Dynamic asset marshalling within an incident communications network

• US 8,811,940 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mutualink, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mutualink, Inc.
• Inventors: Boucher, Joseph, Mazzarella, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US13/402,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20120265867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/457, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/445, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.18, 340/539.2
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention is directed to systems and methods for establishing incident communications networks. In an embodiment, the system includes an incident controller, a communications resource database that stores communications resources information and a marshalling rules module that stores a set of marshalling rules. A marshalling rule identifies how to select the communications resources to be marshaled into the incident communications network based on an incident trigger. Upon receipt of an incident trigger, the incident controller is configured to establish the incident communications network by obtaining a marshalling rule based on the incident trigger. The incident controller marshals communications resources based on the marshalling rule and the communications resources determined to be available. A wide variety of information sources can be used to determine an incident trigger. Information sources can either provide an incident trigger (e.g., a hurricane warning) or provide data to be analyzed to determine an incident trigger.

Claims

1. A system for establishing an incident communications network that enables interoperable communications among communications resources controlled by multiple parties during an incident, wherein each communications resource is controlled by an administrator within an organization or an individual, comprising:

an incident controller;

a communications resource database coupled to the incident controller configured to store communications resources information;

a marshalling rules module coupled to the incident controller configured to store a set of rules, wherein a marshaling rule identifies how to select communications resources to be marshaled into the incident communications network based on an incident trigger; and

a resource tracking module coupled to the communications resource database configured to track the availability of communications resources,

wherein the incident controller is configured such that upon receipt of an incident trigger the incident controller establishes the incident communications network by obtaining a marshalling rule based on the received incident trigger from the marshalling rules module and marshals communications resources based on the marshalling rule accessed from the marshalling rules module,

wherein the resource tracking module is configured to marshal communications resources in order of priority and/or availability, in substitution of an initially specified communications resource or other substitute communications resources when a substitute communications resource is unavailable.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications resources information includes for each communications resource a unique resource identifier, a unique combination of identifiers, a resource type, an organization, a jurisdiction, an administrator, a geographic location indicator, a time-proximity indicator, wherein the time-proximity indicator indicates the time needed for a communications resource to be located to the incident area, a status and/or alternative means to communicate with each communications resource or the administrator controlling each communications resource.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a rule within the set of marshalling rules includes the geographical proximity and/or time proximity to the incident in which communications resources should be marshalled.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a rule with the set of marshalling rules includes as a factor an importance of a communications resource to be marshalled into the incident communications network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a rule specifies whether communications resources should be marshalled into or removed from the incident communications network as incident conditions evolve.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the marshalling rules module further comprises one or more algorithms that dynamically generate the communications resources that should be marshalled into the incident communications network based upon incident conditions.

7. The system of claim 1, farther comprising an incident detection module coupled to the incident controller, wherein the incident detection module is configured to receive and analyze information sources to determine incident triggers.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the information sources include traffic reports, transportation reports, police reports, fire repo its, missing person reports, security alarms, national weather service alerts, 911 call information, gunshot alerts, video surveillance video streams, video analytics system reports, communications resources alert messages, law enforcement and public safety intelligence reports, damage assessment reports, medical assessment and capacity reports, equipment availability status, public danger alerts, Internet social media feeds, RFID sensors alerts, and geographic location or position reports, hazardous material reports, border or trip sensor reports, environmental monitor reports, mechanical or electromechanical system status reports, human and/or machine based pattern recognition or detection system reports, keyword or concept mined reports derived from other source documents or data, personnel life support systems reports and physiological sensor reports.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the resource tracking module is configured to transmit requests to communication resources to confirm availability of communication resources.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the frequency of requests are based on the relative importance of the communications resources.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the resource tracking module is configured to receive status messages from communications resources, wherein the status messages provide an availability of the communications resource.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the resource tracking module is configured to generate alerts when a specified communications resource is unavailable.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the marshalling rules module is configured to marshal video resources in proximity to a location of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear sensor generating alert.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a marshalling heuristic analysis module coupled to the marshalling rules module, wherein the marshalling heuristic analysis module is configured to monitor incident communications network interactions to heuristically improve marshalling rules.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the marshalling heuristic analysis module is configured to enable parties that participated in the incident communications network to rate the value of the communications resources within the incident communications network.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the marshalling heuristic analysis module generates an activity, rating and/or performance metrics for each communications resource involved in the incident communications network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the marshalling heuristic analysis module is configured to modify one or more marshalling rules based on the activity and performance metrics.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface coupled to the incident controller.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display an incident geographical map around the location of an incident that identifies the location and availability of communications resources.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein, upon receiving a request for information about a communications resource displayed on the incident geographical map, the graphical user interface is configured to display information regarding the communications resources.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the incident geographical map displays communications resources that are not part of the incident communications network, and organizes the communications resources that are displayed into groupings based on common characteristics.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the groupings are based on type, organization, location, and/or jurisdiction.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the incident controller is configured to invite or remove communications resources from the incident communications network based on inputs received through the graphical user interface.

