Patent Publication Number: US-2005124318-A1

Title: Telecommunications security system with emergency call after designated period of time

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to telecommunications systems. This invention relates particularly to a mobile phone system that enables a user to call for help, or abort a call for help, after a designated period of time.  
     BACKGROUND  
      A person who anticipates that a crime is about to occur will often call 911 for help. Under the existing 911 system, if the call ends up being a false alarm, emergency service resources will be wasted. Such a process is inadequate because the person must choose between security and wasting the efforts of emergency service providers. For example, a woman is walking in a dark parking lot. As the potential victim senses danger, she calls 911 on her cell phone and police are dispatched. If there is an actual threat to her safety, the police may arrive in time to preserve her security. However, if there is no threat to her safety, police resources will be wasted by driving, investigating, and possibly drafting a report for an event that never occurred. It is desirable to have a security system which would enable a potential victim to prepare without hesitation for a security threat when she senses danger, but yet avoid false alarms.  
      In another example, a wife in a domestic dispute who anticipates being physically attacked by her husband may unnecessarily waste the efforts of a police officer who is called out to address what may remain a shouting match. However, if she is about to be attacked, the arrival of a police officer could protect her from serious injury or death. Furthermore, calling the police may ultimately aggravate the husband from an otherwise non-violent condition to a violent condition. As a result, a security system capable of contacting the police without the husband noticing, which protects the wife and provides her with the opportunity to cancel a call for help and prevent a false alarm, would be highly desirable.  
      Telephone panic button systems are known. These systems enable a caller to push a dedicated key or series of keys that calls the police. At least one of the systems applied to mobile phones, U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,666 issued to Alpert, provides an abort button for the panic call. However, the prior art fails to disclose a system in which the user can define a period of delay before emergency services are called. Furthermore, these systems allow any person—even the perpetrator—to abort the call. They do not provide for cancellation by only the victim.  
      Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved security system that enables the potential victim to call for help, but to abort the call if it is a false alarm. Another object of this invention is to provide the potential victim with the security of knowing that help is on the way, unless the potential victim cancels the request for help. A further object is to enable a person to quickly and, if desired, discreetly contact emergency service providers. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system capable of reducing the number of false alarms to emergency service providers. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system capable of communicating the circumstances of a potential crime, such as the locations and identities of the potential victim and perpetrators involved. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that is efficient and requires minimal cost, time, and effort. Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent with reference to the following descriptions.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is a security system which provides security to a cell phone user by transmitting information, including an encoded period of time and a request for help, to a computer. After the period of time expires, the computer calls the cell phone user back. The cell phone user may abort the request for help by entering a personal identifier. If the cell phone user does not enter the personal identifier signifying that he or she is no longer in danger, the computer contacts appropriate authorities such as the police, fire department, or paramedics. Other information may be transmitted, such as the locations and identities of the victim and perpetrators involved, using voice, text, visual images, geographic coordinates or other formats.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a flow diagram illustrating an overview of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating the steps implemented by components of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating the steps implemented by components of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating the steps implemented by components of a second alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  illustrates the information gathered in the application for the service of system described herein.  
       FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating the detailed steps of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , the system comprises a method of providing security to a person who has a mobile phone or other means for transmitting and receiving. The mobile phone user  102  transmits information  110  to a host computer  106 . The transmitted information  110  includes at least a period of time  112  that the user  102  believes will be sufficient to determine whether a threat is real. The host computer  106  receives the information and, after the period of time  112  elapses, the host computer calls the user back with an alert  114 . Unless the user  102  enters a personal identifier such as a personal identification number (PIN), the host computer will contact an emergency service provider  108 . For example, if a user who senses danger believes it will take 40 seconds to safely walk to his car, the user  102  may transmit a code that indicates to the host computer to wait 40 seconds before calling the user back for confirmation he is safe. If the user enters his PIN upon receiving the call back, no call is made to emergency service providers  108 . If the user fails to enter his PIN, however, the host computer  106  contacts emergency service providers  108  with a message  139  that the user needs help.  
