# US 2019/0174287 A1 · Real-Time, Crowd-Sourced, Geo-Location Based System for Enhancing Personal Safety > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0174287 A1 - Document ID: US20190174287A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/050,348 - Filed: 2018-07-31 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-14 - Inventors: Marshalla Yadav - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174287A1 ## CPC - H04W 4/90: Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] - G01C 21/20: Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) - G01C 21/3407: {specially adapted for specific applications} - G01C 21/3461: {Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types or segments such as motorways, toll roads or ferries} - G01C 21/3629: {Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech (text to speech systems per se G10L13/00)} - G01C 21/3667: {Display of a road map (G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635)} - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 4/024: Guidance services - H04W 4/08: User group management - H04W 4/12: Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements - H04W 4/21: for social networking applications - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) ## Abstract The disclosure describes a crowd-sourced, social network and geo-location based system for enhancing personal safety via users' mobile devices. The system shares information (including images, video, and/or audio) about crimes, fires, accidents and public safety-related events and their geo-locations. Users selectively receive notifications for such events in a map view based on the events' proximity to users or on whether the notification was initiated by a person in the users' social network. The system also shares users' status and geo-location information with previously identified persons or with all persons in their social network to let them know their geo-location and/or when they have reached a destination. Through the system's operation, a user can cause sending of a distress signal to pre-identified persons, groups within their social network, or others who are within a pre-established distance. Additionally, the system can send a distress signal if the user fails to check in. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A method for enhancing personal safety, the method comprising the steps of: collecting data representative of the level of personal safety at a plurality of geographical locations; associating the data representative of the level of personal safety at each geographical location with geographical coordinate data uniquely identifying the geographical location; receiving first input corresponding to a starting location of a route to be traveled by a person; receiving second input corresponding to an ending location of the route to be traveled by the person; and determining a safest route for travel by the person between the starting location and ending location based at least in part on the collected data and associated geographical coordinate data. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the step of collecting data representative of the level of personal safety comprises receiving data for each geographical location from persons previously present at each geographical location. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the data representative of the level of personal safety comprises data ranking the relative safety at each geographical location relative to other geographical locations. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the step of collecting data representative of the level of personal safety comprises receiving data pertaining to previously occurring crimes. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the step of collecting data representative of the level of personal safety comprises receiving data pertaining to previously occurring traffic accidents. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the step of collecting data representative of the level of personal safety comprises receiving data pertaining to on-going construction projects. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises a step of generating a visual representation of the safest route relative to a graphical map including the starting location, ending location, and safest route. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises a step of displaying symbols along the safest route and relative to the graphical map identifying the respective locations of events having an effect on personal safety. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the events include previously occurring crimes. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the events include previously occurring traffic accidents. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the events include on-going construction. ### Claim 32 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises a step of producing audible turn-by-turn instructions directing the person along the safest route. ### Claim 33 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises a step of generating visual turn-by-turn instructions directing the person along the safest route. ### Claim 34 A method for searching a geographical area for a missing person or article, the method comprising the steps of: receiving information defining a plurality of geographical sub-areas of a geographical area to be searched for the presence of a missing person or article; assigning a person having a mobile device to search a particular geographical sub-area; continually determining the geographical location of the mobile device relative to the particular geographical sub-area; and displaying on the mobile device a map of the particular geographical sub-area and a marker on the map corresponding to the then current geographical location of the mobile device relative to the particular geographical sub-area. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: identifying a first portion of the particular geographical sub-area already searched by the person and a second portion of the particular geographical sub-area not searched by the assigned person based at least on the then current geographical location of the mobile device, and displaying visual representations of the first and second portions on the map of the particular geographical sub-area. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: detecting movement of the mobile device outside of the particular geographical sub-area; and alerting the person via the mobile device that the then current geographical location of the mobile device is outside of the particular geographical sub-area. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the step of alerting comprises producing an audible spoken message. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the step of alerting comprises producing an audible sound not corresponding to a spoken message. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the step of alerting comprises generating a text message. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the person comprises a first person and the particular geographical sub-area comprises a first particular geographical sub-area, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of: assigning a second person having a mobile device to search a second particular geographical sub-area; continually determining the geographical location of the mobile device of the second person relative to the second particular geographical sub-area; and tracking the portion of the first particular geographical sub-area searched by the first person and the portion of the second particular geographical sub-area searched by the second person. ### Claim 41 A method for enhancing personal safety, the method comprising the steps of: associating a plurality of event attendees for an event held at an event venue as event crowd members of an event crowd; receiving information pertaining to occurrences at or near the event venue that have an influence on the personal safety of event crowd members, wherein the received information includes the geo-locations of the occurrences; and communicating the received information to event crowd members. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, wherein the step of communicating comprises the steps of: displaying map data for the event venue to event crowd members; and displaying markers to event crowd members corresponding to the geo-locations of the respective occurrences, wherein the markers are superimposed on the map data. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein the occurrences include the commission of a crime. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein the occurrences include a medical emergency. ### Claim 45 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein the occurrences include an automotive emergency. ### Claim 46 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein the occurrences include a traffic accident. ### Claim 47 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, wherein the method further comprises a step of communicating information to event crowd members identifying assistance providers having geo-locations at or near the event venue. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the step of communicating comprises the steps of: displaying map data for the event venue to event crowd members; and displaying markers to event crowd members corresponding to the geo-location of the respective assistance providers, wherein the markers are superimposed on the map data. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, wherein the assistance providers include security personnel. ### Claim 50 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, wherein the assistance providers include medical personnel. ### Claim 51 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, wherein the assistance providers include automotive repair personnel. ### Claim 52 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, wherein the method further comprises a step of displaying the then current geo-location of each event crowd member superimposed on a map of the event venue. ### Claim 53 A method of enhancing personal safety, the method comprising the steps of: receiving information rating the quality of assistance provided by an assistance provider in connection with a prior instance; and providing the information to persons in need of assistance in connection with future instances. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) The method of claim 53, wherein the quality of assistance has an effect on the level of personal safety. ### Claim 55 (depends on 53) The method of claim 53, wherein the method further comprises a step of providing the geo-location of the assistance provider relative to the then current geo-location of a person in need of assistance. ### Claim 56 (depends on 53) The method of claim 53, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: receiving input from a recipient of assistance provided by the assistance provider acknowledging the assistance provider for the assistance; and communicating the input to the assistance provider.