U.S. patent application number 14/056242 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-01 for wireless device emergency services connection and panic button, with crime and safety information system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Daniel Lee Ferguson, Tony Charles Lonstein. Invention is credited to Daniel Lee Ferguson, Tony Charles Lonstein.
Application Number | 20140120863 14/056242 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46634703 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140120863 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ferguson; Daniel Lee ; et
al. |
May 1, 2014 |
WIRELESS DEVICE EMERGENCY SERVICES CONNECTION AND PANIC BUTTON,
WITH CRIME AND SAFETY INFORMATION SYSTEM
Abstract
A system and method for providing a conduit to send information
to emergency services from a wireless device. Systems and methods
for registering an alarm button on a wireless device and sending to
public and/or private emergency services providers information
related to the wireless device including its location, information
about a wireless device end user and/or subscriber associated with
the wireless device, and information recorded by one or more
wireless devices during and subsequent to the time the alarm button
is activated.
Inventors: |
Ferguson; Daniel Lee; (Van
Nuys, CA) ; Lonstein; Tony Charles; (Encino,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ferguson; Daniel Lee
Lonstein; Tony Charles |
Van Nuys
Encino |
CA
CA |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
46634703 |
Appl. No.: |
14/056242 |
Filed: |
October 17, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12945827 |
Nov 12, 2010 |
8588733 |
|
|
14056242 |
|
|
|
|
61260305 |
Nov 11, 2009 |
|
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|
61349581 |
May 28, 2010 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/404.2 ;
455/404.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 76/50 20180201;
H04M 1/72541 20130101; H04W 4/90 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/404.2 ;
455/404.1 |
International
Class: |
H04W 4/22 20060101
H04W004/22 |
Claims
1. A method of registering and distributing an alarm, comprising:
registering that an alarm button has been pressed from a mobile
device; accessing a database to read address information for
parties to contact; sending at least one message to at least one
address; determining elapsed time and at a predetermined interval,
sending at least one additional message to an emergency services
center.
2. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: determining
the location of the mobile device; and transmitting the location as
part of at least one of the messages.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the emergency services
center is chosen based on the location.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one message
comprises a SIP message.
5. A system for registering and distributing an alarm, the system
comprising: a processor operable to execute computer program
instructions; and a memory operable to store computer program
instructions executable by the processor, for performing the steps
of: registering that an alarm button has been pressed from a mobile
device; accessing a database to read address information for
parties to contact; sending at least one message to at least one
address; determining elapsed time and at a predetermined interval,
sending at least one additional message to an emergency services
center.
6. A computer program product for registering and distributing an
alarm, comprising: a computer readable medium; computer program
instructions, recorded on the computer readable medium, executable
by a processor, for performing the steps of registering that an
alarm button has been pressed from a mobile device; accessing a
database to read address information for parties to contact;
sending at least one message to at least one address; determining
elapsed time and at a predetermined interval, sending at least one
additional message to an emergency services center.
7. A method for registering an alarm on a wireless device, the
method comprising: providing software on the wireless device;
registering a key on the wireless device as a Panic Button;
determining that the key is pushed; sending a request from the
wireless device to a server; receiving from the server information
including an address; and sending a text message from the wireless
device to the address.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining the
location on the wireless device; sending the location and an
identifier as part of the text message.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: sending a message
from the server to a police station nearest to the location if an
escalation code and the identifier is sent to the server.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining elapsed
time and at a predetermined interval, sending a message from the
wireless device to a call center; sending a message from the call
center to the wireless device; determining additional elapsed time
and at an additional predetermined interval, sending at least one
message from the call center to a police station nearest to the
location.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: sending information
stored on the server to the police station.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional
application 61/260,305, filed Nov. 11, 2009, the entirety of which
is incorporated by reference, and provisional application
61/349,582, filed May 28, 2010, the entirety of which is
incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to systems and methods for
providing a conduit to send information to emergency services from
a wireless device, and, more particularly, to systems and methods
for registering an alarm button on a wireless device and sending to
public and/or private emergency services providers information
related to the wireless device including its location, information
about a wireless device end user and/or subscriber associated with
the wireless device, and information recorded by one or more
wireless devices during and subsequent to the time the alarm button
is activated.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] For decades, many countries around the world have provided
telephone users and subscribers direct telephone access to local
emergency service providers or dispatchers through a dedicated
telephone number. Emergency telephone numbers are meant to be used
by a caller in need of urgent assistance and differ from region to
region, but are often one or more short number sequences, such as
911 and 999, that can be easily recalled and dialed quickly.
[0004] In many localities, calls to an emergency telephone number
are not routed directly to service providers such as police,
firefighting, medical or ambulance services, or other public safety
personnel, but are instead directed to a call center called a
Public Safety Answering Point or Public Safety Access Point (PSAP),
staffed by operators trained to obtain relevant information from
callers necessary to dispatch the appropriate emergency services to
the correct location. In some areas, when the emergency telephone
number is dialed, routing infrastructure in the telecommunications
system automatically associates a physical address with the calling
party's telephone number, known as Caller Location Information
(CLI), and routes the call to the most appropriate PSAP for that
address. Commonly when this infrastructure is available CLI is
integrated into a computer-assisted dispatch (CAD) system at the
PSAP, and is displayed with other information to a PSAP operator
when they receive the call, which is meant to provides emergency
responders with the location of the emergency without the person
calling for help having to provide it. Regulations governing
telecommunications providers in the United States require the
provision of caller location infrastructure, but there is no
requirement that PSAPs be able to receive such information.
[0005] Despite these regulations, deficiencies in the existing
telecommunications infrastructure have challenged callers, dispatch
operators, and first responders. For example, the PSAP to which a
particular call is routed may not, under certain circumstances, be
the appropriate or nearest service provider, in some cases because
the emergency telephone system was based on the wire-line system
where a number was assigned to a specific address rather than
modern digital and/or wireless systems where the number and
location of the calling party may or may not be related to a
billing or other physical address. In addition, digital phone
systems are capable of configuration by an administrator or end
user to store, among other things, additional information about the
device and users, with the assistance of or independently of the
telecommunications provider, but the telecommunications
infrastructure is not presently configured to transmit the
information in a format that CADs or other PSAP systems can
use.
[0006] As a result, dialing an emergency telephone number from a
mobile device or digital telephone may connect the call to an
incorrect or inconvenient PSAP and/or a default PSAP such as the
state police or highway patrol of the locality or other
jurisdiction for example where a calling number is provisioned or a
cell tower is located, instead of the appropriate PSAP. Initiating
a call to the incorrect PSAP in an emergent situation can result in
failure to connect a caller to the appropriate emergency
responders, or at minimum delay an emergency response and require a
caller to describe the location of an emergency so a dispatcher may
transfer or relay the call to the correct emergency service
provider or dispatcher. Furthermore, modern CADs and other
telecommunications and emergency infrastructure are incapable of
receiving information about the device and users in addition to
location and subscriber name that can now be programmed into
wireless devices and other digital communications equipment
connected to specific end-users.
[0007] There are standards for systems designed to integrate
telephone and emergency systems. CADs and other systems that
enhance the ability of dispatchers and call-center employees to
integrate telecommunications and data systems such as informatics
are generally referred to as telematics. In the United States, the
National Emergency Number Association (NENA) sets the standard
formats and protocols for Automatic Location Identification (ALI)
data exchange between Service Providers and Data Base Management
System Providers, a GIS data model, a Data Dictionary, and formats
for data exchange between the ALI Database and PSAP Controller
equipment. The existing ALI standard for Telematics is flexible but
there are preferred formats, and there are requirements and
conventions that are specific to certain jurisdictions.
[0008] The gap in capability between end-user equipment and
emergency service providers is due partly to legacy configurations
of existing equipment that must meet ALI and other CAD/Telematics
standards in order to be backwards-compatible, and the inability of
service providers to predict emerging development in end-user
equipment capability quickly enough to implement new systems or
update existing ones before they are overcome by the need for
further enhancements.
[0009] Although national and international regulatory agencies such
as the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have
issued regulations requiring licensed telecommunications providers
of digital services such as wireless carriers and Voice-Over-IP
(VoIP) providers to determine and transmit the location of
emergency telephone number callers, limited funding, the complexity
of the coordination required from wireless carriers, PSAPs, local
telephone companies and other affected organizations, and other
factors have hampered the standardization and conversion of
handsets, other mobile devices, telecommunications infrastructure,
CADs, and other PSAP and telecommunications equipment to implement
the required changes. Nevertheless, some enhanced technology has
been implemented that is useful for the provisioning of emergency
services, for instance, newer wireless handsets are equipped to
determine their location using that one or more of, for example,
Global Positioning System (GPS), wireless networks, cell towers,
and other navigation and positioning technologies.
[0010] What is needed, then, is a method and system capable of
providing enhanced location and other information available from
programmable digital end-user communications devices to PSAPs and
other emergency responders using existing CADs and other
telecommunications infrastructure and technology which is
compatible with existing regulations and telematics standards, and
which has the ability to enhance these existing systems without
major re-fitting as technology develops and standards change.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention relates to a system and method for
providing enhanced location and other information to PSAPs and
other emergency responders. According to one embodiment of the
present invention, a method of registering and distributing an
alarm includes registering that an alarm button has been pressed
from a mobile device, accessing a database to read address
information for parties to contact, sending at least one message to
at least one address, determining elapsed time and at a
predetermined interval, sending at least one additional message to
an emergency services center. In another embodiment of the
invention, the method includes determining the location of the
mobile device and transmitting the location as part of at least one
of the messages. In an additional embodiment, the emergency
services center is chosen based on the location. In one embodiment
of the present invention at least one message comprises a SIP
message.
