Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
,
,
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A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION AND
REMOTELY ACTIVATED EMERGENCY ASSIST DEVICE
FIELD
[0001] At least one embodiment is described herein that
generally relates
to a method and system to facilitate the most rapid possible delivery of
emergency or safety equipment to a victim requiring assistance.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Sudden cardiac death is common and survival rates are
poor. In
fact, every 15 minutes, someone in Canada suffers an out-of-hospital cardiac
arrest and there are about 400,000 cardiac arrest annually in North America.
The mortality from unexpected sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is high,
ranging from 80-95% in various settings. Most of these cardiac arrests happen
because there is ventricular fibrillation, where the only effective treatment
is
defibrillation. The victim usually dies unless they receive a life-saving
electrical
shock from a defibrillator, such as an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
Up to 25% of cardiac arrests occur in public locations, or in some private
locations that are within easy access of public access defibrillators (AEDs)
located in public buildings, multi-user facilities such as sports clubs,
restaurants, stores, and other public venues, etc.
[0003] The best predictors of outcome following cardiac arrest is the time
interval from when the collapse first occurred (i.e. the first occurrence of
cardiac arrest) to when a defibrillator is first connected to the victim, as
well as
the time interval to the delivery of effective CPR. These two time intervals
are
referred to as the electrical window" where a defibrillation shock is likely
to be
immediately effective, and where the provision of effective CPR is less
crucially necessary for long term survival. Bystanders can save the victim's
life by following simple instructions provided with the AED and applying a
defibrillating shock from the AED to the victim. The AEDs are effective and
lifesaving, even with minimal or no training, if applied quickly after the
victim
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collapses, with survival rates increasing from 10-15% without an AED to 35-
50% if an AED is connected to the victim and used effectively within
approximately 5-10 minutes after onset of the cardiac arrest. Accordingly,
when an AED is used, the survival rate triples. Alternatively, without any
help
to the victim in about 10 minutes after onset of cardiac arrest there is
virtually
no chance of survival.
[0004] Unfortunately, AEDs are seldom used because bystanders cannot
locate or retrieve the AED quickly enough. Therefore, even if bystanders know
that an AED is required, locating and retrieving the AED is challenging. This
is
important since every minute of delay results in a 10% reduction in survival
rates. For example, in Toronto, there are at least 20,000 AEDs but the
problem is that in the heat of the moment bystanders forget to even search for
one, or cannot find them since they are not clearly marked, which makes it
difficult to retrieve an AED and bring it back to the scene of the cardiac
emergency. Seeking out an AED may also prevent or delay effective CPR. To
exacerbate this problem, if a bystander calls 911, the 911 dispatch usually
has no idea where the nearest AED is. The AEDs are seldom registered, and
even then the 911 dispatch does not know the precise location. The 911
dispatch alerts the EMS, who normally arrive in 10 minutes and then have to
spend time looking for the victim. However, most of the time, the EMS arrives
too late to save the victim.
[0005] Taking these factors into account, its estimated that AEDs are
used
in only 5-10% of cardiac arrests in a public place in North America (and only
11% of witnessed arrests), even though the AEDs may be available close by in
the building (or nearby, even if outdoors) and in full public view. As a
result,
survival rates are about 17% for out-of-hospital witnessed cardiac arrests in
a
public place, in contrast to the 35-50% "save rate" if an AED is used.
SUMMARY OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS
[0006] In one broad aspect, in accordance with the teachings herein there
is provided an emergency assistance device for facilitating the delivery of
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emergency equipment to an emergency site, wherein the device is physically
associated with the emergency equipment and device comprises: a
communication unit for sending and receiving electronic messages; at least
one alert device for providing an alert to passersby in visual or audible
range
of the at least one alert device; a GPS sensor; memory comprising mapping
software; and a processor that is operatively coupled to the communication
unit, the at least one alert device, the memory and the GPS sensor, wherein
the processor is configured to: control the at least one alert device to
generate
an alert when the communication unit receives a remote activation electronic
message; generate and provide direction instructions to a passerby using the
GPS sensor and the mapping software when the processor detects that the
device is picked up by the passerby; and provide usage instructions for using
the emergency equipment at the emergency site when the processor
determines that the device has arrived at the emergency site.
[0007] In at least one embodiment, the emergency equipment is a an
Automated External Defibrillator (AED), the emergency site is a victim
location
where a victim has suffered cardiac arrest and the usage instructions
comprise instructions on applying the AED and optionally performing CPR on
the victim.
[0008] In another aspect, in accordance with the teachings herein, there is
provided a computer implemented method for facilitating the delivery of
emergency equipment to an emergency site wherein the device is physically
associated with the emergency equipment and the method comprises:
receiving via a communication unit at the device a remote activation message;
generating at least one of an audible and a visual alert to passersby in the
visual and/or audible range of the device using at least one alert device;
generating and providing direction instructions, by a processor of the device,
to a passerby using a GPS sensor and mapping software when the processor
detects that the device is picked up by the passerby; and providing usage
instructions for using the emergency equipment at the emergency site when
the processor determines that the device has arrived at the emergency site.
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[0009] In at least one embodiment, the emergency equipment is an
Automated External Defibrillator (AED), the emergency site is a victim
location
where a victim has suffered cardiac arrest and the method comprises
providing usage instructions for applying the AED and optionally performing
CPR on the victim.
[0010] In another aspect, in accordance with the teachings herein,
there is
provided a computer readable medium, comprising a plurality of instructions
which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to implement a
method for facilitating the delivery of emergency equipment to an emergency
site wherein the device is physically associated with the emergency
equipment, wherein the method is defined in accordance with the teachings
herein,
[0011] In another aspect, in accordance with the teachings herein,
there is
provided an emergency system for facilitating the delivery of emergency
equipment to an emergency site, wherein the system comprises: a plurality of
emergency assist devices that are associated with a plurality of emergency
equipment devices; an emergency server that is in electronic communication
with the plurality of emergency assist devices, the emergency server
comprising: a communication unit for sending and receiving electronic
messages to and from the plurality of emergency assist devices; a data store
that comprises an emergency assist device database including data on the
location of the emergency assist devices; and a processor that is operatively
coupled to the communication unit and the datastore, wherein the processor
is configured to: receive a location of an emergency site; locate the
emergency assist devices that are within a predefined distance of the location
of the emergency site; and send an remote activation electronic message to
the located emergency assist devices.
