System and method for emergency communications through a residential gateway

Abstract

A system and method for sending an emergency communication from a residential gateway. A user and location of the user is associated with the residential gateway. An indicator of an emergency is received through the residential gateway. The user and the location associated with the residential gateway are determined in response to receiving the indicator. A database returns the user and the location utilizing an identifier of the residential gateway. An emergency communication is sent indicating the location through a network in communication with the residential gateway.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for sending an emergency communication from a residential gateway, the method comprising:
 associating a user and a location of the user with the residential gateway;   receiving an indicator of an emergency utilizing the residential gateway, wherein the indicator is enabled to be generated utilizing (1) sensors integrated with the residential gateway, and (2) user input received by the residential gateway;   determining the user and the location associated with the residential gateway in response to receiving the indicator;   generating an emergency communication as a discrete message utilizing the residential gateway in response to receiving the indicator, wherein the emergency communication indicates the user and the location associated with the residential gateway if determinable; and   sending the emergency communication from the residential gateway as the discrete message, wherein the emergency communication is sent as the discrete message through a media network in communication with the residential gateway in response to receiving the indicator.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 routing the emergency communication to an emergency service provider associated with the location.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associating is performed during installation or maintenance of a service associated with the residential gateway. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a database of a communications management system adds the user and the location utilizing an identifier of the residential gateway in response to being unable to determine the user and the location associated with the residential gateway. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associating, receiving, determining, generating and sending are performed by the residential gateway. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associating, receiving, determining, generating and sending are performed by a communications management system managing the media network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is received through a graphical user interface displayed to the user by the residential gateway, and wherein the discrete message is not a phone call. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a user selection of a channel associated with emergency communications and confirmation indicating the emergency. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associating is performed utilizing an identifier of the residential gateway, and wherein the residential gateway displays a self-help menu and associated content for addressing the emergency. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the residential gateway sends the emergency communication through a satellite transceiver in communication with the residential gateway. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input from the user providing information about the emergency; and   displaying a self-help menu with information for addressing the emergency in response to the input.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors are configured to detect a fire, sudden acceleration, excessive water, and toxic gas. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 generating an emergency message at the communication managements system, the emergency message being routed to an emergency service provider in response to receiving the emergency communication and performing the associating.   
     
     
         14 . An emergency communication system, the system comprising:
 one or more media networks operable to communicate an emergency communication;   a residential gateway operable to communicate with the one or more media networks, the residential gateway being operable to communicate media content to a display for display to a user, receive an indicator of an emergency, wherein the indicator is enabled to be generated by the residential gateway utilizing (1) sensors integrated with the residential gateway, and (2) user input received by the residential gateway, generate the emergency communication as a discrete message, and send the emergency communication as the discrete message from the residential gateway through the one or more media networks; and   a communications management system in communication with the residential gateway through the media network, the communications management system being operable to receive the emergency communication from the user, add user information and location information associated with the residential gateway to the emergency communication, and send the emergency communication as the discrete message to an emergency service provider associated with a location of the user determined from the location information.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the communications management system adds the user information and location information utilizing an identifier of the residential gateway in response to determining the user information and location information is not included in the emergency communication when received. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the communications management system includes a database for associating the identifier with the user information and the location information. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the indicator is received by the residential gateway in response to the user tuning the residential gateway to a channel associated with emergency communications and confirming the emergency, wherein a user interface displayed by the residential gateway receives user input indicating a nature of the emergency and displays a self-help menu and associated content to assist the user in dealing with the emergency. 
     
     
         18 . A residential gateway for sending emergency communications comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing computer executable instructions that when executed causes one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 receiving user input indicating an emergency; 
 detecting the emergency using sensors integrated within the residential gateway; 
 determining user information and location information associated with the residential gateway; 
 generating an emergency communication as a discrete message indicating the user information, the location information, and the emergency in response to an indicator received from at least one of the user input and the sensors; and 
 sending the emergency communication from the residential gateway as the discrete message to an emergency service provider serving a location of the user. 
   
     
     
         19 . The residential gateway according to  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprises displaying, on a display, information for addressing the emergency including one or more nested self-help menus. 
     
     
         20 . The residential gateway according to  claim 18 , wherein the sensors are operable to detect a fire, excessive water, and toxic gas.