System and method for managing communications over a wireless network during an emergency

• US 8,326,260 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radius Networks, inc.
• Original Assignee: Radius Networks, inc.
• Inventors: Bradish, Stillman, Smith, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US13/296,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20120295569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/456.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 709/206
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A system and method for managing an emergency over a wireless network. A wireless station receives an emergency information string broadcast by a string broadcast station. The string broadcast station is operated by law enforcement or other authorized personnel. A wireless station obtains the emergency information string and obtains an emergency alert message from a server. The message may be retransmitted by the wireless station. A listener module may be deployed that can be used to identify wireless stations that are within an area affected by the emergency and to provide the emergency alert message to the identified wireless stations.

Claims

1. A method for managing emergency communications over a wireless network comprising:

receiving at an information string server device a request to associate an emergency alert message with a registered emergency information string, wherein the registered emergency information string is selected from the group consisting of at least a portion of a network name identifier and at least a portion of a media access control (MAC) address and wherein the request comprises authentication information;

determining by the information string server device from the authentication information whether the request to associate the registered emergency alert message with the emergency information string is authorized; and

storing by the information string server device the emergency alert message in association with the registered emergency information string in a record of an information string datastore when the request to store content is authorized.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information is selected from the group consisting of a password, a personal identification number, a badge number, and a key.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network name identifier comprises at least a portion of a service set identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency alert message comprises a text message and an audio message.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

broadcasting by a string broadcast station the registered emergency information string in a beacon message;

receiving by a listener module the beacon message;

receiving by the listener module probe messages broadcast by one or more wireless stations proximate to the listener module, wherein the listener module comprises a MAC address of the listener module and wherein a probe message comprises a MAC address of the wireless station from which the probe message originated; and

sending by the listener module the MAC address of the listener module, the registered emergency information string and the MAC address of the one or more wireless stations to a list server device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

requesting by one of the one or more wireless stations a list from the list server device of listed information strings associated with the MAC address of the requesting wireless station;

determining by the one wireless station whether the list includes the registered emergency information string;

requesting by the one wireless station the emergency alert message associated with the registered emergency information string when the list includes the registered emergency information string; and

displaying by the one wireless station the emergency alert message.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

broadcasting by a string broadcast station the registered emergency information string in a beacon message;

receiving by a wireless station the beacon message broadcast by the string broadcast station;

obtaining by the wireless station the registered emergency information string from the beacon message;

requesting by the wireless station the emergency alert message associated with the registered emergency information string from the storage device; and

displaying by the wireless station the emergency alert message in response to the request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless station is selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop computer, a Wi-Fi enabled device, a Bluetooth enabled device, and a Zigbee enabled device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless station and the string broadcast station communicate over a wireless network selected from the group consisting of a Wi-Fi network, an RFID network, a Zigbee network, a Bluetooth network and a 3G/4G cellular network.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising taking by the wireless station one or more actions when the wireless station obtains the registered emergency information string from the beacon message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more actions are selected from the group consisting of executing an application, playing by the wireless station an emergency audio signal, playing by the wireless station an audio message over a speakerphone, controlling by the wireless station a length or frequency of telephone calls, controlling by the wireless station the frequency or number of text messages, broadcasting an audible location signal, and broadcasting an ultrasonic location signal.

12. A system for managing emergency communications over a wireless network comprising:

an information string server device comprising a first processor configured with software instructions to cause the information string server device to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request to associate an emergency alert message with a registered emergency information string, wherein the registered emergency information string is selected from the group consisting of at least a portion of a network name identifier and at least a portion of a media access control address and wherein the request comprises authentication information;

determining from the authentication information whether the request to associate the emergency alert message with the registered emergency information string is authorized; and

storing the emergency alert message in association with the registered emergency information string in a first record of an information string datastore when the request to store content is authorized.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the authentication information is selected from the group consisting of a password, a personal identification number, a badge number, and a key.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the network name identifier comprises at least a portion of a service set identifier.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the emergency alert message comprises a text message and an audio message.

16. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a listener module, wherein the listener module comprises a MAC address and a third processor configured with software instructions that cause the listener module to perform operations comprising;

receiving a beacon message broadcast by the string broadcast station, wherein the beacon message includes the registered emergency information string;

receiving probe messages broadcast by one or more wireless stations proximate to the listener module, wherein a probe message comprises a MAC address of the wireless station from which the probe message originated; and

sending the MAC address of the listener module, the registered emergency information string and the MAC address of the one or more wireless stations to a list server device.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a wireless station comprising a second processor configured with software instructions that cause the wireless station to perform operations comprising:

requesting a list from the list server device of listed information strings associated with the MAC address of the requesting wireless station;

determining by the wireless station whether the list includes the registered emergency information string;

requesting by the one wireless station the emergency alert message associated with the registered emergency information string when the list includes the registered emergency information string; and

displaying by the one wireless station the emergency alert message.

18. The system of claim 12,

wherein the first processor is further configured with software instructions to cause the information string server device to perform operations comprising broadcasting by a string broadcast station the registered emergency information string in a beacon message, and

wherein the system further comprises a wireless station comprising a second processor configured with software instructions that cause the wireless station to perform operations comprising:

receiving the beacon message broadcast by the string broadcast station;

obtaining the registered emergency information string from the beacon message;

requesting the emergency alert message associated with the registered emergency information string from the storage device; and

displaying the emergency alert message in response to the request.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the wireless station is selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop computer a Wi-Fi enabled device, a Bluetooth enabled device, and a Zigbee enabled device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the wireless station and the string broadcast station communicate over a wireless network selected from the group consisting of a Wi-Fi network, an RFID network, a Zigbee network, a Bluetooth network and a 3G/4G cellular network.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the second processor is further configured with software instructions that cause the wireless station to perform operations comprising taking one or more actions when the wireless station obtains the registered emergency information string from the beacon message.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more actions are selected from the group consisting of executing an application, playing by the wireless station an emergency audio signal, playing by the wireless station an audio message over a speakerphone, controlling by the wireless station a length or frequency of telephone calls, controlling by the wireless station the frequency or number of text messages, broadcasting an audible location signal, and broadcasting an ultrasonic location signal.