      The user  102  may transmit additional information  110  to the host computer  106 . This additional information may include for example a text message  145 , voice data  140 , a visual image  141 , location data  142 , the identity  143  of user  102 , identities of the perpetrators  144 , or other data. Other data formats may be used, also. Similarly, the host computer  106  may transmit additional information in the message  139  to the emergency service provider  108 . Again, this additional information may include for example a text message  145 , voice data  140 , a visual image  141 , location data  142 , the identity  143  of user  102 , or identities of the perpetrators  144  or other data. Other data formats may be used, also. This additional information may be provided by the user or obtained from other sources. Location data  142  for land telephone lines may be obtained by host computer  106  utilizing Automatic Location Identification (ALI), as is known in the art. Location data  142  for cell phones may be obtained by host computer  106  by utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS), also known in the art. Automatic Number Identification (ANI) is an enhanced  911  service capability that may also be utilized by host computer  106  to automatically display the seven digit number used to place a 911 call. Alternatively, user  102  may also enter other forms of information  110 , such as requesting the dispatch of help to locations other than from where the initial call is placed.  
      The device used by the caller to make the initial call is preferably a device that transmits and receives data, in other words, a transceiver. The transceiver  104  is preferably a cell phone but under appropriate circumstances other means for transmitting and receiving, such as pagers, computers, PDA&#39;s, other types of mobile phones, etc., may suffice. The transceiver and host computer  106  are capable of transmitting and receiving transmissions from each other. Transceiver  104  and host computer  106  may consist of separate transmitters and receivers, rather than combined into transceiving. For example, the user  102  may be provided with a security transmitter for one-time use. This disposable transmitter transmits to the host computer  106 , as explained above, but the host computer calls back to the user&#39;s cell phone, a separate device form the transmitter. In such case, the data transmitted by the disposable transmitter may additionally include the user&#39;s call back number.  
      The host computer is preferably a dedicated server, but may also be a portion of the mainframe computer or servers for existing telephone or emergency services. For example, the service of the present invention may be incorporated into the local telephone service provider or local emergency service provider networks. The host computer may be managed by a local telephone service provider, a home security company, local emergency service provider, a municipality or other entity.  
      Emergency service provider  108  is preferably a law enforcement entity such as the police department. Under appropriate circumstances, considering issues such as nature of the emergency, culture, cost, etc., other emergency service providers, such as firefighters, paramedics, other medical professionals, military, other law enforcement entities, mechanics, plumbers, veterinarians, etc., may be contacted. Further, the host computer may contact a family member, employer, or other emergency contact that is not necessarily capable of rendering emergency aid. Those contacted by the host computer are referred to collectively herein as emergency service providers.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates the method implemented by the components of the system, in which he steps are numbered in the preferred order of execution. In this more detailed embodiment, the method provides a physical location of the user. A caller  103  subscribes to the service  101  described herein. When a threat is sensed, the caller  103  places a call to the host computer  106  which is transmitted through a telecommunications system  107 . The host computer receives the caller&#39;s request, which includes at least a time period  112  for call back and, if desired, a memo  111  with additional information. After the period of time  112  has elapsed, the host computer calls the caller  103  to confirm her safety. The host computer  106  receives confirmation by way of receipt of a PIN or other personal identifier entered by the caller  103 . Upon receipt of confirmation the caller is safe, the security event ends, illustrated by jumping to Step  11 . However, if no confirmation is received, Step  7  is executed as the host computer queries the telecom system  107  for the caller&#39;s physical location. The telecom system  107  responds to the host computer  106  with the location. Once the location is received, the host computer contacts the police or other emergency service provider  108  with the caller&#39;s identity, memo (if provided)  117  and location. The memo may include for example a text message  145 , voice data  140 , a visual image  141 , identities of the perpetrators  144 , or other data. Other data formats may be used. Upon receipt of the information by the police in Step  10 , help is dispatched. Upon dispatch, the security event ends at Step  11 .  
