METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING AND ESTABLISHING A DEPLOYABLE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20080061122A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Klein, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,612,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A pack of portable radios (110), at least one of which includes a radio frequency identification (RF ID) reader; a deployable infrastructure, including deployable infrastructure elements (160, 170) are packaged into a unitary package (110) shipped and stored for on-site configuration without the use of local infrastructure and without prior knowledge of communication system operation. A plurality of RF ID tags (404) coupled to each portable radio (112) and the deployable infrastructure elements (160, 170) provide tracking information to the RF ID reader for transmitting to the deployable infrastructure elements. The tracking identification information can be used for both inventory tracking and location tracking of the portable radios and infrastructure elements deployed in the field.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a pack of portable radios, at least one of which includes a radio frequency identification (RF ID) reader;

a deployable infrastructure, including deployable infrastructure elements;

a unitary package for shipping and storing the pack of portable radios and deployable infrastructure elements for on-site configuration of the communication system without the use of local infrastructure and without prior knowledge of communication system operation; and

a plurality of RF ID tags coupled to each portable radio and the deployable infrastructure elements to provide inventory tracking information to the RF ID reader for transmitting to the deployable infrastructure elements.

2. The communication system claim 1, wherein the identification provided by the RF ID tags is also used for location tracking of the portable radios and deployable infrastructure elements.

3. The communication system claim 2, wherein the location tracking is provided by GPS technology.

4. The communication system claim 3, further comprising additional RF ID tags shipped within the unitary package for placement on rescue equipment used in conjunction with the communication system.

5. The communication system claim 4, wherein the RF ID tas are used for inventory and location tracking of the rescue equipment in addition to inventory and location tracking of the portable radios and the deployable infrastructure elements.

6. The communication system claim 5, wherein a portable dispatch station is included within the unitary package as part of the deployable infrasturcutre elelemtns to track the RF ID tags.

7. The communication system claim 5, wherein a remote dispatch station, external to the unitary package, is used to track the RF ID tags.

8. The communication system claim 6, wherein the plurality of deployable infrastructure elements includes:

a portable repeater;

an extendable antenna platform for supporting the portable repeater; and

portable console providing portable dispatch capability.

9. A communication system, comprising:

a pack of portable radios, at least one of which includes an RF ID reader;

a deployable infrastructure, including;

a portable repeater;

an extendable antenna platform for supporting the portable repeater;

a portable console to providing a dispatch station;

a unitary kit for shipping and storing the pack of portable radios and deployable infrastructure elements for on-site configuration of the communication system without the use of local infrastructure and without prior knowledge of communication system operation; and

a plurality of RF ID tags coupled to each portable radio, the portable repeater, the extendable antenna platform, the portable console and the unitary kit, the plurality of RF ID tags providing inventory tracking information to the RF ID reader for transmitting to the dispatch station.

10. A method for forming a communications system, comprising:

placing an order for a portable communication system that operates as one of a stand-alone infrastructure system and an expanded infrastructure system;

in response to the order packaging a plurality of deployable communication elements formed of portable radios and portable infrastructure into a unitary package, at least one of the portable radios including a radio frequency identification (RF ID) reader;

packing a plurality of RF ID tags within the unitary package;

shipping the package;

receiving and unpacking the package to automatically deploy the communication system; and

attaching the RF ID tags to at least one of the plurality of communication elements for inventory asset tracking, the RF ID tags and reader also providing identification to be used in location tracking the plurality of communication elements.

11. The method of claim 10, further including in the order placement:

selecting the frequency band of operation; and

assigning a disposable battery option for the stand-alone infrastructure and a rechargeable battery option for the expanded mode infrastructure.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing the package for a predetermined amount of time based on the assigned battery option.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of unpacking enables automatic power-up of the communication system.

14. A communication system comprising:

a pack of portable radios;

a plurality of deployable infrastructure elements;

a unitary package for shipping the pack of portable radios and plurality of deployable infrastructure elements for on-site configuration of the communication system; and

an electronic checklist included within the unitary package for tracking the pack of portable radios and deployable infrastructure elements once removed from the unitary package and deployed.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein the tracking capability includes at least one of inventory tracking and location tracking.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and an RFID reader are provided within the unitary package for tracking the portable radios and deployable infrastructure once deployed on-site.

17. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the unitary package further includes:

a carry tray with slots, each slot for retaining one of the portable radios, each slot providing individual identification for each radio to be used for tracking upon deployment of the system.