Emergency location identification using wireless devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9741237-B1
Application number	US-201615372080-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include an efficient and accurate method for presenting victim locations to emergency responders. The method disclosed can be used to track individuals still remaining in a building in case of an emergency. The method comprises determining a location for an individual by receiving a device identifier (e.g., combination of numbers and/or characters uniquely identifying a receiving device associated with the individual) and location information, received from one or more beacons, from the receiving device. The method comprises determining a first location associated with the receiving device based on the location information and/or the device identifier. The method comprises determining different locations associated with the individual as the individual moves and determining whether the individual is still within the building. The method comprises, displaying location information and instructions to reach the individual in case of an emergency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a server, a device identifier and a first location information from a receiving device, the first location information being associated with a location of the receiving device received from a plurality of beacons within a building, wherein the device identifier comprises a combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the receiving device;
determining, by the server, a first location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the first location information and the device identifier;
receiving, by a server, a second location information from the receiving device;
determining, by the server, a second location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the second location information and the device identifier;
determining, by the server, whether the second location is within the building;
upon determining that the second location is within the building, assigning, by the server, a value to the receiving device representing the receiving device as present within the building;
receiving, by the server, from a responder mobile device, a request for one or more receiving devices within the building;
upon the value associated with the receiving device representing the receiving device as present within the building, generating, by the server, a graphical user interface configured to display the second location associated with the receiving device; and
transmitting, by the server, the graphical user interface to the responder mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface further comprises identification information associated with a user operating the receiving device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the identification information comprises one or more medical conditions associated with a user operating the receiving device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface further comprises instructions to reach the second locations.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the instructions to reach the second location comprises a fastest route to the second location.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the instructions to reach the second location comprises a route comprising one or more points of interest.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface is transmitted to the responder mobile device through an encrypted transmission method.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a request for identification confirmation by a responder operating the responder mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identification confirmation is in form of a password.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identification confirmation is in form of biometric data.

11. A computer system comprising:
a receiving device;
a plurality of beacons;
a responder mobile device; and
a server configured to:
receive a device identifier and a first location information from the receiving device, the first location information being associated with a location of the receiving device received from the plurality of beacons within a building, wherein the device identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the receiving device;
determine a first location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the first location information and the device identifier;
receive a second location information from the receiving device;
determine a second location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the second location information and the device identifier;
determine whether the second location is within the building;
upon determining that the second location is within the building, assign a value to the receiving device representing the receiving device as present within the building;
receive from a responder mobile device, a request for one or more receiving devices within the building;
upon the value associated with the receiving device representing the receiving device as present within the building, generate a graphical user interface configured to display the second location associated with the receiving device; and
transmit the graphical user interface to the responder mobile device.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the graphical user interface further comprises identification information associated with a user operating the receiving device.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the identification information comprises one or more medical conditions associated with a user operating the receiving device.

14. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the graphical user interface further comprises instructions to reach the second locations.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions to reach the second location comprises a fastest route to the second location.

16. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions to reach the second location comprises a route comprising one or more points of interest.

17. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the graphical user interface is transmitted to the responder mobile device through an encrypted transmission method.

18. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises a request for identification confirmation by a responder operating the responder mobile device.

19. The computer system of claim 18 , wherein the identification confirmation is in form of a password.

20. The computer system of claim 18 , wherein the identification confirmation is in form of biometric data.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co

Inventors

• Knas Michal
• John Jiby

Classifications

• G08B27/001 Primary

  Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen · CPC title

• G08B25/10

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G06Q90/20

  Destination assistance within a business structure or complex · CPC title

• G08B21/22

  responsive to presence or absence of persons · CPC title

• G08B7/066

  guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip · CPC title