Emergency location identification using wireless devices

• US 9,984,556 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2017
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• 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:
  US15/677,867
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913, 34053932, 340552, 340 10001
• 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:

monitoring, by a server, location associated with a first mobile device by;

periodically receiving, by the server, a set of location information from the first mobile device, wherein the set of location information is received, by the first mobile device, from a plurality of beacons within a building; and

periodically determining, by the server, the location associated with the first mobile device based on the set of location information;

receiving, by the server, from a second mobile device, a request to identify one or more mobile devices within the building;

determining whether a current location associated with the first mobile device is within the building, wherein the current location of the first mobile device is associated with a location of the first mobile device at a time period that the server receives the request from the second mobile device; and

upon determining that the current location associated with the first mobile device is within the building, transmitting, by the server, the current location associated with the first mobile device to the second mobile device, whereby a graphical user interface associated with the second mobile device displays the current location associated with the first mobile device.

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

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

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises instructions to reach the current location associated with the first mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the instructions to reach the current location associated with the first mobile device comprises a fastest route to the current location associated with the first mobile device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the instructions to reach the current location associated with the first mobile device comprises a route comprising one or more points of interest within the building.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is transmitted to the second 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 second user operating the second 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 plurality of beacon within a building, wherein each beacon is configured to periodically transmit location information;

a first mobile device configured to receive location information from at least one beacon;

a second mobile device in communication with a server, wherein the server is configured to;

monitor location associated with the first mobile device by;

periodically receiving a set of location information from the first mobile device, wherein the set of location information is received, by the first mobile device, from the plurality of beacons within a building; and

periodically determining the location associated with the first mobile device based on the set of location information;

receive, from the second mobile device, a request to identify one or more mobile devices within the building;

determine whether a current location associated with the first mobile device is within the building, wherein the current location of the first mobile device is associated with a location of the first mobile device at a time period that the server receives the request from the second mobile device;

upon determining that the current location associated with the first mobile device is within the building, generate a graphical user interface configured to display the current location associated with the first mobile device; and

transmit the graphical user interface to the second mobile device.

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

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identification information comprises one or more medical conditions associated with a user operating the first mobile device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises instructions to reach the current location associated with the first mobile device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the instructions to reach the current location associated with the first mobile device comprises a fastest route to the current location associated with the first mobile device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the instructions to reach the current location associated with the first mobile device comprises a route comprising one or more points of interest within the building.

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

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

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

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