System and method for collaborating emergency response efforts through multimedia data dissemination

• US 7,680,947 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: New Icop, LLC
• Original Assignee: ICOP Digital Incorporated
• Inventors: Owen, Laura Ellen, Nicholl, David Henry, Bilinski, Jan Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US11/558,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/230, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 713/151, 713/152, 380/37
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and associated method for the sharing and communication of video and other surveillance related multimedia data by streaming video and other data from an emergency response unit to a variety of devices and other emergency response units. Surveillance data obtained through a variety of monitoring options, including sources external to the first response unit is wirelessly disseminated from that first response patrol car or similar emergency response unit, to any number of other devices on a digital network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing secure streaming multimedia data via a wireless network, from a first response unit to one or more remote playing devices in response to a trigger, the apparatus comprising:

a multimedia component capture source located in the first response unit to acquire visual and audio scene information, wherein said first response unit has a local playing device for receiving and playing scene information irrespective of said trigger;

an analog to digital converter coupled to said capture source, to convert the acquired scene information and provide one or more digital multimedia data items representative of the acquired scene information;

first and second network interface switches adapted for selecting between two or more wireless network interface adapters, said first interface switch located in said first response unit and said second interface switch located in said remote playing device;

an encoding and packetizing module that in response to said trigger provides the secure streaming of multimedia packets of said one or more multimedia data items to the wireless network; and

a security module for receiving and validating security criteria provided at said first response unit to thereby enable the secure streaming of said multimedia packets to the wireless network;

said one or more remote playing devices having access to the wireless network and an authentication module to enable security access to said secure multimedia packets to decode said secure multimedia packet and present the acquired visual and audio scene information on said one or more remote playing devices.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network is the internet;

and wherein said encoding and packetizing module provides a data format for interface to an EVDO router for delivery of the multimedia data to the internet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network is a Mesh network comprising a collection of wireless access points.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network is an adhoc wireless network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising switching means to enable an end user to select among two or more of the wireless networks for the transmission of said multimedia packets.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an infrastructure for serving up video to the one or more playing device clients, the infrastructure comprising a video server having support for multiple and simultaneous access by the one or more playing device clients.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said encoding and packetizing module comprises a project box having a hardware encoder and software based router, wherein said digital multimedia data items are streamed utilizing EVDO to manage quality of service, and deliver data to the network.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a signal generated by a user located in the first response unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a signal generated in response to a request for data from the one or more remote playing devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a signal generated in response to a selection of the first response unit from a display of multiple response units and video sources, by an officer located in a second response unit.