Abstract:
A command assignment device is provided. The command assignment device includes software modules which include instructions: to display a floor plan diagram corresponding to a scene on a screen display; to display a symbol on the floor plan diagram according to a responder device location information received from a responder device located at the scene; to generate a destination correlation information in response to detecting a correlation operation between the responder symbol and a destination on the floor plan diagram; to generate an action information in response to various actions taken; and to transmit a command signal comprising any commands given for display on the responder device(s). The disclosure further provides a command assignment method and a command assignment interface.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a command assignment device, a command assignment method, and a command assignment interface, and particularly to a command assignment device, a command assignment method, and a command assignment interface interacting with a responder interface of a responder device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    In an emergency, a commander usually uses a public safety radio to communicate with the emergency responders in the scene of the emergency. However, the commander may be incapable of providing commands effectively and precisely because of inexperience or the confusing nature of some emergency situations. In addition, the emergency responders may be incapable of comprehending the commands when they are unfamiliar with the scene. 
         [0005]    Thus, there is room for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawing(s). The components in the drawing(s) are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawing(s), like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a command assignment device of the present disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a first embodiment of a command assignment method implemented through the command assignment device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]    FIGS.  3 A/ 3 B is a flowchart of a second embodiment of a command assignment method implemented through the command assignment device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4A  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a user interface implemented through the command assignment device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4B  is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a process of using the user interface of  FIG. 4A  in assignment mode. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4C  is a schematic view of a second embodiment of a process of using the user interface of  FIG. 4A  in assignment mode. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4D  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a process of using the user interface of  FIG. 4A  in guidance mode. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4E  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a process of using the user interface of  FIG. 4A  in scene mode. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of another embodiment of a user interface implemented through the command assignment device of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    In general, the disclosure relates to command assignment interfaces, electronic devices with a command assignment interface, and methods for operating command assignment interfaces. The invention is particularly suitable for use with electronic devices with a touch-sensitive display. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a command assignment device  1  of the present disclosure. The command assignment device  1  includes a screen display  10 , a processing unit  20 , a storage unit  30 , and a control unit  40 . In the illustrated embodiment, the command assignment device  1  is a portable device such as a tablet computer, a notebook computer, or a smart phone, and the screen display  10  is a touch-sensitive display. In other embodiments, the command assignment device  1  can be a stationary device such as a desktop personal computer, and the screen display  10  can be another type of electronic display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an electronic paper display. The command assignment device  1  is capable of receiving information as to the location(s) of one or more responder devices R (responder device location information Ir (not shown)) received from the one or more responder device R in a particular place or location (particular scene) through a wireless network N implemented according to a telecommunication standard such as WI-FI or BLUETOOTH. The processing unit  20  may include a central processing unit (CPU), which communicates with the screen display  10  and the storage unit  30  via the control unit  40 . The storage unit  30  may include a high speed random access memory and may also include a non-volatile memory, which stores a graphics module  31  available to the processing unit  20  and an equipment data module  32 . The graphics module  31  includes instructions  311  for implementing functions relating to one or more graphic user interfaces (GUIs). The equipment data module  32  may include a database, which is capable of storing equipment location information  321  of equipment such as water hydrants located in the particular scene. The control unit  40  may include controller devices including memory controllers, peripheral device interfaces, and I/O subsystems. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a first embodiment of a command assignment method implemented through the command assignment device  1  of  FIG. 1 . The command assignment method of the present disclosure is as follows. The steps are implemented through the instructions  311  stored in the graphics module  31  of the storage unit  30 . Depending on the embodiment, additional steps may be added, others removed, and the ordering of the steps may be changed. 
         [0019]    In step S 110 , a floor plan diagram  1010  (see  FIG. 4A ) corresponding to the particular scene is displayed on the screen display  10 , and a personnel symbol  1020  (see FIG.  4 A) is displayed on the floor plan diagram  1010  according to the responder device location information Ir. 
         [0020]    In step S 120 , the screen display  10  receives an instruction from the user of the command assignment device  1  to establish a correlation between the personnel symbol  1020  and a destination  1011  (see  FIG. 4A ) on the floor plan diagram  1010 . 
         [0021]    In step S 130 , a destination correlation information Id (not shown) is generated as a response when the establishment of the correlation between the personnel symbol  1020  and the destination  1011  has occurred. 
