Citizens' emergency network system and method

• US 8,630,301 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edwin V Brownrigg
• Original Assignee: Edwin V Brownrigg
• Inventors: Brownrigg, Edwin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elliott, IV, Benjamin H
• Application Number:
  US13/246,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20120076134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 370/277, 370/401, 370/913, 342/357.55, 379/27.01, 379/27.02, 379/29.03, 379/29.04, 379/32.02, 379/38, 379 85- 8808, 379/88.13, 379/93.09, 379/93.26, 379/221.03, 379/221.04, 379282-283, 455518-521
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]

Abstract

A system and method to provide an emergency communication network including a first responder device and at least one recipient by using a local agency communication node configured to relay communications using, in part, a VoIP interface to retransmit a communication received at a local agency as a ham communication received by at least one ham radio communication node which may be sent to and received by one or more recipients though a VoIP interface over the Internet.

Claims

1. A citizens'"'"' emergency network system that includes a plurality of wireless nodes operatively configured to communicate emergency messages, the system comprising:

at least one communication device;

at least one communication gateway configured to communicate with said communication device, the communication gateway configured to relay messages from the communication device to one or more intended recipients;

a network of communication nodes communicatively networked with the communication gateway, wherein at least a portion of the network of communication nodes is configured to operate in a first power state when supplied by grid power and when Internet connectivity is established, and in a second power state when not supplied by grid power and when Internet connectivity is not established, wherein the network of communication nodes is configured to receive one or more messages from at least one communication gateway and to transmit one or more messages through the network to one or more intended recipients, wherein a communication node configured to the first power state will operate in server mode, and a communication node configured to the second power state will operate in client mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication nodes monitor operational status of adjacent nodes and in response update and optimize data transmission paths.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more communication nodes operating in the first power state is configured to communicate via the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more communication nodes operating in the second power state is configured to communicate via wireless transmission.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the communication nodes are operatively coupled to a rechargeable power source capable of placing said nodes in the second power state.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the communications nodes are coupled to a solar cell capable of placing said nodes in the second power state.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the communication nodes, when operated in the first power state, configures the one or more messages to be transmitted via the Internet to the one or more intended recipients.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the communication nodes, when operated in the second power state, configures the one or more messages to be transmitted to the one or more intended recipients via wireless communication.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the communication nodes is configured with a multiple communication interface enabling serial reception and transmission of data messages on multiple transceivers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication device comprises a wireless two way transceiver having a DTMF keypad.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a RADIUS server accessible via an Internet interface, said RADIUS server operating as a gateway between said Internet interface and the Public Switched Telephone Network.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said messages are communicated under 802.11a protocol using orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM).

13. An emergency network comprising:

an agency first responder communication device capable of sending at least one message;

a first node operating in client mode having a local agency transceiver adapted to communicate with the first responder device, an antenna coupled to said local agency transceiver, a computer having an agency client VoIP interface coupled to the local agency transceiver, a first ham transceiver coupled to the computer, a first ham transceiver antenna coupled to said first ham transceiver;

a second node operating in server mode having a second ham transceiver, a second ham transceiver antenna coupled to the second ham transceiver, a computer having a server VoIP interface with Internet connectivity coupled to the second ham transceiver;

wherein said server VoIP interface permits at least one message sent by said agency first responder device to be sent by Internet to one or more recipients.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the transceivers is configured with a multiple communication interface enabling serial reception and transmission of messages on multiple transceivers.

15. A method of communication during a mass casualty event, comprising:

providing;

an agency first responder communication device capable of sending at least one message;

a first node having an agency transceiver adapted to communicate with the agency first responder device, an antenna coupled to said agency transceiver, a computer having an agency client VoIP interface coupled to the agency transceiver, a first ham transceiver coupled to the computer, a first ham antenna coupled to said first ham transceiver;

a second node having a second ham transceiver, a second ham antenna coupled to the second ham transceiver, a computer having a server VoIP interface with Internet connectivity coupled to the second ham transceiver;

wherein said server VoIP interface permits at least one message sent by said agency first responder device to be sent by Internet to one or more recipients;

powering up a plurality of nodes, including at least the first node and second node;

determining Internet connectivity through issuing a ping in the form of an Internet Control Message Protocol packet from the input/output method available on the processor to one or more reliable destination Internet addresses, wherein at least the first node does not have Internet connectivity and at least the second node has Internet connectivity;

second node entering server mode where Internet connectivity is established, and first node entering client mode where Internet connectivity is not established;

receiving a first radio communication from agency communication device through a first antenna of said first node;

retransmitting said first radio communication from agency communication device through said first node as a second communication, wherein said second communication is a ham frequency communication through said second antenna;

receiving the second communication through at least a second node operating in server mode having Internet connectivity;

retransmitting said second communication over the Internet using TCP/IP using server VoIP audio streaming as a third communication;

receipt of the third communication through the Internet by at least one recipient with Internet access.