Systems and methods for emergency communications

• US 9,924,043 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2017
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rapidsos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rapidsos, Inc.
• Inventors: Mehta, Anil, Martin, Michael John, Horelik, Nicholas Edward, Ekl, Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US15/497,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20170310827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 379 37, 379 39, 379 40, 379 41, 379 42, 379 45, 379 46, 379 47, 379 49, 379 51, 4554041, 455450, 455464, 455509
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Described herein are methods, devices, media, and systems for managing emergency communications and providing seamless data extraction from a communication device by an emergency service.

Claims

1. A method of detecting an emergency communication session with a public safety answering point and providing digital information informative of an emergency situation to the public safety answering point by a mobile wireless device, the method comprising:

a) autonomously detecting, by the mobile wireless device, the emergency communication session with the public safety answering point;

b) autonomously obtaining, by the mobile wireless device, the digital information informative of the emergency situation, the digital information comprising a location for the mobile wireless device, wherein the location is determined on the mobile wireless device using a combination of location determination methods to enhance location accuracy;

c) autonomously transmitting, by the mobile wireless device, the digital information to an emergency management system through an alternate data channel during the emergency communication session, wherein the emergency management system associates the digital information with the mobile wireless device and provides the digital information to the public safety answering point through a secured channel upon receiving an authenticated data request for the mobile wireless device from the public safety answering point; and

d) autonomously transmitting, by the mobile wireless device, updated digital information comprising an updated location to the emergency management system during a duration of the emergency communication session, wherein transmission of the updated digital information occurs more frequently for dynamic data than for static data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency communication session is an emergency call initiated through a native dialer of the mobile wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the emergency call initiated through the native dialer is performed by calling an emergency contact.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency communication session is initiated by a one touch calling option selected by a user of the mobile wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information is obtained and transmitted in response to a push notification from the emergency management system to the mobile wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency communication session is detected through an SMS message from the emergency management system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile wireless device is assigned a token pre-authenticating data requests tagged to the token, wherein the mobile wireless device transmits the digital information in response to a data request tagged to the token.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile wireless device obtains the digital information from at least one of a sensor on the mobile wireless device, a sensor in proximity to the mobile wireless device, a sensor associated with a communication device in proximity to the mobile wireless device, a sensor in a network with the mobile wireless device, and a sensor associated with a communication device in a network with the mobile wireless device.

9. A mobile wireless device comprising at least one processor, a memory, a network component, and a computer program including instructions executable by the at least one processor to create an emergency application comprising:

a) a communication detection module autonomously detecting an emergency communication session with a public safety answering point;

b) a data intake module autonomously obtaining digital information about an emergency situation associated with the emergency communication session, the digital information comprising a location for the mobile wireless device, wherein the location is determined on the mobile wireless device using a combination of location determination methods to enhance location accuracy;

c) a data sharing module autonomously transmitting the digital information to an emergency management system through an alternate data channel during the emergency communication session, wherein the emergency management system associates the digital information with the mobile wireless device and provides the digital information to the public safety answering point through a secured channel upon receiving an authenticated data request for the mobile wireless device from the public safety answering point; and

d) a data update module autonomously transmitting updated digital information comprising an updated location to the emergency management system during a duration of the emergency communication session, wherein transmission of the updated digital information occurs more frequently for dynamic data than for static data.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the emergency communication session is an emergency call initiated through a native dialer of the mobile wireless device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the emergency call initiated through the native dialer is performed by calling an emergency contact.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the digital information is obtained and transmitted in response to a push notification from the emergency management system to the mobile wireless device.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the emergency communication session is detected through an SMS message from the emergency management system.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the mobile wireless device transmits the digital information to the emergency management system periodically for a length of time.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the mobile wireless device is assigned a token pre-authenticating data requests tagged to the token, wherein the mobile wireless device transmits the digital information in response to a data request tagged to the token.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the mobile wireless device obtains the digital information from at least one of a sensor on the mobile wireless device, a sensor in proximity to the mobile wireless device, a sensor associated with a communication device in proximity to the mobile wireless device, a sensor in a network with the mobile wireless device, and a sensor associated with a communication device in a network with the mobile wireless device.

17. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media encoded with a computer program including instructions executable by a processor to create an emergency application for a mobile wireless device, the application comprising:

a) a communication detection module autonomously detecting an emergency communication session with a public safety answering point;

b) a data intake module autonomously obtaining digital information about an emergency situation associated with the emergency communication session, the digital information comprising a location for the mobile wireless device, wherein the location is determined on the mobile wireless device using a combination of location determination methods to enhance location accuracy;

c) a data sharing module autonomously transmitting the digital information to an emergency management system through an alternate data channel during the emergency communication session, wherein the emergency management system associates the digital information with the mobile wireless device and provides the digital information to the public safety answering point through a secured channel upon receiving an authenticated data request for the mobile wireless device from the public safety answering point; and

d) a data update module autonomously transmitting updated digital information comprising an updated location to the emergency management system during a duration of the emergency communication session, wherein transmission of the updated digital information occurs more frequently for dynamic data than for static data.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the emergency communication session is an emergency call initiated through a native dialer of the mobile wireless device.

19. The media of claim 18, wherein the emergency call initiated through the native dialer is performed by calling an emergency contact.

20. The media of claim 17, wherein the digital information is obtained and transmitted in response to a push notification from the emergency management system to the mobile wireless device.

21. The media of claim 17, wherein the emergency communication session is detected through an SMS message from the emergency management system.

22. The media of claim 17, wherein the digital information is transmitted to the emergency management system periodically for a length of time.

23. The media of claim 17, wherein the mobile wireless device is assigned a token pre-authenticating data requests tagged to the token, wherein the mobile wireless device transmits the digital information in response to a data request tagged to the token.

24. The media of claim 17, wherein the mobile wireless device obtains the digital information from at least one of a sensor on the mobile wireless device, a sensor in proximity to the mobile wireless device, a sensor associated with a communication device in proximity to the mobile wireless device, a sensor in a network with the mobile wireless device, and a sensor associated with a communication device in a network with the mobile wireless device.