Patent ID: 12207155

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An illustrative embodiment of the present invention relates to a technological solution to the problem of inefficient emergency response systems by providing a system and method for providing lockdown capabilities in support of geospatial physical location information for emergency services calls. The system and method identify and store information detailing lockdown features associated with various location sites. Upon receiving a request for geospatial physical location data for an emergency caller during an active emergency call, the server compares the geospatial physical location of the caller with that of the location sites. If the caller's location overlaps with a site having lockdown capabilities, the system generates a notification describing the lockdown features of the relevant location site to the caller. This innovative system enhances emergency response efforts by providing critical information to individuals in need during emergency situations.

FIG.2throughFIG.9wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout, illustrate an example embodiment or embodiments of the system and a methodology, according to the present invention. Although the present invention will be described with reference to the example embodiment or embodiments illustrated in the figures, it should be understood that many alternative forms can embody the present invention. One of skill in the art will additionally appreciate different ways to alter the parameters of the embodiment(s) disclosed, such as the size, shape, configuration, or type of elements or materials, in a manner still in keeping with the spirit and scope of the present invention.

FIG.2depicts an example system200for implementing the present invention. The system200makes use of a location database202that stores enhanced geospatial physical location data associated with sites204including lockdown protocols or capabilities206at a site204location. The system200also includes an emergency call routing service208in communication with the database202that receives incoming emergency calls and provides the enhanced geospatial physical location data (including lockdown capabilities) from the database202to an appropriate emergency responder210.

In this embodiment, the location database202is provided by an enhanced location service provider212in communication with the emergency call routing service208. This service provider212can be a server located remotely or be cloud-based. In this embodiment, the one or more client sites204are registered with the location service provider212. The client site204may be a building, campus, grounds, or facility.

When the emergency call routing service208receives an emergency call214from a caller216, a determination of the geospatial physical location of the caller216is made. As part of that process, the emergency call routing service208can request218enhanced geospatial physical location data from the enhanced location service provider212. The location service provider212, in turn, provides enhanced location data220in response to the request218. If or when the geospatial physical location of the caller216is determined to fall within a site204registered with the enhanced location service provider212lockdown capabilities206for the site204can be provided to the appropriate emergency responder210in communication with enhanced location service provider212via an application or dedicated console for communicating with the enhanced location service provider212in addition to enhanced geospatial location data220.

The emergency call routing service210may be any entity or organization that receives and processes emergency calls, such as 911 calls. The emergency responder may be police, fire, medical, private security, or any other entity or organization that would respond be notified of or respond to an emergency call, such as a 911 call.

An example of how the components ofFIG.2interact can be seen inFIG.3FIG.3is a high-level methodology300for providing enhanced geospatial physical location data for emergency calls including lockdown capabilities at the site204.

Referring now to the method300ofFIG.3, In certain embodiments, one or more sites204are registered with the enhanced location service provider212(Step302). Then information describing lockdown capabilities206associated with one or more location sites204are identified and/or stored (Step304). The method then proceeds when a request218for enhanced geospatial physical location data for an emergency call from a caller216is received (Step306). The enhanced geospatial physical location data220stored in the maintained database202associated with the caller216is then output in response to the request (Step308). As part of this, during the emergency call214, the geospatial physical location data for the emergency caller216is compared to a geospatial physical location of the one or more location sites204and when the geospatial physical location of the emergency caller216positionally overlaps with the geospatial physical location of one of the one or more locations sites204having identified, stored or otherwise established lockdown capabilities206, a notification700(as shown inFIG.7) that describes the lockdown capabilities206of the one of the one or more location sites204is provided to the emergency responder210either dynamically or in response to a query via direct communication222.

The enhanced geospatial physical location data220can include one or more of a country indication, a state indication, a street address, a floor designation, a room designation. In certain embodiments, an elevation or altitude can be provided, where a positive altitude is above sea level and a negative altitude is below sea level. Altitude may be relayed to users of the system by correlating floor or other appropriate indicator. In some certain embodiments, a map or floorplan500(as seen inFIG.5) can further be provided to the emergency responder210.

Notification700of lockdown capabilities206can be provided when the caller216is identified as being located at a site204registered with the enhanced location service provider212. In registering a site204, a user, such as an administrator224, for example, a site204owner or manager, provides information regarding the site204for the database202, such as name, location, etc. as well as the lockdown capabilities206.

