Emergency communications from a local area network hotspot

• US 9,980,113 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2017
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iridium Satellite Llc (Iridium Communications, Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Iridium Satellite Llc (Iridium Communications, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miner, Joshua, Kaehler, Kristine
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Cong
• Application Number:
  US15/401,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20170127259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041, 4554042, 4555501, 4554122, 4554561, 4554565
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

In one implementation, a request to initiate emergency communications is received at a wireless local area network hotspot. A number of mobile communication devices connected to the wireless local area network hotspot and location information of the wireless local area network hotspot are determined. A distress message is generated that includes the number of mobile communication devices connected to the wireless local area network hotspot and the location information. The distress message is transmitted to a contact address for an emergency contact.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a portable, wireless local area network (“

LAN”

) hotspot that provides a wireless LAN to which communications devices can connect wirelessly and through which communications devices connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN can access another network, a request to initiate emergency communications; and

in response to receiving the request to initiate emergency communications;

determining a number of communications devices currently connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN,

determining a current location of the wireless LAN hotspot,

determining that the wireless LAN hotspot has been loaded with a contact address for an emergency contact,

generating a distress message including the number of communications devices currently connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN and the current location of the wireless LAN hotspot, and

transmitting the distress message to the contact address via the other network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the other network is a satellite communications network such that communications devices connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN can access the satellite communications network through the wireless LAN hotspot; and

transmitting the distress message to the contact address via the other network includes transmitting the distress message to the contact address via the satellite communications network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the distress message to the contact address further comprises interrupting, by the wireless LAN hotspot, communications between one or more communications devices wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN hotspot and one or more other devices conducted through the wireless LAN hotspot and over the other network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless LAN hotspot comprises a physical control for initiating emergency communications; and

receiving the request to initiate emergency communications at the portable wireless LAN hotspot includes receiving the request to initiate emergency communications as a consequence of physical, human interaction with the physical control for initiating emergency communications.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request to initiate emergency communications at the portable wireless LAN hotspot includes receiving the request to initiate emergency communications at the portable wireless LAN hotspot over the wireless LAN from a communications device connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a current location of the wireless LAN hotspot includes:

receiving one or more signals from a global navigation satellite system; and

determining the current location of the wireless LAN hotspot based on the one or more signals received from the global navigation satellite system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a distress message to the contact address via the other network includes transmitting a text message to the contact address via the other network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a distress message to the contact address via the other network includes transmitting a short message service (“

SMS”

) message to the contact address via the other network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a distress message to the contact address via the other network includes transmitting an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) message to the contact address via the other network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a distress message to the contact address via the other network includes transmitting a data message to the contact address via the other network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a distress message to the contact address via the other network includes transmitting a telephone message to the contact address via the other network.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the wireless LAN hotspot, a response from the contact address for the emergency contact via the other network; and

transmitting the response from the contact address for the emergency contact to at least one communications device connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN hotspot.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

receiving the response further comprises receiving a voice call at the wireless LAN hotspot via the other network; and

transmitting the response comprises facilitating a voice call between the contact address for the emergency contact and a communications device wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN hotspot.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

receiving the response further comprises receiving a short message service (“

SMS”

) message at the wireless LAN hotspot via the other network; and

transmitting the response comprises transmitting the SMS message to a communications device wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN hotspot.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in further response to receiving the request to initiate emergency communications, identifying users that are logged in to the communication devices currently connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN, wherein the distress message further includes information indicative of the users that are logged in to the communication devices.

16. A portable, wireless local area network (“

LAN”

) hotspot comprising;

a wireless LAN subsystem configured to provide a wireless LAN to which communications devices can connect wirelessly;

a communications subsystem configured to connect the wireless LAN hotspot to another communications network such that communications devices wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN can access the other network;

one or more processing elements configured to execute instructions received from computer-readable storage; and

computer-readable storage storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to;

load a contact address for an emergency contact into the computer-readable storage;

process a request to initiate emergency communications received by the wireless LAN hotspot; and

as a consequence of having processed the request to initiate emergency communications;

determine a number of communications devices connected to the wireless LAN hotspot and location information of the wireless LAN hotspot,

generate a distress message including the number of communications devices connected to the wireless LAN hotspot and the location information, and

transmit the distress message to the contact address.

17. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 16, wherein:

the communications subsystem configured to connect the wireless LAN hotspot to another communications network such that communications devices wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN can access the other network comprises a satellite communications subsystem configured to connect the wireless LAN hotspot to a satellite communications network over a wireless satellite link such that communications devices wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN can access the satellite communications network; and

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address from the wireless LAN hotspot over the satellite communications network via the satellite link.

18. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 16, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the emergency contact include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to terminate communications between one or more communications devices connected to the wireless LAN hotspot and one or more other devices conducted through the wireless LAN hotspot.

19. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable storage further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to:

process a response received from the contact address for the emergency contact; and

transmit the response to at least one of the communications devices connected to the wireless LAN.

20. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 19, wherein:

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process the response further include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a voice call received at the wireless LAN hotspot; and

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN to transmit the response include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to facilitate a voice call between the contact address for the emergency contact and a communication device connected to the wireless LAN hotspot.

32. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 20, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address via the other network include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit a data message to the contact address via the other network.

21. A portable, wireless local area network (“

LAN”

) hotspot comprising;

a wireless LAN subsystem configured to provide a wireless LAN to which communications devices can connect wirelessly;

a communications subsystem configured to connect the wireless LAN hotspot to another communications network such that communications devices wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN can access the other network;

one or more processing elements configured to execute instructions received from computer-readable storage; and

computer-readable storage storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless local area network hotspot to;

process a request received by the wireless LAN hotspot to initiate emergency communications; and

as a consequence of having processed the request to initiate emergency communications;

determine a number of communications devices currently connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN,

determine a current location of the wireless LAN hotspot,

determine that the wireless LAN hotspot has been loaded with a contact address for an emergency contact,

generate a distress message including the number of communications devices currently connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN and the current location of the wireless LAN hotspot, and

transmit the distress message to the contact address via the other network.

22. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the computer-readable storage further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to:

process a response received by the communications subsystem from the emergency contact;

identify, in response to receiving the response, a particular communications device connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN; and

transmit the response to the particular communications device connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN.

23. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the computer-readable storage further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to:

process a response received by the communications subsystem from the emergency contact;

determine, in response to receiving the response, if any communications devices currently are connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN; and

display a notification of the received response at the wireless LAN hotspot as a consequence of having determined that no communications devices currently are connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN.

24. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein:

the communications subsystem configured to connect the wireless LAN hotspot to another communications network such that communications devices wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN can access the other network comprises a satellite communications subsystem configured to wirelessly connect the wireless LAN hotspot to a satellite communications network over a satellite link; and

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address via the other network include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address via the satellite communications network.

25. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to interrupt communications between one or more communications devices wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN hotspot and one or more other devices conducted through the wireless LAN hotspot and over the other network.

26. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein:

the wireless LAN hotspot comprises a physical control for initiating emergency communications; and

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a request received by the wireless LAN hotspot to initiate emergency communications include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a request to initiate emergency communications triggered as a consequence of physical, human interaction with the physical control for initiating emergency communications.

27. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a request received by the wireless LAN hotspot to initiate emergency communications include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a request to initiate emergency communications received by the wireless LAN hotspot over the wireless LAN from a communications device connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN.

28. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to determine a current location of the wireless LAN hotspot include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to:

process one or more signals received from a global navigation satellite system; and

determine the current location of the wireless LAN hotspot based on processing the one or more signals received from the global navigation satellite system.

29. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address via the other network include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit a text message to the contact address via the other network.

30. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address via the other network include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit a short message service (“

SMS”

) message to the contact address via the other network.

31. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address via the other network include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) message to the contact address via the other network.

33. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the distress message to the contact address via the other network include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit a telephone message to the contact address via the other network.

34. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 21, wherein the computer-readable storage further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to:

process a response from the contact address for the emergency contact received at the wireless LAN hotspot via the other network; and

transmit the response from the contact address for the emergency contact to at least one communications device connected wirelessly to the wireless LAN hotspot.

35. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 34, wherein:

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a response from the contact address for the emergency contact received at the wireless LAN hotspot via the other network include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a voice call from the contact address for the emergency contact received at the wireless LAN hotspot via the other network; and

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the response include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to facilitate a voice call between the contact address for the emergency contact and a communications device wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN hotspot.

36. The portable, wireless LAN hotspot of claim 34, wherein:

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a response from the contact address for the emergency contact received at the wireless LAN hotspot via the other network include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to process a short message service (“

SMS”

) message from the emergency contact received at the wireless LAN hotspot via the other network; and

the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the response include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the wireless LAN hotspot to transmit the SMS message to a communications device wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN hotspot.