Emergency Alert System Using GPS Location Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency alert systems are inefficient in targeting specific geographic areas and fail to account for dynamic user locations, often missing visitors or residents who are not in the designated area during emergencies, and require costly infrastructure and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A back-end emergency alert system that uses emergency alert enabled devices (EAEDs) to determine if users are within a defined geographic area of concern, allowing for dynamic location fixes and precise targeting of alerts without relying on pre-determined user locations, using satellite or internet transmissions to reach a wide audience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If door-to-door communication is used to target specific geographic areas, then the emergency information reaches the relevant members of the public, but the cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical door-to-door communication system with an automated electronic messaging system that uses GPS coordinates to identify and contact devices within the emergency area. The system automatically calculates which devices are within the polygon-defined emergency area and sends alerts through electronic messages, eliminating the need for manual door-to-door contact while maintaining precise geographic targeting.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing devices to automatically determine their own location via GPS and self-evaluate whether they are within the emergency area based on received polygon coordinates. Devices autonomously receive and process emergency alerts without requiring manual intervention, significantly reducing the time and resources needed for emergency communication.
2Measurement precision
If automated telephone calling systems are used, then geographic specificity is achieved, but the system jams the local telephone switching network and excludes cell phones and VOIP phones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal alert delivery system that works across multiple communication platforms including cell phones, VOIP phones, and traditional landlines. By using electronic messaging rather than voice calls, the system achieves compatibility with all device types while maintaining geographic specificity through GPS-based location verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the traditional telephone calling mechanism with an electronic messaging system that does not burden telephone switching networks. This substitution allows simultaneous communication with all device types without causing network congestion, as messages can be delivered through data channels rather than voice circuits.
3Ease of operation
If the emergency alert system uses fixed location information, then the system is simple to operate, but it misses visitors or residents who are not in the designated area during emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static fixed-location alerting to dynamic real-time location tracking. The system continuously monitors device GPS positions and dynamically determines which devices are within the emergency area at the time of the event. This dynamic approach maintains operational simplicity while significantly improving reliability by capturing all devices currently present in the emergency zone regardless of their registered addresses.
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency alert system, method and device are disclosed. The invention employs an emergency alert message, which directs end users to take some particular action like evacuating an identified geographic area. The invention further employs a geographic area message, which is based on a particular geographic area within which all persons should receive the emergency alert message. The invention utilizes an emergency alert enabled device that receives both the emergency alert message and the geographic area message. The emergency alert enabled device determines whether it is located within the geographic area of concern, and if so, presents the emergency alert message to the end user.