FIG.4depicts an example questionnaire or input form400provided to a user such as the administrator224(or their organization with which they are in some way associated, or the manager of the site204) for inputting the lockdown capabilities for the location site204. Here the input form400asked the administrator224if the location site204has a lockdown protocol402and provides an area where the administrator224or other user can input a response404. The lockdown protocols may be a list of procedures or protocols established for the location site204that set forth the actions and/or behaviors to be undertaken in case of a lockdown. The form400also asked if the location site has a commercially installed lockdown system or a custom lockdown system406and provides an area where the administrator224or other user can input a response408. The form400then asks if remote activation is available, could the enhanced location service provider212provide emergency responders210with the remote access410, and allows the administrator224or other user to check a corresponding box412in response. At the bottom of the form400a button414is provided to submit and save the user's responses. It should be noted that the text and icons presented inFIG.4are merely illustrative of one way of identifying and/or saving information describing lockdown capabilities for a location site204. The actual format and text can vary, thus the specific form displayed in the screenshots is not directly relevant to the understanding of the invention. Other ways of identifying and/or saving information describing lockdown capabilities for a location site204(Step304) will be apparent to one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure.

In other embodiments, the administrator224(or their organization with which they are in some way associated, or the manager of the site204) may submit a map or floorplan, such as seen inFIG.5. In still other embodiments, the enhanced location service provider212generates or otherwise obtains a map based on the information provided by the administrator224. The interaction226between the enhanced location service provider212and the administrator224can be performed using a browser, website, interface, or application operating on a personal computing device of the administrator224or other user.

It should be noted that the text and icons presented in the floorplan500ofFIG.5are merely illustrative of what can be displayed. The actual format and text can vary, thus the specific characters displayed in the screenshots are not directly relevant to the understanding of the invention. The enhanced geospatial physical location data220can also include points of entrance or egress (doors/windows/fire escapes), fire/emergency resources, entry routes, escape routes, etc. If there is lockdown capabilities206for the site204, a notification700of the lockdown capabilities206is also provided along with the enhanced geospatial physical location data220.

If there are specific remotely activatable lockdown capabilities206at the site204, the administrator224or other user is also provided with the ability to indicate their availability. The administrator224or other user can specify the exits or internal doors that can be locked or unlocked, alarms that can be activated, lights that can be turned off and on, and cameras having remote access capabilities. In such instances, the administrator224or other user can also specify the means for activating the lockdown capabilities206, for example, a code, address, or interface for activating one or more of the lockdown capabilities206. One way of performing this can be seen inFIG.6. Here an example screenshot is depicted. It should be noted that the text and icons presented in this floorplan are merely illustrative of what can be displayed. The actual format and text can vary, thus the specific characters displayed in the screenshots are not directly relevant to the understanding of the invention.

InFIG.6an interactive version600of the floorplan500ofFIG.5is provided to the administrator224or other user registering the site204. Using the interactive version600, the administrator224can select, flag, or otherwise indicate exits602or internal doors604that can be locked or unlocked, alarms606that can be activated, room for which lights608can be turned off or on in, and cameras610having remote access capabilities. This can be done by providing the code, address, or interface for activating one or more of the exits, internal doors, alarms, and cameras. This process can then be repeated as necessary for each site204being registered.

With the one or more sites204registered (Step302) and lockdown capabilities206identified and stored (Step304), when a request218for enhanced geospatial physical location data is received by the enhanced location service provider212(Step306) from an emergency call routing service208for a caller216, if the geospatial physical location of the caller216positionally overlaps the geospatial physical location of one or more location sites204having identified and/or stored lockdown capabilities206, then the lockdown capabilities206are provided along with the other enhanced location data220for the caller216(Step308). One example of this can be seen inFIG.7. Here an example screenshot of a notification700is depicted that is provided with the enhanced geospatial physical location data outputted220by the enhanced location service provider212or provided to the first responder210for a site204dynamically or in response to a query via direct communication222. It should be noted that the text and icons presented in this notification are merely illustrative of what can be displayed. The actual format and text can vary, thus the specific characters displayed in the screenshots are not directly relevant to the understanding of the invention.

InFIG.7, the notification700includes a location702for the emergency caller216as well as the lockdown capabilities206for the location site204where the emergency caller216is located. Here the lockdown capabilities include the lockdown protocol704for the location site204, the type of lockdown system706for the location site204, and remote activation capabilities708for the lockdown system provided as an icon or link.

FIG.8depicts another example of enhanced geospatial physical location data outputted220by the enhanced location service provider212to the first responder210for a site204via direct communication222. Here the enhanced geospatial physical location data further comprises an interactive map, in this case, a floorplan800. In this embodiment, the floorplan800includes the geospatial physical location of the caller216(802), an indication of access points to the facility that can be locked or unlocked (Doors804), access/egress for the caller216(806), alarms808that may be activated, cameras810that can be accessed, and rooms for which doors can be locked or unlocked and lights turned off and on by selecting the associated letter designation of the room812.

In certain embodiments, the location service provider212can provide additional functionality. For example, the location service provider can send a notification to an administrator224or security personnel at the geospatial physical location of the emergency call.