[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a
system for registering and distributing an alarm comprises a
processor operable to execute computer program instructions and a
memory operable to store computer program instructions executable
by the processor, for performing the steps of registering that an
alarm button has been pressed from a mobile device, accessing a
database to read address information for parties to contact,
sending at least one message to at least one address, determining
elapsed time and, at a predetermined interval, sending at least one
additional message to an emergency services center.
[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a
computer program product for registering and distributing an alarm
the computer program product comprises a computer readable medium,
computer program instructions recorded on the computer readable
medium, executable by a processor, for performing the steps of
registering that an alarm button has been pressed from a mobile
device, accessing a database to read address information for
parties to contact, sending at least one message to at least one
address, determining elapsed time and at a predetermined interval,
sending at least one additional message to an emergency services
center.
[0014] In an additional embodiment of the present invention, a
method for registering an alarm on a wireless device, comprises
providing software on the wireless device, registering a key on the
wireless device as a Panic Button, determining that the key is
pushed, sending a request from the wireless device to a server,
receiving from the server information including an address, and
sending a text message from the wireless device to the address. In
another embodiment of the present invention the method includes
determining the location on the wireless device and sending the
location and an identifier as part of the text message. In an
additional embodiment, the method includes sending a message from
the server to a police station nearest to the location if an
escalation code and the identifier is sent to the server. In
another embodiment of the present invention the method includes
determining elapsed time and at a predetermined interval, sending a
message from the wireless device to a call center, sending a
message from the call center to the wireless device, determining
additional elapsed time and at an additional predetermined
interval, sending at least one message from the call center to a
police station nearest to the location. In another embodiment of
the invention, the method includes sending information stored on
the server to the police station.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary system according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary database structure, according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary system according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 depicts a flow chart detailing one implementation of
computer software or smartphone applications, according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 is an exemplary block diagram of a device in which
the present invention may be implemented.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one or more web
sites and related services provide advanced safety tools that
enable wireless or other telecommunications device subscribers to
protect themselves and/or other users from harm; for example,
parents may use such tools for the benefit of themselves and their
children. A subscriber may be an end-user, parent, family unit, or
organization, for example a school, a municipality or other
government organization, a service provider, or a business. For
example in a preferred embodiment a school system that is a
subscriber may distribute one wireless handset to each of its
students, the end-users. In another preferred embodiment a parent
or guardian may subscribe to and pay for a software-based service
installed on their child's wireless device.
[0021] Initial setup of the software may be done by one or more of
a device manufacturer, distributor, retailer, subscriber,
authorized stakeholder (for example, a parent, guardian, or school
safety official), or end-user. Options relating to features
described below such as safety networks or guardians, vital
information, designating inputs as a panic button, periodic update
preferences and frequency, and other options configurable in the
software may be either required or optional for successful
operation of the system through the wireless device. These options
may have defaults included in all installed software or may be set
as a requisite to activation of the software. For example,
individuals included in a safety network and/or designated as
friends, family, and neighbors may be set as a default to the
person originally subscribing to the service, or may be blank
initially.
[0022] Options and other inputs may be entered on the wireless
device through inputs such as through numeric keys corresponding to
a traditional touch-tone keypad, alpha numeric keys, or touch
screen, via a wired or wireless connection from the wireless device
to another device such as a computer, or via a website which
connects through a cellular or other wireless network to update the
wireless device. Permission to change options may be restricted
through password protection or other means such as RSA key or a
requirement that a direct connection be made between a wireless
device and a security measure, for example a hardware token or USB
or other format security key.
[0023] Installation and configuration of safety system software may
be accomplished in a variety of ways. Software that is a component
of a safety system may be installed on a wireless device by the
manufacturer, distributor, or after it is sold. The software may be
pre-compiled or compiled with the wireless device's operating
system.
[0024] In one embodiment an existing key on the wireless device is
configured to be the Panic Button. In another embodiment, for
example in the case of a device equipped with a touch screen
interface, the button may be replaced by an icon. The icon or
button may have default appearance and/or position, and in addition
may be configured by a service provider, subscriber, or end-user
using the panic button software.
[0025] In one embodiment a panic button may be a single button or
combinations of buttons or other inputs, for example, a pattern
drawn on the touch screen of a wireless device, or emergency
services telephone number such as 911 may be treated as a panic
button actuation. In addition, rather than actuating the panic
button, another event such as location, system alert, or other
trigger may occur which instigates a panic alert or escalation
sequence on one or more subscriber's wireless devices.
[0026] A default key or input, combination of keys or inputs, or
drawn symbol (in the case of a touchscreen) may be set as the panic
button, and/or a distributor, subscriber, end-user, or other user
may choose an existing key, input, combination of keys or inputs,
or drawn symbol on the wireless device that they will designate as
the panic button. If multiple keys are designated as the panic
button, they may be configured to be pressed at the same time or in
sequence, or a combination thereof. The configuration may occur on
the wireless device or using another device or a website or other
network-accessible resource connected to the wireless device
through a wired or wireless connection or through the
telecommunications network. Additional keys, inputs, combinations
of keys or inputs, or drawn symbols may also be set or default to
other features such as downloading of crime alerts or information.
The selected inputs are registered on the wireless device with the
proprietary software or software provided on the wireless device's
operating system or other complimentary configuration software.
[0027] In one embodiment a panic button is implemented on a
wireless or other telecommunications device through software
installed and configured by one or more of the device manufacturer,
a wireless service provider, a device retailer, a subscriber, or an
end user. The wireless device is preferably a smart phone running
an operating system for example Java, Android, Windows Mobile, Java
ME, iPhone, or Symbian. Examples of wireless devices include a
traditional cell phone or other wireless communications device with
computing capability such as a smart phone, tablet, PDA, iPhone,
etc. In one embodiment the wireless device may be a tablet such as
an iPad, a car-mounted system such as an in-dash navigation system,
a laptop, or a device designed primarily to provide emergency
safety notification.
[0028] The panic button software, including configuration options
such as the location or appearance of the panic button, may be
updated remotely using over the air (OTA) update technology.
Updates may be generated by the service provider, or be prompted by
configuration updates made to a password-protected webpage
associated with the subscriber's account. In addition, a wireless
device may be connected via cable, Bluetooth or other wireless
connection to a computer or other electronic device in proximity to
the wireless device and configured to update or manipulate the
options of the panic button software.
[0029] In one embodiment user actuation of the panic button alerts
one or more of friends, families, other designated individuals, a
call center, a PSAP, or emergency first responders such as police,
firefighters, or emergency medical personnel. One or more of these
individuals or organizations may be termed "safety network members"
or a "safety network" and may be configured on the
telecommunications device by one or more of the device
manufacturer, wireless service provider, subscriber, or end-user.
In one embodiment, if the subscriber wants a contact such as an
individual or organization to be a member of their safety network a
text message or other electronic invitation such as an e-mail or
telephone call may be sent inviting the contacts to join the user
safety network. An invitation may be kept open for a limited period
of time or may expire after a duration. In a preferred embodiment,
unless they accept an invitation an invited contact will not be
included in a safety network they had not previously been members
of however, other individuals may be added to a safety network, for
example they are set as a default (for example a call center, PSAP,
or school system subscriber), they request inclusion and the
request is accepted, are subscribers affiliated with end-users
account, or other methods.
[0030] In the case of a text message invitation, and invited
contact may accept the invitation by sending a text message with a
code word, or by accepting the invitation through a website or
other network accessible resource. An e-mail invitation may include
a link or URL to a website or other network accessible resource to
accept the invitation. An invitation by telephone may be completed
using an IVR system or other automated phone system, or be carried
out by call center personnel/The invited contact may accept or
reject the invitation and may also be offered additional
configuration options such as whether they are willing to share
their location using wireless device location-based services
whether they are willing to accept panic button requests or whether
they are willing to share other types of information or receive
other types of alerts. In addition, when an end user or subscriber
chooses to invite a contact to be a member of their safety network
they may opt for the contact to have some but not all the
privileges of being a member for example, to receive panic button
alerts, have access to the user's location, to receive
informational or it's, or to receive other types of information or
have access to one or more password-protected websites or other
network accessible resources. An end-user or subscriber may manage
the contacts in their safety network and safety network members may
opt in or opt out a safety networks on an as-needed basis.
[0031] In one embodiment when a panic button is pushed on a
wireless device a pre-designated individual or individuals such as
friends, family, and neighbors will be notified within a default or
configurable interval. These designated individuals may be a safety
network or other selected individuals. For example, actuating a
panic button on the wireless device may generate an alert to a
configurable group of individuals (who may be called "Guardians")
that may vary depending on factors such as time of day, location,
level of threat at location, or level of threat system-wide, and
the group may include friends, families, school officials such as
teachers and administrators, emergency safety system provider's
call center, and police.
[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a call
center affiliated with one or more of a handset manufacturer,
wireless service provider or other telecommunications service
provider, or panic button or other emergency service software
provider such as an emergency safety system service provider may be
a default or required member of the safety network associated with
the device. For example, the call center may be staffed with
trained personnel who are accessible from wireless devices that
have software or hardware that implements panic button or emergency
telephone number call communications routing, and to have access to
location and other information stored or generated on the wireless
device and/or a database as described below.
