Procedure for triggering an alert
The method of triggering an alert using a box connected to a mobile device via Bluetooth Low Energy addresses the ineffectiveness of existing safety devices by ensuring alerts are sent to emergency contacts and providing evidence, enhancing personal safety in emergencies.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SAFEE
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
AI Technical Summary
Existing personal safety devices, such as phone cases with audible alarms, are ineffective when the alarm is not heard by anyone other than the victim and the aggressor, lacking security and utility in emergency situations.
A method involving a box with data processing means and a button that communicates with a mobile device via Bluetooth Low Energy, allowing for an alert strategy that includes audible alarms, notifications to emergency contacts, and live audio/video sharing, triggered by distinct button presses.
Enhances personal safety by ensuring alerts are sent to emergency contacts and providing evidence through audio/video recordings, even when the victim is incapacitated, thus increasing security and utility.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Method for triggering an alert FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of security, more specifically to a method of triggering an alert implemented by means of a box, such as a case, and a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, connected to the box. STATE OF THE ART
[0002] When a person is attacked or feels threatened with attack, they can call the police or someone they know for help. However, unlocking a phone and dialing a number can be difficult, especially when panicking, and the person may not have the time or freedom of movement to perform these actions.
[0003] For example, devices such as a phone case as described in patent application no. WO2023187267A2 are known, which emit an audible alarm when a button on the device is pressed. However, known devices have limited functions. If the audible alarm is heard by no one other than the victim and the aggressor, nothing will prevent the assault.
[0004] Consequently, there is a need for a method of triggering an alert that is more secure and more useful. Description of the invention
[0005] One object of the invention is to provide a method of triggering an alert that is safer and more useful to a victim of an attack.
[0006] According to a first aspect, a method is proposed for triggering an alert by means of a box comprising data processing means, referred to as first data processing means, a button and a speaker, the first data processing means being configured to communicate with data processing means of a mobile device, referred to as second data processing means, via a proximity wireless connection, the method comprising the steps of:
[0007] - activation (a) of the first data processing means following a gesture activation press on the button;
[0008] - sending (b) an alert request by the first data processing means to the second means of data processing following an alert button press gesture;
[0009] - determination (c), by the second means of data processing, of a alert strategy, following receipt of the alert request, the alert strategy including at least one triggering of an audible alarm and sending at least one notification to at least one emergency contact;
[0010] - control (d), by the second data processing means, of the implementation implementation of the alert strategy, including sending (d1) a request to trigger the audible alarm to the first means of data processing and sending (d2) at least one notification to at least one emergency contact;
[0011] - control (e), by the first data processing means, of an emission of the audible alarm via the speaker of the unit following receipt of the trigger request.
[0012] According to advantageous and non-limiting features, taken alone or in any combination: - the proximity wireless connection is a Bluetooth connection, preferably of the low energy type; - the activation press gesture consists of a single brief press; - the alert support gesture includes three distinct brief presses and consecutive; - the time between two consecutive short presses is less than two seconds; - the process includes a control step (f), by the first data processing means, to stop the emission of the audible alarm if a stop button press gesture is detected; - the alert strategy includes triggering an audible alarm only if a silent mode of the device is disabled; - the alert strategy further includes an audio recording by a microphone of the mobile device, a video recording by a camera of the mobile device and / or a live sharing, by the second means of data processing, to at least one emergency contact, of the audio recording and / or the video recording; - in which the alert strategy includes live sharing, via secondary data processing means, with at least one emergency contact, of the geolocation of the mobile device; - the case is designed to be attached to the mobile device; - the case is part of a shell designed to house the mobile device removable method; - the mobile device implements a mobile application, the determination (c) and control (d) steps being implemented by the mobile application, the process comprising a step (bO) of activation, by the second means of data processing, of the mobile application following receipt of the alert request.
[0013] According to a second aspect, a housing is proposed comprising data processing means, referred to as first data processing means, a button and a speaker, the first data processing means being configured to communicate with data processing means of a mobile device, referred to as second data processing means, via a proximity wireless connection, the first data processing means being configured to:
[0014] - to activate following an activation press gesture on the button;
[0015] - send an alert request to the second set of data processing means to a gesture of pressing the alert button;
[0016] - receive, from the second data processing means, a request for triggering an audible alarm in response to the alert request;
[0017] - to trigger the audible alarm via the speaker in the housing following the receipt of the trigger request.
