Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a method and apparatus by which a radio communication device relays emergency signals across different channels using dual-watch. A dual-watch primary receiver of the radio communication device is allocated to a user selected home channel, while a dual-watch secondary receiver continually scans a pre-stored list of secondary channels for the purpose of detecting a possible emergency signal. The radio communication device upon detecting an emergency signal in either the home channel or any of the scanned secondary channels, relays the emergency signal to all the channels present in the radio communication device's channel list, except for the originating channel.

<CIT> discloses methods and systems for simultaneous monitoring of multiple talkgroups to reduce network congestion. The systems and methods include receiving data from a plurality of communication devices, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices is associated with a talkgroup member of the plurality of talkgroups and at least one talkgroup of the plurality of talkgroups; parsing the data received from each of the plurality of communication devices; dynamically detecting a content of interest within the parsed data based on a contextual relationship between a first talkgroup member associated with a first talkgroup and a second talkgroup member associated with a second talkgroup; notifying at least one of the first talkgroup member and the second talkgroup member when the content of interest is detected; and switching the first talkgroup member from the first talkgroup to the second talkgroup based on detecting the content of interest.

<CIT> discloses an integrated medium access control for processing respectively separated traffic situation sets. The aim of the invention is to optimize power consumption during a poll-based operation of the medium access control mechanism. Additionally, the invention aims to offer a poll-based error recovery mechanism for achieving preferred application reliability through power- and cost-efficient methods. Further objectives include providing an in-band wakeup method for a medical implant device in a human body area network and a method for a medical implant device in a human body area network. The invention also aims to provide a method for simultaneously accessing a power channel of a poll-based minimum level and operating a plurality of BANs in medical implant communications.

<CIT> describes a method for forwarding an alert, involving receiving an alert in a first communication device over a first communication network and subsequently forwarding the alert to a second communication device in a second communication network. Notably, the second communication network is specified as a vehicle-to-vehicle communication network, and the second communication device is described as incapable of receiving the alert over the first communication network.

Public service personnel, such as police, firefighters, and the like, may transmit emergency radio messages (e.g., "MAYDAY" calls), and the like (e.g., calls for help, suspect spotted calls, suspect has a weapon calls, etc.), on a radio channel, using a radio device, regardless whether or not other radio devices are tuned to the radio channel, such that the emergency radio message may not be received. Furthermore, a simple "MAYDAY" call may not lead to an adequate response. For example, a police officer, and the like, may be using a radio device to communicate via a first radio channel. When the police officer is in trouble (e.g., hurt and the like), the police officer may broadcast "MAYDAY", and the like over the first radio channel; however, such a broadcast is only effective when other radio devices of other police officers and/or other public safety personnel are also tuned to the first radio channel. In particular when no other radio devices are tuned to the first radio channel, the police officer may receive no response and/or no assistance. Furthermore, even when received, a "MAYDAY" may not provide sufficient information for an adequate response.

Hence, provided herein is a device, system and method for rebroadcasting communication data with additional context data. For example, a radio-channel monitoring device, which monitors and/or detects communications on radio channels, may detect and/or monitor communication data (e.g., audio data and/or video data) on a first radio channel, broadcast by a radio device associated with a first user, that meets given criteria for rebroadcasting, such as a communication data including given words (e.g., audio the first user speaking "MAYDAY", and the like), given sounds (e.g., a gunshot, and the like), given images (e.g., an injured police officer, and the like), amongst other possibilities. Responsive to the communication data meeting the given criteria for rebroadcasting, the radio-channel monitoring device identifies one or more second radio channels for rebroadcast of the communication data, and causes the communication data to be rebroadcast on the one or more second radio channels with additional context data associated with the radio device and/or the first user.

The communication data and the additional context data is rebroadcast in a format compatible with the one or more second radio channels; for example, when the communication data of the first radio channel comprises video data, and the one or more second radio channels do not support video data, but supports audio data, audio data from the communication data is rebroadcast on the one or more second radio channels. Hence, the communication data that is rebroadcast may include a portion of the original communication data.

The additional context data that is broadcast on the one or more second radio channels, with the rebroadcast of the communication data, may include a location and/or name and/or description and/or a medical condition, and the like, of the first user, amongst other possibilities. For example, when the communication data from the first radio channel indicates that the first user is injured, the additional context data may indicate that the first user is injured. Hence, the additional context data may be determined from the communication data. However, the communication data may also be retrieved from electronic employee records, and the like; for example, when the first user has a given blood type and/or medical condition, the additional context data may include the given blood type and/or medical condition so that any medical personnel receiving the rebroadcast via the one or more second radio channels may respond with appropriate blood supplies and/or medical devices to provide medical assistance.

