Devices and methods for efficient emergency calling
Disclosed are devices, systems, methods, and media for efficient emergency calling using digital devices. In some embodiments, a user is able to make an emergency call by a one-touch or dual-touch process. An authentication process may reduce inadvertent and unauthorized emergency calling. Persistent emergency buttons are also disclosed that may be used for calling emergency in different states of the device.
1. A method for sending an emergency alert by a smartphone comprising a touchscreen display, the method comprising:
a) providing at least two device modes comprising an inactive mode characterized by the touchscreen display of the smartphone being powered off and presenting no soft buttons for sending the emergency alert, wherein the smartphone comprises one or more hard buttons for sending the emergency alert during the inactive mode, and an active mode characterized by the touchscreen display of the smartphone being powered on and presenting one or more soft buttons for sending the emergency alert;
b) receiving one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency, wherein the one or more user interactions comprises a plurality of interactions with the one or more hard buttons on the smartphone;
c) initiating a delay timer displayed on the touchscreen display of the smartphone after receiving the one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency, wherein the delay timer allows user cancellation of the emergency alert prior to expiration of the delay timer; and
d) sending the emergency alert to an emergency dispatch center in response to expiration of the delay timer or cancelling the emergency alert in response to the user cancellation prior to expiration of the delay timer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interactions with one or more hard buttons on the smartphone comprises pressing and holding a first hard button for a threshold period of time.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interactions with one or more hard buttons on the smartphone comprises multiple consecutive presses of a first hard button.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first hard button is a power button.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the multiple consecutive presses are separated by no more than 700 milliseconds.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interactions with one or more hard buttons on the smartphone comprises pressing and holding a first hard button and a second hard button on the smartphone for a predefined period of time.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first hard button is a power button and the second hard button is a volume rocker button.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interactions with one or more hard buttons on the smartphone comprises a user-defined sequence of interactions.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency further comprises one or more user interactions with one or more soft buttons displayed on the display of the smartphone while the smartphone is in the active mode.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more user interactions with one or more soft buttons comprises swiping or clicking on a first soft button displayed on the display of the device.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emergency alert is an emergency call.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency comprises a voice command.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more soft buttons comprise a confirmation button and wherein selection of the confirmation button before the expiration of the delay timer prompts the smartphone to bypass the delay timer and send the emergency alert.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising switching, by the smartphone, from the inactive mode to the active mode in response to receiving the one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency when the smartphone is in the inactive mode.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delay timer shows in real-time how much time is remaining until the expiration of the delay timer.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage media encoded with a computer program including instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
a) provide, on a smartphone, at least two device modes comprising an inactive mode characterized by a touchscreen display of the smartphone being powered off and presenting no soft buttons for sending an emergency alert, wherein the smartphone comprises one or more hard buttons for sending the emergency alert during the inactive mode, and an active mode characterized by the touchscreen display of the device being powered on and presenting one or more soft buttons for sending the emergency alert;
b) receive one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency, wherein the one or more user interactions comprises a plurality of interactions with the one or more hard buttons on the smartphone;
c) initiate a delay timer displayed on the touchscreen display of the smartphone after receiving the one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency, wherein the delay timer allows user cancellation of the emergency alert prior to expiration of the delay timer; and
d) send the emergency alert to an emergency dispatch center in response to expiration of the delay timer or cancel the emergency alert in response to selection of one or more the user cancellation prior to expiration of the delay timer.
17. The media of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of interactions with one or more hard buttons on the smartphone comprises pressing and holding a first hard button for a threshold period of time.
18. The media of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of interactions with one or more hard buttons on the smartphone comprises multiple consecutive presses of a first hard button.
19. The media of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of interactions with one or more hard buttons on the smartphone comprises simultaneously pressing and holding two separate hard button on the smartphone for a threshold period of time.
20. A smartphone comprising a processor, a display, and non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
a) provide at least two device modes comprising an inactive mode characterized by the display of the device being powered off and presenting no soft buttons for sending an emergency alert, wherein the smartphone comprises one or more hard buttons for sending the emergency alert during the inactive mode, and an active mode characterized by the touchscreen display of the smartphone being powered on and presenting one or more soft buttons for sending the emergency alert;
b) receive one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency, wherein the one or more user interactions comprises a plurality of interactions with the one or more hard buttons on the smartphone;
c) initiate a delay timer displayed on the touchscreen display of the smartphone after receiving the one or more user interactions indicative of an emergency, wherein the delay timer allows user cancellation of the emergency alert prior to expiration of the delay timer; and
d) send the emergency alert to an emergency dispatch center in response to expiration of the delay timer or cancel the emergency alert in response to the user cancellation prior to expiration of the delay timer.