MULTI-PARTY EMERGENCY CALLS
A user of a communications device such as a smartphone may place calls to emergency services using the device. The device may be configured to automatically initiate a conference call in response to a user request to initiate an emergency services call. For example, the user may provide configuration information that includes an emergency contact person and a medical care facility and, upon receiving a request from the user to place an emergency call, the device may initiate a multi-party voice call or conference call to an emergency dispatch center, the emergency contact person, and the medical care facility.
1 . A communication device comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform actions comprising:
receiving a designation of an emergency contact person associated with a user of the communication device;
displaying one or more controls that are selectable by a user of the communication device to initiate an emergency call; and
responding to selection of the one or more controls by initiating a multi-party voice call between (a) the user of the communication device, (b) an emergency dispatch center, and (c) the emergency contact person, a medical provider center, or both.
2 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-party voice call is further with (d) a medical care facility.
3 . The communication device of claim 1 , the actions further comprising soliciting a telephone number of the emergency contact person during configuration of the communication device prior to the selection of the one or more selectable controls, wherein the multi-party voice call is established using the telephone number of the emergency contact person.
4 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controls corresponds to digits that can be selected in sequence to specify a number that has been designated as an emergency telephone number.
5 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controls comprise a graphical icon that is selectable to initiate the emergency call.
6 . The communication device of claim 1 , the actions further comprising sending a textual message to the emergency contact person in response to selection of the one or more controls, the textual message indicating a location.
7 . The communication device of claim 1 , the actions further comprising sending a textual message to each of the emergency contact person and a medical care facility in response to selection of the one or more controls, the textual message indicating a location.
8 . A method, comprising:
receiving a request to initiate a voice call between a communication device and an emergency dispatch center;
receiving a telephone number of an emergency contact person associated with a user of the communication device; and
in response to receiving the request to initiate the voice call, initiating a multi-party voice call between (a) the communication device, (b) a device associated with the emergency dispatch center, and (c) a device associated with the telephone number of the emergency contact person, a medical provider center, or both.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the multi-party voice call is further with (d) a medical care facility.
10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving a location of the communication device;
identifying a medical care facility that is available to the user of the communication device; and
wherein the multi-party voice call is further with (d) the medical care facility.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the request comprises selection by a user of the communication device of one or more selectable controls of the communication device.
12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising soliciting the telephone number of the emergency contact person during configuration of the communication device prior to receiving the request to initiate the voice call.
13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising sending an indication of the location of the communication device to the telephone number of the emergency contact person.
14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising sending an indication of the location of the communication device to the emergency contact person and to a medical care facility.
15 . One or more non-transitory computer storage media with a stored computer-executable program, which, when executed by one or more processors, performs actions comprising:
receiving a request to initiate an emergency voice call; and
in response to receiving the request to initiate the emergency voice call, initiating a multi-party voice call between at least three entities, the at least three entities including a caller and an emergency dispatch center.
16 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage media of claim 15 , the at least three entities further including a person who has been designated as an emergency contact person by the caller.
17 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage media of claim 15 , the at least three entities further including a medical care facility.
18 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage media of claim 15 , the actions further comprising:
receiving a location of the communication device;
identifying a medical care facility that is available to the caller; and
wherein the at least three entities include the medical care facility.
19 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage media of claim 15 , the actions further comprising sending an indication of the location of the caller to an emergency contact person that has been designated by the caller.
20 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage media of claim 15 , the actions further comprising sending an indication of the location of the caller to a medical care facility that is available to the caller.