[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, one or more of
the device manufacturer, wireless service provider, subscriber, or
end user may configure what entity is contacted upon actuation of a
panic button. For example, call routing may be variable based on
safety network or other settings, for example, which personal
contact, call center, PSAP, or emergency first responder is closest
or available. Upon activation of a panic button or call to an
emergency number the routing of contacts to one or more of these
entities may be configured, set to a default, or calls or contacts
may be routed according to configurations implemented in the
telecommunications network to which the device is connected. In a
preferred embodiment, upon actuation of a panic button, a call is
not connected, but data configured on the telecommunications device
is sent through one or more telecommunications networks to one or
more members of a safety network.
[0034] In a preferred embodiment, one or more members of a safety
network will be provided the location of a device which has had its
panic button activated or which has called an emergency telephone
number. The location may be provided via one or more methods of
two-way, broadcast, or multiparty communication as described below.
The device location may be determined using one or more of
navigation and positioning technologies such as, for example,
Global Positioning System (GPS), wireless networks, cell towers,
and other navigation and positioning technologies.
[0035] In a preferred embodiment, upon activation of a panic button
or initiation of an emergency telephone number, one or more members
of a safety network may be notified or contacted and
communicatively connected to each other and/or the user of the
device in a two-way, broadcast, or multiparty communication, for
example, by phone call, Internet chat, conference call, group
e-mail, SMS or other text-based message, or other real-time or
asynchronous communication. In a preferred embodiment, information
stored on the device, and/or information configured in a preferably
network-accessible database and containing one or more entries
associated with the device will be transmitted in a standard format
usable by a PSAP or other emergency responders. In an additional
preferred embodiment, information stored on the device, and/or
database information associated with the device will be accessible
to members of a safety network associated with the device.
Preferably this information would be accessible through a
communications network such as, for example, the Internet, or, by
one or more members of the safety network who may have direct or
remote access to the database.
[0036] For example, all members of a safety network may be given
permission to access a specialized and unique webpage to coordinate
all emergency activity related to a device. In a preferred
embodiment, for example, if a panic button is actuated or emergency
telephone number called, the incident may be routed to emergency
responders such as the nearest police department or PSAP, a call
center may be placed into a conference call with the emergency
responders and one or more members of the safety network associated
with the device; one or more of emergency responders, call center,
and members of the safety network would access a webpage that could
coordinate all emergency activity instigated as a result of the
actuation or call. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, a call
center or PSAP may contact professional experts experienced in the
type of incident that precipitated the emergency contact, and may
choose to individually communicate with these experts or contact
them for the purposes of adding them to the conference call or
other multiparty communication.
[0037] In one embodiment of the invention, the wireless device may
be configured to notify one or more default parties in the event of
panic button or emergency telephone number actuation. For example,
a wireless device may be configured to contact school safety
officials or other school system representatives or public safety
representatives in the event of an emergency actuation such as a
panic button or emergency telephone call. In one example, a school
system may subscribe to a panic button service and distribute to
end-users consisting of students and/or other members of the school
community devices preconfigured by the wireless service provider or
by the school system to contact one or more individuals designated
to handle student related emergencies.
[0038] In another example a wireless device may be configured to
contact different members of the safety network depending on the
device location, time of day, or position in relation to other
devices or subscribers. For example, a wireless device provisioned
to a student could be configured to contact school safety officials
during the school day or when the device is on school grounds,
contact specific individuals who live, work, or are otherwise
situated in preconfigured locations or whose wireless devices have
been configured to report their location and which are in proximity
to the student's wireless device, or to contact a default list of
friends or family outside of the school day or when the devices in
an unrecognized location.
[0039] In another example, a wireless device may be programmed to
trigger an alert if the device travels outside of a certain zone or
into a zone which has been designated, for example, as off-limits,
dangerous, inappropriate, or otherwise meeting a location-based or
location and time-based threshold. In another example a wireless
device may be configured to report its position periodically or
continuously. A wireless device may report location-based data that
it generates through a wireless and/or other communications network
to a server, where it may be stored in a database local or remote
from the server and/or displayed on a webpage associated with the
wireless device as described above.
[0040] In other words, a webpage associated with the wireless
device or with a subscriber or end-user may be configured to
compile all emergency activity and/or to collect other information
about the subscriber and/or user, such as location-based
information, information related to the subscriber, user, or device
safety network, parents or guardians, vital information of the
subscriber and/or the end-user such as name, organization name,
address, picture, gender, hair color, eye color, ethnicity, current
height & weight, date of birth, or other identifying
information (for example, fingerprints and/or footprints, DNA,
eyeglasses, braces, pierced ears, birthmarks, or other physical or
identifying characteristics), medical conditions or information
such as allergies, current medications, any special medical
concerns, blood type, medical contacts that can be immediately
connected during an incident to any conference call or other
communication, languages spoken, known threats (for example,
non-custodial parents or prior incidents), off-limits areas, and
other information which may be helpful in an emergent situation or
to otherwise help ensure a user's safety. Vital information may be
stored within the wireless device and/or in a central database. A
subscriber or end-user may limit what information is initially
released to one or more responders to a panic button actuation;
this information may also be released after receipt of an alert,
for example, if an organization other than a parent or guardian is
a subscriber for end-users who are minor children, after a panic
button is actuated and the necessary steps towards her mediating
the situation that caused the child to actually panic button are
the underway, parents may later authorize the release of vital
information to law enforcement agencies and emergency
personnel.
[0041] A subscriber can always update the vital information
associated with the end-user of a wireless device. For example, a
subscriber such as a parent may always update the current photo of
the end-user for example their child. Updates may be accomplished
using the wireless device, for example taking a picture using an
embedded camera or using inputs of the wireless device, by entering
updated information into a computer directly connected to the
wireless device, or by entering information into a network
accessible resource such as a webpage. In a preferred embodiment,
the emergency safety system service provider will periodically
remind the end-user or subscriber to update threat levels and/or
vital information. These reminders may be sent via e-mail or other
text-based message, pop-up reminder, or through an audio reminder
such as a phone call, voice message, or audio file played through
the device. For example, the emergency safety system service
provider may remind parents, guardians, school system officials, or
other supervisory adults when a photo update is needed based on an
update schedule for a child user's current age as stored as one
item of the vital statistics.
[0042] Vital information about an end-user and/or subscriber may be
stored in the wireless device and/or on the server. The information
may include hair color, eye color, current height & weight,
date of birth, blood type plus identifiers such as eyeglasses,
braces, pierced ears, parent or guardian information, other contact
information, school contact information, allergies and other
medical information, current photograph. A user or subscriber can
update the end-user's current photo using a website or the device's
camera feature (if available). Users or subscribers may be sent a
reminder on a schedule based on user configuration or a default
schedule when a updates are needed to photos, height, weight, and
physical descriptions.
[0043] Multiple photos may be used so that a high quality photo
(such as that taken by a school photographer, scanned, or taken
using a digital video camera) can be stored as well as photo made
using a camera integrated into a wireless device to capture what an
end-user is currently wearing or tends to wear.
[0044] In a preferred embodiment, temporary information on vital
statistics may also be stored. For example, a parent may capture
what their child is currently wearing by updating photos using an
embedded camera, which may be important if a child is entering a
large public area such as a shopping mall, theme park, concert, or
airport. In another example, a parent who is traveling or merely
leaving a child with a babysitter may store information regarding
the best emergency contact person for the limited and specific
period of time the parent is unavailable.
[0045] Medical information can include allergies, current
medications, and any special medical concerns; reminders to update
medical information can be sent on a configurable schedule but
preferably yearly. Update requests may be tied to regular events
such as yearly physicals, childhood checkups, or school-required
vaccinations. Law enforcement agencies and emergency personnel may
receive any information about an end-user or subscriber stored on
the server or the wireless device immediately upon receipt of an
alert or manually upon request by an end-user or call-center. In
the case of an end-user who is a minor, a parent or guardian may
choose to release vital information in case of an alert or
manually.
[0046] In one embodiment of the invention, after a panic button is
actuated e-mail, SMS messaging or other text-based messaging is
used to trigger emergency assistance from an end-user's or
subscriber's safety network and/or public safety personnel, and
e-mail, SMS or text-based group messaging also updates stakeholders
such as members of the safety network or family, and public safety
personnel during an emergency incident in real time. Messages may
be segregated so that they are sent only to recipients in
particular categories, for example, only to public safety personnel
or only to family. Among the information that may be compiled
through a database or other centralized data collection system is
incident video, audio, and pictures collected from recording
equipment embedded in the wireless device or from other sources
available to public safety or call center personnel. Collecting in
one place all available data about an incident and the end-user of
the device that triggered an alert and providing the data to all
stakeholders may facilitate the efforts of public safety personnel
and other first responders, or in some situations, obviate the need
to involve public safety personnel at all.
[0047] For example the present invention provides a set of
proactive safety tools that can be used by subscribers and/or
end-users to avoid or mitigate dangerous situations. A service
provider may collect information relevant to the safety of a
subscriber or end-user, such as sex offender locations, violent
crime areas, industrial zones, and other areas that are dangerous
or of concern. This information can be provided on a website or
directly to a wireless device in map, list, or other form, and the
device can alert an end-user when they are approaching or in one of
these areas. Alerts may consist of visual, tactile, and/or audio
signals, and may vary depending on the degree of threat and the
device's proximity to the area of concern. In another embodiment
the wireless device may send an e-mail text message or other
notification to one or more members of a safety network or other
designated individuals or organizations when the device is in a
preconfigured proximity to the area of concern.