One illustrative example of a computing device900used to provide the functionality of the present invention, such as provided by the location database202, location service provider212, or a personal computing device of an administrator224or emergency responder210. The computing device900is merely an illustrative example of a suitable special-purpose computing environment and in no way limits the scope of the present invention. A “computing device,” as represented byFIG.9, can include a “workstation,” a “server,” a “laptop,” a “desktop,” a “hand-held device,” a “mobile device,” a “tablet computer,” or other computing devices, as would be understood by those of skill in the art. Given that the computing device900is depicted for illustrative purposes, embodiments of the present invention may utilize any number of computing devices900in any number of different ways to implement a single embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to a single computing device900, as would be appreciated by one with skill in the art, nor are they limited to a single type of implementation or configuration of the example computing device900.

The computing device900can include a bus910that can be coupled to one or more of the following illustrative components, directly or indirectly: a memory912, one or more processors914, one or more presentation components916, input/output ports918, input/output components920, and a power supply924. One of skill in the art will appreciate that the bus910can include one or more busses, such as an address bus, a data bus, or any combination thereof. One of skill in the art additionally will appreciate that, depending on the intended applications and uses of a particular embodiment, multiple of these components can be implemented by a single device. Similarly, in some instances, a single component can be implemented by multiple devices. As such,FIG.9is merely illustrative of an exemplary computing device that can be used to implement one or more embodiments of the present invention, and in no way limits the invention.

The computing device900can include or interact with a variety of computer-readable media. For example, computer-readable media can include Random Access Memory (RAM); Read Only Memory (ROM); Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM); flash memory or other memory technologies; CDROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical or holographic media; magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices that can be used to encode information and can be accessed by the computing device900.

The memory912can include computer-storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The memory912may be removable, non-removable, or any combination thereof. Exemplary hardware devices are devices such as hard drives, solid-state memory, optical-disc drives, and the like. The computing device900can include one or more processors914that read data from components such as the memory912, the various I/O components916, etc. Presentation component(s)916present data indications to a user or other device. Exemplary presentation components include a display device, speaker, printing component, vibrating component, etc.

The I/O ports918can enable the computing device900to be logically coupled to other devices, such as I/O components920. Some of the I/O components920can be built into the computing device900. Examples of such I/O components920include a camera9microphones, joystick, recording device, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, printer, wireless device, networking device, and the like.

The power supply924can include batteries. Other suitable power supply or batteries will be apparent to one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure.

The disclosed embodiments of the present invention provide lockdown capabilities in support of geospatial physical location data for emergency services calls. The system and method identify and store information detailing lockdown features associated with various location sites. Upon receiving a request for geospatial physical location data for an emergency caller during an active emergency call, the server compares the geospatial physical location of the caller with that of the location sites. If the caller's location overlaps with a site having lockdown capabilities, the system generates a notification describing the lockdown features of the relevant location site to the caller. Thus, the system provides enhanced geospatial physical location functionality as the geospatial physical location data lockdown capabilities are more robust and readily available than what was previously provided in conjunction with emergency calls. The present invention provides the technology enabling a practical solution of providing first responders any other emergency workers with substantially more accurate geospatial location information pinpointing the exact origins of an emergency caller, and additionally provides the technology for lockdown capabilities corresponding to the geofenced location that is also the origin of the emergency call. With the technology of the present invention, the first responders and other emergency workers are transformed from having a general building address of an emergency caller, to a specific room or other enhanced geospatial location along with lockdown capabilities. Prior technology of emergency call handling was incapable of providing this functionality. The enhanced geospatial location data provided by the present invention saves the first responder time and prevents unnecessary danger as the first responder does not have to separately obtain the floor plan and determine the lockdown capabilities at the site or proceed without the additional information and enter a potentially dangerous situation or environment blind.

As utilized herein, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” are intended to be construed as being inclusive, not exclusive. As utilized herein, the terms “exemplary”, “example”, and “illustrative”, are intended to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration” and should not be construed as indicating, or not indicating, a preferred or advantageous configuration relative to other configurations. As utilized herein, the terms “about”, “generally”, and “approximately” are intended to cover variations that may exist in the upper and lower limits of the ranges of subjective or objective values, such as variations in properties, parameters, sizes, and dimensions. In one non-limiting example, the terms “about”, “generally”, and “approximately” mean at, or plus 10 percent or less, or minus 10 percent or less. In one non-limiting example, the terms “about”, “generally”, and “approximately” mean sufficiently close to be deemed by one of skill in the art in the relevant field to be included. As utilized herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result, as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art. For example, an object that is “substantially” circular would mean that the object is either completely a circle to mathematically determinable limits, or nearly a circle as would be recognized or understood by one of skill in the art. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some instances depend on the specific context. However, in general, the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were achieved or obtained. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when utilized in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result, as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art.

Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode for carrying out the present invention. Details of the structure may vary substantially without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and exclusive use of all modifications that come within the scope of the appended claims is reserved. Within this specification embodiments have been described in a way which enables a clear and concise specification to be written, but it is intended and will be appreciated that embodiments may be variously combined or separated without parting from the invention. It is intended that the present invention be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims and the applicable rules of law.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are to cover all generic and specific features of the invention described herein, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.