Fall detection—audio looping

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11605274-B2
Application number	US-202017131466-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2020
Priority date	Nov 1, 2018
Publication date	Mar 14, 2023
Grant date	Mar 14, 2023

Abstract

Techniques are provided for contacting emergency response services when certain conditions are met. In some instances, it may be determined, by a wearable device, whether a user has responded to a first user interface prompt displayed in response to detection of a physical event associated with the user. In accordance with a determination that the user has not responded to the first user interface prompt after expiration of a first time period, certain actions may be performed. For example, a countdown timer may begin to run for a second timer period. During the second period, an audio alert and a haptic alert may be output by the wearable device. In accordance with a determination that the user has not responded to a second user interface prompt prior to expiration of the second time period, a communication channel request may be transmitted to an emergency response service by the wearable device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device, comprising:
a speaker;
a display screen; and
one or more processors in communication with one or more memories and the speaker, the one or more processors configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored on the one or more memories to at least:
determine whether a user has responded to a first user interface prompt displayed on the display screen in response to detection of a physical event associated with the user;
in accordance with a determination that the user has not responded to the first user interface prompt prior to expiration of a first time period:
begin a countdown timer to run for a second time period;
during the second time period, output, via the speaker, an audio alert;
during the second time period, output a haptic alert;
in accordance with a determination that the user has not responded to a second user interface prompt displayed on the display screen prior to expiration of the second time period, transmit a communication channel request to an emergency response service; and
after a communication channel has been established with the emergency response service, output, via the speaker, two or more loops of an audio message associated with the detection of the physical event associated with the user, wherein outputting the two or more loops of the audio message comprises outputting a first loop of the audio message at a first volume level and a second loop of the audio message at a second volume level.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein outputting the audio alert comprises:
outputting the audio alert at a first intensity level at a first time; and
outputting the audio alert at a second intensity level at a second time, the second intensity level being greater than the first intensity level.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein outputting the audio alert comprises ramping up the audio alert during the second time period.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein outputting the audio alert and outputting the haptic alert comprise comprises outputting the audio alert and outputting the haptic alert at an increasing level of intensity beginning at a beginning of the second time period and ending at a conclusion of the second time period.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the audio alert indicates that the mobile device will transmit the communication channel request to the emergency response service if the user does not respond to the second user interface prompt.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memories store further computer-executable instructions, and the one or more processors are configured to execute the further computer-executable instructions stored on the one or more memories to at least, in accordance with a determination that the user has responded to the second user interface prompt prior to expiration of the second time period, refrain from transmitting the communication channel request to the emergency response service.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface prompt and the second user interface prompt are of the same type of prompt.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface prompt comprises a first user interface element that includes a first prompt, and wherein the second user interface prompt comprises a second user interface element comprising a second prompt.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein outputting the two or more loops of the audio message comprises repeating the two or more loops of the audio message at least until receiving a user input from the user or termination of the communication channel.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining whether a user has responded to a first user interface prompt displayed on a display screen in response to detection of a physical event associated with the user;
in accordance with a determination that the user has not responded to the first user interface prompt after expiration of a first time period:
beginning a countdown timer to run for a second time period;
during the second time period, outputting, via a speaker, an audio alert;
during the second time period, outputting a haptic alert; and
in accordance with a determination that the user has not responded to a second user interface prompt displayed on the display screen prior to expiration of the second time period, transmitting a communication channel request to an emergency response service; and
after a communication channel has been established with the emergency response service, outputting, via the speaker, two or more loops of an audio message associated with the detection of the physical event associated with the user, wherein outputting the two or more loops of the audio message comprises varying a volume level between a first loop of the audio message and a second loop of the audio message.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein outputting the audio alert comprises:
outputting the audio alert at a first intensity level at a first time; and
outputting the audio alert at a second intensity level at a second time, the second intensity level being greater than the first intensity level.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein outputting the audio alert and outputting the haptic alert comprise outputting the audio alert and outputting the haptic alert at an increasing level of intensity beginning at a beginning of the second time period and ending at a conclusion of the second time period.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the audio alert indicates that transmission of the communication channel request to the emergency response service will occur if the user does not respond to the second user interface prompt.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the second user interface prompt comprises a cancelation of the communication channel request to the emergency response service.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising, in accordance with a determination that the user has responded to the second user interface prompt prior to expiration of the second time period, refraining from transmitting the communication channel request to the emergency response service.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein outputting the two or more loops of the audio message comprises outputting the two or more loops of the audio message without receiving a user input relating to the volume level of the two or more loops.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:
determining whether a user has responded to a first user interface prompt displayed on a display screen of the mobile device in response to detection of a physical event associated with the user;
in accordance with a determination that the user has not responded to the first user interface prior to expiration of a first time period:
beginning a countdown timer to run for a second time period;
during the second time period, outputting, via a speaker, an audio alert;
during the second time period, outputting a haptic alert; and
in accordance with a determination that the user has not responded to a second user interface prompt displayed on the display screen of the mobile device prior to expiration of the second time period, transmitting a communication channel request to an emergency response service; and
after a communication ch

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Howard Albert Riley
• Morrison Catherine B B
• Saari Christopher P
• Daniel Heather E
• Lynch Kevin M
• Huang Ronald Keryuan
• Mohamed Sherif
• Forgety Iii Telford E
• Crowley Matthew W
• Gilravi Eamon F

Classifications

• G08B21/0453

  worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing (detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00) · CPC title

• G08B7/06

  using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources} · CPC title

• G08B21/043 Primary

  detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G08B7/00 Primary

  Signalling systems according to two or more of groups G08B3/00 - G08B6/00 · CPC title