[0012] In another aspect, in accordance with the teachings herein,
there is
provided an emergency server for facilitating the delivery of emergency
equipment to an emergency site, the server comprising: a communication unit
for sending and receiving electronic messages to and from a plurality of
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emergency assist devices that are associated with a plurality of emergency
equipment devices; a data store that comprises an emergency assist device
database including data on the location of the emergency assist devices; and
a processor that is operatively coupled to the communication unit and the
datastore, wherein the processor is configured to: receive a location of an
emergency site; locate the emergency assist devices that are within a
predefined distance of the location of the emergency site; and send an remote
activation electronic message to the located emergency assist devices.
[0013] Other features and advantages of the present application will
become apparent from the following detailed description taken together with
the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the
detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred
embodiments of the application, are given by way of illustration only, since
various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
application will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this
detailed
description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] For a better understanding of the various embodiments
described
herein, and to show more clearly how these various embodiments may be
carried into effect, reference will be made, by way of example, to the
accompanying drawings which show at least one example embodiment, and
which are now described. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of
the teachings described herein.
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
system for emergency communication and remotely activated emergency
assist device in accordance with the teachings herein.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an example embodiment of
certain components of an emergency assist device that can be used in the
system of FIG. 1 in accordance with the teachings herein.
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[0017] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of an example embodiment of a method
for remote operation of a network of AEDs in accordance with the teachings
herein.
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an example embodiment of a method
for operation of an emergency assist device in accordance with the teachings
herein.
[0019] Further aspects and features of the example embodiments
described herein will appear from the following description taken together
with
the accompanying drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Various embodiments in accordance with the teachings herein
will
be described below to provide an example of at least one embodiment of the
claimed subject matter. No embodiment described herein limits any claimed
subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to devices, systems
or methods having all of the features of any one of the devices, systems or
methods described below or to features common to multiple or all of the
devices, systems or methods described herein. It is possible that there may
be a device, system or method described herein that is not an embodiment of
any claimed subject matter. Any subject matter that is described herein that
is
not claimed in this document may be the subject matter of another protective
instrument, for example, a continuing patent application, and the applicants,
inventors or owners do not intend to abandon, disclaim or dedicate to the
public any such subject matter by its disclosure in this document.
[0021] It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of
illustration,
where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among
the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition,
numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough
understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments
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described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been
described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein.
Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the
embodiments described herein.
[0022] It should also be noted that the terms "coupled' or "coupling"
as
used herein can have several different meanings depending in the context in
which these terms are used. For example, these terms can have a
mechanical or electrical connotation such as indicating that two elements or
devices can be directly connected to one another or connected to one another
through one or more intermediate elements or devices via an electrical signal,
electrical connection, or a mechanical element depending on the particular
context.
[0023] It should also be noted that, as used herein, the wording
"and/or" is
intended to represent an inclusive-or. That is, "X and/or Y" is intended to
mean X or Y or both, for example. As a further example, "X, Y, and/or Z" is
intended to mean X or Y or Z or any combination thereof.
[0024] It should be noted that terms of degree such as
"substantially",
"about" and "approximately" as used herein mean a reasonable amount of
deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly
changed. These terms of degree may also be construed as including a
deviation of the modified term, such as by 1%, 2%, 5% or 10%, for example, if
this deviation does not negate the meaning of the term it modifies.
[0025] Furthermore, the recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints
herein
includes all numbers and fractions subsumed within that range (e.g. 1 to 5
includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.90, 4, and 5). It is also to be understood that
all
numbers and fractions thereof are presumed to be modified by the term
"about" which means a variation of up to a certain amount of the number to
which reference is being made if the end result is not significantly changed,
such as 1%, 2%, 5%, or 10%, for example.
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[0026] At least a portion of the example embodiments of the
apparatuses
or methods described in accordance with the teachings herein may be
implemented as a combination of hardware or software. For example, a
portion of the embodiments described herein may be implemented, at least in
part, by using one or more computer programs, executing on one or more
programmable devices comprising at least one processing element, and at
least one data storage element (including at least one of volatile and non-
volatile memory). These devices may also have at least one input device
(e.g., a touchscreen, and the like) and at least one output device (e.g., a
display screen, a printer, a wireless radio, and the like) depending on the
nature of the device.
[0027] It should also be noted that there may be some elements that
are
used to implement at least part of the embodiments described herein that may
be implemented via software that is written in a high-level procedural
language such as object-oriented programming. The program code may be
written in C, C++ or any other suitable programming language and may
comprise modules or classes, as is known to those skilled in object-oriented
programming. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, some of these elements
implemented via software may be written in assembly language, machine
language, or firmware as needed.
[0028] At least some of the software programs used to implement at
least
one of the embodiments described herein may be stored on a storage media
(e.g., a computer readable medium such as, but not limited to, ROM,
magnetic disk, optical disc) or a device that is readable by a programmable
device. The software program code, when read by the programmable device,
configures the programmable device to operate in a new, specific and
predefined manner in order to perform at least one of the methods described
herein.
[0029] Furthermore, at least some of the programs associated with the
systems and methods of the embodiments described herein may be capable
of being distributed in a computer program product comprising a computer
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readable medium that bears computer usable instructions, such as program
code, for one or more processors. The program code may be preinstalled and
embedded during manufacture and/or may be later installed as an update for
an already deployed computing system. The medium may be provided in
various forms, including non-transitory forms such as, but not limited to, one
or more diskettes, compact disks, tapes, chips, and magnetic and electronic
storage. In alternative embodiments, the medium may be transitory in nature
such as, but not limited to, wire-line transmissions, satellite transmissions,
internet transmissions (e.g. downloads), media, digital and analog signals,
and the like. The computer useable instructions may also be in various
formats, including compiled and non-compiled code.