         [0022]    In step S 140 , a pop-up window  1040  (see  FIG. 4B ) including action items  1041  (see  FIG. 4B ) is displayed on the screen display  10 . 
         [0023]    In step S 150 , the screen display  10  receives an instruction from the user of the command assignment device  1  to make an assignment by selecting one of the action items  1041 . In other embodiments, the assignment can be made by other methods, for instance, inputting a command through a keyboard or a microphone connected to the command assignment device  1 . 
         [0024]    In step S 160 , a command information Ic (not shown) is generated according to the destination correlation information Id and an action information Ia (not shown), the action information Ia being generated as a response when the assignment with respect to the action items has been detected. 
         [0025]    In step S 170 , a command signal including the command information Ic is transmitted to the responder device R to interact by means of a responder interface of the responder device R. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  shows a flowchart of a second embodiment of a command assignment method implemented through the command assignment device  1  of  FIG. 1 . The command assignment method of this disclosure is as follows. Depending on the embodiment, additional steps may be added, others removed, and the ordering of the steps may be changed. 
         [0027]    In step S 210 , the floor plan diagram  1010  corresponding to the particular scene is displayed on the screen display  10 , the personnel symbol  1020  is displayed on the floor plan diagram  1010  according to the responder device location information Ir, and an equipment symbol  1030  (see  FIG. 4A ) is also displayed on the floor plan diagram  1010  according to the equipment location information  321 . 
         [0028]    In step S 220 , the screen display  10  receives an instruction from the user of the command assignment device  1  to establish a correlation between the personnel symbol  1020  and the equipment symbol  1030 . 
         [0029]    In step S 230 , a responder correlation information Ir (not shown) is generated as a response once the establishment of the correlation between the personnel symbol  1020  and the equipment symbol  1030  has taken place. 
         [0030]    In step S 240 , a combination symbol  1050  (see  FIG. 4C ) is displayed on the floor plan diagram  1010  according to the responder correlation information Ir 
         [0031]    In step S 250 , the screen display  10  receives an instruction from the user of the command assignment device  1  to establish a correlation between the combination symbol  1050  and the destination  1011  on the floor plan diagram  1010 . 
         [0032]    In step S 260 , the destination correlation information Id is generated as a response to the establishment of the correlation between the combination symbol  1050  and the destination  1011 . 
         [0033]    In step S 270 , the pop-up window  1040  including the action items  1041  is displayed on the screen display  10 . 
         [0034]    In step S 280 , the screen display  10  receives an instruction from the user of the command assignment device  1  to make an assignment by selecting one of the action items. 
         [0035]    In step S 290 , the action information Ia is generated as a response after the assignment with respect to the action items has taken place, and a command information Ic (not shown) is generated according to the destination correlation information Id and the action information Ia. 
         [0036]    In step S 300 , a command signal including the command information Ic is transmitted to the responder device R to interact by means of the responder interface of the responder device R. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4A  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a user interface  1000  implemented through the command assignment device  1  of  FIG. 1 . The user interface  1000  is a GUI displayed through the screen display  10  (see  FIG. 1 ) and includes the floor plan diagram  1010 , a mode list  1100 , a team list  1200 , and an equipment list  1300 . The mode list  1100  includes three buttons which represent an assignment mode, a guidance mode, and a scene mode which can be selected or changed by, for instance, making contact with the screen display  10  or by moving a cursor displayed on the screen display  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the team list  1200  includes three items representing the execution team, the announce team, and the evacuation guidance team of personnel, any or all of which can be selected or de-selected by, for instance, making contact with the screen display  10  or by moving a cursor displayed on the screen display  10 , to show the particular team(s) selected on the floor plan diagram  1010 . The equipment list  1300  includes three items representing fire extinguishers, water hydrants, and A class protective suits, which can be selected or de-selected by, for instance, making contact with the screen display  10  or by moving a cursor displayed on the screen display  10 , to indicate the particular type(s) of equipment selected, and displayed as such on the floor plan diagram  1010 . In other embodiments, the quantity or number of each type of equipment can be shown and increased or decreased after initial allocation. The personnel symbol  1020  is displayed on the floor plan diagram  1010  according to the responder device location information Ir when the responder device R which corresponds to the responder device location information Ir is at the particular scene, and the personnel symbol  1020  is a graphical, interactive user-interface object-image such as an icon, to represent the location of emergency personnel, which can be dragged or otherwise moved on the screen display  10 . The equipment symbol  1030  is displayed on the floor plan diagram  1010  according to the equipment location information  321  when the corresponding equipment is actually located in the particular scene, and the equipment symbol  1030  is a graphical, interactive user-interface object-image such as an icon, to represent the location of equipment, which can be dragged or otherwise moved on the screen display  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the destination  1011  is displayed according to one or more sensor signals received from the one or more sensors disposed in the particular scene. In another embodiment, the destination  1011  can be manually designated. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4B  is a schematic view of a first embodiment of the use of the user interface  1000  of  FIG. 4A  in assignment mode. In the assignment mode, the user interface  1000  can be operated to interact with the responder interface of the responder device R. Once a correlation between the personnel symbols  1020  and the destination  1011  on the floor plan diagram  1010  has been established, the destination correlation information Id is generated. A combination symbol  1050  which is a graphical user-interface object-image representing the correlation of the personnel symbol  1020  and the destination  1011  may be displayed according to the destination correlation information Id, and the pop-up window  1040  including the action items  1041  is also displayed. The action items  1041  include an action button, a retreat button, and a cancel button, any of which can be actuated to actually issue an assignment, and a command line wherein commands can be inputted. The pop-up window  1040  and the combination symbol  1050  are closed after the actuation of one of the buttons. In the illustrated embodiment, a graphical, interactive user-interface object-image enclosing the personnel symbol  1020  is produced and displayed when a correlation between the personnel symbol  1020  and the destination  1011  has been established by, for instance, making contact with the screen display  10  or by moving a cursor displayed on the screen display  10 , to move the personnel symbol  1020  to the inside of the destination  1011  or to enclose the destination  1011 . In other embodiments, the correlation can be performed by other methods, for instance, by moving a cursor displayed on the screen display  10  to the personnel symbol  1020  through a mouse connected to the command assignment device  1 , clicking a button of the mouse, and dragging the personnel symbol  1020  to the destination  1011 . In addition, the correlation can be performed by directly moving the personnel symbol  1020  to the destination  1011 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4C  is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the use of the user interface  1000  of  FIG. 4A  in assignment mode. Once a correlation between two of the personnel symbols  1020  and two of the equipment symbols  1030  has been established, the responder correlation information Ir is generated, and a graphical, interactive user-interface object-image correlating the two personnel symbols  1020  and the two equipment symbols  1030  is displayed according to the responder correlation information Ir. When a correlation between the user-interface object-image (which correlated the two personnel symbols  1020  and the two equipment symbols  1030 ) and the destination  1011  on the floor plan diagram  1010  has been established, the destination correlation information Id is generated, and in the illustrated embodiment, the equipment symbols  1030  are dimmed to signify that the equipment symbols  1030  have been allocated and correlated, that is, the equipment symbols  1030  to be used. A combination symbol  1050 , which is a graphical user-interface object-image, is displayed according to the destination correlation information Id to signify the correlation of the personnel symbols  1020 , the equipment symbols  1030 , and the destination  1011 , and the pop-up window  1040  including the action items  1041  is also displayed. In the illustrated embodiment, a graphical, interactive user-interface object-image enclosing the two personnel symbols  1020  is produced and displayed when the two personnel symbols  1020  are together, and a graphical, interactive user-interface object-image enclosing the two equipment symbols  1030  is produced and displayed when the two equipment symbols  1030  are together by, for instance, making contact with the screen display  10  or by moving a cursor displayed on the screen display  10 . The correlation between the two personnel symbols  1020  and the two equipment symbols  1030  can be established by, for instance, moving the user-interface object enclosing the personnel symbols  1020  to the equipment symbols  1030  to enclose them, or by moving the user-interface object enclosing the equipment symbols  1030  to the personnel symbols  1020  to enclose them. The correlation between the user-interface object-image correlating the two personnel symbols  1020  and the two equipment symbols  1030  as well as the destination  1011  can also be established by, for instance, moving the relevant user-interface object-image(s) to the destination  1011 . 
         [0040]    When an assignment has been made with respect to one of the action items  1041  in the pop-up window  1040 , the action information Ia is generated. If the action button of the action items  1041  is actuated, the action information Ia includes information for the responder interface of the responder device R to show the floor plan diagram  1010 , the symbols on the floor plan diagram  1010 , and the combination symbol  1050 . In addition, when a command is input to the command line before actuating the action button, the action information Ia includes the command for the responder interface of the responder device R to show the command which has been inputted. If the retreat button of the action items  1041  is actuated, the action information Ia includes the information for the responder interface of the responder device R to show a message accordingly on the responder device R. If the cancel button of the action items  1041  is actuated, the action information Ia includes the information for the responder interface of the responder device R to show a message canceling the assignment on the responder device R. 