[0048] In an additional embodiment, information about different
types of threats may be shown separately depending on user
selections of links or options. For example, sex offender locations
and other danger areas may be contained on the emergency safety
system service provider web site, an alternate site, or may be
transmitted to a computer, wireless device, or other handheld
device upon request or by configuration.
[0049] In one embodiment, parents, guardians, school officials, and
other stakeholders may track the location of a child through a
wireless device using location-based technology such as
GPS-tracking capability which is embedded in many modern wireless
devices. As explained above, the information collected by the
provider about threats and device location may be provided on a
password-protected website accessible to the stakeholders either
for a single end-user or in aggregate form for multiple
end-users.
[0050] Subscribers and users and other members of the service
providers', subscribers', and users' community such as members of
safety networks may log in to a website furnished by the service
provider and identify and characterize areas that pose potential
threats to users' safety. The service provider may use a formula to
provide representations of the level of threat in a geographic
area. These representations may be displayed on the provider's
website, and may be tailored to the password-protected website
associated with the wireless device. In addition, the provider may
send periodic updates summarizing the location of the wireless
device since the last update or for some other period of time, and
inform the end-user or subscribers such as parents or guardians if
it has been near any danger zones via e-mail, SMS, or other
text-based messaging, or through audio updates for example
voicemail, or interactive voice response (IVR). The updates may
also, for example, detail changes to threat areas, summarize
dangerous incidents reported by community members, or incorporate
messages provided by local public safety or other officials.
[0051] Subscribers or system administrators may identify areas that
they know are dangerous using a website or using the wireless
device or other device. The wireless device may also be used to
identify that the current location is dangerous. Areas designated
as dangerous by end-users, subscribers or system administrators are
called "Danger Zones". These danger zones may be incorporated into
the danger formula which may affect the threat level. This allows
subscribers to access information about which areas may be
dangerous.
[0052] A panic button may be activated by a user as follows. A user
may activate an input on the device such as a button. A person of
skill in the art would understand that the input that initiates the
panic button may be any input which the device is capable of and
programmed to accept, for example a touch screen or voice command.
As an alternative, a user may text a code to a service provider. In
a preferred embodiment, the code is the word "HELPME". In a
preferred embodiment, when a panic button is activated by wireless
device, members of the user safety networks such as friends,
family, and neighbors will be notified immediately. If these
friends, family and neighbors do not respond within a short period
of time, the situation will be escalated to a call center managed
by the safety system service provider or by another party. If the
call center cannot resolve the emergency or situation that prompted
the user to activate the panic button, the alert may be escalated
to the nearest public safety or supervisory entity such as a police
station, school public safety official, or principal's office.
[0053] In a preferred embodiment, after a panic button is actuated
one or more tasks may occur simultaneously. For example, the safety
system service provider may execute an emergency escalation
procedure, and emergency communications server provided by the
service provider may coordinate all text-based and voice
communication to the subscriber's safety network, the emergency
communications server may determine if additional resources should
be joined to the safety network and therefore included in voice and
text-based communications (for example, subject matter experts
employed or affiliated with the service provider or a call center
representative), and personnel at a call center may work to resolve
the incident. Call center personnel may also record incident status
and other information, for example, notes, into an incident record.
In a preferred embodiment, all data gathered electronically from
wireless devices, PSAPs and other public safety organizations, and
entered by call center personnel or subscribers will be time and
date-stamped and maintained as a record of the incident.
[0054] Following actuation of a panic button an emergency
escalation procedure may occur in conjunction with other tasks as
follows. If available, video streaming from the wireless device is
immediately initiated and send via wireless or other indications
network to one or more members of the safety network (which may
include a call center operated by a service provider) and public
safety personnel; the video may also be made available via a
password-protected website associated with the wireless device or
the subscriber; and may be recorded at the wireless device and/or a
server accessible from the telecommunications network. In addition,
the wireless device may send a message to a messaging server
provided by the emergency safety system service provider. The
message may include information such as the most recent contact
information stored on the device; in one embodiment the contact
information may already be stored on the server. In one embodiment,
if contact information is stored on both the wireless device and on
the server and the information does not match, the information
entered latest-in-time is used. In another embodiment, information
on either the wireless device or on the server may be deemed
accurate. In another embodiment, the information may be
combined.
[0055] Contact information is transmitted to the emergency
communication server, which opens a voice communication conference
between the wireless device and one or more members of the
subscriber's safety network, which may include a call center.
Members of the network and/or call center may connect to the
conference via a landline, wireless device, voice over IP, or other
device capable of being communicatively connected to the wireless
device via one or more communications networks. The emergency
communication server may compose and transmit text and email
messages to all one or more members of the safety network and/or
contacts. The message may include one or more of: a link that when
clicked joins the person to the voice conference, a text or other
visual indication that the communication regards a panic button
incident, the name of the end-ser, location of the wireless device
in coordinates such as latitude and longitude and/or street
address, and a link to a web page with contains vital information
about the end-user and the incident.
[0056] The wireless device may send another request to the
messaging server requesting contact information for any person or
contact (for example, a neighboring business) who is subscribed to
the emergency safety service and has opted in to "be a neighbor"
and is within a preconfigured radius, preferably within 1
kilometer, of the location of the end-user who has pressed the
panic button. The contact information is downloaded to the wireless
device and "neighbors" \are sent the same text-based messages as
the members of the safety network and parents or guardians.
[0057] All text-based and voice communication resulting from
actuation of a panic button is managed by the emergency
communication server. Guardians, members of the safety network, and
neighbors are given a limited amount of time to respond to a panic
alert by entering a "resolution" code on the incident, or by
verbally explaining the resolution to the service provider's call
center. At any time during this period of time they can also enter
an escalation code which immediately escalates the incident to a
PSAP. The period of time may be configured by a subscriber,
end-user, or service provider, but is preferably three minutes and
preferably not longer than seven minutes.
[0058] If after the preconfigured period of time the situation is
neither resolved nor escalated a call center will attempt to
resolve the incident by contacting the end-user through the
wireless device as well as contacting parents, guardians, or a
designated contact in order to confirm the status of the emergency.
If the call center is unable to contact the end-user or another
designated party or the situation is still not resolved the
incident is escalated to a PSAP. Under certain conditions, experts
for example doctors or translators, may be connected to a voice
conference call by the emergency communications server. Experts may
be connected if certain options have been selected by an end-user
or subscriber, for example, a preference for foreign language or a
configuration for additional panic button to be triggered in case
of medical emergency. In a further example, a call center
representative may initiate inclusion of an expert in a conference
call. Alternatively, information regarding the incident such as
that that would be compiled onto a webpage associated with the
wireless device, as described above, may be forwarded to an expert
or an expert gatekeeper may determine if one or more experts are
required, or send advice or other information helpful in
determining if the incident is an emergency or in resolving the
incident altogether.
[0059] In one embodiment, some or all voice and data collected
subsequent to the actuation of the panic button is transferred to
the nearest PSAP, or alternatively to public safety personnel
capable of resolving the incident. For example a PSAP or public
safety personnel may be connected directly to the wireless device
or to the conference call initiated by the emergency communications
server. If the wireless device is connected to a PSAP or other
dispatch agency (for example, to a police station or school public
safety official), the call taker at the dispatch location
determines the personnel to deploy to the incident. These personnel
may be connected to the incident by the emergency communication
server with and provided access to collected voice and data through
the aggregating website or through another website provided by the
emergency safety system service provider. In a preferred embodiment
personnel may be routed to the incident or subscriber location in
real time using location-based information transmitted by the
wireless device on an ongoing basis. In another embodiment
personnel may be routed using location-based information
transmitted by the wireless device at the time the panic button is
actuated.
[0060] Other embodiments of the panic sequence and escalation
sequence may be implemented. For example, For example, the
structure of individuals and organizations contacted in the event
of a panic alert may be altered, and/or other steps taken for a
panic button sequence and escalation may differ. For example, when
faced with dangerous or uncomfortable situations, an end-user may
press a button or combination of buttons on their wireless device
and initiate an escalation sequence as described above or
alternative sequences. For example, a sequence may have
administrator, subscriber, or user configurable intervals during
which particular tasks or inputs are expected.
[0061] For example, if safety network members or designated
Guardians do not respond within a configurable amount of time,
ideally three and preferably less than sixty minutes, the incident
may be escalated to the emergency safety system service provider's
call center (if not included in the initially contacted safety
network members or Guardians), or in another embodiment, directly
to the police station or other public safety service provider that
is both nearest to the location of the wireless device and
accessible at the time the escalation occurs. If the call center is
contacted and cannot resolve the emergency ideally within two
minutes and preferably within one to fifteen minutes, the emergency
may be escalated to the police station or other public safety
service provider both nearest to the location of the wireless
device and accessible at the time the escalation occurs.
[0062] In another embodiment, when the designated panic button is
pressed it initiates the panic sequence. This sequence may vary
depending on a variety of factors. For example, if the contact
information stored on the wireless device was not updated within a
period of time not greater than thirty days, a message is sent to
the server to retrieve the most recent safety network or Guardian
contact information. If the contact information is new, or if the
server is not accessible or does not respond appropriately, this
step may be skipped.
[0063] If the server is successfully contacted, safety network or
Guardian contact information is downloaded to the wireless device.
If the server is not contacted or not available, safety network or
Guardian contact information already in the device may be used.
Additionally, safety network or Guardian contact information may be
updated periodically from the server to the wireless device
regardless of whether the Panic Button is used.
