Emergency location identification using wireless devices

• US 9,741,237 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
• Inventors: Knas, Michal, John, Jiby
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US15/372,080
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913, 34053922, 34053932, 340552
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/20 Destination assistance within a business structure or complex
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/205 Building evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include an efficient and accurate method for presenting victim locations to emergency responders. The method disclosed can be used to track individuals still remaining in a building in case of an emergency. The method comprises determining a location for an individual by receiving a device identifier (e.g., combination of numbers and/or characters uniquely identifying a receiving device associated with the individual) and location information, received from one or more beacons, from the receiving device. The method comprises determining a first location associated with the receiving device based on the location information and/or the device identifier. The method comprises determining different locations associated with the individual as the individual moves and determining whether the individual is still within the building. The method comprises, displaying location information and instructions to reach the individual in case of an emergency.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a device identifier and a first location information from a receiving device, the first location information being associated with a location of the receiving device received from a plurality of beacons within a building, wherein the device identifier comprises a combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the receiving device;

determining, by the server, a first location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the first location information and the device identifier;

receiving, by a server, a second location information from the receiving device;

determining, by the server, a second location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the second location information and the device identifier;

determining, by the server, whether the second location is within the building;

upon determining that the second location is within the building, assigning, by the server, a value to the receiving device representing the receiving device as present within the building;

receiving, by the server, from a responder mobile device, a request for one or more receiving devices within the building;

upon the value associated with the receiving device representing the receiving device as present within the building, generating, by the server, a graphical user interface configured to display the second location associated with the receiving device; and

transmitting, by the server, the graphical user interface to the responder mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises identification information associated with a user operating the receiving device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identification information comprises one or more medical conditions associated with a user operating the receiving device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises instructions to reach the second locations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the instructions to reach the second location comprises a fastest route to the second location.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the instructions to reach the second location comprises a route comprising one or more points of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is transmitted to the responder mobile device through an encrypted transmission method.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a request for identification confirmation by a responder operating the responder mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification confirmation is in form of a password.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification confirmation is in form of biometric data.

11. A computer system comprising:

a receiving device;

a plurality of beacons;

a responder mobile device; and

a server configured to;

receive a device identifier and a first location information from the receiving device, the first location information being associated with a location of the receiving device received from the plurality of beacons within a building, wherein the device identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the receiving device;

determine a first location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the first location information and the device identifier;

receive a second location information from the receiving device;

determine a second location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the second location information and the device identifier;

determine whether the second location is within the building;

upon determining that the second location is within the building, assign a value to the receiving device representing the receiving device as present within the building;

receive from a responder mobile device, a request for one or more receiving devices within the building;

upon the value associated with the receiving device representing the receiving device as present within the building, generate a graphical user interface configured to display the second location associated with the receiving device; and

transmit the graphical user interface to the responder mobile device.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises identification information associated with a user operating the receiving device.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the identification information comprises one or more medical conditions associated with a user operating the receiving device.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises instructions to reach the second locations.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the instructions to reach the second location comprises a fastest route to the second location.

16. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the instructions to reach the second location comprises a route comprising one or more points of interest.

17. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface is transmitted to the responder mobile device through an encrypted transmission method.

18. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a request for identification confirmation by a responder operating the responder mobile device.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the identification confirmation is in form of a password.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the identification confirmation is in form of biometric data.