         [0041]    The command information Ic is generated according to the destination correlation information Id and the action information Ia, and the command signal including the command information Ic is transmitted to the responder device R to interact with the responder interface of the responder device R through the command assignment device  1 . The responder interface can include a graphical user interface displayed on a screen display of the responder device R. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4D  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the use of the user interface  1000  of  FIG. 4A  in guidance mode. In the guidance mode, a guidance information is generated according to the lines or traces made by the user of the command assignment device  1  on the floor plan diagram  1010  by, for instance, making contact with the screen display  10  or by moving a cursor displayed on the screen display  10 , and a guidance signal including the guidance information is transmitted to the responder device R, wherein the responder device R can be designated as the target of the communication by, for instance, selecting the responder device R through the screen display  10  in the assignment mode. Consequently, the responder interface of the responder device R can show the floor plan diagram  1010 , the symbols on the floor plan diagram  1010 , and sketches  1060  so as to reveal and repeat the lines or traces drawn on the floor plan diagram  1010  in real time according to the guidance information in the guidance signal. 
         [0043]      FIG. 4E  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the use of the user interface  1000  of  FIG. 4A  in scene mode. In the scene mode, a scene image  2000  is displayed on the screen display  10  according to scene image signal(s) received from the responder device R. A demonstrating information is generated according to the lines or traces drawn by the user of the command assignment device  1  on the scene image  2000  through the screen display  10  or a cursor, and a demonstrating signal to include the demonstrating information is transmitted to the responder device R. The responder device R can display and repeat the scene image  2000  together with the lines or traces drawn thereon (sketches  2100 ) in real time as the sketches  2100  are drawn. In the illustrated embodiment, steps to operate a fire alarm control panel are shown by the sketches  2100 . In addition, in other embodiments, a graphical user-interface object-image such as an icon or a button can be shown in response to receiving the scene image signal, thereby informing the user of the command assignment device  1 . In the scene mode, the graphical user-interface object-image can be actuated to display the scene image  2000 . In other modes, the graphical user-interface object-image can be actuated to switch the user interface  1000  to the scene mode to display the scene image  2000 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of another embodiment of a user interface  1000  implemented through the command assignment device  1  of  FIG. 1 . In comparison with the user interface  1000  of  FIG. 4A , the user interface  1000  further includes an assignment list  1400  including assignment items  1410  and a report list  1500  including report items  1510 . Each of the assignment items  1410  is generated according to the command information Ic. In the illustrated embodiment, the assignment item  1410  includes a serial number, a time of assignment, assigned personnel, assigned equipment, a context of the assignment, and a current state of the assignment. When a selection of one of the assignment items  1410  is made, the pop-up window  1040  is displayed, and the action information Ia is displayed. The assignment(s) which generate the action information Ia may be changed, in relation to the action items  1041 . The selection of the assignment items  1410  can be performed through the screen display  10  or by moving a cursor. If the action button of the action items  1041  is actuated when a command is input to the command line, the action information Ia includes the command for the responder interface of the responder device R to show the command given. If the retreat button of the action items  1041  is actuated, the action information Ia includes a message to order the user of the responder device R to retreat from the particular scene. If the cancel button of the action items  1041  is actuated, the action information Ia includes a message to the user of the responder device R to consider the assignment canceled. The pop-up window  1040  is closed after actuating one of the action items  1041 . Each of the report items  1510  is generated according to a report signal Sr (not shown) received from the responder device R, wherein the report signal Sr is produced through the responder interface of the responder device R. In the illustrated embodiment, the assignment item  1410  includes a serial number, a time of report, a reporter identification, and a context of report. 
         [0045]    The command assignment device and the command assignment method provide a very useful GUI whereby the commander in an emergency can communicate with the emergency responders at the scene of the emergency. Since commands can be made and provided graphically to the emergency responders, the commander can issue commands precisely and in a timely fashion, while the emergency responders can fully comprehend and act on the commands even if they are unfamiliar with the scene. 
         [0046]    While the disclosure has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the range of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.