and/or instructions to be applied for contacting at least one responder and/or for performing one or more predefined operations in case of a distress situation of a bearer of the processor-based portable device, wherein a life circle record to be used at a distress situation is selected on the basis of a current position of the processor-based portable device, wherein the system is configured to match life circle records of different bearers with the bearer of the processor-based portable device on the basis of the positions/locations associated therewith, and wherein the system is further configured to extract information and/or instructions from at least partially matching life circle records to be provided supplementary to a life circle record of the bearer of the processor-based portable device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor-based portable device is adapted to sense wireless emission signals, wherein the system is configured to select the life circle record for a current position of the processor-based portable device on the basis of wireless emission signals sensed by matching the sensed wireless emission signals with predetermined patterns of wireless emission signals associated with each life circle record.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the life circle database is comprised in the processor-based portable device or accessible through a networked service provider, wherein the service provider is part of the system.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to update a pattern of wireless emission signals associated with a life circle record.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to match the sensed wireless emission signals and the patterns associated with life circle records on the basis of a heuristic algorithm.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor based portable device comprises a physiological data sensor for sensing physiological data of the bearer of the processor-based portable device, an environmental data sensing unit for sensing environmental data of the environment, in which the bearer of the processor-based portable device is currently located, and/or a signalling unit for generating attention gaining signals, wherein the sensed physiological data and/or the sensed environmental data is compared to one or more predefined values for enabling an automatic detection of a distress situation.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor-based portable device is configured to contact a phone server, which is capable to establish communication with several responders at the same time.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to send at least one broadcast message including at least position/location information to other processor-based portable devices and/or mobile communication enabled devices for requesting aid by one or more person in the vicinity of the processor-based portable device, and/or wherein the number of broadcast messages including the kind of information depend on the position/location information and/or on a type of distress situation.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to send a broadcast message including position/location information and identification information to other processor-based portable devices and/or mobile communication enabled devices for requesting aid by one or more person in the vicinity of the processor-based portable device, and/or wherein the processor-based portable device installed in an automobile is configured to send a broadcast message including position/location information and identification information to other processor-based portable devices and/or mobile communication enabled devices for requesting aid by one or more person in the vicinity of the processor-based portable device.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor-based portable device is provided with at least one sensor and wherein the processor-based portable device is configured to automatically determine a distress situation on the basis of one or more signals from said at least one sensor and to automatically send a distress signal or to automatically set up a connection to an operator or to one or more predefined responders.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor-based portable device is provided with a remotely controllable signalling device that can remotely be activated by said responder.

12. A method comprising:

providing a life circle database comprising life circle records, wherein each life circle record is associated with a position/location and comprises contact information and/or instructions;

selecting a life circle record out of the life circle records provided by the life circle database on the basis of a current position of a processor-based portable device;

applying the contact information from the selected life circle record for contacting at least one responder and/or performing one or more predefined operations from the selected life circle record in case of a distress situation of a bearer of the processor-based portable device;

matching life circle records of different bearers to the bearer of the processor-based portable device on the basis of the positions/locations associated therewith; and

extracting information and/or instructions from at least partially matching life circle records to be provided supplementary to a life circle record of the bearer of the processor-based portable device.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising

sensing wireless emission signals;

and

selecting the life circle record for a current position of the processor-based portable device on the basis of wireless emission signals sensed by matching the sensed wireless emission signals with predetermined patterns of wireless emission signals associated with each life circle record.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising updating a pattern of wireless emission signals associated with a life circle record.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising matching sensed wireless emission signals and the patterns associated with life circle records on the basis of a heuristic algorithm.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising

sensing physiological data of the bearer of the processor-based portable device;

sensing environmental data of the environment, in which the bearer of the processor-based portable device is currently located; and

/or

generating one or more attention gaining signals,

wherein the sensed physiological data and/or the sensed environmental data is compared to one or more predefined values for enabling an automatic detection of a distress situation.

17. The method according to claim 12, comprising

contacting a phone server for establishing communication with several responders at the same time.

18. The method according to claim 12, comprising

sending at least one broadcast message including position/location information to at least one other processor-based portable devices and/or mobile communication enabled devices for requesting aid by one or more persons in the vicinity of the processor-based portable device and/or wherein the number of broadcast messages and the kind of information included depend on the position/location information and/or on a type of distress situation.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the system is configured to store identification information and to send at least one broadcast message including position/location information and identification information to other processor-based portable devices and/or mobile communication enabled devices for requesting aid by one or more person in the vicinity of the processor-based portable device, and/or wherein the processor-based portable device installed in an automobile is configured to send a broadcast message including position/location information and identification information to other processor-based portable devices and/or mobile communication enabled devices for requesting aid by one or more person in the vicinity of the processor-based portable device.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the processor-based portable device is provided with at least one sensor, and wherein the method further comprises automatically determining a distress situation on the basis of one or more signals from said at least one sensor and automatically sending a distress signal or automatically setting up a connection to an operator or to one or more predefined responders.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein the processor-based portable device is provided with a remotely controllable signalling device that can be activated by the responder, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a signal from a responder and activating said signalling device.