Personal security system

Abstract

A personal security system includes: a mobile electronic device including a processor and a user input mechanism, wherein the processor is adapted to provide an alarm trigger, wherein the processor is further adapted to: receive a command from a user to provide an armed alarm condition; initiate the armed alarm condition by receiving a continuous user command through the user input mechanism, wherein the continuous user command requires an active physical touch from the user; and when the user ceases to provide the active physical touch required to maintain the continuous user command, trigger an alarm condition. In some embodiments, in response to triggering the alarm condition, the processor communicates geo-location information to a remote server, wherein the geo-location information identifies the geo-location of the mobile electronic device at the time the alarm condition is triggered.

1 . A personal security system comprising:
 a system server adapted to receive communications from a mobile electronic device and provide communications to at least a selected one of a plurality of 911 command centers;   wherein the system server is adapted to receive a triggered alarm condition from a mobile electronic device, the triggered alarm condition including a geo-location of the mobile electronic device at the time the alarm condition is triggered, wherein the mobile electronic device includes a processor and a user input mechanism, wherein the processor is adapted to provide geo-location services and communication services adapted for communicating with the system server, wherein the processor is further adapted to:
 receive a command from a user to provide an armed alarm condition; 
 initiate the armed alarm condition by receiving a continuous user command through the user input mechanism, wherein the continuous user command requires an active physical touch from the user; 
 when the user ceases to provide the active physical touch required to maintain the continuous user command, trigger an alarm condition; and 
 in response to the triggered alarm condition, communicate the geo-location of the mobile electronic device at the time the alarm condition is triggered to the remote server; 
   wherein the system server is further adapted to, subsequent to receiving the triggered alarm condition, either receive a user command to disarm the triggered alarm condition or verify the triggered alarm condition; and   if the triggered alarm condition is verified, the system server is adapted to communicate the geo-location of the mobile electronic device at the time the alarm condition is triggered to the at least a selected one of the plurality of 911 command centers and further to a plurality of additional contacts.   
     
     
         2 . The personal security system of  claim 1  wherein the user input mechanism is provided through a capacitive touch screen. 
     
     
         3 . The personal security system of  claim 1  wherein the user input mechanism is provided through a physical button. 
     
     
         4 . The personal security system of  claim 1  wherein the user input mechanism is provided through a virtual button. 
     
     
         5 . The personal security system of  claim 1  wherein the additional contacts are emergency contacts that are defined by the user prior to the triggering of the alarm condition. 
     
     
         6 . The personal security system of  claim 1  wherein the at least a selected one of a plurality of 911 command centers is selected using the geo-location of the mobile electronic device at the time the alarm condition is triggered in combination with a database of geo-fenced location data for a plurality of 911 command centers. 
     
     
         7 . The personal security system of  claim 6  wherein the at least a selected one of a plurality of 911 command centers includes the three 911 command centers located nearest the geo-location of the mobile electronic device at the time the alarm condition is triggered. 
     
     
         8 . The personal security system of  claim 1  wherein the user command to disarm the triggered alarm condition is a disarm code. 
     
     
         9 . The personal security system of  claim 1  wherein the user command to disarm the triggered alarm condition is the correct answer to a question answer challenge presented to the user. 
     
     
         10 . The personal security system of  claim 1  wherein the triggered alarm condition is verified if the user command to disarm the triggered alarm condition is not received within twenty seconds from the triggering of the alarm condition. 
     
     
         11 . A personal security system comprising:
 a mobile electronic device including a processor and a user input mechanism, wherein the processor is adapted to provide an alarm trigger, wherein the processor is further adapted to:   receive a command from a user to provide an armed alarm condition;   initiate the armed alarm condition by receiving a continuous user command through the user input mechanism, wherein the continuous user command requires an active physical touch from the user; and   when the user ceases to provide the active physical touch required to maintain the continuous user command, trigger an alarm condition.   
     
     
         12 . The personal security system of  claim 11  wherein, in response to triggering the alarm condition, the processor communicates geo-location information to a remote server, wherein the geo-location information identifies the geo-location of the mobile electronic device at the time the alarm condition is triggered. 
     
     
         13 . The personal safety device of  claim 12  wherein direct contact information for one or more 911 command centers is determined based on the geo-location information. 
     
     
         14 . The personal safety device of  claim 11  wherein the continuous user command that requires an active physical touch from the user is contact with a capacitive touch screen. 
     
     
         15 . The personal safety device of  claim 14  wherein the continuous user command that requires an active physical touch from the user is contact with a specific position located on a capacitive touch screen. 
     
     
         16 . The personal safety device of  claim 11  wherein the continuous user command that requires an active physical touch from the user is activation of a physical switch. 
     
     
         17 . A method of triggering an alarm condition under duress comprising providing a mobile electronic device including a touch responsive user control for which, when placed in active mode, the mobile electronic device is prevented from triggering an alarm condition by an active user input received through the user control and, when the active user input is no longer received through the user control, the alarm condition is triggered, such that, when the alarm condition is triggered geo-location information is communicated to a remote server, wherein the geo-location information identifies the geo-location of the mobile electronic device at the time the alarm condition is triggered. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein direct contact information for one or more 911 command centers is determined based on the geo-location information communicated to the remote server. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the active user input is contact with a capacitive touch screen. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the active user input is activation of a physical switch.