Gesture-Based Emergency Type Detection for App Reporting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Emergency event centers lack the ability to determine the type of emergency when alerted by a smart home security system, leading to potential delays in dispatching appropriate responders, which can result in injuries or fatalities.

Innovation Solution

An app-based system that allows users to select interactive features through gestures, generating an identifier that communicates the emergency type to the event center, enabling precise emergency dispatch.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If event center operators rely on user phone calls to determine emergency type, then system simplicity is maintained, but response time increases and accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by having users pre-select emergency type indicators through gestures before the emergency occurs. The app stores these gesture preferences in advance, so when an emergency happens, the pre-configured gesture mappings are immediately activated, eliminating the need for real-time verbal communication and drastically reducing response time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by allowing users to configure their own emergency response preferences through gesture selections in the app. The system automatically processes these gestures and transmits emergency type information without requiring operator intervention to determine emergency category, making the system both simpler and faster.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If users must answer the phone to report emergency type, then information accuracy improves, but reliability decreases when users cannot answer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency reporting reliabilityVSAvoidemergency type information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical/verbal communication method (phone calls) with an electronic gesture-based input system. Users tap or swipe on the mobile device screen to select emergency types, and the system automatically transmits this digital information. This substitution ensures reliability even when users cannot speak, as the gesture input can be performed silently and anonymously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile application serves as an intermediary between the user and the event center. Instead of direct phone communication, the app captures gesture inputs, processes them into structured emergency type data, and transmits it automatically. This intermediary ensures that emergency type information is reliably captured and transmitted without requiring user verbal response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If event centers dispatch generic emergency services, then dispatch complexity is reduced, but measurement precision of emergency type decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency type detection accuracyVSAvoiddispatch system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the emergency reporting process into distinct gesture-based categories (e.g., different tap patterns for different emergency types). Each gesture maps to a specific emergency category, allowing the event center to precisely identify the emergency type without complex assessment. This segmentation enables accurate measurement of emergency type while keeping the dispatch logic straightforward.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If the system requires detailed user interaction to specify emergency type, then information accuracy improves, but ease of operation decreases during emergency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency reporting easeVSAvoidemergency type information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses partial action by requiring only a simple gesture (tap, swipe, or press) rather than complete detailed input. The gesture itself is sufficient to trigger the emergency type identification, eliminating the need for lengthy forms or multiple confirmation steps. This partial action approach maintains ease of operation during emergency while still capturing the necessary emergency type information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20250286947A1APP-Based Event Type Detection

Publication Date: 2025.09.11 VIVINT LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for app-based event type detection are disclosed. One method for reporting an event may include displaying, on a user interface, one or more user-interactive feature(s) that are selectable by a user. In response to the user selecting one of the first user-interactive features, the method may further include displaying a plurality of second user-interactive features that are selectable by the user using a predetermined gesture. In response to the user selecting one of the second user-interactive features by performing the predetermined gesture, the method may include generating a message including an identifier indicative of the selected second user-interactive feature. The method may further include communicating, by the electronic device, the message including the identifier indicative of the selected second user-interactive feature to an event center.