An aspect of the present specification provides a method comprising: detecting, by a radio-channel monitoring device, communication data broadcast on a first radio channel by a radio device associated with a first user; and in response to determining, by the radio-channel monitoring device, that the communication data meets given criteria for rebroadcasting: determining, by the radio-channel monitoring device, additional context data associated with one or more of the radio device and the first user; identifying, by the radio-channel monitoring device, one or more second radio channels for rebroadcast of the communication data; and causing, by the radio-channel monitoring device, at least a portion of the communication data and the additional context data to be broadcast on the one or more second radio channels, the additional context data being broadcast in a channel-compatible format one or more of preceding, succeeding and embedded in the portion of the communication data.

Another aspect of the present specification provides a device comprising: a communication unit; and a controller communicatively coupled to the communication unit, the controller configured to: detect, via the communication unit, communication data broadcast on a first radio channel by a radio device associated with a first user; and in response to determining that the communication data meets given criteria for rebroadcasting: determine additional context data associated with one or more of the radio device and the first user; identify one or more second radio channels for rebroadcast of the communication data; and cause, via the communication unit, at least a portion of the communication data and the additional context data to be broadcast on the one or more second radio channels, the additional context data being broadcast in a channel-compatible format one or more of preceding, succeeding and embedded in the portion of the communication data.

Attention is directed to <FIG>, which depicts an example system <NUM> for rebroadcasting communication data with additional context data. The various components of the system <NUM> are in communication via any suitable combination of wired and/or wireless communication links, and communication links between components of the system <NUM> are depicted in <FIG>, and throughout the present specification, as double-ended arrows between respective components; the communication links may include any suitable combination of wireless and/or wired links and/or wireless and/or wired communication networks, and the like.

While present examples are described with respect to a radio-channel monitoring device and mobile devices associated with a public-safety entity (e.g., such as a police department, and the like), radio-channel monitoring devices and mobile devices associated with other types of entities may leverage a same or similar technique as described herein. For example, radio-channel monitoring devices and mobile devices associated with a warehousing entity, a construction entity, a service industry entity and/or any suitable entity in which employees, and the like, use radio devices that communicate over a plurality of channels, may implement a same or similar technique as described herein.

The system <NUM> comprises a radio-channel monitoring device <NUM> configured to monitor and/or detect communication data on radio channels. Hereafter, the radio-channel monitoring device <NUM> is interchangeably referred to as the device <NUM>,.

As depicted, the system <NUM> further comprises a first radio device <NUM> operated by a first user <NUM>, and the first radio device <NUM> is broadcasting communication data <NUM> on a first radio channel <NUM> (e.g., via an associated communication link). As such, the first radio device <NUM> is understood to be communicating on the first radio channel <NUM> and/or tuned to the first radio channel <NUM>. The first radio device <NUM> is interchangeably referred to hereafter as the radio device <NUM>. While as depicted no radio devices are tuned to the first radio channel <NUM> (e.g., the first radio device <NUM> is in communication with only the device <NUM> via the first radio channel <NUM>), in other examples, the first radio device <NUM> may be in communication with other radio devices and/or other radio devices may be tuned to the first radio channel <NUM>.

In the depicted example, the first user <NUM> comprises a police officer who has been shot by a suspect <NUM>. While not depicted, the first user <NUM> may also have been assigned a vehicle. As such, the first user <NUM> is understood to be injured and has operated the first radio device <NUM> to broadcast "MAYDAY" on the first radio channel <NUM>. While present examples are described with regards to a "MAYDAY" call, any suitable call, and/or communication data <NUM> broadcast by the first radio device <NUM> is within the scope of the present specification. For example, the first user <NUM> may operate the first radio device <NUM> to broadcast a call for help, a suspect spotted call, a suspect has a weapon call and/or any other suitable communication data107.

It is furthermore understood that, in the depicted example, the first radio channel <NUM> supports video data and audio data (e.g., as combined with the video data). For example, as depicted, the communication data <NUM> includes images (e.g., video frames of video data) the suspect <NUM> firing a gun (e.g., represented by a flash coming from the gun in <FIG>), and the first user <NUM> being injured (e.g., shot in a shoulder, as represented by a burst of lines at a shoulder of the first user <NUM> in <FIG>). The communicating data <NUM> further includes audio (e.g., incorporated into the video frames) of the word "MAYDAY" being spoken by the first user <NUM>, and a sound of the gun being fired. While not depicted, a vehicle of the first user <NUM> may also be in the images. It is further understood that the communication data <NUM> may include any suitable metadata including, but not limited to, a time at which the communication data <NUM> was generated, a location of the first radio device <NUM>, an identifier of the first radio device <NUM> and/or the first user <NUM>, and the like. However, the communication data <NUM> may comprise one or more of audio data and video data including, but not limited to, audio data without video data.

