Access of information using a situational network

• US 8,036,632 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SitNet LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
• Inventors: Ehrlacher, Edward A., Kravets, Leonid, Cona, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US11/924,731
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/418, 705/2, 700/7
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of sharing information related to an emergency event using a situational network includes establishing a situational network having multiple access levels in response to an indication of the occurrence of an emergency event. Access to information related to the emergency event is provided based on an access level of a participant in the situational network, where the access level is automatically obtained based on the role of the participant relative to the emergency event. Communication between participants of the situational network is facilitated based on the access level of the participants.

Claims

1. A method of sharing information related to an emergency event using a situational network, the method comprising:

establishing a situational network having multiple access levels in response to an indication of the occurrence of an emergency event;

facilitating unrestricted bi-directional communication between participants of the situational network having a first access level, and moderating communications between participants having access levels other than the first access level response to available bandwidth within the situational network;

aggregating the information related to the emergency event shared between the participants in the different levels connected through he situational network; and

allowing access to the aggregated information related to the emergency event based on the access levels of participants in the situational network, the access to the information being, restricted for access levels other than the first access level when the communication bandwidth available within the situational networks low, wherein the access level is automatically obtained based on the role of the participant relative to the emergency event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access level of the participant is changed based on a change in their role relative to the emergency event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first level of access is provided to emergency responders, a second level of access is provided to individuals affected by the emergency event, and a third level of access is provided to relief agencies.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the moderating includes restricting the participants having a first level of access from communicating with participants having a second level of access.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transfer of the information from a second level of access to the first level of access is unidirectional.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the participants having a second level of access are restricted from accessing the aggregated information provided to the participants having the first level of access.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency event is related to the occurrence of a weather phenomenon.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a home page of a web browser running on a device corresponding to the participant is automatically re-directed to a website with the information related to the emergency event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregating of the information includes forming a near real time spatial representation of the emergency event using audio and video data obtained from the participants across the multiple access levels, the audio and video date being tagged with location and time coordinates.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

forming a temporal representation of the emergency event based on a plurality of spatial representations aggregated at different time intervals.

11. A system for sharing information related to an emergency event using a situational network, the system comprising:

a central server, corresponding to a situation authority, configured to establish situational network having multiple access levels in response to an indication of the occurrence of an emergency event, facilitate unrestricted bi-directional communication between participants of the situational network having a first access level, and moderating communications between participants having access levels other than the first access level in response to available bandwidth within the situational network, aggregate the information related to the emergency event shared between the participants in the different levels connected through the situational network, and allow access to the aggregated information related to the emergency event based on an access level of a participant in the situational network, the access to the information being restricted for access levels other than the first access level when the communication bandwidth available within the situational network is low, wherein the access level is automatically obtained based on the role of the participant relative to the emergency event;

a database corresponding to the central server for storing the information related to the emergency event; and

a plurality of devices, corresponding to the participants of the situational network, configured to connect the participants via the situational network, and receive information related to the emergency event based on the access level of the participant in the situational network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a home page of a web browser running on each of the plurality of devices is automatically re-directed to a website with the information related to the emergency event.