[0030] Furthermore, it should be noted that reference to the figures
is only
made to provide an example of how various example hardware and software
methods operate in accordance with the teachings herein and in no way
should be considered as limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0031] Through their own research, the inventors have found that the
impediments to finding, deploying, and using an AED include, in part,
reluctance or lack of experience in an emergency by the bystanders, but most
importantly, because the witnesses to the cardiac arrest need to begin CPR
and call for help, and therefore they themselves have no opportunity or are
unable to locate and retrieve the closest AED, which may be nearby, but not
within line of sight. Furthermore, the witnesses to the cardiac arrest do not
know how to alert individuals in the vicinity who may have training and skill
in
defibrillator use, and/or individuals who may know the location of the closest
AED. If the AED is, for example, several hundred meters from the side of the
victim, substantial time intervals may elapse until the AED can be brought to
the victim's side. Every second counts, and in an emergency, where the
immediate witnesses are busy doing CPR and calling 911, the task of finding,
retrieving, and returning with an AED is stressful, time-consuming, and
challenging. For the purposes of this description, vicinity is defined as a
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location from which an AED may be carried or delivered to the side of the
victim and effectively deployed within a time period of less than 10 minutes.
[0032] In accordance with the teachings herein, example embodiments
of a
device, system and method are provided herein which facilitate the delivery of
the AED to the victim rather than the rescuer going to locate the AED. This is
implemented in such a way which allows for the most rapid delivery of the
AED to the side of a victim or cardiac arrest and involves the remote
activation of the AEDs that are physically closest to the victim location and
rapid effective deployment of the AED to the side of the victim. This may
involve the witness accessing a software application on their mobile device
which locates the closest AEDs and sends a remote activation electronic
message to these located AEDs which in turn broadcast to passerby's that
there is a medical emergency and the AED needs to be delivered to the victim
location within a certain period of time, such as 3 minutes, for example.
Alternatively, the witness may use their mobile device to contact a central
emergency server or emergency dispatch which locates and remotely
activates the closest AEDs.
[0033] In another aspect, in accordance with the teachings herein,
example embodiments are provided herein which not only allow the AED to
be delivered to the victim location but also alert one or more lay rescuers,
that
are trained in AED use and also closest to the victim location, of the
emergency situation (i.e. cardiac arrest), so that the lay rescuer may also
arrive at the victim location in a very close time interval compared to the
arrival of the AED at the victim location. The near simultaneous arrival of a
lay
rescuer who is trained in AED use, along with the arrival of the AED, within
the "electrical window", may substantially improve outcomes for Out-of-
Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCAs). In the electrical window, provision of a
defibrillation shock is likely to be immediately effective, the provision of
effective CPR is less crucially necessary for long term survival. The
electrical
window is about 3-5 minutes after the onset of the cardiac arrest and the
collapse of the victim.
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[0034] In another aspect, in accordance with the teachings herein,
which
not only alerts the closest emergency medical services (EMS) personnel,
such as paramedics, that there a cardiac arrest has occurred but also
provides the exact victim location and the closest AEDs. This is important
since EMS personnel are given the address that corresponds to the victim
location but if the address is a building, or other structure, the EMS still
have
to physically locate the victim within the structure which can take time and
reduces the chances that the AED or CPR is effectively provided to the victim
in a timely fashion in order for the victim to survive. Furthermore, it
remains
unclear even to EMS dispatchers where all of the AEDs in a geographical
area are located, specifically with respect to which building and which
specific
location within these buildings the AED is stored, which may also change over
time as these AEDs may be moved.
[0035] Referring now to FIG. 1, shown therein is a block diagram of
an
example embodiment of a system 10 for emergency communication and
remotely activated emergency assist device in accordance with the teachings
herein. In this example embodiment, the system 10 comprises a plurality of
Emergency Assist Devices (EADs) 12a to 12n, and an emergency server 14.
The EADs 12a to 12n and the emergency server 14 communicate with one
another through a communication network 14, which is generally a wireless
network. The EADs 12a to 12n are physically associated with AEDs.
[0036] The EADs 12a to 12n are devices that attach to a commercially
existing AED or is integrated into the AED during manufacture of the AED.
The EADs 12a to 12n can be used to broadcast (audibly and/or visually) to
passersby when an OHCA occurs, with GPS-based written or audible location
instructions to take the AED to the side of the victim. This will minimize
communication delays inherent in the process of delivering an AED to the
victim, potentially improving the survivability of an OHCA.
[0037] Taking EAD 12a as an example, an EAD will generally be a small
device that may be the size of a cell phone with an enclosure that houses
several components comprising a processor 30, a memory 32, an input
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device 34 (which may be optional), a display 36 (which may be optional),
sensors 38, alert devices 40 and a communication unit 42. The EAD 12a may
include further components needed for operation as is known by those skilled
in the art such as a power unit (not shown) which can be any suitable power
source that provides power to the various components of the EAD 12a such
as a power adaptor or a rechargeable battery pack. It should be noted that in
other embodiments, the EAD 12a may include other components. In at least
some embodiments, the EAD 12a may also have redundant rechargeable
battery packs to power the EAD 12a and optionally the AED during operation
during the rare occasions of power failures. For example, in at least some
embodiments, the EAD 12a may employ a low power, polarized magnetic
type DC connection that which will allow for easy pick up and transport of the
EAD 12a during use.
[0038] The processor 30 may be a standard processor that controls the
operation of the EAD 12a and becomes a specific processing device when
executing certain programs that allow the EAS 12a to interact with passerby
and the emergency 14. The processor 30 may be implemented using a
microcontroller or any other suitable processor with sufficient processing
power for implementing the functionality of the EAD 12a.