As there are no other radio devices communicating using the first radio channel <NUM>, other users in the system <NUM> may not receive the communication data <NUM> and/or the "MAYDAY" broadcast by the first radio device <NUM> on the first radio channel <NUM>.

However, as also depicted, the system <NUM> further comprises a second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> operated by respective second users <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and communicating via respective second radio channels <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and/or tuned to the respective second radio channels <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>. In particular, the second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> are communicating via, and/or tuned to, a second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>, and the second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> is tuned to a second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>. Hereafter, the second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> are interchangeably referred to, collectively, as the second radio devices <NUM>, and, generically, as a radio device <NUM>. This convention will be used throughout the present specification. For example, the second users <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> are interchangeably referred to, collectively, as the second users <NUM>, and, generically, as a second user <NUM>; similarly, the second radio channels <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> are interchangeably referred to, collectively, as the second radio channels <NUM>, and, generically, as a second radio channel <NUM>.

While three second radio devices <NUM>, and two second radio channels <NUM> are depicted, the system <NUM> may comprise any suitable number of second radio devices <NUM> to any suitable number of second radio channels <NUM>, including, but not limited to, one second radio device <NUM> tuned to one second radio channel <NUM>.

Furthermore, the second radio devices <NUM> may be mobile or fixed, as desired. For example, as depicted, the second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> comprise mobile devices operated by public safety personnel in the field; in particular, the second user <NUM>-<NUM> comprises a police officer, and the second user <NUM>-<NUM> comprises a medical technician. However, in other examples the second users <NUM> may comprise other type of public-safety personnel, and the like, such as firefighters, and the like, and/or any suitable type of user.

However, as depicted, the second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> comprises a fixed device such as a dispatch device, operated by a dispatcher (e.g., the second user <NUM>-<NUM> comprises a dispatcher). For example, the second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> may be operated by the user <NUM>-<NUM> to dispatch public safety personnel to incidents. In particular, the second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> may have been operated by the user <NUM>-<NUM>, to dispatch the first user <NUM> to an incident involving the suspect <NUM>, such that the second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> communicated with first radio device <NUM> via the first radio channel <NUM>. Thereafter the user <NUM>-<NUM> may have operated the second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> to switch to the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>.

In particular, the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> are generally configured to communicate via channels, such as the channels <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or communication channels, including, but not limited to, talkgroups. Indeed, the term "channel" and/or "communication channel", as used herein, includes, but is not limited to, a physical radio-frequency (RF) communication channel, a logical radio-frequency communication channel, a trunking talkgroup (interchangeably referred to herein a "talkgroup"), a trunking announcement group, a VOIP (Voice-over-internet-protocol) communication path, a push-to-talk channel, and the like. Indeed, groups of channels may be logically organized into talkgroups, and/or dynamically allocated into talkgroups, though channels in a talkgroup may be dynamic as the traffic (e.g., communications) in a talkgroup may increase or decrease, and channels assigned to the talkgroup may be adjusted accordingly. Hence, calls and/or communications herein may include, but are not limited to, push-to-talk (PTT) calls, VOIP calls, cell phone calls, and the like, adapted for broadcast of communication data.

Furthermore the term "broadcast" and/or the term "rebroadcast", as used herein, may be understood as transmission of data on a radio channel that may be specific to the radio channel, but not specifically directed to only one particular radio device tuned to the radio channel. Put another way, communication data broadcast on a particular radio channel is understood to be received by all radio devices tuned to the particular radio channel.

Hence, for example, communication data transmitted on the channels <NUM>, <NUM>, including, but not limited to, the communication data <NUM>, may include communication data transmitted via PTT calls and/or PTT broadcasts, with the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM>, and the device <NUM>, adapted accordingly.

In particular, the first radio channel <NUM> and the one or more second radio channels <NUM> may comprise one or more of: land mobile radio (LMR) channels, trunked radio channels, talkgroups, and the like.

As depicted, the system <NUM> further comprises a memory <NUM>, provided in the form of a database, and the like, which stores electronic records <NUM> (e.g., interchangeably referred to hereafter as the records <NUM>), which may include, but are not limited to, employee and/or personnel records, incident records, vehicle assignments, radio channel records (e.g., which stores identifiers of the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM> in association with identifiers of associated users <NUM>, <NUM> using the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM>), and the like, as well as radio device assignment records (e.g., which stores identifiers of radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> in association with identifiers of associated users <NUM>, <NUM>), vehicle assignment records (e.g., indicating vehicles assigned to the users <NUM>, <NUM>, such as a make, model, color, license plate number, and the like), among other possibilities. While as depicted the memory <NUM> is external to the device <NUM>, in other examples, the device <NUM> may comprise the memory <NUM> and/or the records <NUM> may be stored at a memory of the device <NUM>. Regardless, the device <NUM> has access to the records <NUM>.

