Abstract:
An emergency response system to alert authorities of a medical issue during an outdoor activity which comprises (a) a portable unit attached to the outdoorsman including an alert button, computer, memory device and power source; (b) a display located on an exterior of the portable unit having one or more buttons to navigate information shown on the display; (c) one or more antennae to communicate with an outside source (which can be GPS) to verify location and (d) means to alert authorities (radio, cellular or satellite) of a medical issue. The invention is also directed to a method comprising the steps of (a) attaching the portable unit, (b) navigating a display, (c) selecting a path, (d) verifying geographic location on a path, and (e) alerting authorities of a medical issue.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to a portable programmable emergency response system capable of alerting authorities of a medical issue during an outdoor activity. More specifically, the invention provides several methods and systems to contact authorities to provide the precise location of an outdoorsman in the event he or she has been injured or become incapacitated, as well as his or her preexisting health conditions and emergency contact person. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Recreation activities like hiking, biking and horseback riding continue to be ever popular sports. In addition, adventure or so called “extreme” sports like rock climbing, kayaking and rafting have greatly increased in popularity over the past several years. Both recreation and extreme sports generally include some form of outdoor activity where the outdoorsman plots a path or navigates natural terrain. Often, such outdoorsman is far removed from civilization when performing these activities. These sports not only offer the benefit of exercise, but also serenity. 
         [0005]    A common and popular type of recreation activity is horseback riding—also known as equestrianism—which includes the sport and skill of riding a horse. Forms of horseback riding include fox hunting, trail riding and hacking. Historians have concluded the sport of trail riding dates back some 6,000 years. Even in today&#39;s media-driven society and technology-driven culture, horseback riding remains an ever vibrant sport. In fact, statistics show that each year over 30 million people ride horses. 
         [0006]    While horseback riding remains a popular sport in our society, it occasionally results in injury to the outdoorsman. Common injuries from horseback riding include (a) falling from the horse during a ride, (b) being kicked by the horse, (c) being trampled, or (d) suffering a bite from the horse. These injuries result in approximately 50,000 emergency room visits each year. Moreover, statistics suggest 1 in every 600 riders will report some type of injury. 
         [0007]    As with other outdoor sports, horseback riding injuries present logistical challenges for authorities as well as dangers to the outdoorsman. Most accidents occur in rural isolated areas, such as a nature preserve, wildlife refuge, or national park. In such locales, it is difficult if not impossible to find the outdoorsman if a medical issue arises. Moreover, the nature of the injury may incapacitate the outdoorsman such that he or she cannot seek medical treatment or contact authorities. With time often of the essence to treat these medical issues, it becomes paramount to not only find the injured outdoorsman but for authorities to surmise if an accident has indeed occurred. 
         [0008]    Even with recent advances in cellular communications and the advent of the Global Positioning Satellite system (GPS), problems still exist in alerting authorities as to medical issues resulting from recreation and extreme sport activities. Put simply, carrying a cellular or satellite telephone is not enough. First and foremost, the injury may cause the outdoorsman to become incapacitated and/or incapable of using a cellular or satellite telephone to call authorities. Second, even if he or she was able to place such a call, the injured outdoorsman may be unable to communicate with authorities to provide his or her exact location or cogently converse as to his or her preexisting medical history. 
         [0009]    These problems are common to many recreation and extreme sport activities. Accordingly, there is a need in recreation and extreme sport activities for a portable programmable emergency response system capable of alerting authorities in the event an outdoorsman has succumbed to a medical issue. Such system must be capable of being triggered when there is a strong suggestion the outdoorsman is no longer on a pre-specified course, has had a sudden decrease in vertical distance, had an irregular pulse or high body temperature. The system and related method must also be able to locate the outdoorsman so that authorities can provide effective emergency response. In addition, the system should provide authorities with not only the geographic position of the outdoorsman, but also any preexisting medical conditions and his or her emergency contact person. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    This invention provides a system to alert authorities in the event of an injury to an outdoorsman, including a medical issue which has incapacitated that outdoorsman. The system and related method not only alert authorities, but pinpoints the geographic location of the injured outdoorsman and provides authorities his or her preexisting medical history and the emergency contact person. 
