Emergency Information Access on Portable Electronic Devices

• US 20090205041A1
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Michalske, Steven Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6775 by providing access to preprogrammed keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Improved techniques for facilitating emergency access to one or more contacts stored on a portable electronic device are disclosed. One or more contacts on the portable electronic device are designated as emergency contacts. While the portable electronic device is password-locked, a request to display the one or more emergency contacts on the password-locked portable electronic device is received. Without requiring a password, the one or more emergency contacts are displayed on the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating access to one or more contacts stored on a portable electronic device, comprising:

(a) designating one or more emergency contacts on the portable electronic device;

(b) activating a password-lock on the portable electronic device;

(c) subsequently receiving a request to display the one or more emergency contacts on the password-locked portable electronic device; and

(d) displaying the one or more emergency contacts on the password-locked portable electronic device even though the portable electronic device is password locked.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said displaying (d) comprises displaying the one or more emergency contacts without requiring entry of a password.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein when the portable electronic device is password locked, the contacts stored on the portable electronic device other than the one or more emergency contacts are not available for being displayed.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said designating (a) comprises prioritizing the one or more emergency contacts into a user-specified order.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a mobile telephone.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said displaying comprises displaying the one or more emergency alerts without requiring entry of a password.

6. A computer-implemented method for displaying limited information on a portable electronic device that is password-locked, comprising:

(a) entering one or more emergency alerts on the portable electronic device;

(b) activating a password-lock on the portable electronic device;

(c) subsequently receiving a request to display the one or more emergency alerts on the password-locked portable electronic device; and

(d) displaying the one or more emergency alerts on the password-locked portable electronic device even though the portable electronic device is password locked.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more emergency alerts is an alert to a medical condition.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the medical condition is an allergy to medication.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the medical condition is a food allergy.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a mobile telephone.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a portable media player.

13. A method for accessing medical information on a password-lockable portable electronic device, comprising:

uploading medical information to the portable electronic device;

activating a password lock on the portable electronic device;

subsequently receiving a request to access the medical information on the password locked portable electronic device;

determining if the request is authorized to access the medical information on the password locked portable electronic device; and

presenting the medical information on the portable electronic device in response to the authorized request if said determining determines that the request to access the medical information is authorized.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said method comprises placing the password locked portable electronic device in a docking station.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the docking station includes authentication information, and

wherein said determining comprises authenticating the request based on at least the authentication information.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a portable media player.

17. A system for accessing emergency information on a password-locked portable electronic device, comprising:

a lock-screen bypass enabled portable electronic device;

an emergency portable electronic device unlocking station, wherein the emergency portable electronic device unlocking station is used to bypass a password-lock on the locked portable electronic device; and

an authentication system connected to the emergency portable electronic device unlocking station, wherein the authentication system prevents unauthorized access to the password-locked portable electronic device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the emergency portable electronic device unlocking station only unlocks predetermined emergency information on the password-locked portable electronic device.

19. A graphical user interface for a portable electronic device having a display, comprising:

a password unlock screen adapted to facilitate entry of a password to unlock a software lock imposed on the portable electronic device, said password unlock screen further comprises an emergency user interface control; and

an emergency information screen that can be presented on the display of the portable electronic device in response to a user selection of the emergency user interface control,

wherein said emergency information screen can be presented on the display even though the software lock is still imposed on the portable electronic device.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 19, wherein said emergency information screen comprises contains information regarding one or more medical conditions of the user of the portable electronic device.

21. The graphical user interface of claim 19, wherein said emergency information screen comprises contains one or more emergency contacts for the user of the portable electronic device.