Integrated system for multichannel monitoring and communication in the management of rescue teams

• US 8,698,634 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Instituto de Telecomunicaes, Miguel Rios Design, YDreams - Informatica S.A.
• Original Assignee: YDreams - Informatica S.A.
• Inventors: Henriques Matos, Pedro Miguel, Da Silva Leal Rios, Miguel Nuno, Ferreira Claro, Pedro Miguel, De Almeida Soares Franco, Ivan, Guedes Lopes Da Fonseca, Tiago Bnard, Gonalves Borges Carvalho, Nuno Miguel, Rui Santos, Mrio, Rodrigues Remdio, Jos Miguel, Bastos Carrio Vaz De Almada, Anto, Santos Serras, Bruno Miguel, Matos Palma, David Jos
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMSON, SARA B
• Application Number:
  US12/164,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,115 Days
• Field of Search: 340/500, 340/540, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/009 Methods or equipment not provided for in groups A62C99/0009 - A62C99/0081
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

An integrated monitoring and multichannel communication system for the management of rescue teams, especially those fighting forest fires, comprises a suit, worn by a rescue worker; an electronic system; a telecommunication system; and an information system. The suit integrates fireproof, waterproof, heatproof and impact resistant materials to integrate, protect and allow access to the electronic system. The electronic system collects biometric and location data from the rescue worker, transmitting said data to a panel located in the back of the suit. The telecommunications system sends the biometric, orientation and location data, in real-time through an Ultra High Frequency network, to a computer integrated into a support vehicle, which in its turn sends the data to a server. The information system collects and manages the data to monitor the biometric, orientation and location data, to receive critical alerts and through maps to define deployment strategies for the rescue worker.

Claims

1. INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR MULTICHANNEL MONITORING AND COMMUNICATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF RESCUE TEAMS, having a modular architecture comprised of:

a fire, heat, water and impact proof suit (1);

an electronic system (2);

a telecommunications system (4); and

an information system (3);

in which the integrated system;

utilizes suits (1) made of fire, water, heat and impact proof materials to protect from fire, water, heat, and impacts, and to monitor the operational units in emergency or catastrophic situations, while safeguarding and facilitating access to the electronic system (2);

collects and processes biometric, orientation and operational suited units location data on the terrain, through sensors (130-135), microprocessors (124, 126, 127) and transmitters (125) which integrate the electronic system (2) built into the suits (1);

transmits by radiofrequency, in real-time, the biometric, orientation and location data to a remote computer integrated in a support vehicle, which in turn transmits them, via GPRS/GSM or satellite, to a central server, by the telecommunications system (4)—

utilizing alternate communication techniques to establish communication in scenarios where either GPRS/GSM or satellite are unavailable;

utilizes the information system (3) in an integrated manner with its functions, allowing the coordinative rescue units to simultaneously and in real-time to monitor biometric, orientation and location data, to receive critical alerts and to define deployment strategies for the operational suited units;

integrates the main interface of the information system (3) in a wireless mobile device which is held by the coordinating rescue units, allowing said units to manage all the operational suited units and support vehicles, during operations, in which the electronic system (2) integrated in the suit is composed of;

biometric sensors (133, 134, 135) which collect heart rate (135), body temperature, torso verticality and the position of the limbs relative to the torso (134);

a Global Positioning System with respective antenna (177) and a digital compass (132) with the function of monitoring the location and orientation of the operational suited units;

three microprocessors (124, 126, 127) which process the data relayed by the sensors through the integrated cabling system;

a radiofrequency modem (125) to transmit in real-time the gathered and processed data;

a loudspeaker (49, 172) with the function of relaying sound messages in case of danger or failure of the electronic system (2); and

an alarm module which allows the operational suited units to request assistance.