SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATING PANIC MESSAGES IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

• US 20090098898A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Synapse Wireless Incorporated (Mcwane Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Synapse Wireless Incorporated (Mcwane Incorporated)
• Inventors: Patterson, Wade C.
• Application Number:
  US12/237,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0014 by adapting the source coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0019 in which mode-switching is based on a statistical approach
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365

Abstract

Mobile nodes of a wireless network route messages from one node to another. At least one node has a user input device, such as a button, that may be activated to indicate an emergency or other event in which the immediate attention and/or assistance of users of other nodes is needed or desired. Logic senses a panic condition based on the user input device and transmits a panic message to alert users of other nodes. At least one of the nodes provides an alarm that indicates a current location of the node that originally transmitted the panic message thereby assisting a user in finding such node, referred to as the “panicking node.”

Claims

1. A wireless network having a plurality of nodes, including a first node and a second node, the first node comprising a first mobile communication unit and the second node comprising a second mobile communication unit, each of the mobile communication units configured to route messages through the network, the first mobile communication unit comprising:

a user input device; and

logic configured to sense a panic condition based on an input received via the user input device, the logic configured to wirelessly broadcast through the network a panic message in response to a detection of the panic condition, wherein the panic message is received by at least the second mobile communication unit, and wherein the second mobile communication unit is configured to provide an alarm in response to the panic message, the alarm indicating a current location of the first mobile communication unit.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the user input device comprises a button.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to make a determination whether the user input device remains continuously activated for at least a predefined time period, and wherein the logic is configured to sense the panic condition based on the determination.

4. The network of claim 3, wherein the first mobile communication unit comprises a housing, and wherein the user input device is recessed into the housing.

5. The network of claim 4, wherein the user input device comprises a button.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communication unit comprises a housing, and wherein the user input device is recessed into the housing.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the second mobile communication unit is configured to display a map in response to the panic message, and wherein the second mobile communication unit is configured to indicate on the map a current location of the first mobile communication unit.

8. The network of claim 7, wherein the second mobile communication unit is configured to indicate on the map a current location of the second mobile communication unit.

9. The network of claim 7, wherein the second mobile communication unit is configured to display a name of a user of the first mobile communication unit in response to the panic message.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein the second mobile communication unit is configured to display a military rank of the user in response to the panic message.

11. The network of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communication unit comprises a first user input device associated with a first talk group and a second user input device associated with a second talk group, and wherein the logic is configured to transmit at least one message to nodes of the first talk group in response to activation of the first user input device and to transmit at least one message to nodes of the second talk group in response to activation of the second user input device.

12. A mobile communication unit for communicating in a wireless network, comprising:

a user input device;

a location sensor; and

logic configured to sense a panic condition based on an input received via the user input device, the logic configured to wirelessly broadcast a panic message to nodes of the wireless network in response to a detection of the panic condition, the logic further configured to include in the panic message location data based on the location sensor, the location data indicative of a current location of the mobile communication unit.

13. The mobile communication unit of claim 12, wherein the logic is configured to make a determination whether the user input device remains continuously activated for at least a predefined time period, and wherein the logic is configured to sense the panic condition based on the determination.

14. The mobile communication unit of claim 13, wherein the user input device comprises a housing, and wherein the user input device is recessed into the housing.

15. The mobile communication unit of claim 12, wherein the logic is configured to include in the message data indicative of a name of a user of the mobile communication unit.

16. The mobile communication unit of claim 12, wherein the logic is configured to include in the message data indicative of a military rank of a user of the mobile communication unit.

17. A method for use in a wireless network having a plurality of nodes, including a first node and a second node, each of the plurality of nodes configured to route messages through the network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user input via the first node;

sensing a panic condition in response to the user input; and

transmitting a panic message through the network in response to the sensing step, wherein at least one of the nodes is configured to provide an alarm in response to the panic message, the alarm indicating a current location of the first node.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of inserting location data into the panic message, the location data indicating a current location of the first node.

19. A method for use in a wireless network having a plurality of nodes, including a first node and a second node, each of the plurality of nodes configured to route messages through the network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user input via the first node;

sensing a panic condition in response to the user input; and

transmitting a panic message from the first node through the network in response to the sensing step; and

inserting location data into the panic message, the location data indicating a current location of the first node.