Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene using precision location

• US 20090140923A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Beaulieu, Laurance, Vezza, Brian, Graves, Alan, Fitchett, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,999,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/01 Emergency care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, such as an accident site, a natural or human-made disaster site, or any other first response site. One system is for locating a plurality of portable modules at an incident scene. The system comprises a plurality of receivers transportable to the incident scene. The system also comprises a processing entity configured to: determine a location of a first one of the portable modules based on first data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules and received by at least three receivers of the plurality of receivers; and determine a location of a second one of the portable modules based on the location of the first one of the portable modules and second data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules and received by the first one of the portable modules. For example, the system enables precision location of first responders, patients and equipment at the incident scene.

Claims

1. A method for locating a plurality of portable modules at an incident scene, said method comprising:

receiving first data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by a first one of the portable modules and received by at least three receivers of a plurality of receivers transported to the incident scene;

determining a location of the first one of the portable modules based on the first data;

receiving second data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by a second one of the portable modules and received by the first one of the portable modules; and

determining a location of the second one of the portable modules based on the second data and the location of the first one of the portable modules.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first data comprises data related to times of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules at the at least three receivers, and the second data comprises data related to a time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the first one of the portable modules.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules is received by at least one receiver of the plurality of receivers, and the second data comprises data related to a time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at each of the at least one receiver.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules is received by two receivers of the plurality of receivers, and the second data comprises data related to times of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the two receivers.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2, comprising:

receiving third data related to times of arrival of a wireless signal transmitted by a third one of the portable modules and received by at least three entities amongst the plurality of receivers and the plurality of portable modules; and

determining a location of the third one of the portable modules based on the third data;

wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules is received by one receiver of the plurality of receivers and by the third one of the portable modules, the second data comprises data related to times of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the one receiver and the third one of the portable modules, and said determining the location of the second one of the portable modules comprises determining the location of the second one of the portable modules based on the second data, the location of the first one of the portable modules and the location of the third one of the portable modules.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

receiving third data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by a third one of the portable modules and received by the second one of the portable modules; and

determining a location of the third one of the portable modules based on the third data and the location of the second one of the portable modules.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first data comprises data related to times of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules at the at least three receivers, the second data comprises data related to a time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the first one of the portable modules, and the third data comprises data related to a time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the third one of the portable modules at the second one of the portable modules.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of receivers are mounted to at least one vehicle transported to the incident scene.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one vehicle comprises a plurality of vehicles and the at least three receivers are distributed amongst at least two of the vehicles.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least some of the plurality of receivers are disposed on a plurality of extensible arms that are capable of being extended relative to a body of each vehicle.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location of the first one of the portable modules and the location of the second one of the portable modules are determined with a precision of 1 m or better.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules is transmitted by a UWB transmitter of the first one of the portable modules, and the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules is transmitted by a UWB transmitter of the second one of the portable modules.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of portable modules comprises at least one portable first responder module to be carried by at least one first responder at the incident scene and at least one portable patient module to be associated with at least one patient at the incident scene.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the plurality of portable modules comprises at least one portable drop module to be placed at least one fixed location at the incident scene by the at least one first responder.

15. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the first one of the portable modules is measured relative to a time of transmission of the wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules.

17. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first data comprises data related to times of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules at the at least three receivers, and the second data comprises data related to a time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the first one of the portable modules.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules is received by at least one receiver of the plurality of receivers, and the second data comprises data related to a time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at each of the at least one receiver.

19. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules is received by two receivers of the plurality of receivers, and the second data comprises data related to times of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the two receivers.

20. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein processing entity is configured to:

determine a location of a third one of the portable modules based on third data related to times of arrival of a wireless signal transmitted by the third one of the portable modules and received by at least three entities amongst the plurality of receivers and the plurality of portable modules;

wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules is received by one receiver of the plurality of receivers and by the third one of the portable modules, the second data comprises data related to times of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the one receiver and the third one of the portable modules, and, to determine the location of the second one of the portable modules, said processing entity is configured to determine the location of the second one of the portable modules based on the second data, the location of the first one of the portable modules and the location of the third one of the portable modules.

27. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules is transmitted by a UWB transmitter of the first one of the portable modules, and the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules is transmitted by a UWB transmitter of the second one of the portable modules.

16. A system for locating a plurality of portable modules at an incident scene, said system comprising:

a plurality of receivers transportable to the incident scene; and

a processing entity configured to;

determine a location of a first one of the portable modules based on first data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules and received by at least three receivers of the plurality of receivers; and

determine a location of a second one of the portable modules based on the location of the first one of the portable modules and second data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules and received by the first one of the portable modules.

21. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein processing entity is configured to determine a location of a third one of the portable modules based on the location of the second one of the portable modules and third data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the third one of the portable modules and received by the second one of the portable modules.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first data comprises data related to times of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules at the at least three receivers, the second data comprises data related to a time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules at the first one of the portable modules, and the third data comprises data related to a time of arrival of the wireless signal transmitted by the third one of the portable modules at the second one of the portable modules.

23. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said plurality of receivers are mounted to at least one vehicle transported to the incident scene.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the at least one vehicle comprises a plurality of vehicles and the at least three receivers are distributed amongst at least two of the vehicles.

25. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein at least some of said plurality of receivers are disposed on a plurality of extensible arms that are capable of being extended relative to a body of each vehicle.

26. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the location of the first one of the portable modules and the location of the second one of the portable modules are determined with a precision of 1 m or better.

28. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plurality of portable modules comprises at least one portable first responder module to be carried by at least one first responder at the incident scene and at least one portable patient module to be associated with at least one patient at the incident scene.

29. A system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the plurality of portable modules comprises at least one portable drop module to be placed at least one fixed location at the incident scene by the at least one first responder.

30. Computer-readable media containing computer-readable program code executable by a computing apparatus to implement a process for locating a plurality of portable modules at an incident scene, said computer-readable program code comprising:

first program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to receipt of first data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by a first one of the portable modules and received by at least three receivers of a plurality of receivers transported to the incident scene;

second program code for causing the computing apparatus to determine a location of the first one of the portable modules based on the first data;

third program code for causing the computing apparatus to be attentive to receipt of second data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by a second one of the portable modules and received by the first one of the portable modules; and

fourth program code for causing the computing apparatus to determine a location of the second one of the portable modules based on the second data and the location of the first one of the portable modules.