Geolocation system-enabled speaker-microphone accessory for radio communication devices

• US 7,091,851 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tri-Sentinel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tri-Sentinel Incorporated
• Inventors: Czeszynski, Alan, Cronin, John, Burkley, Raymond, Mason, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/745,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.18, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18595 Arrangements for adapting broadband applications to satellite systems
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A communication accessory device is provided for use with a portable communication device like a radio. The accessory device, which couples to the standard communication device, includes a network system that automatically assembles a wireless network among other similarly equipped portable communication devices and control devices in an incident area and automatically assigns a unique identification to each portable communication device. The accessory device also includes a communication system that receives and transmits voice and data communications over the wireless network using at least one of High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF), Super High Frequency (SHF), Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/microwave, public safety band, cellular, satellite, and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) communications. The accessory device further includes a positioning system that automatically and periodically determines a position of the device and automatically transfers the position to control devices via the wireless network.

Claims

1. A communication accessory device for use with a portable communication device, comprising:

a network system that automatically assembles a wireless network among other portable communication devices and control devices in an area and automatically assigns a unique identification number to each portable communication device;

at least one communication system that receives and transmits voice and data communications over the wireless network using at least one of High Frequency (HF) communications, Very High Frequency (VHF) communications, Super High Frequency (SHF) communications, Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/microwave communications, public safety band communications, cellular communications, satellite communications, and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) communications;

a positioning system that automatically and periodically determines a position of the device and automatically transfers the position to at least one of the control devices via the wireless network; and

wherein the communication accessory device forms at least one coupling with the portable communication device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a speaker system, a microphone system, and a speaker-microphone system.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device includes at least one of a portable two-way radio, a portable two-way pager, a cellular telephone, and a portable processor-based communication device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one coupling with the portable communication device includes at least one of a wired coupling, a wireless coupling, and a hybrid wired/wireless coupling.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication system includes at least one transceiver system for use in a short-range incident area.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication system includes at least one two-way pager system for communications that are independent of communications of the coupled portable communication device, wherein the pager system provides at least one pre-programmed response to a user for use in responding to received messages, wherein the pre-programed responses are reprogrammable.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning system includes at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS), a Radio Frequency Identification/Direction Finding (RFID/DF) system, an accelerometer-based system, a dead reckoning system, an infrared (IR) system, an acoustic system, a triangulation system, and a signaling system.

8. A communications system, comprising:

a plurality of mobile communication devices;

a communication accessory device coupled to the mobile communication devices, the accessory device including a network subsystem and a positioning subsystem, the network subsystem automatically assembling a wireless network among the mobile communication devices for information transfer and automatically assigning at least one unique identification number to each mobile communication device, the positioning subsystem automatically generating position information of each mobile communication device; and

at least one control system coupled for information transfer with the plurality of mobile communication devices, the control system tracking and mapping individual positions of each mobile communication device using the position information and identifying each mobile communication device on the map using the identification number.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein communications among the mobile communication devices and the control system occur using at least one of High Frequency (HF) communications, Very High Frequency (VHF) communications, Super High Frequency (SHF) communications, Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/microwave communications, public safety band communications, cellular communications, satellite communications, and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) communications.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the positioning subsystem includes at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS), a Radio Frequency Identification/Direction Finding (RFID/DF) system, an accelerometer-based system, a dead reckoning system, an infrared (IR) system, an acoustic system, a triangulation system, and a signaling system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the information transfer includes voice information and data.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the identification number is a media access control (MAC) address, wherein the MAC address is associated with routing packets having modified priorities, wherein the routing packets are high quality packets that provide reliable communication between the plurality of mobile communication devices and the control system.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the control system further comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays the individual positions of each mobile communication device on a three-dimensional map.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the identification number is a media access control (MAC) address, wherein location-based multicast group Internet Protocol (IP) addressing is used to map the individual positions of each mobile communication device within an incident scene.

15. A method for automatically tracking and communicating among mobile communication devices, comprising:

coupling a communication accessory device to each of a plurality of mobile communication devices and automatically assembling a wireless network among the mobile devices and control systems in an area using at least one component of the communication accessory device, wherein assembling includes adding mobile devices and control systems to the wireless network as they arrive in the area and removing mobile devices and control systems from the wireless network as they depart the area;

receiving voice and data communications from each of the mobile devices of the wireless network, wherein the data communications include position and identification information of each mobile device of the wireless network;

tracking a position and status of a mobile device using the position and identification information; and

generating a map of an engagement and displaying individual positions, tracks, and identifications of each mobile device of the wireless network using the position and identification information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

comparing information of the voice and data communications with historical scenario and response information;

generating predictions of engagement progress using results of the comparison;

displaying the predictions on the trap; and

updating the historical scenario and response information to include at least one of the information of the voice and data communications and the generated predictions.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

comparing information of the voice and data communications with historical scenario and response information;

generating recommended courses of action using results of the comparison;

displaying the recommended courses of action on the map; and

updating the historical scenario and response information to include at least one of the information of the voice and data communications and the generated recommended courses of action.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein tracking a position and status further comprises:

generating a historical position trace for each of the mobile devices; and

displaying the position trace on the map.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving sensor data from at least one sensor of at least one mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

comparing the sensor data with historical scenario and response information;

generating predictions of engagement progress using results of the comparison;

displaying the predictions on the map;

providing indications on the display to indicate at least one of critical conditions and critical situations;

updating the historical scenario and response information to include at least one of the sensor data and the generated predictions; and

generating recommended courses of action using at least one of the results of the comparison and the predictions.