Method and apparatus for receiving a data stream during an incident

• US 9,226,124 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Schuler, Francesca, Chen, Ethan Y., Reitsma, Katrin, Marocchi, James A., Whitelock, Lisa S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US13/731,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20140187190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/3.06, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455418-420
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided, for accessing a data-capture device in a different domain, by public safety wireless communications equipment, for the purpose of obtaining information at an incident. A dispatch controller of a public safety wireless communications system receives an access token from a server of a non-public-safety network, when an incident occurs. The token allows access to a data-capture device, and is associated with the incident. The dispatch controller sends the token to the data-capture device, receives a data stream, and forwards the data stream to a public safety wireless communication device. The public safety wireless communication device may itself discover and access the data-capture device, and may receive the data stream directly from the data-capture device. The public safety wireless communication device may forward the data stream and/or the access token to other public safety wireless communication devices.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a data-capture device, by public safety wireless communications equipment during an incident, the method comprising:

sending an authentication request from a public safety authentication and authorization (PSAA) server to an ID management server (IDMS);

issuing, by the IDMS, an authentication token to the PSAA server;

sending, by the PSAA server, an access request to a server in a non public-safety network, the access request comprising the authentication token and an identifier of an incident;

in response to sending the access request to the server in the non public-safety network, receiving, by a dispatch controller of a public-safety wireless communication system and via the PSAA server, a token from the server of the non-public safety network at a time of occurrence of the incident, the token allowing access to the at least one data-capture device, wherein the at least one data capture device is in a domain of the server and the token indicating an association with an incident-based parameter generated by the dispatch controller;

sending, by the dispatch controller, the token to the at least one data-capture device;

receiving, by the dispatch controller, a data stream from the at least one data-capture device; and

forwarding, by the dispatch controller, the data stream to a public safety wireless communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the dispatch controller receiving the data stream directly from the at least one data-capture device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the dispatch controller receiving the data stream from the at least one data-capture device via the server of the non-public safety network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the authentication request from the public safety authentication and authorization (PSAA) server to the ID management server (IDMS) comprises:

receiving, by the PSAA from the dispatch controller, an authentication and access request server.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, by the public safety authentication and authorization (PSAA) server, the token from the server of the non public-safety network; and

forwarding, by the PSAA server, the token to the dispatch controller.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

the PSAA server;

sending the authentication and access request to the server in the non public-safety network via a public-safety meta server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

in an emergency, the public-safety meta server unlocking one or more non-PS servers or non-PS devices, by;

sending an access token.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

the authentication and access request comprising at least one from the following;

an identifier of the incident;

an identifier of the jurisdiction of the public safety wireless communication system;

a geo-location of the incident; and

a geo-fence boundary.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispatch controller is a computer aided dispatch (CAD) unit, and wherein the method further comprises detecting data capture devices in a vicinity of the incident by one or more of:

the CAD repeatedly polling equipment in the vicinity of the incident; and

public safety wireless communication devices automatically reporting found data-capture devices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the token allowing access to at least one data-capture device in a domain of a second non-PS server, the token thereby defining an incident vicinity that spans at least two domains.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the server is a private domain server;

the at least one data-capture device is a surveillance camera or a smart phone operated in the private domain, and is not accessible to the public safety wireless communication device without the token; and

the incident-based parameter comprises at least one of;

a geographical boundary of the incident;

a jurisdictional boundary of the incident; and

a security domain.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, by the dispatch controller, a user of a public safety wireless communication device as a responder to the incident by forwarding the token to the public safety wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the dispatch controller, an incident identifier associated with the incident; and

providing, by the dispatch controller, the incident identifier to one of more of the non-public safety network and a first responder;

wherein the incident-based parameter is based on the incident identifier.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the data stream to a public safety wireless communication device comprises:

providing the token to a plurality of public safety wireless communication devices; and

in response to providing the token to the plurality of public safety wireless communication devices, permitting the plurality of public safety wireless communication devices to view the data stream.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the dispatch controller, that the incident has changed; and

in response to determining that the incident has changed, altering, by the dispatch controller, the token such that one or more of;

authorization to be part of an incident response team is terminated for of one or more public safety wireless communication devices that are members of the incident response team; and

additional public safety wireless communication devices are enabled to become members of the incident response team.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the dispatch controller, an indication of an occurrence of an incident;

identifying, by the dispatch controller, at least one non-public safety data- capture device at a location of the incident;

generating, by the dispatch controller, the incident-based parameter that defines the incident; and

transmitting, by the dispatch controller, the incident-based parameter to a public safety network element.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispatch controller includes the PSAA server.

18. A method of accessing a data-capture device by public safety wireless communications equipment during an incident, the method comprising:

a dispatch controller of a public safety wireless communications system;

receiving a token from a server of a non-public safety network at a time of occurrence of an incident, the token allowing access to the at least one data-capture device, wherein the at least one data capture device is in a domain of the server and the token indicating an association with the incident-based parameter generated by the dispatch controller;

sending the token to the at least one data-capture device;

receiving a data stream from the at least one data-capture device;

forwarding the data stream to a public safety wireless communication device;

the dispatch controller further;

creating a network of one or more public safety wireless communication devices and one or more data-capture devices at the time of the incident; and

varying membership of the network dynamically, in response to changes to the location and/or severity of the incident, by;

changing the token and/or changing the incident location information in the token, to change a set of data-capture devices covered by the token;

changing a list of public safety wireless communication devices that are provided with the token.

19. A method of accessing a data-capture device by public safety wireless communications equipment during an incident, the method comprising:

sending an authentication request from a public safety authentication and authorization (PSAA) server to an ID management server (IDMS);

issuing, by the IDMS, an authentication token to the PSAA server;

sending, by the PSAA server, an access request to a server in a non public-safety network, the access request comprising the authentication token and an identifier of an incident;

in response to sending the access request to the server in the non public-safety network, receiving, by a dispatch controller of a public-safety wireless communication system and via the PSAA server, a token from the server of the non-public safety network, the token allowing access to at least one data-capture device in a domain of the server and the token having an association with the incident;

sending, by the dispatch controller, the token to at least one public safety wireless communication device;

sending, by the at least one public safety wireless communication device, the token to the data-capture device or a server of the non-public safety network; and

receiving, by the at least one public safety wireless communication device, a data stream directly from the data-capture device or the server of the non-public safety network.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing, by the at least one public safety wireless communication device, the token to other members of a communication group that includes the first responder.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

using, by the other members of the communication group, the token to access the at least one data-capture device or the server of the non-public safety network.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the dispatch controller includes the PSAA server.