It is furthermore understood that, when mobile, the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> may be reporting their respective locations to the device <NUM> (e.g., as determined via respective location determining devices, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, and the like) for example periodically and/or as metadata in communication data. In particular, the communication data <NUM> may include a location of the radio device <NUM> as determined by a location determining device of the radio device <NUM>.

Hence, it is understood that the device <NUM> may have access to any suitable information, which enables the device <NUM> to determine roles and/or skills and/or identities of the users <NUM>, <NUM>, relationships between the users <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., a particular second user <NUM> may be a supervisor and/or a partner of the first user <NUM>), locations of the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM>, associations between the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> and the users <NUM>, <NUM>, associated functions of the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM>, and the like. For example, the device <NUM> may be configured to determine that the second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> comprise mobile devices at respective locations, operated by the users <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, one of which is a police officer (and who may be a supervisor of the user <NUM>), and the other of which is a medical technician. Hence, the device <NUM> may also determine functionality of the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> as including use for communicating with a supervisor of the user <NUM> and/or medical personnel. However, in other examples, the device <NUM> may determine at least a portion of such information by monitoring communication data on the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., the second user <NUM>-<NUM> may communicate medical information in communication data on the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>). Similarly, the device <NUM> may be configured to determine that the second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> comprises a dispatch device operated by the user <NUM>-<NUM> who is a dispatcher. Similarly, the device <NUM> may be configured to determine that the first radio device <NUM> and/or the first user <NUM> is associated with a particular incident, as well as a location of the first radio device <NUM> and/or the first user <NUM>.

Furthermore, via the records <NUM> for example, the device <NUM> may be configured to determine a format of the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM>. For example, while the first radio channel <NUM> may support video data, one or more of second radio channels <NUM> may support audio data, but not video data.

Indeed, hereafter, reference to the device <NUM> determining such specific information regarding the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM>, the users <NUM>, <NUM>, the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM> and the like, is understood to occur via one or more of: accessing the records <NUM>, monitoring communication data on the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM>, and the like.

As will be explained in further detail below, the device <NUM> is generally configured to monitor and/or detect the communication data <NUM> broadcast on the first radio channel <NUM> by the first radio device <NUM>, associated with the first user <NUM>, and in response to determining that the communication data <NUM> meets given criteria for rebroadcasting (e.g., as depicted given criteria <NUM>) causes the communication data <NUM>, and/or a portion thereof, to be rebroadcast on the one or more second radio channels <NUM>, in respective formats compatible with the one or more second radio channels <NUM>, with additional context data associated with the radio device <NUM> and/or the first user <NUM>. The given criteria <NUM> will be described in more detail below.

While not depicted, the system <NUM> may include other types of devices. For example, in some examples, the device <NUM> may be configured to monitor communication data on the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM>, but another device of the system <NUM> (e.g., an associated radio device and/or radio broadcast device) may be configured to broadcast communication data on the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM>, for example on behalf of the device <NUM>. Put another way, the device <NUM> may be configured to monitor the radio channels <NUM>, as described herein, but may not include hardware for broadcast on the radio channels <NUM>; in these examples, the device <NUM> may communicate with any suitable other devices of the system <NUM> to cause the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data to be broadcast on the one or more second radio channels <NUM> as described herein.

Attention is next directed to <FIG>, which depicts a schematic block diagram of an example of the device <NUM>. In general, the device <NUM> may comprise one or more servers and/or one or more cloud computing devices, and the like, configured to communicate with the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM>, and the memory <NUM> and/or any other suitable component of the system <NUM>. However, the device <NUM> may comprise a computing device such as a personal computer and/or a laptop computer, and the like. Indeed, in some examples, functionality of the device <NUM> may be combined with one or more other suitable devices of the system <NUM>. In some examples, the device <NUM> may comprise a dispatch radio-channel monitoring device and/or a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) device (e.g., which may be combined with the second radio device <NUM>-<NUM>).

As depicted, the device <NUM> comprises: a communication unit <NUM>, a processing unit <NUM>, a Random-Access Memory (RAM) <NUM>, one or more wireless transceivers <NUM>, one or more wired and/or wireless input/output (I/O) interfaces <NUM>, a combined modulator/demodulator <NUM>, a code Read Only Memory (ROM) <NUM>, a common data and address bus <NUM>, a controller <NUM>, and a static memory <NUM> storing at least one application <NUM>. Hereafter, the at least one application <NUM> will be interchangeably referred to as the application <NUM>.

