Rapidly deployable emergency communications system and method

• US 7,720,458 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Moody, John O., Steinbrecher, Eric R., Impson, Jeremy D., Mehravari, Nader
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Danh C
• Application Number:
  US10/446,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20040023635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,548 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/404.1, 455/456.1, 701/207, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A system and method for rapid deployment of economically feasible wide-area general-purpose telecommunications systems and services in urban, suburban, rural, and other inhabited geographical areas is disclosed. The solution described here is of particular importance in the aftermath of such events as catastrophic accidents, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, riots, and acts of war during which the local telecommunications infrastructure is destroyed. In addition, the basic methods and architectures defined herein are applicable to those scenarios in which wide-area telecommunication services must be deployed rapidly in previously uninhabited area such as military deployments.

Claims

1. A computerized method for rapid deployment of an emergency communications system comprising the steps of:

receiving electronic notification through an electronic communications medium of an incident and incident information;

automatically determining positions to locate mobile electronic communications platforms based on evaluation by computer readable code on a computer readable medium of the incident information;

deploying the mobile electronic communications platforms to the determined positions;

initiating operations of the mobile communications platforms by the computer readable code;

automatically initiating electronic communication among the mobile communications platforms by the computer readable code;

automatically establishing, by the computer readable code, a temporary communications infrastructure in the vicinity of the incident; and

deploying personnel based on the determined positions and the incident information and contacting appropriate personnel.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving real-time location information by the computer readable code when the mobile communications platforms move;

receiving real-time data by the computer readable code from the mobile communications platforms;

preparing a situational awareness display by the computer readable code based on the real-time location information and the real-time data.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of initiating communication comprises the step of establishing, by the computer readable code, an ad hoc electronic communications network.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of establishing a temporary communications infrastructure comprises the step of establishing services selected from a group consisting of telephone, radio, computer, and television.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of training appropriate personnel to set up and operate the mobile communications platforms.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of broadcasting a notification of the incident to inhabitants in the vicinity of the incident.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein said step of deploying the mobile electronic communications platforms comprises the step of:

enabling self-deployment of the mobile electronic communication platforms.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic communications platforms self-configure.

19. A node for carrying out the method according to claim 1.

20. A computer readable medium having instructions embodied therein for the practice of the method of claim 1.

9. A system for rapid deployment of an emergency communications system comprising:

at least one mobile communications platform;

an electronic receiver capable of receiving electronic notification of an incident and information related to the location of the incident and the severity of the incident;

an electronic locater computer program subsystem capable of determining at least one position for locating said at least one mobile communications platform, the at least one position based on the information related to the incident location and severity, said electronic locator further capable of determining responding personnel as a function of the at least one position and the incident location and severity and providing information needed for deploying the responding personnel to transport said at least one mobile communications platform to the at least one position, said electronic locator capable of deploying the responding personnel to set up said at least one mobile communications platform at the at least one destination, and said electronic locator capable of deploying the responding personnel to operate said at least one mobile communications platform; and

an electronic communicator capable of establishing a temporary communications infrastructure in the vicinity of the incident, said electronic communicator capable of initiating communication between the dispatch center and said at least one mobile communications platform, said electronic communicator capable of initiating communication between a first said at least one mobile communications platform and a second said at least one mobile communications platform, said electronic communicator capable of transmitting and receiving control information and data between said first at least one mobile communications platform and said second at least one mobile communications platform.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 further comprising an electronic trainer capable of training the responding personnel to set up and operate said at least one mobile communications platform.

11. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein said electronic communicator forms an ad hoc electronic communications network between said first at least one mobile communications platform and said second at least one mobile communications platform.

12. A system for rapid deployment of mobile communications platforms comprising:

at least one mobile communications platform;

a planner computer program subsystem capable of determining at least one position for said at least one mobile communications platform, said at least one position being in the vicinity of an incident;

a dispatch computer program subsystem capable of directing said at least one mobile communications platform to the at least one position; and

a control computer program subsystem capable of establishing a temporary communications infrastructure in the vicinity of the incident, said control computer program subsystem enabling flow of information between said at least one mobile communications platform and a dispatch center, said control computer program subsystem capable of enabling flow of information between a first said at least one mobile communications platform and a second said at least one mobile communications platform;

wherein said dispatch computer program subsystem comprises;

an electronic director capable of locating the personnel to respond to the incident;

an electronic contact information locator capable of determining contact information for the personnel; and

an electronic contacter capable of contacting the personnel.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said planner computer program subsystem comprises:

an electronic receiver capable of receiving notification of the incident;

an electronic component positioner capable of determining, after said electronic receiver has received notification of the incident, said at least one position for said at least one mobile communications platform; and

an electronic platform locator capable of identifying said at least one mobile communications platform to be deployed to said at least one position.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 further comprising an incident response communicator capable of communicating the incident to inhabitants in the vicinity of the incident.

15. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said control computer program subsystem comprises:

a communications manager capable of enabling establishment of the temporary communications infrastructure, said communications manager capable of enabling the personnel to communicate with each other, said communications manager insuring network connectivity, said communications manager providing for communication between a first at least one mobile communications platform and a second at least one mobile communications platform, said communications manager providing routing of data from external networks to the personnel;

a movement manager capable of providing repositioning direction to said at least one mobile communications platform;

an incident termination capable of providing dismantling instructions to said at least one mobile communications platform;

a control handler capable of managing and controlling operations of the at least one mobile communications platform, said control handler capable of receiving directions from external networks through said communications manager and from operators, said control handler capable of routing the received directions to the personnel and to the at least one mobile communications platform through said communications manager, said control handler monitoring the position of the at least one mobile communications platform, said control handler activating said movement manager when the at least one mobile communications platform must change positions, said control handler activating said incident termination when the incident is over; and

a tracker capable of monitoring location and status of the personnel, said tracker capable of monitoring location and status of equipment related to the incident.

16. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said at least one mobile communications platform comprises:

connected devices selected from a group consisting of radio, telephone, video recorder, computer, and radio frequency interrogator;

a communications interface enabling the formation of a network between a first at least one mobile communications platform and a second at least one mobile communications platform, said communications interface capable of transferring electronic data from said connected devices to said at least one mobile communications platform;

a situational awareness handler capable of consolidating said received electronic data, said situational awareness handler capable of routing said consolidated electronic data;

a data handler capable of moving said consolidated electronic data from a first source selected from said connected devices to said situational awareness handler; and

a situational awareness display capable of receiving said consolidated electronic data, said situational awareness display capable of displaying said consolidated electronic data.

17. The system as defined in claim 12 further comprising a training subsystem selected from a group consisting of control training, incident termination training, set-up training, and operation training.

18. The system as defined in claim 12 further comprising a wireless ad hoc network, said wireless ad hoc network connecting said at least one mobile communications platform and said dispatch center, said wireless ad hoc network connecting a first said at least one mobile communications platform with a second said at least one mobile communications platform, said wireless ad hoc network including an interface to external networks, said wireless ad hoc network establishing a temporary communications infrastructure.