System and method for emergency calls initiated by voice command

• US 9,300,784 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, David L., Saddler, Harry J., Roberts, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai M
• Application Number:
  US14/304,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20140370841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/414.3, 455/435.1, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/279 Recognition of textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• 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 method of operating a digital assistant to provide emergency call functionality is provided. In some embodiments, the method is performed at a device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a speech input from a user, determining whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call, and determining a local emergency dispatcher telephone number based on a geographic location of the device. The method also includes, in response to determining or obtaining a determination that the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call, calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality.

Claims

1. A method of operating a digital assistant to provide emergency call functionality, comprising:

at a device having memory and one or more processors;

while one or more functionalities of the digital assistant other than emergency call functionality are accessible via speech input on the device, receiving a speech input from a user;

determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call;

determining or obtaining a determination of a local emergency dispatcher telephone number based on a geographic location of the device; and

in response to determining or obtaining a determination that the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call, calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device has an active data connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device does not have an active connection to a subscribed telephone service, but does have access to a baseband telephone service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device does not have an operating SIM card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device does not have a SIM card that is compatible with any telephony service available at the device'"'"'s current location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to determining or obtaining a determination of the local emergency dispatcher telephone number, ascertaining the geographic location of the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency dispatcher telephone number is one of a plurality of emergency dispatcher telephone numbers stored on the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call comprises determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input unambiguously expresses a user request for making an emergency call;

in response to a determination that the speech input unambiguously expresses a user request for an emergency call, without further user input, calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality; and

in response to a determination that the speech input does not unambiguously express a user request for an emergency call, prior to calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality, providing the user with a notification and an affordance for confirming the user'"'"'s request for making an emergency call.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call comprises determining or obtaining a determination that the speech input is a user request for calling a first emergency number;

wherein determining or obtaining a determination of a local emergency dispatcher telephone number based on a geographic location of the device comprises determining or obtaining a determination of a second emergency number; and

wherein, when the first emergency number is distinct from the second emergency number, calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality comprises calling the second emergency number.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number, providing a notification to the user that the device will promptly call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number; and

while providing the notification, providing an affordance for the user to cancel the request for making an emergency call.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a limited natural language processing module within the digital assistant, wherein the limited natural language processing module differs from a primary natural language processing module used by the digital assistant during normal operation, and wherein the limited natural language processing module is tailored to recognize speech inputs for invoking the emergency call functionality.

12. A device, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions to;

while one or more functionalities of a digital assistant other than emergency call functionality are accessible via speech input on the device, receive a speech input from a user;

determine or obtain a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call;

determine or obtain a determination of a local emergency dispatcher telephone number based on a geographic location of the device; and

in response to determining or obtaining a determination that the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call, call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the device has an active data connection.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the device does not have an active connection to a subscribed telephone service, but does have access to a baseband telephone service.

15. The device of claim 12, the one or more programs further comprising instructions to, prior to determining or obtaining a determination of the local emergency dispatcher telephone number, ascertain the geographic location of the device.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the emergency dispatcher telephone number is one of a plurality of emergency dispatcher telephone numbers stored on the device.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call comprises determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input unambiguously expresses a user request for making an emergency call;

and

wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to;

in response to a determination that the speech input unambiguously expresses a user request for an emergency call, without further user input, call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality; and

in response to a determination that the speech input does not unambiguously express a user request for an emergency call, prior to calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality, provide the user with a notification and an affordance for confirming the user'"'"'s request for making an emergency call.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call comprises determining or obtaining a determination that the speech input is a user request for calling a first emergency number;

wherein determining or obtaining a determination of a local emergency dispatcher telephone number based on a geographic location of the device comprises determining or obtaining a determination of a second emergency number; and

wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to, when the first emergency number is distinct from the second emergency number, call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality comprises calling the second emergency number.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:

prior to calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number, provide a notification to the user that the device will promptly call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number; and

while providing the notification, provide an affordance for the user to cancel the request for making an emergency call.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to provide a limited natural language processing module within the digital assistant, wherein the limited natural language processing module differs from a primary natural language processing module used by the digital assistant during normal operation, and wherein the limited natural language processing module is tailored to recognize speech inputs for invoking the emergency call functionality.

21. The device of claim 12, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:

determine whether the device is currently authorized to make non-emergency telephone calls using a cellular service available at the current geographic location of the device; and

in response to determining that the device is not currently authorized to make non-emergency telephone calls using a cellular service available at the current geographic location of the device, invoke the limited natural language processing module to process the speech input.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device, cause the device to:

while one or more functionalities of a digital assistant other than emergency call functionality are accessible via speech input on the device, receive a speech input from a user;

determine or obtain a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call;

determine or obtain a determination of a local emergency dispatcher telephone number based on a geographic location of the device; and

in response to determining or obtaining a determination that the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call, call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions to determine or obtain a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call include instructions to obtain, from a remote server, via an active data connection, a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the one or more programs include instructions to call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using a baseband telephone service when the device does not have an active connection to a subscribed telephone service.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, the one or more programs further comprising instructions to, prior to determining or obtaining a determination of the local emergency dispatcher telephone number, ascertain the geographic location of the device.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the emergency dispatcher telephone number is one of a plurality of emergency dispatcher telephone numbers stored on the device.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call comprises determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input unambiguously expresses a user request for making an emergency call;

and

wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to;

in response to a determination that the speech input unambiguously expresses a user request for an emergency call, without further user input, call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality; and

in response to a determination that the speech input does not unambiguously express a user request for an emergency call, prior to calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality, provide the user with a notification and an affordance for confirming the user'"'"'s request for making an emergency call.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein determining or obtaining a determination of whether the speech input expresses a user request for making an emergency call comprises determining or obtaining a determination that the speech input is a user request for calling a first emergency number;

wherein determining or obtaining a determination of a local emergency dispatcher telephone number based on a geographic location of the device comprises determining or obtaining a determination of a second emergency number; and

wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to, when the first emergency number is distinct from the second emergency number, call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number using the emergency call functionality comprises calling the second emergency number.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:

prior to calling the local emergency dispatcher telephone number, provide a notification to the user that the device will promptly call the local emergency dispatcher telephone number; and

while providing the notification, provide an affordance for the user to cancel the request for making an emergency call.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to provide a limited natural language processing module within the digital assistant, wherein the limited natural language processing module differs from a primary natural language processing module used by the digital assistant during normal operation, and wherein the limited natural language processing module is tailored to recognize speech inputs for invoking the emergency call functionality.