[0064] The wireless device may compose and send text or email
messages directly to one or more safety network members or
Guardians, and/or the server or another server may send email or
text messages to safety network members/Guardians. A text-based
message may include one or more of the following: an indication
that this is a Panic Button incident, one or more pieces of
identifying information such as the name and age of the end-user,
location of the alerting wireless device in either or both latitude
and longitude and street address, and a link to a web page which
contains vital information about the end-user and the incident.
Other information may also be included such as system status
alerts, danger level at the location of the device, and the
identity of the other people contacted in connection with the
incident. In addition, a picture of the end-user may be sent in a
video or picture message.
[0065] The wireless device may request the server for contact
information for any person who is subscribed to the safety service,
has opted in to "be a neighbor" and is within a configurable radius
of the location of the end-user who has pressed the panic button,
preferably within 5 kilometers but configurable or variable based
on factors such as location density, density of neighbor
subscribers, and danger level of wireless device location. The
wireless device may request neighbor information in the same
request for safety network or Guardian contact information or a
separate request. If the server is available and successfully
transmits to the wireless device, contact information is downloaded
to the wireless device and neighbors may be sent the same
text-based message as safety network members or Guardians. If the
server cannot complete the transmission with the wireless device,
the wireless device may send an alert to a pre-designated group of
individuals or organizations who are safety network
members/Guardians, such as school administrators or people or
organizations pre-designated on the wireless device as located near
the end-user's current location, and/or the server may send the
same text-based message as that sent to the safety network
members/Guardians.
[0066] Following actuation of a panic button, neighbors and safety
network members/Guardians have a configurable or variable time of
preferably one to ten minutes to respond to a Panic Situation by
entering a "resolution" code on the incident. At any time during
this interval they can also enter the escalation code which
immediately escalates the incident to a PSAP or other emergency
services.
[0067] If after the safety network members/Guardians and neighbors
have been contacted and the situation is neither resolved or
escalated within the pre-configured intervals, and/or there is a
failure to communicate with the wireless device after the panic
button is pushed, a call center is notified. Based upon variables
such as nearby danger reports, the threat level of the end-user's
location at the time the panic button was actuated and at its last
known location, previously reported incidents, or other policy, the
call center may attempt to resolve the incident by contacting the
end-user and safety network members/Guardians to confirm the status
of the emergency.
[0068] If a call center cannot resolve the incident, either
immediately or preferably within a set interval of between one and
five minutes, it is escalated to a PSAP or other emergency
services. Data may be transferred to a PSAP or other emergency
services as configured by the system administrator.
[0069] In one embodiment, when an emergency telephone number such
as 9-1-1 is dialed from a wireless device that has the emergency
safety system software installed on it, the "emergency escalation"
procedure described above will be invoked. In another embodiment,
when an emergency telephone number is dialed the wireless device
will connect through the local emergency telephone number system,
but one or more of the tasks described above will be performed as
allowed by the limitations of the device or the networks in
proximity to it, for example, video may be streamed from the
device, or a call center may be connected to the call in a
conference with an emergency telephone number dispatcher rather
than the device connecting only to the dispatcher. Because in the
present invention some incidents begun by a panic button actuation
or emergency telephone number call may be handled by a call center
or member of a safety network without referral to a PSAP, and in
other instances an incident may be avoided altogether through use
of proactive safety tools, the safety network, call center and/or
escalation procedures of the present invention have the benefit of
reducing the emergency telephone network traffic load and false
positive calls.
[0070] In one embodiment of the invention, if the location of an
incident is not available or accurate, if, for example, the
subscriber's wireless device is not equipped for location-based
services, the location-based services are not available, or the
incident is not occurring where the wireless device is located,
call-center personnel may work to determine the location of the
incident and record the information on a website or other network
accessible resource associated with the subscriber or incident so
that safety network personnel, PSAP personnel, and other
stakeholders have the most accurate information available.
[0071] In one embodiment of the invention a subscriber may be given
the option to "be a neighbor" so that they may assist if a panic
button is pressed within a pre-configured distance from their
location. The location may be based on a home address, work
address, or different addresses depending on the time of day, or
may be the location of a wireless device loaded with software that
allows the emergency safety system service provider to monitor its
location. Whether neighbors are alerted in addition to safety
network upon actuation of a panic button may be configurable. In a
preferred embodiment of the invention, if this option has been
selected, when a panic button has been actuated and the "neighbor"
subscriber is within a 1 kilometer radius of the location where the
panic button was pressed, that subscriber may receive a text-based
message with information regarding the end-user who has pushed the
panic button. If the neighbor acknowledges the message by, for
example, replying to text-based message or dialing a phone number
that may be transmitted with the text-based message and inputting a
code transmitted with the message, the emergency communication
server may connect the neighbor to any voice and text-based
conferencing related to the incident. In an alternative embodiment,
one or more neighbors within the preconfigured radius may be
conference in the incident without acknowledging the original
text-based message.
[0072] If enough individuals or businesses elect to be a neighbor
and to be alerted at their physical addresses and/or wireless
devices when an incident occurs in their location, a "virtual
neighborhood" can result. A virtual neighborhood is a safety
network of static physical addresses and location-based wireless
devices belonging to people within a geographic area of an incident
who may not otherwise be included in the safety network of the
subscriber who sent an alert (for example, strangers, other
non-relatives, a neighborhood watch). Subscribers and neighborhood
members may respond to local incidents, contribute information on
threats and other safety information regarding locations they
frequent to information databases, connect to one another, and
suggest solutions to safety problems in the locations they
frequent, for example through a blog. The members of a virtual
neighborhood (which may be periodic or temporary) despite being
otherwise unknown to each other can work together to protect their
physical locations, coordinating safety procedures and responses
around a location.
[0073] When configuring a subscription account system subscribers
may opt in or opt out of the "be a neighbor" option.
Non-subscribers may be invited to be a neighbor by a subscriber,
through a pop-up message used location-based notification software,
or may become neighbors through a website or other network
accessible resource. End-users or subscribers such as parents or
other system users may opt to allow the assistance of neighbors if
the Panic Button is pressed. If the neighbor subscriber is within a
configurable radius of the location of the device where and when
the panic button is pressed, preferably within 5 kilometers but
configurable or variable based on factors such as location density,
density of neighbor subscribers, and danger of location, then that
subscriber will receive the SMS text message from the person who
has pressed the panic button.
[0074] In order to provide the proactive safety tools described
above, the emergency safety system service provider may collect
information relevant to the safety of subscribers or end-users and
use the collected information to calculate the level of danger in
the physical locations for which information has been collected.
Information may be collected from a variety of sources, including
panic button actuations or emergency services number (e.g. 911)
calls from a particular location or area, user or subscriber
reports, or designations of areas of concern for individual use,
reports from police or other public safety officials, or other
sources, for example, third-party databases.
[0075] In a preferred embodiment, local crime information is
incorporated in the data collection. For example, the service
provider may periodically download crime information from one or
more databases maintained by municipalities or other government
bodies, public safety organizations, police departments, federal
agencies, or other third parties. In a preferred embodiment, threat
analyses would be updated in real time as additional information is
collected, and notifications would be sent as configured or
necessary as soon as the analyses are complete. For example, if a
public safety organization issues a broadcast alert regarding a
general or specific threat, text-based messages, robo calls,
voicemail messages, pop-up alerts, or other forms of notification
messages may be sent to subscribers as soon as the emergency safety
system service provider receives the alert from the public safety
organization. In addition, any visual, audio, or tactile displays
of threat information may be updated in real time and presented to
an end-user or a subscriber on a wireless device or via website or
other network-accessible resource.
[0076] The safety system service provider may also make a website
accessible for community members to add to the information
collection. In a preferred embodiment a formula is used to
determine the level and type of threat in any given area. In a
preferred embodiment the formula takes into account user defined
danger zones, sex offenders, various types of crime, and any
situational information like fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, and
other manmade or natural disasters. Using the formula a mapping
server provided by the safety system service provider can calculate
the danger at a specific location which is may be, for example, the
current location of an end-user, locations between an end-user and
an intended destination, areas frequented by an end-user, or a
default location. The mapping server may also provide maps
indicating areas of concern and may suggest alternate routes or
indicate when an end-user comes into proximity with or crosses an
area of concern.
[0077] For example a user may use the software installed on their
wireless device to take preventative measures to avoid danger. The
application installed on the wireless device may use a formula to
calculate in real time a threat level at the location of the
wireless device as well as, as described above, other locations
that are likely to be frequented by the end-user, giving the
end-user the opportunity to anticipate a dangerous situation and
avoid it. In addition the end-user may deem certain threats or
certain threat levels of lesser or greater concern and act
accordingly. In other words, if a higher threat level is displayed
the user may differently than if a lower threat level or a threat
level of a different type is displayed in a location.
[0078] In a preferred embodiment, the end-user, subscriber, or
other stakeholders may be sent periodic summaries of the threat
levels in areas frequented by the wireless device. These summaries
may include information such as location, time, and date of updates
or incidents that precipitate a threat level, and may cover
incidents for a pre-configured span of time or cover areas visited
by the end-user in a pre-configured window prior to the
transmission of the update. In one embodiment, a stakeholder such
as a school district may receive aggregate reports for all
end-users associated with the stakeholder, which may also be the
subscriber or which may have been given permission to access the
information for end-users not under the stakeholder's subscription.
In a preferred embodiment, aggregate information may be "drilled
down" to identify individual end-users or types of end users (for
example, freshmen or upper classmen), or to isolate end-users' or
locations' proximity to specific types of threats such as violence,
gang activity, sexual predators, etc.
