Location based information for emergency services systems and methods

• US 20070055684A1
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stevens, Gilman
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Systems, methods, and software for identifying location based rules related to a network connected device are described. A network connected device may transmit a set of data identifying the location of the device and an identifier unique to the device to a server. The server may also receive an action request, wherein the action request is associated with the identifier. The server may select a rule in a database to address the action request, the rule applicable to the identifier and location of the device. Various embodiments related to financial card transactions, access to financial information, emergency services contact, and electronic message filtering are also addressed.

Claims

1. A system for contacting emergency services, the system comprising:

a network connected device, wherein the device is configured to;

receive a set of data identifying the location of the device; and

transmit a communications signal which includes information comprising;

the set of data;

an identifier unique to the device; and

a request to contact emergency services; and

a database which comprises a table of identifiers, wherein,

each identifier in the table is unique to one of a plurality of network connected devices;

each identifier in the table is associated with different user information stored in the database; and

the table of identifiers includes the identifier unique to the device;

a location comparison server, in communication with the device and the database, wherein the server is configured to;

receive the communications signal;

identify a subset of the user information associated with the identifier unique to the device, wherein the subset is applicable to the location of the device; and

transmit the request, the location of the device, and the subset to an emergency services provider determined by the location of the device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network connected device comprises a mobile communications device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of data is received by hardware configured to receive the set of data, the hardware coupled with the device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the hardware is removable from the device, and may be coupled with another network connected device without reconfiguration of the hardware.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the hardware configured to receive the set of data comprises a GPS receiver.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifier unique to the device is selected from the group consisting of:

a MAC address, an IP address, a telephone number, and any combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of data is stored in the database.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the different user information is selected from the group consisting of:

a home floor plan, work floor plan, a floor plan associated with the location of the device, a listing of persons living in the home, a listing of persons employed at work, a map of a geographic region for a work location, a map of a geographic region around a home location, a map of a geographic region around the location of the device, a listing of medical conditions, a listing of emergency contacts, and any combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user information may be modified by a user associated with the user information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a part of the user information is associated with a limited geographic region, and the location of the device is compared to the limited geographic region to determine whether the part comprises a subset applicable to the location of the device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the network connected device is communicatively coupled with a screen;

the screen contains a graphical representation of a button or other icon which initiates a request to contact emergency services.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein use of the button or other icon requires a confirmatory response from a user before the request, the location of the device, and the subset is transmitted.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the network connected device is coupled with a button or other touchpad;

the button or other touchpad initiates a request to contact emergency services.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the location comparison server is further configured to establish a two-way communications link between the emergency services provider and the device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the communications link comprises a telephone call.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the communications link comprises electronic text messaging.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein after the server transmits the request, the location of the device, and the subset, the server continues to receive updated sets of data identifying the location of the device.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographic region representing the area in which a given emergency services provider will be contacted is variable with time.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the geographic region varies depending on the response time for the given provider of emergency services.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications signal comprises one or more signals, the signals each transmitted at different times.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point).

22. A method of contacting emergency services, the method comprising:

maintaining a database which comprises a table of identifiers, wherein,

each identifier in the table is unique to one of a plurality of network connected devices; and

each of the plurality of network connected devices is associated with different user information stored in the database; and

receiving a communications signal from one device of the plurality of network connected devices, the signal including information comprising;

a request to contact emergency services, a set of data identifying the location of the one device, and an identifier unique to the one device;

identifying a subset of the user information associated with the identifier unique to the one device, wherein the subset is applicable to the location of the device; and

transmitting the request, the location of the device, and the subset to an emergency services provider determined by the location of the device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

establishing a two-way communication connection between the emergency services provider and the device.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

transmitting information related to the request to contact emergency services to a hospital.

25. A computer program embodied on at least one computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by a computer to:

maintain a database which comprises a table of identifiers, wherein,

each identifier in the table is unique to one of a plurality of network connected devices; and

each of the plurality of network connected devices is associated with different user information stored in the database; and

receive a communications signal from one device of the plurality of network connected devices, the signal including information comprising;

a request to contact emergency services, a set of data identifying the location of the one device, and an identifier unique to the one device;

identify a subset of the user information associated with the identifier unique to the one device, wherein the subset is applicable to the location of the device; and

transmit the request, the location of the device, and the subset to an emergency services provider determined by the location of the device.