24. A method for establishing an incident communications network that enables interoperable communications among communications resources controlled by multiple parties during an incident, wherein each communications resource is controlled by an administrator within an organization or an individual, comprising:

determining an incident trigger;

determining communications resources to be marshalled into the incident communications network based on the incident trigger; and

establishing the incident communications network among the communications resources to be marshalled into the incident communications network;

tracking communications resource activity;

rating communications resources contributions to the incident communications network; and

modifying one or more rules to determine communications resources that should be marshalled into future incident communications networks.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving incident information and analyzing the incident information to determine the incident trigger.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising registering communications resources within a communications resources database.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising assigning privilege defaults to communications resource that control access to communications resources within the incident communications network.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising monitoring communications resources to determine communications resource status and location.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising receiving status and location information from mobile communications resources.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising notifying communications resources using alternative communications means when a communications resource is not available through a primary communications means.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising, upon determining an incident trigger, displaying a geographical display of communications resources within a specified geographical area around the incident.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising displaying whether each of the communications resources will be marshalled into the incident communications network.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising displaying a type of each communications resource displayed on the geographical display.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein determining an incident trigger includes analyzing received information sources to determine the incident trigger.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the information sources information sources include traffic reports, transportation reports, police reports, fire reports, missing person reports, security alarms, national weather service alerts, 911 call information, gunshot alerts, video surveillance video streams, video analytics system reports, communications resources alert messages, law enforcement and public safety intelligence reports, damage assessment reports, medical assessment and capacity reports, equipment availability status, public danger alerts, Internet social media feeds, RFID sensors alerts, and geographic location or position reports, hazardous material reports, border or trip sensor reports, environmental monitor reports, mechanical or electromechanical system status reports, human and/or machine based pattern recognition or detection system reports, keyword or concept mined reports derived from other source documents or data, personnel life support systems reports and physiological sensor reports.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising creating sessions within the incident communications network based upon the classification status of the information source and a security classification of administrators and communications resources.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising displaying a security level of each communications resource and administrator.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising controlling communications to administrators or communications resources based on security level.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein establishing the incident communications network includes:

establishing an incident identifier associated with the incident;

transmitting an electronic message to invite one or more individuals and one or more administrators to be electronically coupled to the incident communications network, wherein an administrator controls a set of communication resources within an organization and an individual controls a personal communications resource;

establishing communications among individuals and administrators that accept the invitation to be electronically coupled to the incident communications network;

establishing communications among communications resources controlled by administrators and individuals that accept the invitation to be electronically coupled to the incident communications network, wherein communications among administrators, individuals and communications resources are exchanged on one or more communications channels associated with the incident identifier; and

granting communication rights to communications resources, wherein the rights granted for a communications resource are determined by an administrator that controls the communications resource or by communications rights stored in a database, wherein an administrator retains control of communications resources that were under the control of the administrator prior to the start of the incident, wherein control is the ability to determine the capabilities of the communications resource that are made available to other organizations within the incident communications network.

40. A system for establishing an incident communications network that enables interoperable communications among communications resources controlled by multiple parties during an incident, wherein each communications resource is controlled by an administrator within an organization or an individual, comprising:

an incident controller;

a communications resource database coupled to the incident controller configured to store communications resources information;

a marshalling rules module coupled to the incident controller configured to store a set of rules, wherein a marshaling rule identifies how to select communications resources to be marshaled into the incident communications network based on an incident trigger;

a graphical user interface coupled to the incident controller, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display an incident geographical map around the location of an incident that identifies the location and availability of communications resources, wherein the incident geographical map displays communications resources, which are not part of the incident communications network, and organizes the communications resources into groupings based on common characteristics,

wherein the incident controller is configured such that upon receipt of an incident trigger the incident controller establishes the incident communications network by obtaining a marshalling rule based on the received incident trigger from the marshalling rules module and marshals communications resources based on the marshals rule accessed from the marshalling rules module.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the communications resources information includes for each communications resource a unique resource identifier, a unique combination of identifiers, a resource type, an organization, a jurisdiction, an administrator, a geographic location indicator, a time-proximity indicator, wherein the time-proximity indicator indicates the time needed for a communications resource to be located to the incident area, a status and/or alternative means to communicate with each communications resource or the administrator controlling each communications resource.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein a rule within the set of marshalling rules includes the geographical proximity and/or time proximity to the incident in which communications resources should be marshalled.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein a rule within the set of marshalling rules includes as a factor an importance of a communications resource to be marshalled into the incident communications network.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein a rule specifies whether communications resources should be marshalled into or removed from the incident communications network as incident conditions evolve.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein the marshalling rules module further comprises one or more algorithms that dynamically generate the communications resources that should be marshalled into the incident communications network based upon incident conditions.

46. The system of claim 40, further comprising a resource tracking module coupled to the resource database configured to track the availability of communications resources.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the resource tracking module is configured to marshal communications resources in order of priority and/or availability, in substitution of an initially specified communications resource or other substitute communications resources when a substitute communications resource is unavailable.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein a determination whether to transmit an identity and state of availability of a communications resource to participants in the incident communications network is controlled by the administrator.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein upon communicating a communications resource'"'"'s availability the administrator grants one or more other participants in the incident communications network remote control over the communications resource with respect to entry and exit into the incident communication network.

50. The system of claim 40, further comprising a marshalling heuristic analysis module coupled to the marshalling rules module, wherein the marshalling heuristic analysis module is configured to monitor incident communications network interactions to heuristically improve marshalling rules.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the marshalling heuristic analysis module is configured to enable parties that participated in the incident communications network to rate the value of the communications resources within the incident communications network.