Abstract:
A communication system and method is provided for handling emergency situations wherein complex public safety radio systems can be used to directly communicate with normally incompatible radio systems used by organizations such as schools, hospital, and other facilities. The system includes a radio communication bridge that is selectively activated by emergency personnel to contact selected organizations. A communication network, such as a local area network, can be used to activate and deactivate the bridge. Computer software or firmware installed at various communication endpoints, emergency responder locations, and at an emergency call center is used to facilitate functionality of the system to include emergency notifications, dissemination of information associated with a particular emergency, and the status of the system to include activation and deactivation of the radio bridge.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to communication systems incorporating multiple communication modes, and more particularly, to an emergency communication system for bridging incompatible radio communication elements. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many organizations have internal radio systems to manage day-to-day operations to include organization security. Various staff or security personnel may be equipped with radios enabling basic two-way communications between personnel. For many years, emergency responders such as law enforcement and fire departments have used radios for communications. 
         [0003]    Because of the required range and necessity for reliability, government officials communicating by radio are typically equipped with highly advanced radio systems that are unable to directly communicate with the less complex radio systems used by organizations. When there is an emergency incident occurring at an organization, the standard method to contact emergency responders is by a telephone call to 911. A 911-call center is able to obtain the location of the caller in order to dispatch emergency responders. However, emergency responders have no direct means of radio communication with personnel located at the emergency location. Regardless of the nature of the incident and the identity of the emergency responders, it is very difficult for organizational personnel to directly speak with the responders prior to the responders arriving at the location. 
         [0004]    Many emergency situations are time critical and the ability for organizational personnel to provide instantaneous information as to the status of the emergency can make the difference between emergency responders properly handling the situation as opposed to such responders not having adequate information, and the emergency situation then turning into a tragedy. No matter the type of emergency situation, the ability to provide accurate and timely information by those directly affected by the emergency situation often results in a more complete and rapid response by emergency responders. 
         [0005]    Emergency responders typically have two-way radios installed in their vehicles to allow rapid and reliable communication between these emergency responders and their dispatch center or PSAP to control and coordinate their emergency actions. Many police officers and firemen also carry hand held radios that operate on the same radio system. Because of the necessity to ensure that emergency responders have the ability to communicate with one another, Federal regulations limit the types of organizations that may operate on the same frequency bands as emergency personnel. As mentioned above with respect to organizations who use two-way radio systems for daily operations, these radio systems are not able to communicate with emergency radio systems since each operate on very distinct frequencies, and the nature of the RF signals produced during the communications are very different. Therefore, other than the 911 telecommunications, affected personnel at the organization cannot communicate with emergency responders until they arrive at the scene. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is a need for a system and method whereby direct communications can be facilitated between emergency responders and affected organizational personnel during emergency situations. Additionally, there is need to provide a communication system where organizations can avoid the expense of purchasing more sophisticated and expensive radio communication systems, and the ability to directly communicate with emergency personnel can be on a selective and controlled basis. Additionally, there is a need to provide a communication system that may timely inform a network or group of organizations regarding an emergency situation coupled with the ability of a 911 call center to select which organizations within the group can directly communicate with selected emergency response personnel. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In accordance with the present invention, a communication system and method is provided for handling emergency situations wherein complex public safety radio systems can be used to directly communicate with normally incompatible radio systems used by organizations such as schools, hospitals, and other large independent facilities. The system of the present invention includes a radio communication patch or bridge that is selectively activated by emergency personnel to contact one or more selected organizations. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication system further includes a communication network, such as a local area network (LAN), and activation and deactivation of the bridge is achieved over the local area network. A central or main computer processing unit (CPU) may be located at a 911 call center, and the 911 call center uses this CPU to communicate with and control the emergency communication system with one or more communication end points that are linked to the 911 call center. Each of the communication end points, such as separate schools, each have an IP address which allows them to be contacted over the local area network by the CPU. Each of the communication end points also have their own local two-way radio system and a communication patch or bridge device that is linked within the local area network. Activation of the bridge is typically prompted by a 911 call by the affected organization at the communication end point. The 911-call center then evaluates the particular emergency, and can selectively activate over the local area network the radio bridge. Once the bridge is activated, personnel located at the communication end point can then directly communicate by with the emergency responders who have been dispatched. 
         [0008]    In addition to providing this communication bridge at each communication end point, functionality of the system is achieved through computer software or firmware installed at the 911-call center, at the location of the emergency responders, and at each communication end point. This software/firmware is used to facilitate a number of functions to include a communication tool wherein upon notification of an emergency, the 911-call center can distribute emergency instructions to each of the communication end points, and can otherwise control the communications bridge(s) established. 