[0039] The memory 32 generally includes RAM and ROM and is used to
store an operating system and programs as is commonly known by those
skilled in the art. For instance, the operating system provides various basic
operational processes for the EAD 12a. The programs that are stored in the
memory allow the EAD 12a to interact with various stakeholders as will be
described in further detail below.
[0040] The input device 34 may be at least one of a touchscreen, a
touchpad, a keyboard, a mouse and the like depending on the particular
implementation of the EAD 12a. For example, the input device 34 may
provide a graphical user interface that allows a passerby or a technician to
interact with the EAD 12a.
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[0041] The display 36 can be any suitable display that provides visual
information and may be implemented using an LCD-based display which may
or may not have touchscreen ability. The display 36 may be used by the
processor 30 to provide messages to a passerby who picks up the AED to
bring it to the victim site or to provide status messages regarding the
operational status of the AED to which the EAD 12a is operatively coupled
with. For example, an operational status message may be displayed such as
whether certain components of the AED need to be serviced and/or whether
the AED battery needs to be recharged or replaced. For example, an
electronic warning message may be generated by the processor 30 and
transmitted via the communication unit 42 and the communication network 16
to the emergency server 14 at pre-set times (e.g. at 1- or 2-year intervals)
that
batteries used by the AED are due for replacement).
[0042] The communication unit 42 may be a standard wireless network
communication device such as a wireless transceiver that communicates
utilizing CDMA, GSM, GPRS, Bluetooth (such as Blue Tooth Low Energy
(BLE)) or ZigBee according to standards such as IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b,
802.11g, or 802.11n. The communication unit 42 can provide the processor
30 with a way of communicating with other devices or computers including the
emergency server 14 and possibly directly with user devices such as the
witness device 18, registered user devices 24a to 24p and EMS device 22.
[0043] The sensors 38 are used by the processor 30 in order to determine
the surroundings of the EAD 12a which will help the EAD 12a to direct a
passerby to the victim location. For example, the sensors 38 can include a
GPS sensor in order to determine its location. The processor 30 may operate
a map software module which then uses the current location of the EAD 12a
and the victim location to determine the directions needed to bring the
passerby with the AED #1 to the victim location using the shortest possible
route. The processor 30 then provides these directions to the passerby via the
display 36 and/or a speaker (e.g. provided by alert devices 40).
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[0044] For example, in some embodiments, the processor 30 may execute
an existing mapping software application with this capability and the
processor 30 may display a map on the display 36 with directions to the victim
location. In some cases, the map may be very detailed and indicate the
vicinity surrounding the AED including all hallways, corridors, street level
maps, within the building directions, and the like, in an area approximately
10
minutes rapid walk or jog from the defibrillator "home location". In addition,
in
some embodiments, the processor 30 may display a Graphical User Interface
(GUI) showing the status of the various "actors" (i.e. registered users, EMS
personnel, victim, witness and bystanders) in the cardiac arrest.
[0045] In some embodiments, the EAD 12a may also include a USB port
for installation of mapping software to perform the various mapping and
directional functions described herein. In other instances the USB port may be
used for performing software upgrades on the EAD 12a or performing
diagnostics.
[0046] It should also be noted that since the EAD 12a includes a GPS
sensor, the EAD 12a can be instantaneously tracked and tied with a specific
AED manufacturer or model. This tracking also allows an EMS dispatcher 17,
through the emergency server 14, to track the movement of the AED as it is
being brought to the victim location. The emergency server 14 can then
provide periodic electronic updates to the witness device 18 about the
expected time arrival (ETA) of the AED to the victim location.
[0047] The sensors 38 may also include operational sensors such as a
current sensor and/or a voltage sensor that the processor 30 may interact with
to determine the operational status of the AED to which the EAD 12a is
operationally coupled. For example, the current and voltage sensors may be
used by the processor to determine if the batteries of the AED #1 are in
sufficiently good condition to allow the AED #1 to provide electrical
defibrillation signals as required in an emergency. If the batteries need
maintenance or replacement, the processor 30 may send an electronic
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message to the emergency server 14 using the communication unit 42 and
the communication network 16 to indicate that AED #1 needs maintenance.
[0048] The sensors 38 may include other sensors for obtaining data
that is
useful in attending to the victim. For example, the sensors 38 may include a
camera and a microphone for audio and visual data to be recorded and sent
to the emergency server 14 or to an EMS device 22 so that personnel can
view the data and provide additional instructions to the person who is
administering the AED and/or CPR to the victim. The sensors 38 may also
include an accelerometer and motion sensors that can be used to determine
movement of the EAD 12a and therefore movement of the associated AED.
[0049] In at least some embodiments, the sensors 38 may also include
pressure sensors that may be attached to the patient (i.e. victim) to track
blood flow and thus the biological (i.e. physiological) state of the victim.
In at
least some embodiments, the sensors 38 may also include motion sensors
that can be affixed to the victim and track chest movements (i.e. respiration)
and body movement of the victim, which can help the EMS personnel and/or
dispatch assess the health state of the victim.
[0050] In at least some embodiments, the sensors 38 may also, or
alternatively, include a proximity sensor that provides data on the proximity
of
the EAD 12a to its associated AED. This may be useful in situations in which
the EAD 12a is separated from its associated AED and therefore maintenance
may be required to attach the EAD 12a to its associated AED.
[0051] In at least some embodiments, the sensors 38 may also, or
alternatively, include a temperature sensor and/or an ambient gas sensor,
such as a carbon monoxide sensor. This may be useful in case the EAD 12a
and its associated AED, or another associated piece of medical or safety
equipment, is being taken to the scene of a fire.
