Personal emergency response system and method of operation

Abstract

An operation method is presented for personal emergency response systems (PERS) combining a mobile device, e.g., a smartphone, and a personal device that is easy to carry for the user, e.g., a bracelet or pendant with genuine text, phone and mobile internet capability, both whether or not sensors are wirelessly connected to these devices. A method may improve and automate PERS by consistently supervising the users in case of an emergency by using mainly mobile Internet communication means and devices with immediate display of first responders and a possibility to coordinate ambulance and other official emergency response means, thus omitting the need for geo-fencing, unless desired by the users. A method may facilitate the rescue of a person via PERS by displaying a line of two or more previous and potentially later GPS coordinates and may conserve energy while intermittently receiving GPS coordinates for rescue purposes.

1 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . An operation method of a personal emergency response system (PERS), comprising:
 constantly monitoring a user utilizing the PERS, comprising a remote server and a mobile device, by measuring and storing positioning data of the mobile device; and   transmitting the monitored data to the remote server in predetermined intervals where the data are stored; wherein   if an alarm is triggered, the method further comprises:   transferring a personal code of the user to the remote server;   establishing a voice over IP (VoIP) connection between the mobile device of the user and the remote server;   checking who of first responders predefined by the user is currently in close proximity to the user, by using current or stored positioning data of all predefined first responders, and who of said first responders is currently available;   establishing a voice over IP connection between the server and all proximate and available first responders predefined by the user, thus establishing a telephone conference between the user and available first responders,   wherein a signal of loud noise output by the mobile device is triggered automatically by the remote server recognizing proximity of one of the first responders to the mobile device if one of the first responders comes close to a last location of the mobile device.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein
 data regarding quality of a mobile internet connection, and data regarding strength of a cell phone signal of the mobile device are measured and stored, and if an alarm is triggered,   data regarding the quality of the mobile internet connection and the strength of the cell phone signal is transferred to the remote server.   
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein if mobile device cannot establish a VoIP connection, the method further comprises:
 using a phone number prestored in or transferred by text message or MIME from the remote server to the mobile device to call the remote server, or   using an external transferral communication device to connect the device to the remote server to allow communication functionality with first responders.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein if one first responder's device cannot establish a VoIP connection, the method further comprises:
 using a phone number prestored in or transferred by text message or MIME from the remote server to the first responder's device to call the remote server, or   using an external transferral communication device to connect the device to the remote server to allow communication functionality with other first responders and the mobile device.   
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein, if none of the predefined first responders can be reached, the method comprises informing a call center of the alarm event and establishing a conference call among the mobile device, the call center and all available first responders' mobile devices. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein, if none of the predefined first responders can be reached, the method comprises informing other non-predefined available first responders of the alarm event and establishing a conference call among all available first responders' mobile devices. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein, if none of the predefined first responders can be reached, the method further comprises:
 searching and contacting other non-predefined first responders in proximity to the emergency, if the user devices' preferences permit this.   
     
     
         35 . An operation method of a personal emergency response system (PERS), the PERS comprising a personal device that is easy to carry for the user, a mobile device, and a remote server, wherein said personal device and said mobile device are each capable of:
 acquiring a current location via an GPS chip;   acquiring current GPRS cell information via a GPRS cell sensor;   establishing mobile communication via a GSM module;   establishing a Bluetooth communication;   offering the possibility of triggering an alarm manually by the user; and   collecting, evaluating, and storing data through RAM and ROM;   
       wherein the method comprises:
 establishing a connection between said personal device and said mobile device, 
 deactivating the GPS chip, the GPRS cell sensor, and the GSM module of said personal device as long as the connection with mobile device is active; and 
 transmitting positioning data, data regarding quality of a mobile internet connection, and data regarding strength of a cell phone signal from mobile device to said personal device, wherein, if an alarm is triggered on said personal device, a notification of the alarm is transmitted to mobile device, and the positioning data are transmitted to the remote server by the mobile device, wherein the PERS further comprises a monitoring sensor configured to monitor a state of the user, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 connecting the monitoring sensor to said personal device and said mobile device; 
 transmitting data acquired by the monitoring sensor to said mobile device, only; 
 transmitting said monitoring sensor data from the mobile device to said personal device; and 
 triggering an alarm immediately if said monitoring sensor data reach or pass a predefined threshold or after a time interval if another threshold is kept for a certain, predefined time interval, wherein, 
 if the connection between said personal device and said mobile device is lost, but the connection between said personal device and said monitoring sensor and the connection between said mobile device and said monitoring sensor, respectively, are active, the method further comprises: 
 transmitting said monitoring sensor data, positioning data, the data regarding the quality of the mobile internet connection, and the data regarding the strength of the cell phone signal from said mobile device to said personal device via said monitoring sensor. 
 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein, if an alarm is triggered on said personal device, data regarding the quality of the mobile internet connection and data regarding the strength of the cell phone signal are transmitted to the remote server by the mobile device. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein, if the connection between said personal device and said mobile device is lost, the method further comprises:
 re-activating the GPS chip, the GPRS cell sensor, and the GSM module of said personal device;   if an alarm is triggered on said personal device while the connection between said mobile device and said personal device is lost, transmitting the positioning data, the data regarding the quality of the mobile internet connection, and the data regarding the strength of the cell phone signal, to the remote server by said personal device; and   returning to the step of establishing a connection between said personal device and said mobile device if the connection between said personal device and said mobile device can be re-established.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein, if the connection between said mobile device and said monitoring sensor is lost, but the connection between said personal device and said monitoring sensor and the connection between said mobile device and said personal device, respectively, are active, the method further comprises:
 transmitting sensor data from said monitoring sensor to said personal device; and   transmitting sensor data from said personal device to said mobile device.   
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein, if, in addition, the connection between said mobile device and said personal device is lost, procedures to be used if an alarm is triggered are conducted by said personal device. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein, if the connection between said mobile device and said monitoring sensor, the connection between said personal device and said monitoring sensor, and the connection between said mobile device and said personal device are lost, respectively, the method further comprises:
 if said mobile device is first connected with said personal device and then said personal device is connected with said monitoring sensor, transmitting received sensor data from said personal device to said mobile device; and   once said mobile device connects with said monitoring sensor, transmitting received monitoring sensor data from said mobile device to said personal device while direct transmission from said monitoring sensor to said personal device is discontinued.   
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said transferring data regarding the quality of the mobile internet connection and the strength of the cell phone signal to the remote server further comprises transferring data of GPRS cell coordinates to the remote server. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 35 , further comprising:
 using a number n of last positions acquired through said mobile device or said personal device in predefined time intervals to provide a line of said last positions to allow an estimation of the user's last known moving direction.   
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein n is at least 5. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein the predefined time intervals are 10 to 90 seconds. 
     
