Methods and Devices for Searching for a Missing Person
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJohn William Glatfelter, Brian D. Laughlin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices for searching for a missing person. Data sources are accessed through an IP network to obtain information about the missing person. Based on the obtained information, potential scenarios are develop of the current location of the missing person. The information is disseminated to search entities that search the geographic areas of the potential scenarios. Additional information is obtained about the missing person during the search to further develop the potential scenarios and focus the search areas.
Claims20
A method of searching for one or more missing persons or entities, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication that one or more persons or entities are missing;
- collecting and analyzing information about the one or more persons or entities from a plurality of data sources accessed through a communications network;
- calculating content and potential scenarios about the one or more persons or entities based on the information from the plurality of data sources;
- determining a positive lead of a location of the one or more persons or entities;
- calculating time-based search grids that emanate from the location;
- projecting the time-based search grids onto contoured local geography;
- and
- obtaining new information through the communications network and updating the content and the time-based search grids based on the new information.
A method of searching for one or more missing persons or entities, the method comprising:
- receiving an input indicating that one or more persons or entities is missing;
- responsive to receiving the input, accessing multiple data sources through a communications network and obtaining information about the one or more persons or entities, the data sources including sensor data, government data, and social media data;
- calculating one or more potential time sequences about the one or more persons or entities based on the information;
- determining a specific location and time where the one or more persons or entities was located;
- calculating one or more calibrated time-based search grids based on the specific location and time;
- and
- updating the time-based search grids based on newly-received information about the one or more persons or entities.
A computing device configured to search for one or more missing persons or entities, the computing device comprising:
- communication interface circuit configured to communicate data with one or more remote data sources via a communications network;
- memory circuit configured to store a search application;
- processing circuit operatively connected to the communication interface circuit and the memory circuit, and configured to execute the search application to:
- receive an indication that a one or more persons or entities is missing;
- collect and analyze information about the one or more persons or entities from a plurality of data sources accessed through the communications network;
- calculate potential scenarios about the one or more persons or entities based on the information from the plurality of data sources;
- determine a positive lead of a location of the one or more persons or entities;
- calculate time-based search grids that emanate from the location;
- and
- obtain new information through the communications network and update the time-based search grids based on the new information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.