[0052] The alert devices 40 can be used to alert individuals (i.e.
passersby) within the vicinity of the AED #1 such as those people that are in
visual line of sight or earshot of AED #1 that a cardiac arrest has occurred,
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and that the AED #1 needs to be transported to the side of the victim (i.e.
the
victim location). Accordingly, the alert devices 40 include various electronic
components that can be used to generate sounds 40a such as a speaker
and/or to generate lights 40b such as an LED or other light. The generated
sound 40a and lights 40b are alert signals to indicate that the EAD 12a is in
"emergency mode". The light alert 20b may be provided by flashing lights, or
strobes. In both cases, the processor 30 may generate input signals that are
then amplified and applied to the corresponding hardware components.
Accordingly, after alerting one of the passersby, the EAD 12a can provide
audio instructions to give clear indications to the passerby on where is the
site
of cardiac arrest and how to take the AED there (via the GPS tracking and
mapping application).
[0053] For
example, in at least one embodiment, data for a human or
synthesized voice command may be stored in the memory 32 and be sent by
the processor 30 through a digital to analog converter (not shown) to the
speaker (not shown) in order to generate the audio alert which indicates that
the AED #1 needs to be delivered to the side of the victim. For example, if
the
EAD 12a is in an airport an example of the audio alert is: "Emergency!
Emergency! There is a cardiac arrest nearby! You can save a life!
Please pick me up and carry me to gate 50!". Depending on the
implementation of the system 10 and the EADs, the audio alert may indicate
that EMS personnel have been notified and any local registered individuals
have been notified as explained further with respect to methods 200 and 250
in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively.
[0054] In at least
one embodiment, the processor 30 may also be
configured for generating an electronic EMS message and sending the
electronic EMS message via the communication unit 42 and the
communication network 16 to mobile devices associated with EMS personnel
that are on route to the victim location, an example of which is shown as EMS
device 22 in FIG. 1. The electronic EMS message may include data about one
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or more of the victim location, the status of the AED being transported to the
victim location and the condition of use of the AED.
[0055] In at least one embodiment, the processor 30 may also be
configured for generating an electronic "lay alert" message and sending the
electronic lay alert message via the communication unit 42 and the
communication network 16 to mobile or stationary (i.e. land line) devices 24a
to 24p, for example, that are associated with previously specified trained lay
rescuer(s) that have registered with the emergency system 10. These
registered trained lay rescuers may be living or working in the vicinity of
the
AED that has been remotely activated and they are prepared to respond in
cases of emergency. For example, in some cases, the AEDs that are local to
the victim location and have been remotely activated are owned by an
institution or company where the cardiac arrest occurred. The institution may
be a building, an arena, an airport, etc. and the registered lay rescuers may
be security guards or employees of the company. The electronic lay alert
message generated by the processor 30 can indicate that cardiac arrest has
occurred and that the registered lay rescuers are to pick up the AED and
deliver it to the side of the victim and use the AED as they were previously
trained to do so.
[0056] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the registered lay rescuers
may be given specific tasks to perform when their mobile devices receive an
electronic alert message that a cardiac arrest has occurred. For example, one
of the registered lay rescuers may be tasked with getting the AED and
bringing it to the victim location, another registered lay rescuer may be
tasked
with going to the victim location and performing CPR and another registered
lay rescuer may be tasked with going to the entrance of the facility to wait
for
the arrival of EMS personnel and bring the EMS personnel to the victim
location.
[0057] In at least one embodiment, a lock or other means to secure
the
AED may be used to prevent tampering or theft. For example, the lock may be
used to securely lock the container housing the AED and then unlock the
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container upon receiving an unlock signal which may be remotely sent by the
emergency server 14 or other designated individuals. Upon unlocking of the
container, the passerby (i.e. rescuer) can gain access to the AED to take it
to
the victim location.
[0058] In at least one embodiment, if the EAD 12a is not activated, the
processor of the EAD 12a may generate and transmit electronic messages to
the emergency server 14 to verify that the EAD 12a and its attached AED are
physically intact (i.e. still in a locked or closed container and not tampered
with). The electronic message may also include the current location of the
EAD 12a. These electronic messages may be generated and transmitted at
pre-determined time intervals.
[0059] In at least one embodiment, at the time of first installation of the
EAD to the corresponding AED, the processor 30 may generate and transmit
an electronic registration message to the emergency server 14. The electronic
registration message can include the geolocation of the EAD (and thus the
location of the AED) as well as the operational status of the AED. The
emergency server 14 may comprise software for storing registration
information for the EAD as well as its location and the operational status of
the associated AED in a database such as AED database 54a.
[0060] .. In another aspect, in accordance with the teachings herein, there is
provided a central emergency server 14 that can be accessed by a witness to
the cardiac arrest to request emergency medical attention. This may be done
in a few ways using the system 10. For example, the witness may use their
mobile device (i.e. witness device 18), to contact emergency dispatch (i.e.
EMS dispatch 17). The EMS dispatch 17 may then use the emergency server
14 to assist with the remote activation of the EAD 12a. The EMS dispatch 17
may be a person that the witness may call using their device 18 which may be
a mobile device or a landline. Alternatively, in some cases the EMS dispatch
may be automated and the witness may send an electronic message to the
emergency server 14 that indicates that a cardiac arrest has occurred.
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[0061] Upon determination that the medical emergency is a victim who
has
suffered from cardiac arrest, the emergency server 14 determines the victim
location from the electronic message sent by the witness device 18 or the call
made by the witness. The emergency server 14 may use an activation
software program to access a database of registered AEDs 54a, and remotely
activate the registered AEDs that are closest to the victim location, such as
the AEDs that are within a certain radius, like 500 meters of the victim site,
for
example. The emergency server 14 can also perform other tasks as will be
evident by the following description and the description of FIGS. 3 and 4. For
example, the emergency server 14 may execute a tracking software program
that operates in conjunction with GPS technology to track the location of an
activate AED that is being taken to a victim location.
