Virtual Assistant Emergency Calls for Silent Context Sharing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing emergency communication systems lack the ability to determine and manage the context of an emergency situation, potentially compromising user safety by requiring verbal communication that may alert intruders or distract users from their safety.

Innovation Solution

An electronic communication system utilizing a virtual assistant to monitor background information, determine the context of an emergency, and manage communication devices to ensure safety, such as suspending audio output during high-risk situations, while providing context-aware information to emergency responders.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a user provides details regarding the emergency situation via electronic communication, then the emergency response service can receive information about the emergency, but the user's safety may be compromised in situations where silence is desired (e.g., home invasions)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemergency situation informationVSAvoiduser safety risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a virtual assistant as an intermediary that automatically monitors background information, determines emergency context, and transmits information to emergency response services without requiring direct user communication. This mediator enables information transfer while protecting the user from exposure to threats.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by allowing the electronic communication device to automatically detect emergencies, determine context, and communicate with response services without human intervention. The device monitors its own state and environment, autonomously initiating emergency communication when threats are detected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If traditional emergency calling systems are used to identify caller location and provide stored information, then basic emergency information can be transmitted, but the systems cannot determine the context of the emergency or automatically manage the call

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemergency response efficiencyVSAvoidcontext information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The virtual assistant continuously monitors background information and determines emergency context in advance before emergency services are contacted. This preliminary context determination ensures that critical information is ready for immediate transmission, improving response efficiency without requiring manual input during the emergency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring call context and automatically adjusting communication management based on the determined emergency context. This feedback loop enables dynamic optimization of emergency communication, ensuring appropriate information is transmitted at the right time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4701157A1Electronic method and system for context-aware emergency communication
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 MITEL CORP
  • EP4701157A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4701157A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4701157A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods for providing context-aware emergency information during an electronic communication are disclosed. The system can include an electronic communication device that includes a virtual assistant. The virtual assistant can autonomously provide information to a user and/or to an emergency response service provider during an emergency communication. Additionally or alternatively, the virtual assistant can automatically manipulate one or more functions on the electronic communication device and/or send a signal to manipulate one or more functions on a responder device.