Web-based emergency response exercise management systems and methods thereof

• US 8,827,714 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2009
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America), National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America), Sandia National Laboratories (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Goforth, John W., Mercer, Michael B., Heath, Zach, Yang, Lynn I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zaman, Sadaruz
• Application Number:
  US12/488,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 434/43, 434/218, 434/219, 434/223, 434/224, 434/239, 434/258
• US Class Current: 434/219
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method for simulating portions of an emergency response exercise includes generating situational awareness outputs associated with a simulated emergency and sending the situational awareness outputs to a plurality of output devices. Also, the method includes outputting to a user device a plurality of decisions associated with the situational awareness outputs at a decision point, receiving a selection of one of the decisions from the user device, generating new situational awareness outputs based on the selected decision, and repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness outputs. Other methods, systems, and computer program products are included according to other embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for simulating portions of an emergency response exercise, the method comprising:

generating situational awareness outputs associated with a simulated emergency;

sending the situational awareness outputs to a plurality of output devices;

outputting a plurality of decisions at a decision point to a user device, the decisions being associated with the situational awareness outputs;

receiving a selection of one of the decisions from the user device;

generating new situational awareness outputs based on the selected decision; and

repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness outputs.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging the selected decisions on a physical data storage medium, wherein the situational awareness outputs are associated with the simulated emergency by type of emergency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the situational awareness outputs include simulated decisions of necessary parties, wherein at least one of the situational awareness outputs comprises one or more of an audio message and a video message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions, generating new situational awareness outputs based on the received decision, and repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness outputs, wherein the decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions is a user-defined decision.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the decisions are made by one or more trainees, and wherein the output devices are near the one or more trainees taking part in the emergency response exercise.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device is a handheld device having a touchscreen, and further comprising filtering one or more of the decision points.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging the selected decisions on a physical data storage medium,

filtering one or more of the decision points;

receiving a decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions,

generating new situational awareness outputs based on the received decision, and

repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness outputs,

wherein the decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions is a user-defined decision,

wherein the situational awareness outputs are associated with the simulated emergency by type of emergency

where the decisions are made by one or more trainees,

wherein the output devices are near the one or more trainees taking part in the emergency response exercise, and

wherein which decision point is output during the repeating depends upon the previously-selected decision.

8. A non-transitory computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for generating situational awareness outputs associated with a simulated emergency;

computer code for sending the situational awareness outputs to a plurality of output devices;

computer code for outputting a plurality of decisions at a decision point to a user device, the decisions being associated with the situational awareness outputs;

computer code for receiving a selection of one of the decisions from the user device;

computer code for generating new situational awareness outputs based on the selected decision; and

computer code for repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness outputs.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer code for logging the selected decisions on a physical data storage medium;

and

computer code for simulating at least one of the decisions at least one of the decision points.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the situational awareness outputs include simulated decisions of necessary parties.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer code for receiving a decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions, computer code for generating new situational awareness outputs based on the received decision, and computer code for initiating activation of the computer code for sending, outputting and receiving using the new situational awareness outputs.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the user device is a handheld device having a touchscreen, and

wherein the computer code for repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness outputs performs the repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on a set of road-maps.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the selectable decisions are output on a graphical user interface along with a representation of at least some of the associated situational awareness outputs and a previously-selected decision.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer code for logging the selected decisions on a physical data storage medium;

computer code for simulating at least one of the decisions at at least one of the decision points;

computer code for receiving a decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions;

computer code for generating new situational awareness outputs based on the received decision; and

computer code for initiating activation of the computer code for sending, outputting and receiving using the new situational awareness outputs,

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the situational awareness outputs include simulated decisions of necessary parties,

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the selectable decisions are output on a graphical user interface along with a representation of at least some of the associated situational awareness outputs and a previously-selected decision,

wherein the user device is a handheld device having a touchscreen,

wherein the computer code for repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness outputs performs the repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on a set of road-maps, and

wherein the computer program product is operable such that which decision point is output during the repeating depends upon the previously-selected decision.

15. A system for simulating portions of an emergency response exercise, the system comprising:

a central server for generating situational awareness outputs associated with a simulate emergency;

a plurality of output devices receiving and outputting the situational awareness outputs; and

a user device for outputting a plurality of decisions at a decision point, the decisions being associated with the situational awareness outputs;

wherein the central server receives a selection of one of the decisions from the user device;

wherein the central server generates new situational awareness outputs based on the selected decision;

wherein the central server repeats the sending, outputting and receiving based on the new situational awareness outputs.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a data storage medium upon which the selected decisions are written for logging thereof, and logic for applying one or more labels to one or more of the decision points.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is operable such that the situational awareness outputs include simulated decisions of necessary parties.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the central server receives a decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions, and generates new situational awareness outputs based on the received decision, and repeats the sending, outputting and receiving based on the new situational awareness outputs.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the output devices are near trainees taking part in the emergency response exercise, and

wherein the user device is a handheld device having a touchscreen.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein each decision point comprises:

one or more inputs;

one or more outputs; and

one or more choices,

wherein the inputs comprise one or more of simulated events (Sim-Events) and pre-requisite decisions,

wherein the outputs comprise one or more of simulated requests (Sim-Requests), and

wherein the choices correspond to a decision outcome.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is operable such that the selectable decisions are output on a graphical user interface along with a representation of at least some of the associated situational awareness outputs and a previously-selected decision.

22. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a data storage medium upon which the selected decisions are written for logging thereof, and logic for applying one or more labels to one or more of the decision points,

wherein each decision point comprises;

one or more inputs;

one or more outputs; and

one or more choices,

wherein the inputs comprise one or more of simulated events (Sim-Events) and pre-requisite decisions,

wherein the outputs comprise one or more of simulated requests (Sim-Requests), and

wherein the choices correspond to a decision outcome,

wherein the system is operable such that the situational awareness outputs include simulated decisions of necessary parties,

wherein the central server receives a decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions, and generates new situational awareness outputs based on the received decision, and repeats the sending, outputting and receiving based on the new situational awareness outputs,

wherein the system is operable such that the selectable decisions are output on a graphical user interface aloe along with a representation of at least some of the associated situational awareness outputs and a previously-selected decision,

wherein the output devices are near trainees taking part in the emergency response exercise,

wherein the user device is a handheld device having touchscreen, and

wherein the system is operable such that which decision point is output during the repeating depends upon the previously-selected decision.

23. A method for planning an emergency response exercise, the method comprising:

generating a simulated emergency on a server;

creating inputs, the inputs including situational awareness outputs associated with the simulated emergency and decisions that can be made upon becoming apprised of the situational awareness outputs;

creating decision points, each decision point having a plurality of the decisions; and

creating outputs for each decision, the outputs affecting which decision point is shown after the associated decision is selected.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

applying one or more labels to one or more of the decision points;

receiving a decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions;

generating new situational awareness outputs based on the received decision;

repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness output based on a set of road-maps;

filtering one or more of the decision points; and

simulating at least one of the decisions at least one of the decision points,

wherein the decision that is not one of the plurality of decisions is a user-defined decision,

wherein the situational awareness outputs are associated with the simulated emergency by type of emergency,

wherein each decision point comprises;

one or more inputs;

one or more outputs; and

one or more choices,

wherein the inputs comprise one or more of simulated events (Sim-Events) and pre-requisite decisions,

wherein the outputs comprise one or more of simulated requests (Sim-Requests), and

wherein the choices correspond to a decision outcome.