         [0011]    In the preferred embodiment, the system includes a portable unit attached to the outdoorsman. The portable unit is worn proximate to the wrist and sufficient to allow viewing during a recreation or extreme sport activity. Internal components of the portable unit include a computer having processing capabilities, a memory device capable of storing coordinates, a self-sufficient rechargeable power source (which can be a battery), and one or more antennae attached to the computer for communicating. On an exterior side of the portable unit, components include an alert button and a display having one or more buttons or touch-activation capabilities to allow the outdoorsman to view a graphical representation of the topography of a path as well as other statistical information. The portable unit can also include multiple sensors to measure exterior temperature, body temperature, pulse and/or a sudden decrease in vertical distance. 
         [0012]    As previously discussed, one or more antennae are included within the portable unit to derive information from an outside source to determine geographic location as well as relay information to authorities. Such outside source can be any cellular or satellite system, preferably the GPS system, to verify location on the topography of the outdoor area being traveled. That same (or potentially a second) cellular or satellite system (again potentially GPS enabled) is capable of communicating with an antenna attached to the computer within the portable unit to send an emergency signal to authorities (such as fire rescue, parks service, police or EMTs) through the outdoorsman activating the alert button or based upon a set of previously programmed conditions stored in the the portable unit. 
         [0013]    It is likewise preferred that the portable unit has an array of outdoor paths, trails, waterways and streams stored as sets of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates. These arrays can be stored on the memory device of the portable unit. A program (machine readable code) stored on the memory device and processed by the computer can compare these sets of geographic coordinates to the actual location of the outdoorsman during a recreation or extreme sport activity. Should the outdoorsman depart too far from the coordinates of a selected path, the portable unit detects and verifies the outdoorsman is out of a pre-specified variance through communication with an outside source (i.e., a cellular or satellite system) and sends a warning to the outdoorsman (i.e., an audible noise or vibration), requiring the outdoorsman to press the alert button. If the alert button is not engaged within a pre-specified period of time, the portable unit will contact authorities to provide the exact location of the outdoorsman to send help as well as provide any preexisting medical conditions and/or his or her emergency contact person. 
         [0014]    A further preferred component of the portable unit is a sensor which detects if the outdoorsman has had a sudden decrease in vertical distance, which would suggest a fall (i.e., a horseback rider has fallen from a horse or a hiker has fallen down a hill). If a sudden decrease in vertical distance is detected, the portable unit will send a signal to the display alerting the outdoorsman (again, an audible noise or vibration). If the outdoorsman does not activate the alert button within a pre-specified period of time, the portable unit will communicate with an outside source to determine his or her exact coordinates and relay this information to authorities, in addition to the outdoorsman&#39;s preexisting medical history and emergency contact person. 
         [0015]    In addition to the system, the invention also contemplates a method to alert authorities of a potential medical issue during an outdoor or extreme sport activity. One preferred method includes the steps of attaching the portable unit to the outdoorsman (such as proximate to the wrist); turning the portable unit on; posting on a display within the portable unit one or more navigable paths; selecting a path on the display of the portable unit; verifying a location of the topography of the selected path through communication with an outside source (which can be a cellular or satellite system) through an antenna within the portable unit; and alerting authorities by activating the alert button or based upon previously programmed conditions stored in the memory device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a direct view of the internal components of the portable unit, including the computer, memory device, power source, vertical distance sensor, thermo-sensors, pulse monitor and antennae. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a direct view of the external components of the portable unit including the alert button, display and navigation buttons. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  shows how the portable unit communicates with one or more outside sources to find the geographic position of the outdoorsman as well as contact authorities as to a medical issue. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  provides an environmental view of how the system employs longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates to plot an outdoor path verified through an outside source. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    The present invention relates to a system and method to alert authorities of a medical issue during a recreation or extreme sport activity such as hiking, mountain biking, climbing, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking or rafting. The invention employs a portable unit  100  capable of communicating with one or more outside sources  200  to determine the geographic location of an outdoorsman, as well as provide authorities  300  his or her precise geographic coordinates in the event of a medical issue. More specifically, the system is capable of graphically displaying the outdoorsman&#39;s location of the topography being traveled, calculating the distance traveled, outside temperature, the outdoorsman&#39;s body temperature and pulse, as well as determine whether there has been a sudden drop in vertical distance. Should such a drop occur or if the outdoorsman wanders off a pre-specified path, the portable device  100  is capable of alerting authorities of a potential medical issue—even if the outdoorsman becomes incapacitated. In the event of such medical issue, the portable device  100  can relay any preexisting medical condition, current medications, and the outdoorsman&#39;s emergency contact person. 
