System and method for calculating and disseminating intelligent evacuation routes based on location awareness and integrated analytics

• US 8,787,871 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Givens, Charlet, Mathai, Shiju, Kwan, Hung Tack, Flores, Romelia
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Amancio
• Application Number:
  US12/326,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20100136945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 370/438, 370/539.28, 370/573.1, 370/825.49, 370/905, 370/995.1
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/085 using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A system for providing emergency-related information. The system can include a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions. The system can also include one or more communications devices utilized by a user, wherein the one or more communications devices is communicatively linked with a provider. Additionally, the system can include a personalized notification route engine (PNRE) configured to execute on the processor and communicatively linked with the provider. The PNRE can be configured to receive geospatial information associated with the one or more communications devices via the provider. Also, the PNRE can be configured to obtain data comprising one or more among evacuation routes, evacuation rules, demographic data, environmental conditions, external alerts, real-time traffic data, and traffic control data. The PNRE can further be configured to determine the emergency-related information based on the geospatial information and the obtained data and transmit the determined emergency-related information to the user via the provider.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for providing emergency-related information, the method comprising:

receiving, from a provider, geospatial information associated with a device utilized by a user;

receiving, from the device, an input at the device from the user, wherein the device is communicatively linked with the provider, wherein the input comprises an indication of whether the user is currently travelling in a vehicle being guided by the user;

obtaining data from a data source, wherein the data comprises at least one among evacuation routes, evacuation rules, demographic data, environmental conditions, external alerts, real-time traffic data, and traffic control data;

determining the emergency-related information based on the geospatial information, the input from the user, and the data obtained from the second system;

transmitting the determined emergency-related information to the device for the user via the provider; and

determining an impact of the determined emergency-related information based on external alerts, additional data from the data source, and additional user data, the additional user data comprising at least one of a quantity of requests received from the user, a quantity of routes determined for the user, and a frequency of transmitting the routes to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to request the emergency-related information by utilizing the device to send a request via the provider.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the emergency-related information based on a frequency specified by the user at the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency-related information is transmitted to the device in real-time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile communications device, a computing device, and a cellular phone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency-related information comprises at least one among a route, an alert, traffic information, environmental conditions, and a mode of transportation, wherein the route comprises at least one of a primary route and an alternate route.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the alert comprises providing instructions for the user to evacuate to a safe zone without interfering with emergency personnel.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising load balancing traffic based on the obtained data, wherein the load balancing is utilized to minimize congestion on the determined routes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing guidance on the emergency-related information based on the determined impact.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining a current route selected by a user based at least on the geospatial information;

determining and transmitting another route to the device for the user if the current route is congested.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an emergency region based on at least one of the external alerts and the geospatial information; and

determining if the user is in the emergency region based on the geospatial information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the obtaining of the data, determining of the emergency-related information, and transmitting of the emergency-related information are only performed if the user is determined to be in the emergency region.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving and transmitting is performed via a broker.

14. A computer-based system for providing emergency-related information, the system comprising:

a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions;

a personalized notification route engine (PNRE) configured to execute on the processor and communicatively linked with a provider communicatively linked to a device utilized by a user, wherein the PNRE is configured to cause the processor to;

receive geospatial information associated with the device from the provider;

receive an input at the device from the user, the input comprising an indication of whether the user is currently travelling in a vehicle being guided by the user;

obtain data from a data source comprising at least one among evacuation routes, evacuation rules, demographic data, environmental conditions, external alerts, real-time traffic data, and traffic control data;

determine the emergency-related information based on the geospatial information, the input from the user, and the obtained data; and

transmit the determined emergency-related information to the device via the provider;

an impact analytics engine (IAE) configured to execute on the processor and communicatively linked to the PNRE, wherein the IAE is configured to cause the processor to determine an impact of the determined emergency-related information based on external alerts, additional data from the data source, and additional user data, the additional user data comprising at least one of a quantity of requests received from the user, a quantity of routes determined for the user, and a frequency of transmitting the routes to the user.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising an alerting engine configured to execute on the processor, wherein the alerting engine is communicatively linked to the PNRE and the device via the provider.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the alerting engine is configured to convey at least one of a broadcast emergency message and a specific message containing the emergency-related information based on at least one of the geospatial information, the obtained data, and the external alerts.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the alerting engine is configured to receive a request from the user at the device for the emergency-related information via the provider and notify the PNRE to determine the emergency-related information.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the alerting engine is configured to receive a request to update the emergency-related information based on a frequency specified by the user at the device and notify the PNRE, and wherein the PNRE is configured to cause the processor to update the emergency-related information and transmit the updated emergency-related information at the frequency specified to the device via the alerting engine and the provider.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the emergency-related information to the device in real-time.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile device, a computing device, and a cellular phone.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the emergency-related information comprises at least one among a route, an alert, traffic information, environmental conditions, and a mode of transportation, wherein the route comprises at least one of a primary route and an alternate route.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the alert comprises providing instructions at the device for the user to evacuate to a safe zone without interfering with emergency personnel.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the PNRE is configured to load balance traffic based on the obtained data, wherein the load balancing is utilized to minimize congestion on the determined routes.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the IAE is configured to cause the processor to provide guidance on the emergency-related information to the device for the user based on the determined impact.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to determine a current route selected by a user based at least on the geospatial information and determine and transmit another route to the device for the user if the current route is congested.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine an emergency region based on at least one of the external alert and the geospatial information and determine if the user is in the emergency region based on the geospatial information.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the obtaining of the data, determining of the emergency-related information, and transmitting the emergency-related information are only performed if the user is determined to be in the emergency region.

28. The system of claim 14, further comprising integrating an application with the PNRE by utilizing an integration technology.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising integrating the provider with the PNRE by utilizing a broker.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein computer-readable instructions, which, when loaded in and executed by a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of:

receiving from a provider geospatial information associated with a device utilized by a user;

receiving an input at the device from the user, wherein the device is communicatively linked with the provider, wherein the input comprises an indication of whether the user is currently travelling in a vehicle being guided by the user;

obtaining data from a data source, wherein the data comprises at least one among evacuation routes, evacuation rules, demographic data, environmental conditions, external alerts, real-time traffic data, and traffic control data;

determining emergency-related information based on the geospatial information, the input from the user, and the data obtained from the second system;

transmitting the determined emergency-related information to the device for the user via the provider; and

determining an impact of the determined emergency-related information based on external alerts, additional data from the data source, and additional user data, the additional user data comprising at least one of a quantity of requests received from the user, a quantity of routes determined for the user, and a frequency of transmitting the routes to the user.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to enable the user to request the emergency-related information by utilizing the device to send a request via the provider.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to update the emergency-related information based on a frequency specified by the user at the device.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the emergency-related information is transmitted to the device in real-time.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile communications device, a computing device, and a cellular phone.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the emergency-related information comprises at least one among a route, an alert, traffic information, environmental conditions, and a mode of transportation, wherein the route comprises at least one of a primary route and an alternate route.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the alert comprises providing instructions for the user to evacuate to a safe zone without interfering with emergency personnel.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to load balance traffic based on the obtained data wherein the load balancing is utilized to minimize congestion on the determined routes.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to provide guidance on the emergency-related information to the user based on the determined impact.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to determine and transmit another route to the user if the route the user selects is congested.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to determine an emergency region based on at least one of the external alert and the geospatial information and determining if the user is in the emergency region based on the geospatial information.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein the obtaining of the data, determining of the emergency-related information, and transmitting of the emergency-related information are only performed if the user is determined to be in the emergency region.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the receiving and transmitting is performed via a broker.