METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCED SAFETY IN A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110237217A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Monks, Deborah J., Blanco, Alejandro G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A communication system (100) provides collaboration amongst a plurality of communication devices (110, 112, 114, 116, 120) during emergency conditions. Emergency trigger(s) are used to detect an emergency condition. Emergency information is collected and can be shared and appended amongst the communication devices prior to the emergency information being transferred in a redundant manner across a plurality communication systems (140, 142) to a plurality of external devices (130, 144, 146).

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

first and second communication devices operating on first and second communication networks respectively and utilized by the same or co-located users, the first and second communication devices also operating over a personal area communication network, the first and second communication devices collaborating over the personal area network to reconfigure each other to operate in an emergency mode of operation in response to an emergency condition being detected by either the first or second communication device.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second communication devices comprises an emergency detection feature for collecting emergency information and transferring the collected emergency information amongst the first and second communication devices;

and wherein at least one of the first and second communication devices transmits the emergency information redundantly as new communication to a plurality of external devices operating over different networks.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein reconfiguration of the first and second communication device emergency mode operating parameters are preconfigured by first and second embedded applications associated with the first and second devices.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the emergency application is integrated with a computer aided dispatch client application.

5. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the emergency application is configured with business rules by a user or a system administrator.

6. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the emergency detection feature located on at least one of the first and second communication devices comprises an emergency button.

7. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the emergency information comprises emergency voice PTT information collected at a microphone of at least one of the first and second communication devices, the emergency voice PTT information being converted into a combination of data and voice clips which are then transmitted to other communications devices using non-PTT communication through one of the first and second devices.

8. The communication system of claim 7, wherein the non-PTT communication comprises data communication over at least one of a data connection or telephony connection.

9. The communication system of claim 7, wherein the second communication device generates a text message and appends the text message and voice clips with location or other emergency information pertaining to the user of the first communication device prior to transmitting to the other communication devices.

10. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of communication devices operating under a plurality of different communication networks, the plurality of communication devices being utilized by a single user; and

at least one of the plurality of communication devices providing emergency detection and emergency notification, the plurality of communication devices entering into a collaborative mode of emergency operation in response to the emergency notification by operating over a personal area network to collect, share and append emergency information redundantly across the plurality of different communication networks and communication.

11. The communication system of claim 10, wherein based on business rules, a voice buffer is activated:

by a PTT button, by an emergency button, operated continuously, or triggered by another emergency detection mechanism, the voice buffer for collecting voice communication and providing the collected voice communication as emergency information for dissemination amongst the plurality of communication devices.

12. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the emergency information comprises at least one of:

voice clips, location information, sensor data, and text, collected by at least one of the plurality of communication devices.

13. A method of communicating an emergency condition amongst a plurality of communication devices, comprising:

communicating between at least two of the plurality of communication devices over a personal area network (PAN), the at least two communication devices also communicating over a wide area network (WAN) to other communication devices;

detecting an emergency condition by at least one of the at least two communication devices;

collecting emergency information pertaining to the emergency condition;

analyzing the collected emergency information at the communication device to determine relevant emergency information;

buffering the relevant emergency information;

transferring the relevant emergency information to a plurality of communication devices over a personal area network;

and

transmitting the relevant emergency information from the plurality of communication devices to external communication devices over multiple communication networks and communication types to provide redundant transmission of the emergency information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of buffering the relevant emergency information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein buffering the relevant information comprises buffering the relevant information before the emergency condition is detected.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the relevant emergency information is buffered before an emergency condition is detected according to business rules, by selecting predetermined emergency content and buffering continuously, such that the relevant emergency information is shared when emergency conditions are detected.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein buffering the relevant emergency information, comprises:

receiving audio at a microphone; and

buffering at least a portion of the received audio as a voice clip; and

transmitting the voice clip in response to an emergency trigger.

18. The method of claim 17, transmitting the voice clip further includes converting the voice clip to text or attaching the voice clip to a text message.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting the relevant emergency information comprises initiating a phone call using the relevant emergency information.

20. The method of claim 13, transmitting the relevant emergency information further includes requesting a companion device to initiate emergency communications using the relevant emergency information.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein collecting emergency information further comprises:

sharing and appending the emergency information amongst the plurality of communication devices prior to the emergency information being transmitted over the multiple networks.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of detecting an emergency condition comprises, determining a failed PTT communication or an emergency button press by at least one of the at last two of the plurality of communication devices.