[0018] According to a third aspect, a system is proposed comprising the previously described housing and said mobile device, the second data processing means being configured to:
[0019] - receive the alert request;
[0020] - determine an alert strategy, following receipt of the alert request, the alert strategy including at least one triggering of an audible alarm and sending at least one notification to at least one emergency contact;
[0021] - to trigger the implementation of the alert strategy by sending the request to triggering the audible alarm on the first means of data processing and sending at least one notification to at least one emergency contact. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0022] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment. This description will be given with reference to the accompanying figures, including:
[0023] - [Fig.1] schematically represents a case and a mobile device;
[0024] - [Fig.2] represents the steps of an alert triggering process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION System
[0025] With reference to [Fig.1], a system 100 is proposed comprising a housing 1 and a mobile device 2.
[0026] The housing 1 includes at least one button 12. The button 12 may be a push button. The button 12 may simply consist of a predetermined area of the housing 12, the area being touch-sensitive, the first data processing means 10 being configured to detect touches on said area. Button 12 is not limited to these examples and could consist of any known type of switch.
[0027] The housing 1 includes at least one speaker 14, i.e. a sound output.
[0028] The housing 1 includes data processing means 10, referred to as first data processing methods 10.
[0029] The first means of data processing 10 are for example a processor.
[0030] The housing 1 further advantageously includes typical components such as non-volatile memory.
[0031] The first data processing means 10 are configured to communicate with data processing means 20 of the mobile device 2, referred to as second data processing means 20, via a proximity wireless connection. The proximity wireless connection can be of any known type, such as a Bluetooth connection, a ZigBee connection, a WiFi connection, etc. Preferably, the proximity wireless connection is a Bluetooth connection, in particular a low-energy (BLE, Bluetooth Low Energy) type. Typically, proximity is understood to mean a distance between the enclosure 1 and the mobile device 2 of 20 meters or less. This distance varies depending on the type of proximity wireless connection.
[0032] By wireless connection, it is understood that the first data processing means 10 and the second data processing means 20 are adapted to communicate, i.e. exchange data.
[0033] The mobile device 2 is for example a mobile phone, in particular a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a laptop, etc.
[0034] The second data processing means 20 are, for example, a processor.
[0035] Preferably, the mobile device 2 implements a mobile application participating in the implementation of the alerting method which will be presented later.
[0036] Advantageously, the mobile device 2 includes a microphone 22 adapted for capturing sounds. The mobile device 2 is advantageously configured to record sounds captured by the microphone 22.
[0037] Advantageously, the mobile device 2 includes a 24 camera.
[0038] Advantageously, the mobile device 2 includes a screen 26, preferably touch-sensitive.
[0039] The housing 1 is advantageously adapted to be attached, preferably in a removable manner, to the mobile device 2. The housing 1 can, for example, be magnetized and / or glued to the mobile device 2.
[0040] Advantageously, the housing 1 is or is included in a shell, said shell being adapted to receive, preferably in a removable manner, the mobile device 2. In other words, the housing 1 is or is part of a shell in which the mobile device 2 can be embedded.
[0041] The housing 1 advantageously includes an electrically rechargeable battery. The housing 1 preferably includes an electrical charging port, for example of the USB-C type.
[0042] Alternatively or in addition, the housing 1 is adapted to be electrically connected to the mobile device 2 so that the first data processing means 10 are powered by the mobile device 2. Process
[0043] With reference to [Fig.2], a method for triggering an alert using the box 1 is proposed.
[0044] Advantageously, the method includes a preliminary pairing step (aO) of the unit 1 to the mobile device 2 via the proximity wireless connection. In this way, the unit 1 and the mobile device 2 connect automatically when, on the one hand, the first data processing means 10 are activated and, on the other hand, the second data processing means 20 are in a connection activation mode (for example, Bluetooth is activated on the mobile device 2).
[0045] The method includes an activation step (a) of the first data processing means 10 following an activation press gesture on the button 12.
[0046] Following an activation gesture on button 12, it is understood that activation is triggered by the activation gesture. In other words, when an activation gesture is detected, activation is carried out.
[0047] The activation gesture may include a short press (i.e., the user presses button 12 two or three times), a long press (for example, a press lasting more than two seconds), a touch-and-swipe (i.e., a swipe), etc. The activation gesture may include several of these examples of presses performed successively. For example, the activation gesture may include two short presses followed by a long press.
[0048] Advantageously, the activation press gesture comprises a single short press on button 12.
