Abstract

This document describes techniques that enhance the reliability of mobile device safety services by leveraging existing peer-to-peer connectivity protocols, such as BLUETOOTH Low Energy (BLE)-based proximity pairing. When a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, smart watch, etc.) detects a safety trigger (e.g. SOS, hard fall, etc.) and is unable to connect to the Internet, the device uses peer-to-peer connectivity protocols, such as proximity pairing (e.g., Fast Pair), which work across different device manufacturers, to broadcast a “distress signal” to other devices in the vicinity. The signal may include only a few bits corresponding to specific status indicators and, depending on the quantity of devices that receive the signal, the receiving server can triangulate or otherwise determine the exact location of the sender. Packets sent by the device can be relayed through multiple intermediate devices until it reaches one with Internet access. The receiving server may then call emergency services on behalf of the user. By relaying the distress signal through other devices, the mobile device safety services ensure that the user can receive timely and appropriate assistance in the event of an emergency, even if there is no connection to the Internet available when the device detects a safety trigger.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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