METHOD OF PROVIDING LOCATION INFORMATION IN AN EMERGENCY

• US 20100190468A1
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Vymenets, Leonid, Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Bos, Jeffrey Charles, Friedberg, Earl
• Granted Patent: US 8,649,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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

A password-protected wireless communications device can send a map or other location information about the current location of the device to the one or more emergency contacts by utilizing an emergency interface element that bypasses a password prompt. The location information may include an address and route directions to the current location of the device. The location information may also include a map of, and directions to, the closest hospital. The device can also render its own map to show a first responder where the closest emergency contact is located or where the nearest hospital or medical service provider is situated.

Claims

1. A method of using a wireless communications device to provide location information in an emergency, the method comprising:

determining a current location of the wireless communications device; and

displaying a user interface element which when selected causes the wireless communications device to provide location information about the current location of the wireless communications device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising displaying emergency contact information for one or more emergency contacts.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user interface element causes the device to send the location information about the current location of the wireless communications device to one or more emergency contacts displayed by the device to thereby apprise the one or more emergency contacts of the location of the emergency.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user interface element causes the device to display the location information on a display of the device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

periodically updating the location information; and

automatically sending the updated location information to one or more emergency contacts.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

estimating a travel time between the current location of the device and the location of each of a plurality of emergency contacts; and

prioritizing the plurality of emergency contacts based on travel time to the current location of the device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the location information is presented as a map showing the current location of the device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the location information is presented as a map showing the current location of the device and the location of the hospital closest to the current location of the device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the location information further comprises route directions to the current location of the device.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the location information further comprises route directions to the current location of the device and to the hospital closest to the current location of the device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising providing a user interface element which when selected causes the device to obtain map data and render a map of the current location of the device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising displaying the nearest hospital on the map.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising displaying the nearest emergency contact on the map.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising displaying all emergency contacts on the map.

15. A computer readable medium comprising code which when loaded into memory and executed on a processor of a wireless communications device is adapted to cause the device to perform acts of:

determining a current location of the wireless communications device; and

displaying a user interface element which when selected causes the wireless communications device to send location information about the current location of the wireless communications device to one or more emergency contacts displayed by the device to thereby apprise the one or more emergency contacts of the location of the emergency.

16. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 15 further comprising code for displaying emergency contact information for one or more emergency contacts.

17. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 16 wherein the code is further adapted to cause the device to send a map to the one or more emergency contacts, the map showing the current location of the device, the map having a user interface element superimposed over the map for requesting route directions to the current location of the device.

18. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 16 wherein the code is further adapted to cause the device to render a map showing the location of each of the one or more emergency contacts and of a hospital that is closest to the current location of the device.

19. A wireless communications device comprising:

a processor operatively coupled to a memory for receiving and storing emergency contact information for one or more emergency contacts;

a location-determining subsystem for determining a current location of the device; and

a display operatively coupled to the memory and processor for displaying a user interface element which when selected causes the wireless communications device to send location information about the current location of the wireless communications device to the one or more emergency contacts displayed by the device to thereby apprise the one or more emergency contacts of the location of the emergency.

20. The device as claimed in claim 19 further comprising a user interface element for generating a map of the current location.

21. The device as claimed in claim 19 further comprising a user interface element for generating a map of a location of each of one or more emergency contacts.

22. The device as claimed in claim 19 further comprising a user interface element for generating a map of a location of a hospital closest to the current location of the device.

23. The device as claimed in claim 19 wherein the location information sent by the device comprises a map showing the current location of the device and a user interface element for obtaining route directions to the current location of the device.

24. The device as claimed in claim 19 wherein the location information sent by the device comprises a map showing the current location of a hospital closest to the current location and a user interface element for obtaining route directions to the hospital.

25. The device as claimed in claim 19 wherein the display is displays emergency contact information for one or more emergency contacts.