[0049] By activating the first data processing means 10, it is advantageously understood that the first data processing means 10 control the connection of the box 1 to the mobile device 2 via the proximity wireless connection. In other words, the first data processing means 10 control the activation of a specific module of the box 1 for implementing the proximity wireless connection. Preferably, the first data processing means 10 activate a Bluetooth module of the box 2. Advantageously, the box 1 and the mobile device 2 have been pre-paired so that the proximity wireless connection is implemented as soon as the proximity condition is met and an activation tap is performed.
[0050] Advantageously, by activation, we mean that the first means of data processing 10 come out of a sleep state (deepsleep).
[0051] Furthermore, advantageously, the activation of the first data processing means 10 includes the initialization of the non-volatile memory of the housing 1.
[0052] Advantageously, following the activation gesture of pressing button 12, the first data processing means 10 command the transmission of information concerning the battery level of the device 1, via the proximity wireless connection, to the second data processing means 20. Preferably, the information concerning the battery level of the device 1 is transmitted to the mobile application implemented on the mobile device 2. An action can be triggered by the mobile application depending on the battery level. For example, if the battery level is too low, the mobile application can trigger the display of a notification on the screen 26 of the mobile device 2 to alert its user that the device 1 may not function correctly due to a low battery level.
[0053] Preferably, the method includes a step (bO) of activating the mobile application by the second data processing means 20 upon receipt of the alert request. In other words, when the alert tap gesture is performed and the alert request is received by the mobile device 2, the mobile application starts up. Optionally, the mobile application opens in the foreground on the mobile device 2.
[0054] The method includes a step of sending (b) an alert request from the first data processing means 10 to the second data processing means 20 following an alert press gesture on the button 12.
[0055] The alert tap gesture may include a short press (i.e., the user presses button 12 for less than one second), a long press (for example, a press lasting more than two seconds), a touch-swipe (i.e., a swipe), etc. The alert tap gesture may include several of these tap examples implemented successively. For example, the alert tap gesture may include two short presses followed by one long press.
[0056] Advantageously, the alert press gesture comprises at least three consecutive brief presses of button 12. Preferably, consecutive means that the time between two brief presses is less than 2 seconds, preferably less than 1 second, preferably less than 0.5 seconds, preferably approximately 0.45 seconds. Advantageously, the alert press gesture comprises only three consecutive brief presses of button 12.
[0057] Advantageously, the alert tap gesture is customizable by the user via the mobile application. The user can preferably choose the type(s) of tap(s) and the number of taps included in the alert tap gesture. For example, The user could choose an alert tap gesture consisting of four or even five consecutive short taps.
[0058] According to one embodiment, the activation press gesture is part of the alert press gesture. For example, if the alert press gesture comprises three short presses and the activation press gesture comprises one short press, the first short press of the alert press gesture also corresponds to the activation press gesture.
[0059] In practice, the alert support gesture is implemented by the user when he is being attacked or in the case of any situation in which the user urgently needs help.
[0060] The alert request is advantageously a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) request.
[0061] The alert request aims to trigger the determination of an alert strategy by the second means of data processing 20.
[0062] Indeed, the method includes a step (c) of determining, by the second data processing means 20, an alert strategy, following receipt of the alert request. Preferably, step (c) is implemented by the mobile application.
[0063] In step (c), the alert strategy is determined, i.e., developed, by the second data processing means 20. The strategy is not implemented, i.e., executed, during step (c). The alert strategy comprises several operations that are intended to be executed following the alert support gesture.
[0064] The alert strategy advantageously includes at least one triggering of an audible alarm and the sending of at least one notification to at least one emergency contact.
[0065] Preferably, the alert strategy does not include triggering an audible alarm if the silent mode of the unit 1 is activated. Advantageously, the unit 1 can be configured in both silent and alarm modes. If the unit 1 is configured in silent mode, it is not in alarm mode, and vice versa. Advantageously, the user can change the mode from the mobile application installed on the mobile device 2. The user may consider that they are unlikely to need an audible alarm and therefore configure the unit 1 in silent mode. Consequently, the second data processing means 20 send a mode change request to the unit 1 when the user changes the mode via the application. According to this embodiment, the alert strategy includes triggering an audible alarm only if the alarm mode of the unit 1 is activated and the silent mode is deactivated.
[0066] Advantageously, the alert strategy further includes sound recording by a microphone 22 of the mobile device 2 and / or video recording by a camera 24 of the mobile device 2. By recording, it is understood that the recording is acquired, possibly for the purpose of storage in memory for the preservation of evidence.
[0067] Advantageously, the alert strategy includes live sharing, by the second data processing means 20, to at least one emergency contact of the audio recording and / or video recording.