         [0021]    The primary component of the system is a portable unit  100  attached to the outdoorsman during the recreation or extreme sport activity. As best illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the internal components of the portable unit  100  comprise a computer  1  having processing capabilities, a memory device  2  capable of storing information such as coordinates of a unique outdoor recreation path  3 , a self-sufficient rechargeable power source  4  (which can be a battery), and one or more antennae  5  and  6  which connect to the computer  1 . 
         [0022]    The portable unit  100  of  FIG. 1  also includes a serial, USB, Firewire, BlueTooth or similar commercially available interface  7  capable of loading data and/or machine readable code  8  (a computer program) onto the memory device  2 . Such portable unit  100  further employs a variety of sensors to gauge physiological conditions—including an outside thermo-sensor  9 , a body thermo-sensor  10 , a pulse monitor  11 , and a vertical drop sensor  12 . These physiological conditions are read by the computer  1 , based upon machine readable code  8  stored in the memory device  2 . 
         [0023]    The external components of the portable unit  100  shown in  FIG. 2  illustrate a wrist-watch sized apparatus worn proximate to the outdoorsman&#39;s wrist. The portable unit  100  may also be affixed to the ankle, forearm or similar location accessible by the outdoorsman during an activity. By way of example, a mountain climber could attach the portable unit  100  to a helmet or head-strap to allow viewing when ascending or descending during a climb. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  also shows the exterior components of the portable unit  100 . These include the front side  13  (the back side  14  shown in  FIG. 1 ) and corresponding sidewalls  15  positioned in-between both the front  13  and back  14  sides. Preferably located on the front side  13  of the portable unit  100  is a graphics-capable display  16 . The display  16  communicates with the computer  1 , antennae  5  and  6 , and the memory device  2 . Moreover, such display  16  provides key statistics and information to the outdoorsman during an activity including their physical location on the topography of a selected path, trail, stream or waterway (including longitude and latitude coordinates), overall distance travelled, outdoor and body temperature, and his or her current pulse. 
         [0025]    Preferably positioned at each of the four sides of the display  16  are push buttons  17  to allow the outdoorsman to select information available from the portable unit  100 . This can include viewing (and scrolling through) a graphical representation of the topography being traveled through use of geographic coordinates obtained from the antenna  5  and read by the computer  1 . As also illustrated in  FIG. 1 , each push button  17  communicates with the computer  1 , memory device  2  and antennae  6  to obtain and illustrate pre-programmed paths, trails, streams and waterways on the display  16 . Thus, the push buttons  17  allow the outdoorsman to request data from the portable device  100  to be shown through the display  16 , including selection of a pre-programmed course upon which to travel, overall distance traversed, pulse and outdoor and body temperature. Instead of using push buttons  17 , the display  16  can be touch or pressure sensitive. The front side  13  preferably includes an alert button  18  of sufficient size and dimension to be easily located and engaged in the event of a medical issue. If the outdoorsman presses the alert button  18 , a signal is sent to the computer  1 . Upon accessing machine readable code  8  (a computer program) located on the memory device  2 , the computer  1  will send a signal through the antennae  6  to an outside source  200  sufficient to contact authorities  300 . In other embodiments of the system, either the push buttons  17  and/or the touch activated display  16  can serve as the alert button  18 . 
         [0026]    Now referring to  FIG. 3 , another important capability of the portable unit  100  is communication with one or more outside sources  200 . One outside source  200  allows two-way communication  19  between an antenna  5  and a cellular or satellite system  20  sufficient to determine the exact geographic position of the outdoorsman during a recreation or extreme sport activity. As also shown in  FIG. 1 , this two-way communication  19  allows the antenna  5  to acquire the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the portable device  100 , which are relayed through the computer  1  to machine readable code  8  (again, a computer program) located on the memory device  2 . This machine readable code  8  then displays the location of the outdoorsman of the topography of the trail or waterway traveled through a graphic illustration provided on the display  16  shown in  FIG. 2 . Moreover, these geographic coordinates are capable of being stored within the memory device  2  to determine overall distance traversed, average speed of the outdoorsman, and related statistical information regarding the activity. 
         [0027]    The portable unit  100  also communicates with authorities  300 , such as police, fire rescue, EMTs and/or the parks service to report a medical issue.  FIG. 3  likewise illustrates how an antenna  6  of the portable unit  100  can send a communication  20  to authorities  300  to provide the coordinates of the portable unit  100 , as well as any preexisting medical condition and the outdoorsman&#39;s emergency contact person. 