[0062] The emergency server 14 comprises a processor 50, a memory 52,
a data store 54, a communication unit 56 and a user interface 58. In other
embodiments, the server may include other components. The processor 50
the communication unit 56 may be implemented in a similar manner as the
processor 30 and communication unit 42 of the EAD 12a. However, the
processor 50 and the communication unit 56 may use processing and
communication components that allow for greater processing and transmitting
capacity as the server 14 may communicate with many different devices that
are at many different distances from the physical location of the server 14.
[0063] The processor 50 is operatively coupled to the memory unit 52
that
will store the operating system and programs for allowing the server 14 to
perform various functions including remote activation of AEDs, tracking of
AEDs, registration of AEDs, updating various databases that are contained in
the data store 54. For example, the data store 54 may include an AED
database 54a, an EMS database 54b (which is optional) and a registered user
database 54c.
[0064] The AED database 54a includes the location as well at least
one of
description and/or visual image of all of the AEDs that have been registered
with the emergency server 14 for the area that is covered by the emergency
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system 10. The AED database 54a may also include information on the
operational status of the registered AEDs, the owner of the AED, and/or
personnel charged with its upkeep or maintenance.
[0065] The EMS database 54b may include data on the EMS workers that
can be dispatched by the emergency system 10, such as the contact details
for the EMS workers. It should be noted that in some cases the information
that will be included in the EMS database 54b may be proprietary in which
case it is not stored on the data store 54 and the emergency server 14 may
then communicate with a separate EMS system in order for emergency
dispatch to contact the EMS personnel that may be associated with the
system 10 in order to dispatch them.
[0066] The
registered user database 54c contains contact, identify and
location information for the registered lay rescuers who are registered with
the
emergency system 10. For example, the registered lay users may be people
that are trained to use AEDs and provide CPR and want to help if there are
any cardiac arrests near their work location or their residence. In other
cases,
where AEDs are owned by certain corporations or organizations the
registered lay rescuers may be people that are employees who are tasked
with aiding in a medical emergency situation, such as security guards or
emergency staff.
[0067] The user interface 58 may be a GUI that allows a dispatch person
to operate the server 14 to carry out the various functions of the emergency
system 10 described herein. For example, the GUI can have various windows
for providing data to the operator and also text boxes or other input elements
(i.e. virtual buttons) for allowing the operator to provide control inputs to
the
server 14. For example, the GUI can allow the operator to see the location of
an incoming call (and therefore the victim location), determine the AEDs that
are nearest to the victim location, remotely activate the AEDs that are within
a
certain distance of the victim location, and also contact EMS to go to the
victim location. The GUI may also allow the operator (i.e. emergency
dispatcher) to can view the progress of a rescue and track the arrival of the
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AED and the EMS personnel to the victim location. In an alternative
embodiment, the server 14 may be programmed to perform the
aforementioned in an automated fashion.
[0068] Referring now to FIG. 2, shown therein is a schematic diagram
of
an example embodiment of certain components for an emergency assist
device 100 that can be used in the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with the
teachings herein. The EAD 100 includes a first circuit board 102 for receiving
and connecting various circuit components, a processing circuit board 104, a
GPS 106, an accelerometer 108 and a power jack 110 for connection to a
power source. In this example embodiment, a motherboard 104 includes a
processor 112, a communication unit 114, a display port 116, a micro USB
port 118, an HDMI port 120, a camera port 122, an audio and video jack 124,
an Ethernet 126, a first USB port 128, a second USB port 130, and a General
purpose 10 port 132. The light source that is used to provide the emergency
alert light signal may be connected to the GPIO port 132 or another suitable
port. It should be noted that other implementations may be used for the
internal electronics of an EAD.
[0069] Referring now to FIG. 3, shown therein is a flowchart of an
example
embodiment of a method 200 for remote operation of a network of AEDs
using an emergency system in accordance with the teachings herein. The
emergency system may be implemented as emergency system 10 and the
emergency system may be automated or there may be an emergency
dispatcher for receiving emergency calls or electronic messages, remotely
activating certain AEDs and deploying EMS to the victim location. For ease of
illustration, the description of FIG. 3 will assume that there is an emergency
dispatch operator.
[0070] At act 202, the emergency dispatch operator is waiting to
receive an
emergency call or an emergency electronic message (e.g. a text message, an
SMS, an email, and the like). During this time, the AEDs associated with the
emergency system are in a low power standby mode.
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[0071] When an emergency message is received at act 202, it is then
determined whether the emergency situation involves a cardiac arrest. If the
emergency situation does not involve a cardiac arrest then the method 200
proceeds to act 205 where the appropriate method is used for handling this
particular non-cardiac emergency situation. When it is determined that the
received emergency message relates to a cardiac arrest, the method 200
proceeds to act 206.
[0072] At act 206, the emergency dispatch operator, via the emergency
server 14, will determine the victim location. The emergency medical
dispatcher may then manually enter or automatically display the geographic
location coordinates of the victim of the cardiac arrest (from information
provided by the witness who is calling 911, or with a location system based on
the witness device (e.g. cell signal, WiFi signal, Bluetooth signal) or land
line
of the witness contacting the emergency dispatch.
[0073] At act 208, the emergency dispatch operator, via the emergency
server 14, will locate the nearest AEDs to the victim location. This may
involve
locating the AEDs that are within a particular radius, such as within 200, 300
or 500 meters of the victim location. This emergency server 14 may access
the registered AED database 54a in order to locate the AEDs that are within
the defined radius of the victim location and which are also in good working
condition.
[0074] At act 210, the emergency dispatch operator, via the emergency
server 14, may then send an electronic activation message to the EADs that
are associated with the located AEDs via the communication unit 56 and the
communication network 16. At this point the located EADs and AEDs are
activate and may operate in accordance with the teachings herein. For
example, a method of operation for the activated EADs and associated AEDs
is provided by method 250 in FIG. 250.
[0075] At act 212, the emergency dispatch operator, via the emergency
server 14, may then send electronic messages to the devices of the EMS
personnel, such as EMS device 22, to go to the victim location. The contact
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information for the EMS personnel may be obtained via the EMS database
54c.