[0068] Advantageously, the alert strategy includes the live sharing of the user's geolocation, by the second data processing means 20, to at least one emergency contact.
[0069] The operations of the alert strategy will be detailed later.
[0070] The alert strategy is preferably at least partially predetermined. For example, the user may have configured the alert strategy, preferably via the mobile application, so that it does not include or always includes a sound recording.
[0071] The alert strategy may depend on contextual parameters. For example, the emergency contacts to whom the notification is sent may be those who are geographically close to the user. For example, the user's location may be determined by means of a GPS module of the mobile device 2, and the location of the emergency contacts may be known through live sharing of their GPS position (i.e., geolocation) or through a recorded location for each emergency contact (e.g., their postal address).
[0072] Advantageously, all emergency contacts are notified.
[0073] The method then includes a control step (d) for the implementation of the alert strategy by the second data processing means 20. In other words, it is the mobile device 2 that controls the implementation, i.e., the execution, of the alert strategy. Preferably, the mobile application implements all or part of step (d).
[0074] Step (d) includes a sending step (dl), by the second data processing means 20, of a request to trigger the audible alarm to the first data processing means 10. The trigger request is sent via the proximity wireless connection.
[0075] According to one embodiment, if a silent mode of the housing 1 is activated, there is no sending step (dl) of a request to trigger the audible alarm.
[0076] Step (d) includes a sending step (d2) of at least one notification to at least one emergency contact, preferably all emergency contacts.
[0077] An emergency contact can be automatically pre-defined in the mobile application, such as the police or fire department. The user can freely delete emergency contacts. An emergency contact can be a contact configured, for example via the mobile application, by the user as an emergency contact (e.g., a family member). An emergency contact is preferably characterized by a telephone number and / or an email address.
[0078] According to an advantageous embodiment, the emergency contact corresponding to the police or fire department (or equivalent services) does not allow direct contact with the police or fire department. More precisely, this automatically predefined emergency contact in the mobile application corresponds to a security station whose role is to contact these services (the police, fire department, etc.) if deemed necessary, for example, based on live video shared by the user. In other words, this emergency contact allows the police or fire department to be contacted indirectly.
[0079] The notification may consist of a message, for example an SMS or a notification from the mobile application if the emergency contact has a mobile device on which he or she has also implemented the mobile application.
[0080] Advantageously, the notification includes geolocation information for the user.
[0081] The notification is intended to alert the emergency contact(s) so that they can come to the user's aid.
[0082] Note that if no emergency contact is configured (the user has deleted the predefined contacts and has not created any), no notification is sent. Preferably, this is detected during the determination (c) of the alert strategy, and the alert strategy therefore does not include an operation to send a notification to an emergency contact.
[0083] According to one embodiment, step (d) includes a triggering step (d3) of an acquisition by the microphone 22 of the mobile device 2 of a sound recording.
[0084] According to one embodiment, step (d) includes a triggering step (d4) of an acquisition by the camera 24 of the mobile device 2 of a video recording.
[0085] The recordings are preferably stored in memory, for example on the mobile device 2, so that they can be used, for example, in the case of filing a complaint. Alternatively, the recordings are stored on a remote server and can be downloaded to the mobile device 2 from the mobile application.
[0086] According to a preferred embodiment, step (d) includes a triggering step (d5) for sharing, preferably live, the audio and / or video recordings with emergency contacts. In other words, emergency contacts have live access to the audio and / or video recordings. This can help emergency contacts locate the user. This allows emergency contacts to know the user's situation so they can, for example, contact the police and inform them of the ongoing assault and its level of danger.
[0087] Advantageously, step (d5) includes live sharing of the user's geolocation.
[0088] According to one embodiment, live sharing of the audio and / or video recording is implemented only if the mobile device 2 is unlocked. In contrast, live sharing of geolocation can be implemented even if the mobile device 2 is locked.
[0089] Advantageously, the triggering of sound recording, video recording, and / or live sharing is conditional upon user validation. For example, steps (d3), (d4), and / or (d5) may include prior display of a notification on the mobile device's screen 26 asking the user whether they accept the sound recording, video recording, and / or live sharing. Validation may simply consist of unlocking the mobile device 2.
[0090] Advantageously, audio and / or video recording and sharing can be interrupted following a subsequent action by the user, for example via the mobile application.