         [0028]    Transmission of the data can occur by the outdoorsman pressing the alert button  18  to send the communication  20  to authorities  300 . Upon engaging the alert button  18 , the display  16  can post what information was sent to authorities  300  (i.e., coordinates and preexisting medical conditions), as well as whether the communication  20  was indeed successful. As shown in  FIG. 1 , this occurs through machine readable code  8  (again, a program) processed by the computer  1  to send a communication  20  through the antenna  6 . In the alternative, only one antenna  5  could be used in the portable device  100  to send the communication  20 . Under either scenario, the communication  20  to authorities  300  can be through radio, cellular, satellite or any other signal available to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , the system must be capable of having the portable device  100  relay a communication  20  to authorities  300  to provide the exact longitude and latitude of the outdoorsman in the event of a medical issue. The communication  20  can also include information in addition to pre-existing medical conditions, including age, sex, height, weight, body fat index, and medications—all of which are stored on the memory device  2 . Such medical information can be loaded onto the memory device  2  of the portable unit  100  via the interface  7  shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
         [0030]    The interface  7  is also capable of loading various paths  3 , trails, streams, waterways and climbing charts onto the memory device  2  of the portable unit  100 . The interface  7  can be any serial, USB, Firewire, BlueTooth or commercially available device capable of uploading or downloading data.  FIG. 4  offers one example of associating coordinates sufficient to plot a path  3 , trial or waterway. First, the terrain of the path is divided into discrete linear segments  21  of varying widths (ΔX y ) and lengths (D z ). Each segment  21  is essentially rectangular or square in size and dimension. Second, based upon the width ΔX y  and length (D 1 , D 2  or D 3 ) of each segment  21 , the computer  1  uses machine readable code  8  stored in the memory device  2  to calculate the appropriate coordinates within each segment  21 . Third, a collection of segments  22  aggregate to form a defined path  3 . 
         [0031]    Based upon this collection of segments  22  forming a defined path  3 , the portable unit  100  can communicate  19  with an outside source  200  to ensure the outdoorsman is within a defined variance  23  in each segment  21 . The variance  23  is typically of a larger length and width than the related segment  21 . Should the outdoorsman stray outside a segment  21 —suggesting a potential medical issue—a comparison is made between coordinates provided by the outside source  200  (again, a cellular or satellite system) and those deemed within the variance  23  of the segment  21  where the outdoorsman is located. 
         [0032]    If the outdoorsman wanders outside the variance  23 , the computer  1  detects this deviation and can send a warning to the display  16 . The computer  1  may also warn the outdoorsman through creating an audible alarm or vibration within the portable device  100 . Through machine readable code  8  processed by the computer  1 , if the outdoorsman presses either the alert button  18  or other push buttons  17  located on the front side  13  of the portable unit  100  within a pre-specified period of time (i.e., 90 seconds) the system acknowledges he or she is ok and not suffering a medical issue. Otherwise, the portable device  100  will communicate  19  with an outside source  200  to verify the latitude and longitude of the outdoorsman. Next, the portable device  100  based upon this detected deviation will communicate  20  to authorities  300  not only these geographic coordinates, but also the outdoorsman&#39;s preexisting medical history and emergency contact person. 
         [0033]    As show in  FIG. 1 , the portable unit  100  further comprises a vertical drop sensor  12 , which detects whether the outdoorsman has experienced a sudden drop in vertical distance. Such a drop could be attributable to a climber losing his or her footing, a kayaker traversing a waterfall, or a horseback rider being dislodged from the horse. The vertical drop sensor  12  alerts the computer  1  of a potential fall, which then is posted on the display  16 . More specifically, the vertical distance sensor  12  sends a signal to the computer  1  which accesses machine readable code  8  stored within the memory device  2 . The computer  1  compares the deviation reported by the vertical drop sensor  12 , against the acceptable variance  23  provided within the machine readable code  8 . Based upon the activity pre-selected by the outdoorsman, the defined acceptable drop will vary. Should the drop be greater than the allowed value, the computer  1  will send an alert based upon this detected deviation through the display  16 , asking the outdoorsman to push the alert button  18  (or other push buttons  17 ) to confirm he or she is ok. In the alternative, the alert can be an audible sound or vibration in the portable device  100 . If the outdoorsman pushes the button  17  or  18  within a pre-specified amount of time, the portable unit  100  will accept that the outdoorsman is safe. Otherwise, the portable unit  100  will communicate  20  via an antenna  6  with authorities  300  to provide the last known geographic coordinates of the outdoorsman, and provide his or her preexisting medical history and emergency contact person. 
