Requesting emergency services via remote control

Abstract

A method and system for contacting emergency service providers may allow using a remote control (RC) at a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) client location. An MCDN user may use the RC, which may be configured to control customer premises equipment at the MCDN client, to signal an emergency event. In response, an MCDN server may be queried for emergency user information associated with the MCDN client and/or the MCDN user. Based on the emergency user information, third parties, such as emergency service providers, medical service providers, or private persons, may be contacted via the MCDN. A communications channel, including audio and/or video, between an emergency service provider and the MCDN client may be initiated based on the emergency user information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An emergency service method, comprising:
 receiving, by a customer premises device, a remote control signal, indicative of an emergency event, from a remote control for the customer premises device;   obtaining emergency service information indicative of:
 a location of the customer premises device; and 
 a location of a radio frequency transmitter associated with the customer premises device; 
   sending, by the customer premises device, an emergency service request to an emergency service provider, the emergency service request including:
 the emergency service information; and 
 connection information for establishing a video connection from the customer premises device to the emergency service provider; 
   receiving, from the emergency service provider, a request to establish a communication connection; and   establishing the communication connection between a peripheral device and the emergency service provider.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the location of the radio frequency transmitter includes:
 obtaining, from a radio frequency sensor, sensor information indicative of a position of the radio frequency transmitter relative to a particular radio frequency sensor; and   determining the location in accordance with the sensor information.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the customer premises device comprises a set top box. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the emergency service information includes emergency contact information for a provider selected from: emergency service provider contact information, medical service provider contact information, and emergency contact individuals contact information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the emergency service request includes network connection information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network connection information includes audio connection information usable to establish an audio connection with the customer premises device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network connection information includes video connection information usable to establish a video connection with the customer premises device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network connection information includes information usable to establish a bidirectional communication connection with the customer premises device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication connection includes a connection selected from: an audio connection and a video connection. 
     
     
         10 . A customer premises device, comprising:
 a processor;   a peripheral bus interface coupled to the processor, and   a computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor, the storage medium including processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a remote control signal, indicative of an emergency event, from a remote control for the customer premises device; 
 obtaining emergency service information indicative of:
 a location of the customer premises device; and 
 a location of a radio frequency transmitter associated with the customer premises device; 
 
 sending an emergency service request to an emergency service provider, the emergency service request including:
 the emergency service information; and 
 connection information for establishing a video connection from the customer premises device to the emergency service provider; and 
 
 responsive to receiving, from the emergency service provider, a request to establish a communication connection, establishing the communication connection between a peripheral device and the emergency service provider. 
   
     
     
         11 . The customer premises device of  claim 10 , wherein the emergency service information includes emergency service provider contact information. 
     
     
         12 . The customer premises device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a local transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the operations include:
 receiving the remote control signal from the remote control via the local transceiver. 
   
     
     
         13 . The customer premises device of  claim 10 , wherein the peripheral device includes an audio device, and wherein the communication connection includes an audio connection. 
     
     
         14 . The customer premises device of  claim 10 , wherein the peripheral device includes an imaging device, and wherein the communication connection communicates images. 
     
     
         15 . The customer premises device of  claim 14 , wherein the peripheral device includes a video camera and the image connection includes a video connection. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, including processor executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by a customer premises device, a remote control signal, indicative of an emergency event, from a remote control for the customer premises device;   obtaining emergency service information indicative of:
 a location of the customer premises device; and 
 a location of a radio frequency transmitter associated with the customer premises device; 
   sending, by the customer premises device, an emergency service request to an emergency service provider, the emergency service request including:
 the emergency service information; and 
 connection information for establishing a video connection from the customer premises device to the emergency service provider; 
   receiving, from the emergency service provider, a request to establish a communication connection; and   establishing the communication connection between a peripheral device and the emergency service provider.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the remote control signal is indicative of a type of the emergency. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the emergency service information indicates a particular emergency service provider associated with the type of emergency. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein sending the emergency services request comprises:
 sending the emergency services request to the particular emergency service provider.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the emergency service information includes emergency service provider contact information.