[0091] The method then includes a control step (e), by the first data processing means 10, of emitting an audible alarm from the loudspeaker 14 of the unit 1 upon receipt of the trigger request. Thus, when the trigger request is received by the unit 2, the loudspeaker 14 emits the audible alarm. This alarm may, for example, consist of a loud sound for five seconds followed by three seconds of silence, repeated continuously. The audible alarm serves to frighten the attacker and attract attention to obtain help.
[0092] Advantageously, the method includes a control step (f), via the first data processing means 10, to stop the emission of the audible alarm if a stop button 12 is pressed. In other words, the emission of the audible alarm can be interrupted following a stop button press.
[0093] The stop press gesture may include a short press (i.e., the user presses button 12 for less than one second), a long press (for example, a press lasting more than two seconds), a touch-swipe (i.e., a swipe), etc. The stop press gesture may include several of these examples of presses implemented successively. The stop press gesture may include, for example, two short presses followed by one long press.
[0094] Advantageously, the stop press gesture comprises only a long press on button 12, preferably a press lasting more than two seconds or even more than three seconds.
[0095] Advantageously, the stop press gesture is customizable by the user via the mobile application. The user can preferably choose the type(s) of press(s) and the number of presses included in the stop press gesture.
[0096] Advantageously, the emission of the audible alarm can be interrupted via the mobile application.
Claims
Demands
1. Method of triggering an alert by means of a box (1) comprising data processing means (10), referred to as first data processing means (10), a button (12) and a speaker (14), the first data processing means (10) being configured to communicate with data processing means (20) of a mobile device (2), referred to as second data processing means (20), via a proximity wireless connection, the method comprising the steps of: - activation (a) of the first data processing means (10) following an activation press gesture on the button (12); - sending (b) an alert request by the first data processing means (10) to the second data processing means (20) following an alert press gesture on the button (12);- determination (c), by the second data processing means (20), of an alert strategy, following receipt of the alert request, the alert strategy comprising at least one triggering of an audible alarm and the sending of at least one notification to at least one emergency contact; - command (d), by the second data processing means (20), of the implementation of the alert strategy, comprising sending (d1) a request to trigger the audible alarm to the first data processing means (10) and sending (d2) at least one notification to at least one emergency contact; - command (e), by the first data processing means (10), of an emission of the audible alarm by the loudspeaker (14) of the unit (1) following receipt of the trigger request.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the proximity wireless connection is a Bluetooth connection, preferably of the low energy type.
3. A method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the activation press gesture comprises a single brief press.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the alert support gesture comprises three distinct and consecutive brief presses.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the time between two consecutive short presses is less than two seconds.
6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a control step (f), by the first data processing means (10), of stopping the emission of the audible alarm if a stop-press gesture on the button (12) is detected.
7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the alerting strategy includes triggering an audible alarm only if a silent mode of the housing (1) is deactivated.
8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the alert strategy further includes an audio recording by a microphone (22) of the mobile device (2), a video recording by a camera (24) of the mobile device (2) and / or a live sharing, by the second data processing means (20), to at least one emergency contact, of the audio recording and / or the video recording.
9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the alerting strategy includes live sharing, by the second data processing means (20), with at least one emergency contact, of a geolocation of the mobile device (2).
10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the housing (1) is adapted to be attached to the mobile device (2).
11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the housing (1) is part of a shell adapted to receive the mobile device (2) in a removable manner.
12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the mobile device (2) implements a mobile application, the determination steps (c) and control steps (d) being implemented by the mobile application, the method comprising a step (b0) of activation, by the second data processing means (20), of the mobile application following receipt of the alert request.
13. A housing (1) comprising data processing means, referred to as first data processing means (10), a button (12) and a speaker (14), the first data processing means (10) being configured to communicate with data processing means (20) of a mobile device (2), referred to as second data processing means (20), via a near-field wireless connection, the first data processing means (10) being configured to: - activate following an activation press gesture on the button (12); - send an alert request to the second data processing means (20) following an alert press gesture on the button (12); - receive, from the second data processing means (20), a request to trigger an audible alarm in response to the alert request; - command the emission of the audible alarm by the loudspeaker (14) of the box (1) following the receipt of the trigger request.
14. System (100) comprising the housing (1) according to claim 13 and said mobile device (2), the second data processing means (20) being configured to: - receive the alert request; - determine an alert strategy, following receipt of the alert request, the alert strategy comprising at least one triggering of an audible alarm and sending at least one notification to at least one emergency contact; - command the implementation of the alert strategy by sending the request to trigger the audible alarm to the first data processing means and by sending at least one notification to at least one emergency contact.