[0079] In a preferred embodiment the threat level allows real-time
measurement of danger, constant monitoring of threats near the
wireless device or locations frequented by the end-user, automatic
identification of places to avoid, and details of why an area is
dangerous. In addition, using GPS or other location-based routing
or mapping tools, the threat level can be used to provide walking
or driving directions that avoid dangerous areas. The formula used
to determine the level of danger in a physical location can be
adjusted based on various factors.
[0080] Location-based preventative measures to avoid danger are one
tool that may be incorporated into a safety system. Which
preventative measures are suggested may vary depending on the time
of day and other factors. For example, suggestions are generated by
the software using the danger formula to calculate a threat level
at the location of the subscriber wireless device, or at the
location of a planned route as available from a route planning
program on the wireless device or on a website. This gives
subscribers and end-users the ability to plan for and avoid danger
in the current, frequented, or planned location of the wireless
device, or plan a route at another time of day. The higher the
threat level the greater the danger. Threats may be classified by
type, frequency, age, or time of day.
[0081] In a preferred embodiment, a threat level may be broken into
the types of threats used in a danger formula that calculates a
general threat level so that specific types of threats can be
assessed. For example, the proximity of sex offenders may provide a
good indication of the threat level of the specific types of
threats likely to be of concern to a particular subscriber to an
end-user. In addition to incorporating threats of various types
into a danger formula the service provider may also display
individual types of threats in a map or other visual or auditory
format (such as a meter or "Geiger counter" sound that varies based
on proximity to threats). For example, the location of known sex
offenders may be displayed relative to an end user's location. Sex
Offender proximity to a subscriber or end-user's location may be
included or excluded from the danger formula calculation depending
upon the sensitivity, age, or gender of the user.
[0082] In addition, an end-user may be notified via text-based
message, webpage update, e-mail, voice message, or pop-up warning
screen, if a threat level is updated in real time that increases
the threat level in proximity to the wireless device or in a
location likely to be frequented by the end-user. The software may
also send automated messages to subscribers listing the threat
level location, time, and date over a configurable period of time
from one day to six months. The messages may be automated, on
demand, or configurable.
[0083] In a preferred embodiment, community members such as
subscribers, neighbors, end-users, and other stakeholders can
update threat areas using a visual tools such as a map to identify
locations or areas they know are dangerous. These areas may be
published to other community members in a format such as a webpage
or other network accessible resource configured to allow other
members to confirm or reject the degree of danger the area presents
by applying their own rating to the area. For example, updates to
threat information may be posted in a blog like format with space
for commentary to the site or below information updates. These
ratings may factor into the level of danger each area presents. In
one embodiment of the invention, an end-user, subscriber, or other
individual with access to displays of threat areas or danger zones
may segregate the source of information upon which the analysis is
based. For example, a user may choose to only see threat levels
that are based upon official sources such as police crime databases
and ignore user ratings, or in the alternative limit analysis to
those areas that have received a lot of feedback from community
members.
[0084] Crime information may be obtained from police databases,
subscribers, or other sources. Information about crime may include
the frequency, currency, density, and type of crime. Local crime
information may be incorporated into the danger formula for the
subscriber's or end-user's current, frequented, or planned
location. Crime data may be displayed in a map on the wireless
device or on a website.
[0085] Although in a preferred embodiment a threat level will
decrease the longer the interval between reported incidents were
threats, in a preferred embodiment a user may also configure the
analysis to be limited to more recent threats, for example, within
a few days, a few weeks, a month, or a year. In some embodiments
the rate at which a threat level declines may depend upon the type
of threat. For example, in a preferred embodiment, threat levels
based on the location of known sex offenders may not decline or may
decline extremely slowly.
[0086] The safety system may include one or more web interfaces or
other network-accessible resource that provides access to one or
more tools or informational pages that draw data from one or more
devices in the system. For example, a webpage or other network
accessible resource may be used to coordinate or compile all
information related to the end-user of the wireless device and/or
all information helpful to resolving an emergency. In an emergency
it is important to coordinate all stake holders of the crisis
including the person in danger, their safety network, other friends
and family, a service provider call center, a PSAP, and all other
emergency service personnel (e.g. PSAP/emergency phone number/911
call taker, PSAP/emergency phone number/911 dispatcher, police,
fire, and ambulance services). The webpage or other resource serves
as a single information source that is available and accessible to
all stake holders.
[0087] One or more web pages or other network accessible resources
may be used to accomplish this coordination for example one webpage
in a show all vital statistics as well as panic-button
incident-related information, or separate resources may be provided
for example a default webpage, as well as a webpage dedicated
solely to coordinating panic button response. Although the
preferred embodiment is a webpage, additional embodiments may be
implemented and may coexist, for example a webpage may display
information obtained from the safety system service provider's
database, and/or information from the database may periodically be
sent to members of a safety network or other stakeholders via
text-based messaging such as SMS, interactive chat, e-mail. RSS
feed, pop-up, or other text-based messaging, or such information
may be conveyed during a robo or IVR call, or conference call with
primary and/or additional stakeholders.
[0088] The network accessible central repository may also provide
access to a log of all activity recorded following actuation of the
panic button or panic button sequence which may be displayed in
sequential order and/or separately display different types of
information. For example the central repository may include one or
more of text based messages such as SMS or e-mail sent from the
activated wireless device, GPS location at which the panic button
was activated, location of the activated wireless device,
information entered by stakeholders via the webpage or other
medium, escalation information including the capability to escalate
the incident, vital information such as that described above, and
video, still images, and/or audio sent from the wireless device
over one or more networks. Such information may be displayed in
sequential order and/or in order of importance, and may be
displayed on one or more web pages or other locations accessible
from a main incident page or from each other. Such messages and
information may also be broadcast/rebroadcast to all stakeholders
via e-mail or other text-based messaging, or certain portions may
be sent in their original format, for example video sent from the
wireless device may be re-broadcast to stakeholders as streaming
video. Once an incident has been resolved incident status may be
stored for future review by stakeholders, for future forensic
research of the incident, and/or to allow the emergency safety
system service provider to improve the system.
[0089] In addition to providing panic button tools, the emergency
safety system service provider may also provide tools that can be
used by subscribers when they feel a panic alert is not yet
necessary but they feel worried or uncomfortable. For example, a
subscriber may use a smart phone to photograph or take a video
recording of a location a person or whatever is causing or your
discomfort. Using the software provided by the emergency safety
system service provider, the video audio or images can be
automatically streamed to a safety network and or streams to a
server where it is stored with the time/date stamp and accessible
through the subscriber's account on the emergency safety systems
service provider's password-protected website or other network
accessible resource. Another use of this tool may be for
subscribers to record suspicious activity or criminal behavior that
they witness but are not involved in. A subscriber may then decide
later to report the activity and have objective evidence of the
time, place (using location-based technology), and/or actual
events. If multiple subscribers are present at an event, recordings
of the same incident from multiple subscriber wireless devices may
be coordinated using software tools and/or compiled and sent to
PSAPs or other safety organizations.
[0090] Where necessary, requested, or helpful to providing the
proactive and interactive tools of the emergency safety system,
email updates regarding threat levels, danger zones, incidents
(when a panic button has been pushed or emergency phone number
dialed), or other information may be provided in user or
administrator-configurable intervals such as never, daily, weekly,
bi-weekly, monthly, on demand, or if a trigger event occurs. Such
updates may summarize the location of a given wireless device
during a preset or chosen interval, and/or inform one or more
stakeholders if the device has been near danger zones or other
areas designated by a parent, subscriber, other stakeholder, or
system administrator; updates may also aggregate information from
multiple wireless devices for subscribers with permission to access
data from more than one device, for example, a school safety
administrator, organizational manager, or other stakeholder. In
addition, the email summary may be supplemented or replaced by an
Internet-based summary available upon log-in or upon selecting a
link included with the email or other message.
[0091] An important aspect of the present invention is the ability
to successfully integrate with existing emergency telephone system
legacy infrastructure, processes, and methods such as CADs, ANI
(Automatic Location Identification), PANI (Pseudo Automatic Number
Identification), ANI (Automatic Number Identification), selective
routers, VoIP Positioning Centers, and other existing enhanced
emergency telephone number systems.
[0092] In particular, is extremely important that the most accurate
location-based information available from a wireless device is
transmitted to a PSAP or to a call center through existing ANI/ALI
data exchange process; included with this transmission should be
the most accurate and detailed subscriber information available;
also, the most real time and accurate situation information should
be made immediately available to the PSAP.
[0093] Because there are existing standards that the majority of
emergency service providers adhere to, this information is
transmitted from one or more emergency servers of the present
invention to at least one PSAP using standard formats. For example,
in addition to required fields the existing ALI standard allows for
some flexibility in the information that can be sent between
service providers and therefore displayed by CADs. Example fields
may include a community name field, an address number, a call back
number field, a street name, military or standard time, the state
from which the call originated, and emergency service number (ESN)
which identifies the PSAP, a class of service, a date (which is
useful for recording purposes to document the call), a VoIP
positioning center (VPC) number used to route voice over IP calls
to the correct PSAP, a customer name field, an English-language
translation (ELT) number (sometimes called a "tell-tale" or "agency
file") (an alphanumeric description of the primary first-responder
agency associated with a given emergency services zone/number such
as law enforcement, fire and emergency medical service agencies,
and may include their station number (for dispatch purposes) and
telephone number), the latitude and longitude, uncertainty factor
and confidence factor of a latitude and longitude, and Emergency
Service Query Keys (ESQKs) or in the case of VoIP and Wireless
pseudo-ANI (pANI) to route to the correct PSAP.