         [0034]    In addition to the system, the invention proscribes a method to alert authorities  300  of a medical issue during a recreation or extreme sport activity. Under the preferred method, the outdoorsman first attaches the portable unit  100  onto his or her body—preferably proximate to the wrist. The outdoorsman can also attach the portable unit  100  anywhere it is visibly accessible yet will not impede or interfere with the underlying activity. Second, the outdoorsman should turn the portable device  100 . Next, the portable device  100  posts on the display  16  available paths  3  in that geographic area upon which to travel. Fourth, the outdoorsman selects on the portable device  100  the type of activity (such as rafting, hiking, biking or horseback riding), as well as path  3  her or she would prefer to traverse. 
         [0035]    Once the path  3  is selected from the display  16  prompt, the outdoorsman can begin his or her activity. Throughout the activity, the portable device  100  communicates  19  with an outside source  200  to verify the geographic coordinates of the outdoorsman—which are posted on the display  16 . In addition, the portable unit  100  updates the outdoorsman as to his or her distance traveled, the outdoor temperature, his or her body temperature and pulse. 
         [0036]    Throughout the outdoorsman&#39;s traverse of the path  3 , the portable unit  100  constantly communicates  19  with the outside source  200  to verify the longitude and latitude of the outdoorsman. Likewise, the computer  1  routinely accesses machine readable code  8  from the memory device  2  to measure whether those geographic coordinates fall within an acceptable variance  23  of each segment  21  of the path  3 . Again this is done through measuring each aforementioned segment  21  defined by varying widths (ΔX y ) and lengths (D z ) stored in the memory device  2  and accessed by the computer  1 . Based upon these measurements, the computer  1  detects whether the outdoorsman has deviated too far outside a segment  21  through communicating  19  with an outside source  200 . By calculating whether the outdoorsman is outside a variance  23 , the computer  1  based upon this detected deviation will instruct the portable unit  100  to alert the outdoorsman through the display  17 , audible alarm, vibration or combination thereof. If the outdoorsman fails to push either the alert button  18  or push buttons  17  within a pre-specified period of time (i.e., 90 seconds), the portable unit  100  alerts authorities  300  through communicating  20  through an antenna  6 . This communication  20  includes forwarding pre-existing medical conditions and the outdoorsman&#39;s emergency contact person. It can also include the outdoorsman&#39;s age, sex, height and body fat index. 
         [0037]    If a vertical drop sensor  12  attached to the portable device  100  measures a significant drop in vertical distance, the computer  1  will measure this deviation through accessing machine readable code  8  stored on the memory device  2 . If this drop is greater than allowed by the machine readable code  8 , the computer  1  alerts the outdoorsman via the display  16  of this detected deviation through an audible alarm, vibration or combination thereof. Again, if the outdoorsman fails to push either the alert button  18  or push buttons  17  within a pre-specified period of time, the portable unit  100  alerts authorities  300  through communicating  20  via antenna  6 . 
         [0038]    The method further contemplates monitoring the physiology of the outdoorsman as he or she traverses the path  3 . This includes measuring the outside temperature, as well as the outdoorsman&#39;s body temperature and pulse. This is all done through the computer  1  communicating with various thermo-sensors  9  and  10 , as well as a pulse monitor  11 . Through the computer  1  accessing machine readable code  8 , the system can review output from the thermo-sensors  9  and  10  and pulse monitor  11 , to determine if a heart attack or heat related condition (i.e., heat stroke) is occurring. If the computer  1  determines a medical issue, the portable device  100  will alert the outdoorsman through the display  16  that they may be suffering from a heart or heat related illness. This alert can again be through an audible alarm or vibration in the portable unit  100 . If the outdoorsman fails to push either the alert button  18  or push buttons  17 , the portable unit  100  alerts authorities  300  via the antenna  6 . Specifically, the antenna  6  can send a radio, cellular, satellite or related type signal to authorities  300 . This signal can include pre-existing medical conditions and the outdoorsman&#39;s emergency contact person.