While not depicted, the device <NUM> may include one or more of an input device and a display screen and the like, a microphone (e.g., to receive voice commands) such that a user (e.g., an administrator of the system <NUM>), may interact with the device <NUM>. In some examples, the device <NUM> may include a clock, and the like (including, but not limited to, a clock of the controller <NUM> and/or the processing unit <NUM>), which may be used to determine a time at which the communication data <NUM> is received and/or detected.

As shown in <FIG>, the device <NUM> includes the communication unit <NUM> communicatively coupled to the common data and address bus <NUM> of the processing unit <NUM>.

The processing unit <NUM> may include the code Read Only Memory (ROM) <NUM> coupled to the common data and address bus <NUM> for storing data for initializing system components. The processing unit <NUM> may further include the controller <NUM> coupled, by the common data and address bus <NUM>, to the Random-Access Memory <NUM> and the static memory <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> may include one or more wired and/or wireless input/output (I/O) interfaces <NUM> that are configurable to communicate with the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> and/or any other suitable component of the system <NUM>, and which further enable the device <NUM> to monitor the first radio channel <NUM> (e.g., and alternatively the radio channels <NUM>, for example simultaneously). For example, the communication unit <NUM> may include one or more transceivers <NUM> and/or wireless transceivers for communicating with the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., to monitor the radio channels <NUM>, <NUM>), and/or any other suitable component of the system <NUM>. Hence, the one or more transceivers <NUM> may be adapted for communication with one or more communication networks used to communicate with the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or any other suitable component of the system <NUM>. For example, the one or more transceivers <NUM> may be adapted for communication with one or more of the Internet, a digital mobile radio (DMR) network, a Project <NUM> (P25) network, a terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) network, a Bluetooth network, a Wi-Fi network, for example operating in accordance with an IEEE <NUM> standard (e.g., <NUM>. 11a, <NUM>. 11b, <NUM>), an LTE (Long-Term Evolution) network and/or other types of GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) and/or 3GPP (<NUM>rd Generation Partnership Project) networks, a <NUM> network (e.g., a network architecture compliant with, for example, the 3GPP TS <NUM> specification series and/or a new radio (NR) air interface compliant with the 3GPP TS <NUM> specification series) standard), a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network, for example operating in accordance with an IEEE <NUM> standard, and/or another similar type of wireless network. Hence, the one or more transceivers <NUM> may include, but are not limited to, a cell phone transceiver, a DMR transceiver, P25 transceiver, a TETRA transceiver, a 3GPP transceiver, an LTE transceiver, a GSM transceiver, a <NUM> transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, a Wi-Fi transceiver, a WiMAX transceiver, and/or another similar type of wireless transceiver configurable to communicate via a wireless radio network.

The communication unit <NUM> may optionally include one or more wireline transceivers <NUM>, such as an Ethernet transceiver, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) transceiver, or similar transceiver configurable to communicate via a twisted pair wire, a coaxial cable, a fiber-optic link, or a similar physical connection to a wireline network. The transceiver <NUM> is also coupled to a combined modulator/demodulator <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> may include ports (e.g., hardware ports) for coupling to other hardware components.

The controller <NUM> may include one or more logic circuits, one or more processors, one or more microprocessors, and/or the controller <NUM> may include one or more ASIC (application-specific integrated circuits) and one or more FPGA (field-programmable gate arrays), and/or another electronic device. In some examples, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> is not a generic controller and/or a generic device, but a device specifically configured to implement functionality for rebroadcasting communication data with additional context data. For example, in some examples, the device <NUM> and/or the controller <NUM> specifically comprises a computer executable engine configured to implement functionality for rebroadcasting communication data with additional context data.

The static memory <NUM> is a non-transitory machine readable medium that stores machine readable instructions to implement one or more programs or applications. Example machine readable media include a non-volatile storage unit (e.g., Erasable Electronic Programmable Read Only Memory ("EEPROM"), Flash Memory) and/or a volatile storage unit (e.g., random-access memory ("RAM")). In the example of <FIG>, programming instructions (e.g., machine readable instructions) that implement the functional teachings of the device <NUM> as described herein are maintained, persistently, at the memory <NUM> and used by the controller <NUM>, which makes appropriate utilization of volatile storage during the execution of such programming instructions.

In particular, the memory <NUM> stores instructions corresponding to the at least one application <NUM> that, when executed by the controller <NUM>, enables the controller <NUM> to implement functionality described herein including, but not limited to, the blocks of the method set forth in <FIG>.

As depicted, the memory <NUM> further stores the given criteria <NUM>; while as depicted the given criteria <NUM> is stored separately from the application <NUM>, in other examples the given criteria <NUM> may be stored as part of the application <NUM> (e.g., as a module of the application <NUM>).