     
         45 . A personal emergency response system (PERS), the system comprising:
 a remote server having a central processing unit;   a mobile device of a user, comprising a GPS chip, a GPRS cell sensor, a GSM module having loudspeaker and microphone and a Bluetooth communication module;   a personal device; and   at least one mobile device of at least one first responder predetermined by the user, the mobile device of the at least one first responder comprising a GPS chip, a GPRS cell sensor, a GSM module having loudspeaker and microphone and a Bluetooth communication module;   wherein the mobile device and the personal device each are adapted to perform the following operations:   if an alarm is triggered, transferring a personal code of the user to the remote server; and   transferring data regarding quality of a mobile internet connection and strength of a cell phone signal to the remote server;   wherein the remote server is adapted to:   establish a voice over IP connection between the mobile device or the personal device and the remote server;   check which of mobile devices of potential first responders is currently in close proximity to the user by using current or stored positioning data of all predefined first responders and which of said first responders is currently available as defined in a setting of the first responders' mobile devices;   establish a voice over IP connection between the server and all proximate and available first responders predefined by the user,
 wherein, if none of the predefined first responders can be reached, the server is adapted to alert a call center of the alarm event; and 
   establish a telephone conference between the mobile device and the available first responders' mobile devices;   wherein, when the first responders come close to a last location of the personal device, the mobile device or the personal device is adapted to send out a signal of loud noise.   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the remote server is further adapted to forward the mobile device's last known position to the available, allowed and proximate first responders' devices. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the mobile device comprises one to three switches adapted to provide selection functions. 
     
     
         48 . A personal emergency response system (PERS), the system comprising:
 a remote server having a central processing unit;   a mobile device of a user, comprising a GPS chip, a GPRS cell sensor, a GSM module having loudspeaker and microphone and a Bluetooth communication module;   a personal device; and   at least one mobile device of at least one first responder predetermined by the user, the mobile device of the at least one first responder comprising a GPS chip, a GPRS cell sensor, a GSM module having loudspeaker and microphone and a Bluetooth communication module;   wherein the mobile device and the personal device each are adapted to perform the following operations:   if an alarm is triggered, transferring a personal code of the user to the remote server; and   transferring data regarding quality of a mobile internet connection and strength of a cell phone signal to the remote server;   wherein the remote server is adapted to:   establish a voice over IP connection between the mobile device or the personal device and the remote server;   check which of mobile devices of potential first responders is currently in close proximity to the user by using current or stored positioning data of all predefined first responders and which of said first responders is currently available as defined in a setting of the first responders' mobile devices;   establish a voice over IP connection between the server and all proximate and available first responders predefined by the user,
 wherein, if none of the predefined first responders can be reached, the server is adapted to alert a call center of the alarm event; and 
   establish a telephone conference between the mobile device and the available first responders' mobile devices;   
       wherein, when the first responders come close to a last location of the personal device, the mobile device or the personal device is adapted to send out a signal of loud noise,
 wherein the mobile device, personal device, and the at least one first responder's mobile device comprise means for carrying out the method according to  claim 28 .