ENHANCED PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110237287A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Young, Steven E., Alazraki, Scott M., Blanco, Alejandro G., Brooks, Eric D., Klein, David E., Monks, Deborah J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/203 for converged personal network application service interworking, e.g. OMA converged personal network services [CPNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• 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 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A communication system (100) provides collaboration between narrowband communication devices (102) and broadband communication devices (104) operating over different networks. The communication devices (102, 104) are linked to provide peer-to-peer communication that supports the dissemination of public safety information to a public safety personnel user utilizing the devices. Applications within the devices (102, 104) automatically control features amongst the plurality of devices for redundancy of critical information, removal of non-critical information and power management. Context information can also be examined and shared between amongst the devices.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of communication devices for operation by a single user, at least one of the plurality of communication devices being a narrowband communication device operating in a public safety system and at least one other of the plurality of communication devices being a broadband communication device operating in a broadband system; and

the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device being paired over a master-less communication link for a public safety mode of operation in which the broadband communication device operates as a partner device for expanding user interface elements to the narrowband communication device.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the master-less link comprises a peer-to-peer network that provides automated collaboration between the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device without user interaction.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the user interface elements relay public safety information on the broadband communication device.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the public safety mode of operation utilizes public safety applications downloaded into both the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device.

5. The communication system of claim 4, wherein the public safety applications operating over the information sharing link pair the broadband communication device with the narrowband communication device such that the broadband communication device operates as a partner device.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device have applications downloaded therein providing collaboration between the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device, the applications targeted to productivity associated with the user'"'"'s responsibilities and job role.

7. A communication system, comprising:

a set of communication devices formed of public safety communication devices and non public safety communication devices, the set of communication devices linked together for an interconnected peer to peer network, the linked communication devices supporting public safety information and status sharing via a safety net application that controls the delivery of safety information to and from the linked communication devices, the safety net application ensuring that information is sent to the most appropriate communication device and to the most appropriate user interface element of the communication device.

8. The communication system of claim 7, wherein the safety net application controls device interconnectivity for controlling general event sharing, coordinated event sharing, coordinated bi-directional event sharing, and both application and event sharing.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the safety net application controls the user interface elements comprising:

display, loudspeaker, and keyboard.

10. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the safety net application controls transmit and receive functionality of the public safety communication devices and non public safety communication devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the safety net application controls one or more of:

personal area connectivity control, display color, intelligent lighting, time out timers, level event driven triggers, power management, user interface, event sharing protocols, and public safety wide area voice, integrated voice and data protocols.

12. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of communication devices comprising at least one public safety communication device and at least one broadband communication device, the plurality of communication devices each including a local network subsystem, the local network subsystem automatically assembling a master-less wireless network converting the plurality of communication devices to peer-to-peer communication devices sharing information over an information sharing link; and

the peer-to-peer communication devices respond to receiving an event trigger at either of the broadband communication device or the narrowband communication device and providing a response based on the shared information.

13. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the event trigger produces a response which controls transmit and receive functionality of the narrowband device and the broadband device

14. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the event trigger produces a response of relaying information to predetermined user interface elements of the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device in a predetermined collaborative manner.

15. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the at least one broadband communication device comprises a public safety radio operating within a public safety system.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the broadband device operates within a broadband system and the communication system further comprises a secure network link between the public safety system and the broadband system

17. The communication system of claim 12, further comprising:

context determination devices for collecting context information surrounding the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device, wherein the context information is shared and relayed over the information sharing link between the narrowband device and the broadband device in a collaborative manner in accordance with the predetermined applications.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the context determination devices provide predetermined event triggers to either of the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device.

19. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of handheld and bodily worn communications devices comprising public safety communication devices and non public safety communication devices;

a public safety application programmed into each of the public safety communication devices and the non public safety communication devices, the public safety applications placing the public safety communication devices and the non public safety communication devices into a public safety mode of operation in which the non public safety communication devices provide extended public safety communication features to the public safety communication devices; and

a peer-to-peer link enabled between the public safety communication devices and the non public safety communication devices to provide automated dissemination and coordination of public safety information amongst the public safety and non public safety communication devices in accordance with the public safety applications.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the public safety applications control transmit functionality, receive functionality and relaying of public safety information in response to event triggers to teach of the public safety communication device and the non public safety communication device in a collaborative manner.

21. The communication system of claim 20, herein the plurality of communication devices further includes context information gathering devices, and wherein context information is gathered and relayed to the public safety communication devices and the non public safety communication devices accordance with the public safety applications.

22. A method of disseminating public safety information, comprising:

pairing a public safety communication device with a non public safety communication device over a shared information link;

receiving public safety information over a public safety network;

automatically sharing the public safety information with the non public safety communication device in accordance with a public safety application; and

collaborating an exchange of the public safety information between the public safety communication device and the non public safety communication device for presentation to the user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein collaborating comprises determining user interface elements of the public safety communication device and the non public safety communication device for optimum relaying of the public safety information to the user.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

gathering context information from a public safety environment surrounding the paired public safety communication device and non public safety communication device; and

relaying the gathered context information in accordance with the public safety application and determined user interface elements.

25. A communication system, comprising:

a narrowband communication device operating over a private narrowband network of a public safety system;

a broadband communication device operating over a public or private network of a broadband system;

a secure network link operating between the public safety system and the broadband system; and

an information sharing link between the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device, the information sharing link operating in accordance with public safety applications downloaded into each of the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device, the public safety applications controlling collaborative operation between the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device such that the broadband communication device provides an expanded public safety user interface to the narrowband communication device, and the collaborative operation relays information to user interface elements of the narrowband communication device and user interface elements of the broadband communication device.

26. The communication system of claim 25, wherein the public safety applications are downloaded to the broadband communication device over the secure network link, and the public safety applications are downloaded to the narrowband communication device over the private narrowband network.

27. The communication system of claim 25, wherein the public safety applications further control gathering current context information surrounding the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device, the public safety applications controlling relaying the current context information to the user interface elements of the narrowband communication device and the broadband communication device.

28. The communication system of claim 25, wherein the public safety applications automatically control providing redundancy of critical information, removal of non critical information and power management amongst the narrowband communication device and broadband communication device.

29. The communication system of claim 25, further comprising a vehicle having an in-vehicle docking station and vehicular sensors for gathering vehicular context information and transferring the vehicular context information over the private narrowband network for communication to the narrowband communication device.

30. The communication system of claim 25, further comprising:

a dispatch and information management center operating within the public safety system, the dispatch and information management center storing the public safety applications.

31. The communication system of claim 30, wherein the secure network link controls routing of information from the broadband communication device into the narrowband communication device using the dispatch and information management center.