IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,176,701
Granted Patent B2
US 10,176,701 · App. 15/796,291 · Granted Jan 8, 2019

Automated response to duress in distress signals

Inventors: Brian Cruver (Austin, TX); David Godwin (Austin, TX); Jeff Branc (Austin, TX); Matthew Miller (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Alert Media, Inc.
G08B25/016G08B25/10H04M1/72527H04M1/72538H04M1/72541H04W4/02H04W4/90H04W12/08H04W88/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,176,701
App. No.
15/796,291
Granted
Jan 8, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for facilitating automated response to a distress signal includes an attachment for a multifunction mobile computing device. In some embodiments, the attachment removably articulates to a sensor location coupled to a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device. In some embodiments, the system includes a computer program product in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. In some embodiments, the program instructions are computer-executable by the multifunction mobile computing device to implement detecting a disarticulation of the attachment from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, and, responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the attachment from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, transmitting to a distress signal response receiver over a radio-frequency network from a radio-frequency transmitter located within a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the distress signal.

Claims (58)

1. A method for facilitating automated response to a distress signal, the method comprising:

detecting a disarticulation from a sensor location on a multifunction mobile computing device of an attachment removably articulated to the sensor location, wherein

the sensor location comprises a radio-frequency antenna coupled to a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device,

the attachment comprises an electronic device having a data connection to the sensor location via a radio-frequency channel between the attachment and the multifunction mobile computing device, and

the disarticulation comprises an attenuation of the data connection; and

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the attachment from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, transmitting the distress signal to a distress signal response receiver over a radio-frequency network from a radio-frequency transmitter located within a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disarticulation comprises a loss of the data connection.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the attachment from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, capturing input data received from one or more sensors affiliated with the attachment, and

transmitting to the distress signal response receiver over the radio-frequency network from the radio-frequency transmitter located within the housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the input data received from the one or more sensors affiliated with the attachment.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting to the distress signal response receiver over the radio-frequency network from the radio-frequency transmitter located within the housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the distress signal without presenting any visible or audible indication, at the multifunction mobile computing device, of the transmission of the distress signal.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the attachment from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, providing an audible indication, at the attachment, of the transmission of the distress signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the attachment from the multifunction mobile computing device, providing a vibration, at the attachment, as an indication of the transmission of the di stress signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the multifunction mobile computing device, providing a visible light source, at the attachment, as an indication of the transmission of the di stress signal.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the attachment from the multifunction mobile computing device,

presenting a distress signal control interface, at the attachment, capable of receiving an order from a user of the attachment to prevent transmission of the distress signal, and

responsive to the order from the user of the attachment to prevent transmission of the distress signal, preventing transmission of the distress signal.

9. A system for facilitating automated response to a distress signal, the system comprising:

a multifunction mobile computing device including a radio-frequency antenna coupled to a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

a peripheral device for the multifunction mobile computing device having a data connection to the radio-frequency antenna via a radio-frequency channel between the peripheral device and the multifunction mobile computing device, wherein

the peripheral device removably articulates to the multifunction mobile computing device, and

the non-transitory computer readable storage medium includes program instructions computer-executable by the multifunction mobile computing device to implement:

detecting a disarticulation of the peripheral device from the multifunction mobile computing device, the disarticulation comprising an attenuation of the data connection, and

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the multifunction mobile computing device, transmitting the distress signal to a distress signal response receiver over a radio-frequency network from a radio-frequency transmitter located within a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the disarticulation comprises a loss of the data connection.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the multifunction mobile computing device, capturing input data received from one or more sensors affiliated with the peripheral device, and

transmitting to the distress signal response receiver over the radio-frequency network from the radio-frequency transmitter located within the housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the input data received from the one or more sensors affiliated with the peripheral device.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

transmitting to the distress signal response receiver over the radio-frequency network from the radio-frequency transmitter located within the housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the distress signal without presenting any visible or audible indication, at the multifunction mobile computing device, of the transmission of the distress signal.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the multifunction mobile computing device, providing an audible indication, at the peripheral device, of the transmission of the distress signal.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the multifunction mobile computing device, providing a vibration, at the peripheral device, as an indication of the transmission of the distress signal.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the multifunction mobile computing device, providing a visible light source, at the peripheral device, as an indication of the transmission of the distress signal.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions are further computer executable to implement:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the multifunction mobile computing device,

presenting a distress signal control interface, at the peripheral device, capable of receiving an order from a user of the peripheral device to prevent transmission of the distress signal, and

responsive to the order from the user of the peripheral device to prevent transmission of the distress signal, preventing transmission of the distress signal.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by one or more processors of a multifunction computing device to cause the multifunction mobile computing device to implement:

detecting a disarticulation from a sensor location on a multifunction mobile computing device of a peripheral device removably articulated to the sensor location, wherein

the sensor location comprises a radio-frequency antenna coupled to a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device,

the peripheral device comprises an electronic device having a data connection to the sensor location via a radio-frequency channel between the peripheral device and the multifunction mobile computing device, and

the disarticulation comprises an attenuation of the data connection; and

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, transmitting the distress signal to a distress signal response receiver over a radio-frequency network from a radio-frequency transmitter located within a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising program instructions executable by the one or more processors of the multifunction mobile computing device to cause the multifunction mobile computing device to implement:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, capturing input data received from a user interface affiliated with the peripheral device, and

transmitting to the distress signal response receiver over the radio-frequency network from the radio-frequency transmitter located within the housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the input data received from the user interface affiliated with the peripheral device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors of the multifunction mobile computing device to cause the multifunction mobile computing device to implement transmitting to a distress signal response receiver over a radio-frequency network from a radio-frequency transmitter located within a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the distress signal further comprise:

program instructions executable by the one or more processors of the multifunction mobile computing device to cause the multifunction mobile computing device to implement transmitting to a distress signal response receiver over a radio-frequency network from a radio-frequency transmitter located within a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the distress signal without presenting any visible or audible indication, at the multifunction mobile computing device, of the transmission of the distress signal.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising program instructions executable by the one or more processors of the multifunction mobile computing device to cause the multifunction mobile computing device to implement:

responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the peripheral device from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, providing one or more of an audible, a visual, or a tactile indication of the transmission of the distress signal, at the peripheral device.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2021
From: ALERT MEDIA, INC.
To: ANTARES CAPITAL LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055892/0538 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2021
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: ALERT MEDIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 055895/0253 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2020
From: ALERT MEDIA, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 053784/0649 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2018
From: CRUVER, BRIAN; GODWIN, DAVID; BRANC, JEFF; MILLER, MATTHEW
To: ALERT MEDIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 047623/0900 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 15252788 · Aug 31, 2016
Continuation 15179207 · Jun 10, 2016
Continuation 14886552 · Oct 19, 2015
Provisional Application 62065378 · Oct 17, 2014
Related Publication 20180053399A1 · Feb 22, 2018