Dual transmission emergency communication system

• US 7,200,359 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Jarett, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong; Quochien B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/337,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20040198312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/427, 455/429, 455/404.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/428, 455/430, 340/902, 343/761, 348/143, 375/296, 370/395.43
• US Class Current: 455/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail

Abstract

A telematic emergency communication system is provided. The system includes a user terminal that generates emergency communication signals within an emergency signal band. A spacecraft network has a first emergency mode receiver and attempts to receive the emergency signals via a spacecraft. A terrestrial network has a second emergency mode receiver and receives the emergency signals when the spacecraft network is unable to sufficiently detect the emergency signals and routes the emergency signals to a control center. A method of performing the same is also provided.

Claims

1. A telematic emergency communication system comprising:

at least one non-emergency based, mobile user terminal having a normal mode and an emergency mode, and being capable during the emergency mode of generating emergency communication signals within an emergency signal band at an emergency mode bit-rate much lower than a normal mode bit-rate;

a spacecraft network comprising a first emergency mode receiver for attempting to receive said low-bit-rate emergency communication signals from the mobile user terminal during an emergency mode via at least one spacecraft;

wherein the at least one mobile user terminal is configured to transmit the low-bit-rate emergency communication signals via a terrestrial network if transmission via the at least one spacecraft is not available; and

a terrestrial network comprising a second emergency mode receiver, for receiving said low-bit-rate emergency communication signals when transmitted by the mobile user terminal via the terrestrial network and for routing said emergency communication signals to a control center.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said user terminal comprises a controller determining whether emergency communication is between said at least one mobile user terminal and said spacecraft network or between said at least one user terminal and said terrestrial network.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein said emergency communication signals are transmitted from said at least one mobile user terminal at a frequency level of approximately less than 4 Kbits/sec.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein said spacecraft network comprises a dual mode receiver and a dual mode transmitter each of which having a normal communication mode and an emergency communication mode.

5. A system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one gateway station comprising:

a router receiving communication signals from said control center;

a multiplexer electrically coupled to said router and multiplexing said communication signals; and

a dual mode transmitter electrically coupled to said multiplexer and having a normal communication mode and an emergency communication mode and transmitting said communication signals to said at least one spacecraft.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein during said normal communication mode said dual mode transmitter is transmitting normal communication signals at a first frequency level and during said emergency communication mode said dual mode transmitter is transmitting emergency communication signals at a second frequency level that is at least 100 times less than said first frequency level.

7. A system as in claim 1 wherein said spacecraft network comprises at least one gateway station comprising:

a dual mode receiver having a normal communication mode and an emergency communication mode and receiving communication signals from said at least one spacecraft;

a demultiplexer electrically coupled to said dual mode receiver and demultiplexing said communication signals; and

a router electrically coupled to said demultiplexer and routing said communication signals to said control center.

8. A system as in claim 7 wherein during said normal communication mode said dual mode receiver is receiving normal communication signals at a first frequency level and during said emergency communication mode said dual mode receiver is receiving emergency communication signals at a second frequency level that is less than said first frequency level.

9. A system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one spacecraft transmits and receives normal communications signals at a first frequency level and receives said emergency communication signals at a second frequency level at least 100 times less than said first frequency level from said at least one mobile user terminal.

10. A system as in claim 1 wherein said terrestrial network comprises:

a normal mode transceiver receiving and transmitting communication signals; and

a switching center electrically coupled to said normal mode transceiver and routing said communication signals to said central office.

11. A system as in claim 1 wherein said terrestrial network comprises:

a base station emergency mode receiver receiving said emergency communication signals;

a demultiplexer electrically coupled to said base station emergency mode receiver and demultiplexing said emergency communication signals; and

a router electrically coupled to said demultiplexer and routing said emergency communication signals to said control center.

12. A system as in claim 1 wherein said control center directly transmits and receives said emergency communication signals to and from said at least one spacecraft.

13. A system as in claim 1 wherein said control center comprises a dual mode transmitter and a dual mode receiver for transmitting and receiving normal communication signals and said emergency communication signals directly to and from said at least one spacecraft.

14. A method of telematically communicating with a user terminal in a telematic emergency communication system comprising:

generating at least one emergency communication signal within an emergency signal band at an emergency mode bit-rate much lower than a normal mode bit-rate via a non-emergency based, mobile user terminal;

attempting to receive said at least one emergency communication signal with a first emergency mode receiver of a spacecraft network via at least one spacecraft;

configuring the mobile user terminal to transmit the low-bit-rate emergency communication signals via a terrestrial network if transmission via the at least one spacecraft is not available; and

receiving said at least one emergency communication signal via a terrestrial network having a second emergency mode receiver for receiving the low-bit-rate emergency communication signal when said spacecraft network is unable receive the low-bit-rate emergency communication signal.

15. A method as in claim 14 further comprising determining whether said at least one emergency communication signal is to be communicated between said user terminal and said spacecraft network or between said user terminal and said terrestrial network.

16. A method as in claim 14 further comprising receiving and transmitting both normal communication signals and emergency communication signals via at least one base station of said terrestrial network.

17. A method as in claim 14 further comprising:

receiving and transmitting communication signals via a normal mode transmitter within at least one base station of said terrestrial network; and

routing said communication signals to a central office.

18. A method as in claim 14 further comprising:

receiving said emergency communication signals via a base station emergency mode receiver within at least one base station of said terrestrial network;

demultiplexing said emergency communication signals; and

routing said emergency communication signals to a control center.

19. An emergency telematic communication system comprising:

a spacecraft network comprising;

at least one gateway station having an first emergency mode receiver and an emergency mode transmitter; and

at least one spacecraft attempting to receive and transmit emergency communication signals between at least one user terminal and said at least one gateway station;

at least one user terminal generating said emergency communication signals within an emergency signal band at an emergency mode bit-rate much lower than a normal mode bit-rate, and being configured to transmit the low-bit-rate emergency communication signals via a terrestrial network if transmission via the at least one spacecraft is not available, and generating a site determinative signal; and

a terrestrial network comprising;

a second emergency mode receiver for receiving said low-bit-rate emergency communication signals in response to said site determinative signal; and

a normal mode transceiver for transmitting and receiving normal communication signals to and from said at least one user terminal.

20. A system as in claim 19 wherein said at least one gateway station comprises:

a dual mode transmitter for transmitting normal communication signals and emergency communication signals; and

a dual mode receiver for receiving normal communication signals and emergency communication signals.