      In an alternate embodiment, instead of waiting for the alert  114  call to enter the PIN in Step  5  and thereby abort the call for help, the caller  103  can preemptively abort the emergency call by making another call to the host computer. See  FIG. 3 . Step  5 ( a ) shows that the caller  103  can call the host computer  106  before the time period  112  expires and abort the emergency call. If the caller  103  does not execute Step  5 ( a ), the process continues as in the preferred embodiment from Step  5 ( b ) through completion.  
      In a second alternative embodiment, instead of waiting for the alert  114  call in Step  5 , the caller  103  can request immediate help by making another call to the host computer. See  FIG. 4 . Step  5 ( a ) shows that the caller  103  can call the host computer  106  before the time period  112  expires and request immediate help. If the caller  103  does not execute Step  5 ( a ), the process continues as in the preferred embodiment from Step  5 ( b ) through completion.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , prior to having the ability to transmit to host computer  106 , a user  102  preferably applies for this service, preferably providing his or her name, cell phone number, address, home telephone number, and any additional remarks and related information. Additionally, user  102  may provide a picture of himself, a voice sample, or medical information, such as blood type or allergies to medicines that might be used in an emergency. User  102  may also provide contact information for at least one other emergency contact, including that person&#39;s name, cell phone number, address, home telephone number, and any additional remarks and related information. Details of service would also be determined, such as type, new PIN, insurance, payments, number of alert calls, preferred methods of canceling requests for help, length of service term, and term of validity.  
      The preferred embodiment of the invention enables for a cell phone user to make a request  180  for help to an autonomous computer server  182  programmed specifically for this use. See  FIG. 6 . The request includes an encoded period of time  212  (abbreviated in  FIG. 6  as “POT”), which could be entered into a cell phone  184 , for example, by typing “*410”. The “*4” would represent a speed dial number preprogrammed into cell phone  184 , which calls server  182 . The “10” represents a period of time  212 , such as “10” seconds, the desired period of time before call-back. Other codes could be initially entered, such as “*4*210”, whereby “*4” is the number speed-dialed, “*2” is a request for an ambulance, and “10” represents the period of time  212 . The request for help may include a text message  145 , voice data  140 , a visual image  141 , location data  142 , the identity  143  of user  102 , or identities of the perpetrators  144  or other data. Optionally, the request for help may require entry of a PIN  186 , in order to make an initial request for help. The information  210  is stored in a main database  188 , which is connected to server  182 .  
      Server  182  would then call and provide an alert  114  to cell phone  184  that the period of time  212  has expired. If cell phone  184  answers the alert call and the PIN  186  is entered, no request for help from an emergency service provider  108  would be made by server  182 . If the alert call is not answered or a proper PIN  186  is not entered after cell phone  184  is answered, a request for help would be transmitted from server  182  to emergency service provider  108 , preferably by a facsimile  192  and a phone call  193 . Alternatively, to further avoid false alarms, server  182  can be arranged to make more than one alert call trial  189  to cell phone user  102 . Once the maximum number of alert call trials  189  is reached, emergency service provider  108  are then contacted. In addition, service could also be arranged such that server  182  does not make an alert call, but instead waits for a period of time  212  for a second call from the user. If server  182  receives the second call during the wait time  212 , a transmission for help is then made to emergency service provider  108 . If the second call does not come within the period of time  212 , server  182  would not make a request for help to emergency service provider  108 . Optionally, emergency service provider  108  could be required to make a confirmation call  196  back to server  182 .  
      Server  182  would maintain a main database  188 , which includes all information  210 . Server  182  would also have access to data from Geographic Information Systems (GIS) servers  194 , Global Positioning Systems servers  195 , Automatic Number Identification servers  198 , Automatic Location Identification servers  196 , internet servers, telecommunications servers, and any other databases which will assist in helping police  208  in aiding user  102 . Such steps could all be autonomously executed by a computer server  182  utilizing batch processes. In the event insufficient information is transmitted to the emergency service provider, the emergency service provider could also request information from these and other databases.  
      While there has been illustrated and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.