         [0009]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic diagram depicting the primary elements of the system of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a sample local control panel installed at a communication endpoint that can be used to facilitate communications in the system of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an example user interface screen associated with a computer processor having firmware or software that incorporates the functionality of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is another user interface screen illustrating functionality with respect to activation of the radio bridge; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is another sample user interface screen, but illustrating functionality with respect to a system status. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , the communication system  10  of the present invention is illustrated. A 911 call center  12  is equipped with one or more computer processing units  16  which are able to administer 911 calls coming into the center and appropriately assigning actions to be taken by emergency responders located at responder location  14 . A 911 call center computer/server  16  is shown as being conventional with a user interface such as a screen or monitor  18 , a computer processor or server  19 , and one or more input devices  20  such as a keyboard or a mouse. A separate Internet protocol/central processing unit (CPU)  22  is illustrated as being co-located within the 911-call center. This particular CPU  22  has computer-coded instructions in the form of firmware or software that facilitate the functionality of the present invention, as further discussed below. Although a separate CPU  22  is shown in the call center  12 , it shall also be understood that the call center computer  16  could also be used to run the firmware/software of the system of the present invention; therefore, CPU  22  could be eliminated. For the emergency responder location  14 , it is also illustrated as having a conventional computer  24  that communicates with the 911-call center over a designated communication network, shown in  FIG. 1  as a local area network (LAN)  25 . The emergency responder location  14  is integrated within a public safety radio system  26 . The public radio system  26  is also depicted as including a plurality of separate public radios  27 , such as those that are in the vehicles or carried by police, fire, and emergency medical responders.  FIG. 1  also illustrates two organizations which, when activated, may directly communicate with the public safety radios  27  of the emergency responders. Specifically,  FIG. 1  illustrates two school locations  30  and  42 . School  30  includes its own computer  32  that is linked by the local area network  25  to the 911-call center and the emergency responder location  14 . School  30  also has its own local radio system  34  comprising a plurality of low powered radios. Like school  30 , school  42  has its own computer  44  that is linked through the local area network  25  to the 911-call center  12  and the emergency responder location  14 . School  42  also has its own local radio system  46  including a plurality of low powered radios. The radios used at locations  30  and  42  may be alike or different in terms of range, frequency, and other specifications. Schools  30  and  42  each have installed at their location an advanced digital interpreter (ADI) or bridge  38  that achieves the bridge or patch enabling direct radio communications between the school radios and the public safety radio system. One example of an acceptable bridge or patch device that can be used in the present invention includes a C250 mobile multi-switcher interoperability controller sold by New Communications Solutions LLC of Norcross, Ga. The ADI  38  may have a dedicated power supply  39 , such as a battery, that enables the ADI to continue to operate despite loss of power at the organization. The ADI may also be powered on the same grid power that powers the organization. A status and control panel  36  may be provided to enable the organization to have limited control over the communication bridge with the public radio system, as well as serving as a base radio for communicating with the other local radios.  FIG. 1  also illustrates that the communication end points  30  and  42  also include respective antenna units  39  that are installed at the locations. These antennas in most circumstances would be required to ensure proper reception and transmission when the ADIs  38  are activated. The emergency responder location and each of the communication endpoints also have the appropriate firmware or software incorporated into their respective computer systems that enable the various functions of the system. 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates features of the status and control panel  36  that may be incorporated at the communication end points. This status and control panel is a local radio  34 / 46  coupled with features to control or monitor the status of the ADI  38 . As shown, the control panel has a housing  40  that contains the local radio. A monitor/speaker  42  is provided with a volume control  44 . Push to talk buttons  52  and  54  may be provided to enable the user to call either the local school radios by pressing button  52 , or contacting the emergency responders by pressing the button  54 . Various indicators may be provided to show the systems status. Activation indicator  48  indicates whether the emergency communication system has been activated. Failure indicator  50  indicates for example whether there has been some type of failure, such as loss of power, failure of the bridge connection provided by ADI  38 , and/or knockdown of the bridge by the 911-call center. A switch  46  may also be provided to enable the user to maintain the system in an activated mode, or to disable the communication bridge, as may be instructed by emergency responders or the 911 call center. 