[0094] Despite the flexibility of ALI formats there was no
mechanism for providing the enhanced information available from
wireless devices to PSAPs or other public safety providers because
it was not understood what format the information could be
transmitted in or in what channels or how it could be delivered to
the PSAP.
[0095] In the present invention, a community name field may be used
to identify the emergency safety system service provider, a
supplemental field may be added to provide the URL or other contact
information of the emergency safety system provider, the class of
service field can be used as a trigger for mapping the latitude and
longitude onto CAD systems at the PSAPs, and other supplemental or
standard fields may be modified to enhance the information given to
operators at PSAPs. The flexibility of the ALI system means that
although different phone types may transmit different types of
information, the format can be adapted to display different types
appropriately within the same system. For example, when a
land-based phone is displayed at a PSAP, the location is an
address. For a wireless device, the location is a coordinate such
as latitude and longitude.
[0096] One aspect of the present invention is that using a standard
SIP protocol a correctly formatted ALI message may be transmitted
between an emergency safety system service provider and a PSAP or
other public emergency service provider. Because it is possible to
adapt legacy systems to accept SIP messages, the most accurate
location-based information that can be generated from modern
wireless devices may be transmitted from a wireless device through
a subscriber service or other server-based system to a PSAP. In
particular, the latitude, longitude, uncertainty factor, and
confidence factor were previously unavailable from wireless
devices. In addition many CADs required a phone number to locate an
address, which was not available when a panic button, for example,
or other alert was generated by a wireless device, because in order
for location-based services to work in legacy systems the phone
number was with the location of the nearest cell tower. However, it
is possible to add flexible fields that can be accepted by ALI
systems and transmit them through SIP channels to PSAPs because the
ALI systems already accept SIP signaling.
[0097] In one embodiment of the present invention, when a call is
delivered from an emergency safety system service provider to an
emergency services telephone (e.g. 911) dispatcher an incident ID
and URL or network address are displayed on the ALI screen. In one
embodiment, by accessing a web page or other network-accessible
resource at the URL/network address and entering the incident ID
the dispatcher can retrieve in-depth subscriber information
including GPS or other coordinate-based location of the wireless
device, vital information and photographs as described above,
incident audit log, SMS or other text-based messaging broadcast
capability of the wireless device, and any available audio and/or
video stream. In another embodiment, accessing the URL will direct
the dispatcher directly to the incident webpage. In one embodiment,
an new incident web page may be started each time a panic button is
pressed from a wireless device. In another embodiment, historical
information from other incidents or activity on the device may be
included on an incident webpage.
[0098] In one embodiment of the invention, a latitude and longitude
of a wireless device as well as information regarding one or more
confidence factors for the location may be included in AL I display
sent to a PSAP. The PSAP may use reverse geocoding to resolve the
latitude and longitude to a street address or other physical
location, or may plot the latitude and longitude visually on a map.
In another embodiment, the emergency safety system service provider
will use reverse geocoding to resolve the latitude and longitude to
a street address, mapped point, intersection, landmark, or other
coordinate system and transmit the information to a PSAP.
[0099] A person of skill in the art will appreciate they call
center may be connected to a PSAP using existing systems designed
to accept emergency telephone calls from VoIP callers and other
telematics applications such as vehicle accident notification
systems. An application installed a wireless device is configured
to contact a safety system service provider. From the safety system
service provider the call can be routed using the same legacy
systems used to connect the above-noted VoIP and telematics systems
to PSAPs and other emergency service providers. For example, in one
embodiment, once a connection is made between the wireless device
and a server at the safety system service provider the
communication may be connected to a call center and/or directly to
a voice positioning center (VPC). A connection is then made between
the VPC and Emergency Service Gateways or ESGWs through emergency
telephone system providers such as HBF, Intrado, TCS, VIXXI,
T-Mobile, Sprint, etc. The ESGWs may then route the call through an
TUC or other carrier and through enhanced MF trunks to a PSAP. This
is one example of the type of connection that can be made to a
PSAP. Connections may also be made through a landline, private
branch TN, and through the cell phone tower network (for
non-subscribers), and other previously existing systems. The ALI
message sent to the PSAP systems may vary depending upon the class
of service available from the connection path. For example, a
landline may be associated with a physical address, but as
previously described a wireless device may have latitude,
longitude, and/or other coordinates.
[0100] As discussed above, legacy emergency telephone number
systems relied on phone equipment located at a fixed address.
Because most VoIP systems are installed at physical locations, the
VoIP emergency telephone number system relies on pANI coding to
reflect a physical address, and transmits the pANI information to
the PSAP in a SIP header. By modifying a SIP header to reflect
latitude and longitude, and/or providing additional information
through conventional ALI formatting, the present invention allows
the pinpointing of wireless devices and additional flexibility for
wireless devices that are in motion. Instead of using a physical
address that is tied to the subscription, for example the billing
address of a telephone number, the present invention transmits the
actual latitude and longitude of a wireless device.
[0101] Incident information is stored on the emergency safety
system service provider's incident server. Once an incident is
completed, historical data such as text, audio, images, and video
can be retrieved via one or more web pages, for example, from the
incident web page. Different user types may have access to
different types of information and it may be shown in different
formats; for example, PSAP personnel may be able to access all
information for any incident handled by the PSAP including any
notes entered by the PSAP, but a subscriber may have access only to
information about their own incident, and only the information
originating from the subscriber or subscriber's wireless
device.
[0102] As discussed above, legacy emergency telephone systems are
based upon association of a calling telephone number with a
physical address. Because it was assumed that a calling party would
be at a stationary address, transfer between PSAP jurisdictions was
not a common occurrence. One advantage of the present invention is
that the emergency safety system service provider can track an
incident occurring on a mobile wireless device travelling from one
PSAP's jurisdiction to another and notify each PSAP when the
emergency situation transitions to a different PSAP jurisdiction.
Because the emergency safety system service provider provides
contact information in a standard ALI format and tracks incidents
between PSAPs, there is no public capital expense and no increased
operation cost involved in adapting existing PSAP capability to
address transfers between PSAP jurisdictions.
[0103] A feature of the current invention is that not all features
must be used for the system to enhance safety for an individual or
community. For example, if a call center is not accessible at the
time an alert such as a panic button actuation or call to an
emergency services number is initiated, a call may be forwarded
directly to a PSAP or other emergency safety organization, and/or
information may still be accessible through the emergency safety
system service provider's website or other network accessible
resource. As another example, one or more services such as video
streaming, a safety network, or other aspects of the present
invention may be unavailable however available services are
provided and/or available information is recorded as may be useful
to enhance the safety of the end-user.
[0104] In another embodiment, different aspects of the system may
be made available using different fee-based models. For example, it
may be free to be a neighbor or a member of the safety network, but
additional subscription is required for call-center personnel
involvement in incidents. In another example, one subscription type
may only result in text and e-mail involvement by call-center
personnel, while a different subscription would include conference
call services throughout an incident, and/or follow-up contact from
call-center personnel following resolution of an incident. Group
subscriptions, for example for private and/or public organizations
may also be available and they may provide different services for
different user types within the subscription plan as well as
services that may not be available to individual subscribers such
as management of or access to multiple end-user accounts and/or
data.
[0105] In a preferred embodiment, offering certain services to all
subscribers and some services to nonsubscribers may be advantageous
for improving the efficacy and reliability of the network for all
users. For example, the more individuals or organizations that
subscribe to be a member of one or more safety networks and/or
neighborhoods, report dangerous locations and/or situations, share
the location of a wireless device with an emergency safety system
service provider, and receive threat alerts, the safer all
subscribers and/or members of a community are likely to be,
regardless of whether the individuals or organizations subscribe to
other services.
[0106] A person of skill in the art will understand that different
organizations may provide elements of a safety system as described
above. For example, hardware implementing the system may be
provided by one entity, and call-center services may be provided by
another company. In one embodiment, and alarm monitoring company
may provide call-center services in conjunction with software and
systems provided by emergency safety system service provider. A
person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that hardware
implementing the present invention may be co-located or
distributed.
[0107] A person of skill in the art will understand that alternate
embodiments of those described above are possible. For example, the
proactive safety tools described above can be provided separately
or in combination with other features. The tools themselves can be
implemented with options other than the preferred embodiments
described above.
[0108] As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the
processes described herein for depressing and reading a panic
button may be stored as computer usable instructions in a memory
and executed by a processor to carry out the functions described
herein. The memory and processor may be part of the same mobile
device, such as a mobile telephone or a personal digital assistant,
or part of the same computer. Alternatively, the program
instructions or software may be stored remotely from the device
having the panic button. Such instructions might also be remotely
executed by a server in scenarios where the program is remotely
stored from the device, as for example occurs with web enabled
devices. The program instructions may also be stored on a computer
usable medium, such as a CDROM or DVD, flash drive, or a computer
network for example and may be used directly therefrom or may be
loaded onto a device separately for use. The functionality may also
reside on a single device or across multiple devices that
communicate with each other over one or more network protocols.
There are many such suitable network protocols, including TCP/IP,
SIP, SMS and others.
