Mobile temporary incident area network for local communications interoperability

• US 7,508,840 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Delaney, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US10/943,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20050265256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18539 Arrangements for managing radio, resources, i.e. for establishing or releasing a connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• 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 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An ad hoc emergency interoperability communication network is established by providing universal temporary incident area network modules that communicate with each other on an open network, with the network being established when vehicles containing the temporary incident area network modules are within range of each other.

Claims

1. A method for establishing communications interoperability at an incident between differing entities having dissimilar communications devices operating on differing isolated networks, comprising the steps of:

providing each of the entities with a temporary incident area network module having the ability to wirelessly communicate with other modules, each module communicating with at least one communications device and converting traffic between the associated communications device and the module to a universal protocol and a common frequency; and

,

causing the first of the modules arriving at the incident to set up an ad hoc temporary incident area network, each module having a range for establishing communication, the first of the modules detecting the presence of other modules arriving at the incident when they come into range and establishing communications with the newly-arriving modules, whereby interoperability is established between all of the communications devices at the incident regardless of communication device protocol or frequency compatibility.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the modules sets up a routing topology.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of setting up a routing topology includes the step of assigning different IP addresses to different arriving modules, whereby each arriving module is individually addressable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the modules is under control of an incident commander.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first of the modules is under the control of an incident commander and wherein the incident commander establishes the routing topology.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the communications devices is switchable between communicating with its associated module and its isolated network, whereby an entity can either communicate with all entities at the incident, or with only entities logged onto the associated isolated network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each module converts any analog communications from the associated communications device to a digital format.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein any analog voice communication from a communications device is converted using a voice over Internet protocol converter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the module is an add-on to an existing radio that communicates with an associated communications device over an isolated network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the module is a standalone unit having a transceiver for communicating with an associated communications device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the module is powered by a self-contained battery and further including the step of locating the standalone module at a convenient location at the incident, the module having a range exceeding that of an associated communications device, whereby the range of the associated communications device is extended when the associated communications device is communicating with the standalone module.

12. A system for aiding first responders to an incident to intercommunicate regardless of the type of communications devices used by the first responders, comprising:

a temporary incident area network module for one or more of said communications devices, said module converting the frequencies and protocols of the communications devices coupled thereto to a universal frequency and protocol and establishing wireless communication between universal modules using said universal frequency and protocol, one of said modules setting up an ad hoc temporary incident area network at said incident, such that when additional modules arrive at the incident, said ad hoc temporary incident area network permits interoperability between communications devices used by the first responders arriving at the incident.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the protocol used by said modules is one in which all analog communications are converted to digital data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein analog voice communications from a communications device are converted by a VoIP converter to digital data.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein each of said modules includes means for detecting the arrival of additional modules in range and for assigning a digital address to a detected module.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said address is an IP address.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein different communications devices are set to communicate over different frequencies and wherein said modules communicate on one frequency.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein different communications devices communicate using different protocols and wherein said modules communicate using a common protocol.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said communications devices include a switch for switching from communicating over an isolated network to communicating with an associated module.