         [0017]    During an emergency, one of the locations  30  and  42  contacts the 911-call center, either by telephone, or through the local area network. In the event contact of the 911-call center was conducted through the local area network, it is also contemplated that the communication end points have VOIP telecommunications capability. Once the call center receives the notice of the emergency, the 911-call center selectively activates operation of the ADIs  38  located at one or both of the communication end points. The IP/CPU  22  is responsible for processing the activation request to each of the ADIs  38 . Once the ADI(s) are activated, the activated end point(s) would then have the capability to conduct direct radio communications between users of the local radios  34 / 46  and the emergency responders carrying the public safety radios  27 . 
         [0018]    With reference now to  FIG. 3 , a sample user interface screen  50  is shown. The local area network may be divided into various functional units, such as school systems, shopping malls, and others. In the user screen  50 , the functional group shown is a school system  52 . Once the user selects the desired functional group, additional information is displayed on that selected group to include each of the separate communication end points  56  within the functional group. In the example of  FIG. 3 , the endpoints  56  are shown as the collective group of schools within the selected school system, namely, high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. The communication end points  56  correspond to the example schools  30  and  42  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As discussed further below with reference to  FIG. 4 , an activation status is provided for each of the communication endpoints. In  FIG. 3 , a communication bridge has not been activated for any particular school. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , another user screen  60  is provided that illustrates information that may be displayed when any one of the communication bridges has been activated at a corresponding communication end point  56 . In the example, the communication end point  56  referred to as Mountain Brook High School is shown in an activated state. During activation, information is available for viewing by the user to include the location  60  of the school, a contact list  62  of key personnel, and appropriate phone numbers associated with the location or key personnel. Other information may also appear on the user screen, such as a notification procedure  64 , which could indicate a request by the 911-call center for the school to conduct a particular procedure. For example, one procedure could be the method by which key personnel at the communication end point notify others of the emergency. Another procedure could be the instructions for how emergency responders will contact designated school emergency personnel during the emergency. For this procedure, the instructions may relate to specifically how school emergency personnel are allowed to operate their local radios that communicate directly with the public safety radios of the emergency responders. The user screen  60  may also display which particular emergency responders have been dispatched to the location, shown as units dispatched  66 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  illustrates another sample user screen  70  that may be displayed to show a system status  72 . This screen may be used to supplement or replace the indicators shown on control panel  36 . In this screen, separate fields may be provided to show the operational status of various elements within the communication system. For example, the status of the communication bridge between the local radios  34 / 46  and the public safety radios  27  may be illustrated by bridge status  74  indicating whether the overall system is operational, and/or whether the bridge has been activated or disabled. This screen also illustrates the status of system power  76 , such as whether the communication end point is being run on battery power or grid power. Screen  70  further provides indicator  78  that shows the operational status of the local radios  34 / 46 , and indicator  80  that shows the status of the public radio system used by the emergency responders. Indicator  80  may provide information on the operational status of the overall public radio system, or various remote system components, such as the individual public safety radios  27 . On this particular screen, the status of the various fields may be provided by highlighting the status boxes next to the fields, as well as pull-down menus associated with each field that explains the status indicated. 
         [0021]    With respect to the method of the present invention, it is contemplated that activation of the ADIs  38  would be controlled primarily by the 911-call center  12  or the emergency responders through their central location  14 . In exceptional circumstances, the control panel  36  might be used to activate or disable the communications bridge by appropriate toggling of the switch  46 . With respect to specific capabilities provided by the ADI  38 , it is also contemplated that the ADI  38  could control the communication bridge or patch between one or all of the local radios  34 / 46 , such that only selected radios at the communication end points could directly communicate with the public safety radios of the emergency responders. Some confusion may be avoided by limiting the number of radio communicants. 
         [0022]    By the foregoing, a method and system are provided for enhancing communications between emergency responders and personnel located at the communication end points. The communication bridge or patch may be selectively enabled or disabled. Communications between the end points, the call center and emergency responders is further enhanced by the use of a local area network which not only activates or disables the radio communication patch, but may also provide emergency information and/or instructions. Organizations like schools may still maintain their local radio equipment, but have the capability to directly communicate with emergency responders on an as needed basis. Accordingly, organizations like schools maintain a public radio system capability, but without the great cost associated with such systems. The advanced digital interpreters also have other capabilities that not only enable or disable the capability of local radios to communicate with public safety radios, but also to control the specific manner in which the various local radios may communicate, such as by providing patch capability only to selected radios in the local radio set. 
         [0023]    While a system and method of the present invention have been set forth above with respect to a particular preferred embodiment, it shall be understood that various other modifications and changes may be made to the invention in accordance with the scope of the claims appended hereto.