[0109] A system of the present invention 100 is exemplified as
shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an
exemplary system 100 in accordance with the present invention. A
wireless device or devices 102 are communicatively connected
through a network 104 to one or more Communication servers 106 and
System Access servers 108. In some embodiments, the wireless
devices 102 may also be communicatively connected to one or more
Incident Coordination servers 110 and one or more Panic Sequence
servers 112. One or more PSAPs 116 are communicatively connected
through network 104 to one or more Communication servers 106,
System Access servers 108 and Incident Coordination servers 110.
One or more call centers 118 are communicatively connected through
network 104 to one or more Communication servers 106, System Access
servers 108, Incident Coordination servers 110, and Panic Sequence
servers 112. One or more land lines 122 are communicatively
connected through network 104 to one or more Communication servers
106. One or more PCs 120 are communicatively connected to
Communication servers 106 and System Access servers 108. One or
more Media Servers 114 are communicatively connected through
network 104 to Communication servers 106, Incident Coordination
servers 110, and Panic Sequence servers 112. A person of skill in
the art will understand that servers 106, 108, 110, 112, and 114
may be cohosted or located remotely from one another.
[0110] Communications servers 106 may communicatively connect
wireless devices 102, call centers 118, PSAPs 116, PCs 120, and
land lines 122. Communications between call centers 118, PSAPs 116,
PCs 120, and land lines 122 through Communication servers 106 may
be sent in one or more formats including SMS, e-mail, VoIP,
streaming video, or other indications format. Communication servers
106 may provide conferencing services to allow call centers 118 to
communicatively connect wireless devices 102, land lines 122, and
PSAPs 116 in an incident as described above.
[0111] One or more System Access servers 108 may store information
related to wireless devices 102, such as subscriber information,
safety network information, account information, and incident
information. In some embodiments PCs 120, land lines 122, or
additional wireless devices may be associated with a wireless
device 102 and have permission to access the information stored for
wireless 102 through System Access servers 108 by entering a
password or code or, in the case of one or more PCs 120, by
associating the MAC address of the PC with the account associated
with the wireless device 102. In some embodiments System Access
servers 108 may be co-located with or identical to Incident
Coordination servers 110 or Panic Sequence servers 112. Hosts 116
and other information aggregated from Hosts 116 such as demographic
and administrative information. System Access servers 108 may be
communicatively connected to Media Servers 114. In one embodiment
of the invention system Access servers 108 may stream video to one
or more of PSAPs 116, call centers, 118 PCs 120, or land lines 122
through networks 104. In one embodiment of the invention system
Media Servers 114 may stream video directly to one or more of PSAPs
116, call centers, 118 PCs 120, or land lines 122 through networks
104.
[0112] In one embodiment exemplified by FIG. 1, when a wireless
device 102 such as a smart phone actuate a panic button a software
application installed on the wireless device 102 connects to a
System Access server 108. The System Access server 108 may have one
or more databases or flat files containing subscriber information
including safety network information and vital information,
neighbor information, incident information, and account
information. System Access server 108 may transmit information from
one or all databases to wireless device 102, for example, system
Access server may transmit information regarding safety network
contacts to wireless device 102. Wireless device 102 may
communicatively connect directly to land lines 122, PCs 120, or
other wireless devices through network 104 using contact
information received from System Access servers 108. Wireless
devices may communicatively connect to call centers 118, PSAPs 116,
and to land lines 122, PCs 120, or other wireless devices through
networks 104 and communication servers 106, and may simultaneously
send data or text messages through communications network 104 while
can negatively connected to communication server 106.
[0113] FIG. 2 is an exemplary representation of data and
applications that may be kept in one or more servers 106, 108, 110,
112, and 114 in embodiments of the present invention. In one
embodiment of the present invention databases 208, 210, 212, and
214 or other data representations such as a flat file may be
mirrored on one or more machines 106, 108, 110, and 112. VoIP or
conferencing application 202 and SMS application 204 may interface
with land lines 122, PCs 120, call centers 118, and PSAPs 116,
through a web browser or other client. Servers 106, 108, 110, 112,
and 114 and SMS application 204 may interface with wireless device
102 through an application installed on the device. Media
application 216 may interface with media database 214 through Media
Server 114 and Media Server 114 may interface with Incident
Coordination server 110 and System Access server 108 to send media
to recipients 116, 118, 120, and 122. Panic sequence application
206 may reside on Panic Sequence servers 112 and interface with
call centers 118, PSAPs 116, and PCs 120 through a web browser or
other client. Panic sequence application 206 may interface with
data sources 208, 210, 212, and 214, which may be co-located on the
same server or remotely located on a server communicatively
connected with the application.
[0114] Incident database 208 preferably contains information
recorded about current and historic incidents resulting from panic
button actuations, and may also record information about other
types of alerts. Account information database 210 preferably stores
information related to subscription accounts such as default safety
network information and other default information related to
subscriptions. User information database 212 preferably stores
information related to end users which may include vital
information, safety network information, other contact information,
options related to being a neighbor, acceptable types of
communications, passwords, and other options, and may also contain
historic alert information or panic button incident information.
Media database 214 preferably stores audio, video, and still images
transmitted from wireless device 102 as well as images related to
vital information.
[0115] A panic sequence application 206 preferably resides on one
or more a Panic Sequence servers 112. VoIP and or conferencing
applications 202 and SMS application 204 preferably resides on one
or more Communication servers 106. Media application 216 preferably
resides on one or more Media Servers 114. Account information
database 210 and user info database 212 is preferably maintained in
conjunction with System Access servers 108. Some information in
account information database 210 and user information database 212
may also reside in wireless device 102. Wireless device 102 may
communicatively connect to System Access server 108 to update
information in user information database 212 or account information
database 210.
[0116] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary system
300 in accordance with the present invention. Wireless devices 304,
306 are communicatively connected to one or more servers 310
through a wireless network 308 and optionally through an additional
connection to a wired network 312. Call-center computers 302 are
connected to one or more servers 310 through wired 312 and/or
wireless networks 308 or through other networks available in
networks 104.
[0117] FIG. 4 is a flow chart that depicts an embodiment of the
present invention, a method of providing wireless device emergency
services connection, panic button functionality, and crime and
safety information system and services related to such uses,
including a wireless device application and safety services
implemented with client-server architecture. Referring to FIG. 4, a
user who may be an end-user, subscriber, retailer, manufacturer, or
other individual may access a wireless device 402 and install panic
button software 404. After installing the software 404, the user
can designate a panic button 406 to be one or more inputs on the
wireless device. The wireless device may be registered 408 with an
emergency safety system service provider. When the designated panic
button is pressed 410 the wireless device may access a database to
read address information for parties to contact by requesting
contact information from a server 412. After the wireless device
has downloaded contact information 414 a can send a message to one
or more contacts 416. If an escalation code is sent to the
emergency safety system service provider server 418 then emergency
services are contacted 420. If an escalation code is not sent 418,
then if a resolution code is sent 422 the incident is cleared from
the system 424. However, if after a predetermined interval a
resolution code is not sent 422, a call center is notified 426, for
example and emergency services center. If the call-center is unable
to clear the incident 428 bit additional emergency services are
contacted 430. In one embodiment, if the incident is not cleared
428 after a predetermined interval and emergency services are
contacted 430 such as a police station or of other public safety
provider, for example, a PSAP, a school safety official, ambulance,
or other first responder. Once emergency services have been
contacted 430 information is sent to emergency services 432 such as
the location of the wireless device, time to panic button was
pushed, name of the end-user, URL, name of the emergency safety
system service provider, or an identifier for the incident,
subscriber, emergency safety system service provider, or PSAP.
[0118] Each of the method steps shown in the Figures and described
herein may be implemented as a software program that includes
program instructions. The program instructions may be executed by a
processor, microcontroller, digital signal processor or other
device capable of executing program instructions as part of the
method. The processor and all or portions of the software may
reside on a server, a computer, a mobile device such as a
smartphone, or any other device capable of executing program
instructions and communicating over a network. The software may be
stored and executed at a central location, such as a server, or may
be stored and executed in a distributed manner at multiple servers
and/or at multiple other devices. The software may be, for example,
run on a server and interactions by subscriber devices may be via a
web browser that interacts with the server. Alternatively, portions
of the software may be made available to subscriber devices by a
plug-in to a web browser. In still other embodiments, portions of
the software may be embodied in application programs that run on
subscriber devices and devices at the venue that in turn interact
with the server and database.
[0119] Each of the software programs described herein may be stored
in a computer usable medium, such as a memory, a hard disk drive, a
solid-state memory or drive, a CD ROM or DVD or on a database or
any other type of memory including memory accessible over a
network. For example, the illustrative device 500 shown in FIG. 5
may be used to store the such programs in the memory 510, which may
include any of the previously mentioned types of memory. During
use, the software may be loaded into the memory of a general
purpose computer or other device 500 that includes, for example, a
processor 560 (or microcontroller, digital signal process or other
device that executes instructions) coupled to a memory 510, a
display 520, which may be a regular or touch screen type display, a
keypad or keyboard 530, a speaker 540, a microphone 550, a wireless
or other network i/o unit 570 for connecting electrically,
optically or wirelessly to the Internet or other network, other i/o
interfaces 580, such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface,
firewire interface or other i/o interface, and any additional
input/output devices such as a mouse. The software programs include
program instructions and data that when loaded in the memory are
accessed, executed and used by the processor to carry out described
method steps described herein, including allowing data and control
inputs from users or the network connection, and creating and
displaying output. The input from the user may be made via any
input, including the display, keypad, microphone or other input
device.
[0120] While particular embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it will be understood by those having
ordinary skill in the art that changes may be made to those
embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention.
* * * * *