[0076] At act 214, the emergency dispatch operator, via the emergency
server 14, may then send electronic messages to the devices 24a to 24p of
registered lay rescuers that are in close proximity to the victim location and
the activated EADs and activated AEDs. For example, the registered lay
rescuers may be people that are trained to use AEDs and provide CPR who
live or work in the vicinity of the victim location. Alternatively, the
registered
lay rescuers may be people that are employed by an organization that owns
the AEDs and who will provide certain functions in the case of a cardiac
emergency as described previously. Act 214 may be optional.
[0077] At act 216, the emergency dispatch operator, via the emergency
server 14, may track the progress of the emergency situation. This may
include tracking the location of the AED that is being brought to the victim
location through a GPS tracking system as described previously. This tracking
may also include tracking the location of any dispatched EMS personnel and
any dispatched registered lay rescuers.
[0078] Referring now to FIG. 4, shown therein is a flowchart of an
example
embodiment of a method 250 for operation of an Emergency Assist Device
(EAD) in accordance with the teachings herein. The operation of only one
EAD will be described (i.e. EAD 12a) in relation to FIG. 4 for ease of
illustration. However, it should be noted that multiple EADs that are within a
predefined vicinity of the victim location can be remotely activated at the
same
time and operate in a similar manner.
[0079] At act 252, the EAD 12a is waiting to receive an electronic
activation signal or an electronic activation message from the emergency
server 14 based on the location of the AEDs and the victim's GPS
coordinates. At this point the EAD 12a is in low power standby mode in order
to conserve power. in the absence of activation, the EAD 12a may periodically
broadcast its status (e.g. active, disabled, error in functioning, etc.) which
may
be separate from scheduled status communications. Once the EAD 12a
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receives the electronic activation message, which includes the victim
location,
the EAD 12a awakens and the method 250 proceeds to act 254.
[0080] The electronic activation message may be provided by the
emergency server 14. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the witness device
18 may have a direct AED activation software program for locating which the
witness can use to directly communicate with the EAD associated with the
closest AED rather than having to go through the emergency server 14 or call
dispatch. In this case the direction activation software being used by the
witness device 18 may be implemented in a similar manner as the locating
and activation software employed by the emergency server 14. The closest
EAD 12a may then be activated by the witness pressing a button on a GUI
that is displayed on their device 18 and associated with the direct activation
software program.
[0081] At act 254, the EAD 12a generates alert signals to passersby
to
indicate that there is an emergency situation nearby and that the AED which
is associated with the EAD 12a must be taken to the victim location. For
example, the EAD 12a may first alert individuals (i.e. passersby 20a to 20m)
within the vicinity of the associated AED using loud beacon or siren noises
and then indicate that an OHCA has occurred and that the AED needs to be
transported to victim. The audio announcement may also include the type,
nature, and location of the emergency and that the AED must be transported
to the emergency site (i.e. victim location) as quickly as possible. The audio
message may be broadcast in English and/or another language as predefined
language At this point a remote unlock electronic message may be sent to the
activated AEDs to temporally unlock the enclosures that contain the AEDs to
allow a passerby access to the AED in order to take it to the victim location.
[0082] At act 256, the EAD 12a determines that it has been "picked
up"
and is being taken to the victim location. This may be determined through
various sensors that are employed by the EAD 12a to determine is
geographical location, orientation and movement. For example, the EAD 12a
typically has a GPS sensor, and an accelerometer that can be used to track
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its movement. At this point, the EAD 12a may deliver broadcast a new
message such as: "A cardiac arrest victim has been identified and is located
at
XXXX" where XXXX is the specific location of the cardiac arrest victim. At
this
point, the EAD 12a may also send an electronic message to the emergency
server 14/EMS dispatcher 17 to indicate that it has been picked up and is
being carried to the side of the victim. The emergency server 14/EMS
dispatcher 17 can then send an electronic message to alert bystanders on site
(and optionally EMS personnel) that the AED is "on its way". In an alternative
embodiment, the EAD 12a may also communicate directly through a wireless
connection and the communication network 16 with the devices of the
bystanders on scene (e.g. who have identified themselves at the time of the
original EMS call) to indicate to them that the AED is soon to arrive on scene
(an ETA may be provided as well in some embodiments). When the EAD 12a
determines that it has been picked up by a rescuer and is being transported to
the victim location, the method 250 proceeds to act 258.
[0083] In at least some embodiments, if the EAD 12a determines that
the
individual picking up the AED is not a previously designated trained lay
rescuer, the EAD 12a may send a separate electronic message via the
communication unit 42 and the communication network 16 to the registered
device used by the registered trained lay rescuer to indicate that it has been
picked up by somebody other than a trained rescuer. This then allows the
registered trained lay rescuer to proceed directly to the side of the victim
instead of the location where the AED is normally stored.
[0084] At act 258, the EAD 12a provides location directions to the
rescuer
to direct the rescuer to the victim location. The directions may be audible
instructions and/or visual instructions that are provided on the display of
the
EAD 12a in the formal of a map or text instructions. The directions are
preferably the shortest route to the cardiac arrest location, which may be
implemented using currently known mapping technology. Since the EAD 12a
employs both GPS hardware and other communication hardware including
cellular, this allows for indoor and outdoor use in navigating to the victim's
site
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and communicating with the other stakeholders including the EMS dispatch
17 and/or emergency server 14. Furthermore, in at least some embodiments,
the owner of an AED may designate one or more designated persons / places
(locations, cell numbers) to be called/activated in emergency, which may be
contacted done by the EAD 12a. The designated persons may include front
line workers, the owner of the facility which houses the AED, security
personnel, health/rescue personnel and communications personnel (e.g., front
desk, etc.).