As depicted, the memory <NUM> further stores a speech-to-text module <NUM>, a text-to-speech module <NUM>, an audio analysis module <NUM> and a video analysis module <NUM>, which may be used by the device <NUM> and/or the controller <NUM> while implementing the application <NUM>. While as depicted the modules <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are stored separately from the application <NUM>, in other examples the modules <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be stored as part of the application <NUM> (e.g., as modules of the application <NUM>).

The speech-to-text module <NUM> may be to implement a speech-to-text engine to convert audio data of the communication data <NUM> to text for analysis. Similarly, the text-to-speech module <NUM> may be to implement a speech-to-text engine to convert text (e.g., of additional context data from the records <NUM> and/or from text generated from the communication data <NUM>) to audio data for broadcast on the one or more second radio channels <NUM>.

The audio analysis module <NUM> may be to implement an audio analysis engine to analyze audio data that does not include words, and may include a spectrum analyzer and the like and/or machine learning classifiers for identifying given sounds in audio data, such as gunshots, and the like. The video analysis module <NUM> may be to implement a video analysis engine to analyze images of video data and may include machine learning classifiers for identifying given objects, and the like, in images, such as guns, weapons, injuries, and the like. Hence, the modules <NUM>, <NUM> may be components of the given criteria <NUM>, for example when the given criteria <NUM> include machine learning classifiers. Hence, hereafter, references to using the given criteria <NUM> to determine whether communication data meets given criteria <NUM> for rebroadcasting is understood to include, when appropriate, use the modules <NUM>, <NUM> to identify given sounds and/or given images, and the like, in the communication data.

In illustrated examples, when the controller <NUM> executes the one or more applications <NUM>, the controller <NUM> is enabled to: monitor communication data broadcast on a first radio channel by a radio device associated with a first user; and in response to determining, by the radio-channel monitoring device, that the communication data meets given criteria for rebroadcasting: determine additional context data associated with one or more of the radio device and the first user; identify one or more second radio channels for rebroadcast of the communication data; and cause at least a portion of the communication data and the additional context data to be broadcast on the one or more second radio channels, the additional context data being broadcast in a channel-compatible format one or more of preceding, succeeding and embedded in the portion of the communication data.

The application <NUM> and/or the given criteria <NUM> may include numerical algorithms configured to implement the functionality as described above and/or determine whether communication data meets the criteria for rebroadcasting and/or determine which additional context data to include in a rebroadcast of communication data, and/or any other suitable functionality of the device <NUM>.

Alternatively, and/or in addition to numerical algorithms, the application <NUM> and/or the given criteria <NUM> may include machine learning models and/or algorithms, and the like, which have been trained to implement the functionality as described above and/or determine whether communication data meets the criteria for rebroadcasting and/or determine which additional context data to include in a rebroadcast of communication data, and/or any other suitable functionality of the device <NUM>. In particular, the given criteria <NUM> may comprise one or more classifiers, and the like, used by one or more machine learning models and/or algorithms of the application <NUM> to determine whether communication data is to be rebroadcast and/or to determine which additional context data to include in a rebroadcast of communication data.

The one or more machine learning models and/or algorithms of the application <NUM> and and/or the given criteria <NUM> may include, but are not limited to: a deep-learning based algorithm; a neural network; a generalized linear regression algorithm; a random forest algorithm; a support vector machine algorithm; a gradient boosting regression algorithm; a decision tree algorithm; a generalized additive model; evolutionary programming algorithms; Bayesian inference algorithms, reinforcement learning algorithms, and the like. However, generalized linear regression algorithms, random forest algorithms, support vector machine algorithms, gradient boosting regression algorithms, decision tree algorithms, generalized additive models, and the like may be preferred over neural network algorithms, deep learning algorithms, evolutionary programming algorithms, and the like, in some public safety environments. Any suitable machine learning algorithm and/or deep learning algorithm and/or neural network is within the scope of present examples.

While details of the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> are not depicted, the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> may have components similar to the device <NUM> adapted, however, for the functionality thereof. For example, the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> may include respective display screens, input devices, speakers, microphones, clocks (including, but not limited to, a clock of a respective controller and/or processor) and the like. Regardless, it is understood that the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> include respective transceivers for communicating via channels as described herein.

Attention is now directed to <FIG>, which depicts a flowchart representative of a method <NUM> for rebroadcasting communication data with additional context data. The operations of the method <NUM> of <FIG> correspond to machine readable instructions that are executed by the device <NUM>, and specifically the controller <NUM> of the device <NUM>. In the illustrated example, the instructions represented by the blocks of <FIG> are stored at the memory <NUM> for example, as the application <NUM>. The method <NUM> of <FIG> is one way that the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> and/or the system <NUM> may be configured. Furthermore, the following discussion of the method <NUM> of <FIG> will lead to a further understanding of the system <NUM>, and its various components.

