Emergency response system with personal emergency device

• US 7,251,470 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Faucher, John, Vikram, Mandyam
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US10/607,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20040266390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.07, 340/534.11, 340/539.1, 340/539.12, 340/539.14, 340/572.1, 340/573.1, 455/41.2, 455/90.1, 455/40.1, 4554041-4042
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• 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

An emergency request system includes a portable emergency device designed to be carried on the person of a user, the emergency device containing stored data useful in the event of an emergency, such as data on medical problems of the user, contact information of a person able to supply information when the user is incapacitated and location information as to the present location of the user. The emergency request system includes a cellular phone that supports Bluetooth and software that interacts with the portable emergency device and the 911 emergency system.

Claims

1. A system for contacting help comprising:

an emergency device carried on the person of a user, said emergency device having a wireless sending unit activated by an activation unit, wherein the emergency device is formed so as to prevent accidental activation;

a mobile telephone having a wireless receiving unit adapted to receive signals from said wireless sending unit, said mobile telephone being adapted for communicating with a telephone network to call an emergency number;

in which said emergency device sends a signal to said mobile telephone in response to the activation of said wireless sending unit; and

said mobile telephone calls said emergency number in response to said signal, wherein if the emergency device does not receive a response from the mobile telephone, the emergency device then automatically signals other telephones with a distinctive signal pattern.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which:

said signal includes data selected from the group comprising medical information, location and contact information.

3. A system according to claim 2, in which:

said emergency device includes stored data on the user'"'"'s prior medical conditions and any allergies to medication.

4. A system according to claim 1, in which:

said emergency device includes stored data on the user'"'"'s prior medical conditions and any allergies to medication.

5. A system according to claim 4, in which:

the mobile telephone sends a signal to a telephone network activating a response from the telephone network.

6. A system according to claim 5, in which:

the response from the telephone network comprises at least receiving said stored data and transmitting the stored data to the emergency number.

7. A system according to claim 6, in which:

the response from the telephone network includes estimating the location of the user by analyzing signals from the mobile telephone.

8. A system according to claim 5, in which:

the response from the telephone network includes estimating the location of the user by analyzing signals from the mobile telephone.

9. A system according to claim 1, in which:

said mobile telephone includes means for estimating the location of the user.

10. A system according to claim 9, in which:

the means for estimating the location of the user comprises a GPS receiver.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency device comprises a button and a cylinder where the button is surrounded by the cylinder which extends higher than the button to reduce the change of accidentally pressing the button.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency device is in the form of a bracelet.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency device is a personal medical emergency device worn by a person.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein any telephone within range that receives the distinctive signal pattern calls the emergency number and relays emergency data of the emergency device.

15. An apparatus for contacting help comprising:

an emergency device carried on the person of a user, said emergency device having a wireless sending unit activated by an activation unit; and

a mobile telephone having a wireless receiving unit adapted to receive signals from said wireless sending unit, said mobile telephone being adapted for communicating with a telephone network to call an emergency number;

in which said emergency device sends a signal to said mobile telephone in response to the activation of said wireless sending unit; and

said mobile telephone calls said emergency number in response to said signal, if an operator at the emergency number answers by voice and then does not receive a voice response in reply, the signal from the medical devices is interpreted as a medical emergency, wherein if the emergency device does not receive a response from the mobile telephone, the emergency device then automatically signals other telephones with a distinctive signal pattern.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, in which:

said signal includes data selected from the group comprising medical information, location and contact information.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, in which:

said emergency device includes stored data on the user'"'"'s prior medical conditions and any allergies to medication.

18. An apparatus according to claim 15, in which:

said emergency device includes stored data on the user'"'"'s prior medical conditions and any allergies to medication.

19. An apparatus according to claim 15, in which:

said mobile telephone includes means for estimating the location of the user.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, in which:

the means for estimating the location of the user comprises a GPS receiver.

21. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computing device in a mobile telephone handset, the medium embodying instructions executable by the computing device for performing method steps comprising:

receiving signals from a wireless sending unit carried on the person of a user, said mobile telephone being adapted for communicating with a telephone network to call an emergency number;

in which an emergency device sends a signal to said mobile telephone in response to the activation of said wireless sending unit; and

said mobile telephone calls said emergency number in response to said signal, wherein the wireless sending unit is capable of turning on the mobile telephone, wherein if the emergency device does not receive a response from the mobile telephone, the emergency device then automatically signals other telephones with a distinctive signal pattern.

22. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computing device in a mobile telephone handset according to claim 21, in which:

said signal includes data selected from the group comprising medical information, location and contact information.

23. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computing device in a mobile telephone handset according to claim 22, in which:

said emergency device includes stored data on the user'"'"'s prior medical conditions and any allergies to medication.

24. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computing device in a mobile telephone handset according to claim 21, in which:

said emergency device includes stored data on the users prior medical conditions and any allergies to medication.

25. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computing device in a mobile telephone handset according to claim 21, in which:

said mobile telephone includes means for estimating the location of the user.

26. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computing device in a mobile telephone handset according to claim 25, in which:

the means for estimating the location of the user comprises a GPS receiver.