[0085] At act 260, during transit, the EAD 12a may optionally send
electronic messages to other stakeholders associated with the emergency
system 10 such as EMS personnel, registered lay rescuers and the
emergency server 14 to indicate the exact location of the victim as well as
the
location of the AED as it is being brought to the victim location. The
provision
of real-time communication with EMS dispatch and instructions on AED
deployment on route will improve the chances of saving the victim. The
transmission of these electronic messages may be sent periodically to keep
all stakeholders up-to-date on the transport of the AED to the victim
location.
The EAD 12a may send also send data in these electronic update messages
regarding the status and condition of use of the AED and may also provide
audible updates through the speaker as the EAD 12a determines it is close to
the victim location via its GPS sensor. In at least some embodiments, the
EMS dispatch 17 and/or the emergency server 14 may also alert the witness
that the AED is being brought to the victim location and provide an
approximate ETA.
[0086] At act 262, the EAD 12a continually checks to determine when it is
at the victim location. This may be done through a mapping program and the
GPS sensor that are employed by the EAS 12a as described previously to
determine when the EAD 12a is within a few meters of the victim location.
Once the EAD 12a determines that it is at the victim location the method 250
proceeds to act 264.
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[0087] In an alternate embodiment, the witnesses to the cardiac arrest, via
their device 18, can remotely cause the AED to "turn on" and the covering of
the pre-gelled pads to spontaneously come free from the pads themselves by
motorized or other means, to prepare them more expeditiously for application
to the chest of the victim. This may be done as the AED is being delivered to
the victim location and this may be done under instructions from the
emergency server 14 to the witness device 18.
[0088] .. At act 264, the EAD 12a is at the victim location and begins to
broadcast audio instructions or display visual instructions including text on
how the AED can be effectively deployed to the victim as optionally how to
perform effective CPR on the victim. For example, the instructions can tell
the
user of the AED how to deploy the AED by opening its case or other
packaging, turning the AED on, removing the pre-gelled defibrillator pads from
their housing, removing the backing from the pre-gelled pads, removing the
victim's clothing to allow the pre-gelled pads to be placed directly on the
victim's chest, and activating the appropriate sequence of button presses on
the AED to make a rhythm analysis/diagnosis and deliver electrical shocks if
necessary. The instructions may also include instructing bystanders on the
best methods for performing CPR, which may be done by speaker, for
example. The EAD 12a will thus begin to "talk through" the bystanders even
before the pads are connected to the victim. These steps are not always
obvious or clearly marked on conventional AEDs and only after a conventional
AED is deployed on the patient, the conventional AED then starts to monitor
cardiac rhythm and gives subsequent instructions.
[0089] In some embodiments, depending on the circumstances the EAD
12a may be in cellular communication with the EMS dispatch 17 which will
allow for two two-way communication between the EMS dispatch 17 and the
user of the EAD 12a so that EMS dispatch can also provide verbal commands
and feedback to facilitate the effective use of the AED and CPR.
[0090] These instructions may be continued until the cardiac arrest has
been dealt with. The EAD 12a may also broadcast update electronic
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messages during this time to the various stakeholders that are not at the
victim location to update them on the actions that are currently being
performed on the victim such as CPR or delivery of defibrillation electrical
signals.
[0091] Accordingly, the various embodiments of the devices, systems and
methods described herein employ wireless functionality of the EADs as well
as the communication network 16, the server 14 and the various electronic
devices to allow for multi-way communication (e.g. two-way, three-way or
more) between the EADs, the EMS dispatch 17 who remotely activated the
device, bystanders at the scene of the emergency, a designated lay rescuer,
and the witness to the cardiac arrest. In another aspect, the EADs may make
outgoing as well as incoming calls or electronic transmission and reception of
electronic messages.
[0092] It should be noted that in other embodiments, an autonomous
machine, such as a drone, a robot or an autonomous vehicle, may be
remotely alerted along with the EAD and used to bring the EAD along with the
AED to the victim location.
[0093] Therefore, to summarize, the teachings herein provide for a
way to
minimize the communication and transport delays inherent in the process of
finding, identifying, retrieving, and transporting an AED to the victim's
location.
Using GPS, and locator technology, including cellular signals, and potentially
WiFi and Bluetooth, for contacting EMS personnel and other registered lay
rescuers, the other time delays that are encountered in rescue situations can
be occurring concurrently resulting in no additional delays. By reducing the
time that it takes for the AED to arrive to the side of the victim, the
survivability
can thus be substantially improved.
[0094] The various embodiments of the device, system and methods
described herein may be particularly useful for cardiac arrests that occur in
enclosed spaces, such as in hockey arenas, shopping malls, exercise venues,
sports clubs, and entertainment complexes. The several minutes required to
locate and retrieve an AED will be significantly reduced. It is estimated that
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the normal 6-8 minutes required to deploy an AED may be cut down to 3-4
minutes using the teachings herein which may result in a 30-40% increase in
the likelihood of survival, using the generally accepted "every minute delay
results in 10% lower survival".
[0095] It should also be noted that in other embodiments, the system 10
may be used for other types of emergencies, in addition to or instead of
cardiac emergencies, which will require other types of medical equipment
including, but not limited to, stretchers, oxygen tanks, and first aid
equipment,
for example, as well as other types of emergency equipment such as, but not
limited to, ladders, fire extinguishers, chemical retardants and heavy
equipment to extricate a person from a confined space, for example. In such
embodiments, the EADs 12a to 12n can be attached to these different
emergency equipment items and the system 10 may generally operate in a
similar manner as has been described for AEDs. Also, in such embodiments,
the EADs may also be programmed to make other types of announcements
including emergency announcement, public announcements and evacuation
orders.
[0096] While the applicant's teachings described herein are in conjunction
with various embodiments for illustrative purposes, it is not intended that
the
applicant's teachings be limited to such embodiments as the embodiments
described herein are intended to be examples. On the contrary, the
applicant's teachings described and illustrated herein encompass various
alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, without departing from the
embodiments described herein, the general scope of which is defined in the
appended claims.
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