The method <NUM> of <FIG> need not be performed in the exact sequence as shown and likewise various blocks may be performed in parallel rather than in sequence. Accordingly, the elements of method <NUM> are referred to herein as "blocks" rather than "steps. " The method <NUM> of <FIG> may be implemented on variations of the system <NUM> of <FIG>, as well.

At a block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> monitors the communication data <NUM> broadcast on the first radio channel <NUM> by the radio device <NUM> associated with the first user <NUM>. For example, the communication data <NUM> may be received at the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> via the first radio channel <NUM> and analyzed by the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM>.

At a block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> determines whether that the communication data <NUM> meets the given criteria <NUM> for rebroadcasting.

For example, the communication data <NUM> may be compared to the given criteria <NUM> and/or, when the given criteria <NUM> (and/or the modules <NUM>, <NUM>) includes classifiers of a machine learning algorithm, and the like, the classifiers may be used to determine whether the communication data <NUM> corresponds to one or more of the classifiers.

Examples of the given criteria <NUM> are next described. In some examples, the given criteria <NUM> may be word and/or text based. In such examples, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may implement a speech-to-text engine, using the speech-to-text module <NUM>, to convert audio data from the communication data <NUM> into text for analysis.

In such text-based examples, the given criteria <NUM> may include determining that the communication data <NUM> comprises one or more given words and/or given phrases (e.g., text), such as "MAYDAY", "HELP", "SHOTS FIRED", "I'M INJURED", and the like. However, any suitable given words and/or given phrases are within the scope of the present specification.

In other examples, the given criteria <NUM> may be audio based (e.g., excluding words and/or phrases). In such examples, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may implement an audio analysis engine, using the audio analysis module <NUM>, to analyze audio data from the communication data <NUM>.

In such audio-based examples, the given criteria <NUM> may include determining that the communication data <NUM> comprises one or more given sounds such as a gun-shot, and the like. However, any suitable given sounds are within the scope of the present specification. In a particular example, for example where the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> has access to a voice sample and/or a voice pattern and/or a voice spectra of the first user <NUM> (e.g., which may be stored in the records <NUM>), the given criteria <NUM> may include determining that the communication data <NUM> comprises one or more voices different from a voice of the first user <NUM>. For example, the suspect <NUM> may take and/or operate the first radio device <NUM> to generate communication data, such as audio data falsely indicating that the first user <NUM> is not injured, and the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may determine that such communication data meets the given criteria <NUM> as the voice in the communication data is not the voice of the first user <NUM> (e.g., as determined from their voice sample, and the like). Alternatively, a bystander (not depicted) may take and/or operate the first radio device <NUM> to generate communication data, such as audio data indicating that help is needed, and the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may determine that such communication data meets the given criteria <NUM> as the voice in the communication data is not the voice of the first user <NUM> (e.g., as determined from their voice sample, and the like).

In other examples, the given criteria <NUM> may be image and or video based. In such examples, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may implement a video audio analysis engine, using the video analysis module <NUM>, to analyze images and/or video and/or video frames from the communication data <NUM>.

In such image-based and/or video-based examples, the given criteria <NUM> may include determining that the communication data <NUM> comprises one or more images associated with emergencies including, but not limited to, images of a weapon and/or a gun and/or a gun being fired, and/or an injury, and the like. In a particular example, the given criteria <NUM> may include determining that the communication data <NUM> comprises respective images of the first user <NUM> in a physically injured state (e.g., with an injured shoulder as depicted in <FIG>). However, any suitable given images are within the scope of the present specification.

Indeed, the given criteria <NUM> may comprise any suitable combination of the above described example criteria, and/or any other suitable criteria.

When the communication data <NUM> does not meet the given criteria <NUM> for rebroadcasting (e.g., a "NO" decision at the block <NUM>), the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> continues to monitor, at the block <NUM>, the communication data <NUM> broadcast on the first radio channel <NUM> by the radio device <NUM> until the communication data <NUM> is determined to meet the given criteria <NUM> for rebroadcasting at the block <NUM>.

Hence, in response to determining that the communication data <NUM> meets the given criteria <NUM> for rebroadcasting (e.g., a "YES" decision at the block <NUM>), at a block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM>, determines additional context data associated with one or more of the radio device <NUM> and the first user <NUM>.

Examples of additional context data are next described. In some examples, the additional context data may include data associated with the first user <NUM>, which may be determined from the records <NUM> and/or determined from the communication data <NUM> and/or metadata of the communication data <NUM> and/or times that the communication data <NUM> is generated and/or received at the device <NUM>.

For example, the additional context data may include, but is not limited to, one or more of: a determined location of the radio device <NUM>; a name of the first user <NUM>; a description of the first user <NUM> (e.g., such as height, build, hair color, gender, and the like, which may be from the records <NUM>); a medical condition of the first user <NUM> (e.g., such as a blood type and/or a particular medical condition, which may be from the records <NUM> and/or an injury, which be determined from the communication data <NUM>); a respective description of a vehicle associated with the first user <NUM> (e.g., which may be determined from the records <NUM>, for example via a vehicle assignment record associated with the first user <NUM> and a make and model and/or license plate number of an assigned vehicle); a time indicating when the communication data <NUM> was broadcast and/or received; and a type of incident to which the first user <NUM> is assigned (e.g., as determined from incident records).

However, as has been previously described, the device <NUM> may have access to locations of the second radio devices <NUM> and/or the second users <NUM>, as well as a location of the first radio device <NUM> and/or the first user <NUM>. While not depicted, the device <NUM> may have further access to locations other users (e.g., different from the second users <NUM>) who may also be operating other radio devices and/or mobile devices, but who may, or may not, be communicating on a depicted radio channel. As has also been previously described, the device <NUM> may also have access to a location of the first radio device <NUM> and/or the first user <NUM>.

As such, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may be configured to determine others users, including, but not limited to the second users <NUM>, who are closest to the first user <NUM>, and/or names and/or descriptions of such other users (e.g., such as height, build, hair color, gender, and the like, which may be from the records <NUM>). For example, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may be configured to determine other users, who are closest to the first user <NUM> by comparing respective locations of the other users with a location of the first user <NUM>.

In these examples, the additional context data may include, but is not limited to, one or more of: respective names of one or more other users closest to the first user <NUM>; respective descriptions of the one or more other users closest to the first user <NUM>; and the like. Such information may be obtained from the records <NUM> (and/or via analysis of video data on a radio channel, which includes images of the one or more other users).

Indeed, the additional context data may comprise any suitable combination of the above described example additional context data, and/or any other suitable additional context data. For example, the additional context data associated with one or more of the radio device <NUM> and the first user <NUM> may comprises identifiers of one or more of the radio device <NUM> (e.g., an inventory number, and/or other identifier, which may be inscribed on the radio device <NUM> and obtained from the records <NUM>); the first user <NUM> (e.g., a badge number, a name and the like, as obtained from the records <NUM>); and the first radio channel <NUM> (e.g., a channel number and/or talkgroup identifier of the first radio channel <NUM>, which may be inherently known to the device <NUM>, which is tuned to the first radio channel <NUM> and/or obtained from metadata of the communication data <NUM> and the like).

In particular, an identifier of the first radio channel <NUM> in the additional context data may instruct the second users <NUM> to tune their radio devices <NUM> to the first radio channel <NUM>. For example, as will be described below, the additional context is provided to one or more of the radio devices <NUM> a second radio channel <NUM>, and hence, when identifier of the first radio channel <NUM> is received, a second user <NUM> may tune their radio device <NUM> to the first radio channel <NUM> using the identifier.

At a block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> identifies one or more second radio channels <NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM>.

In some examples, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> identifies all the second radio channels <NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM>. In other examples, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> identifies a subset of the second radio channels <NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM>.

Such identification of the second radio channels <NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM> may be based on content of the communication data <NUM> and/or the additional context data, and/or information associated with the second radio devices <NUM> and/or the second users <NUM> (e.g., from the records <NUM> and/or communication data on the second radio channels <NUM>, and the like).

For example, when content of the communication data <NUM> and/or the additional context data indicates that the first user <NUM> is injured and/or has a medical condition, and a particular second user <NUM> operating a second radio device <NUM> has medical training (e.g., such as the second user <NUM>-<NUM>, as determined from the records <NUM>), the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify the second radio channel <NUM> on which the particular second user <NUM> with medical training is operating a second radio device <NUM>. In a particular example, with the first user <NUM> shot, at the block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM>.

Similarly, when content of the communication data <NUM> and/or the additional context data indicates that the first user <NUM> is injured and/or has a medical condition, and that no particular second user <NUM> operating a second radio device <NUM> has medical training, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> on which a dispatcher (e.g., the second user <NUM>-<NUM>) is communicating so that the dispatcher may dispatch medical personnel, such as emergency medical technicians in an ambulance, to assist the first user <NUM>.

Similarly, when content of the additional context data indicates that a second user <NUM>-<NUM> is closest to the first user <NUM>, as described above, the block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM>.

Similarly, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify one or more second radio channels <NUM> based on context data of one or more of the second radio device <NUM> and/or one or more of the second user <NUM> (e.g., such as location, medical experiences, roles, and the like). In another particular example, controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may determine that one of the second users <NUM> is a partner of the first user <NUM> and hence the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify on which the second user <NUM> who is a partner of the first user <NUM> is operating a second radio device <NUM>.

Indeed, at the block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify one or more second radio channels <NUM> by: determining content of the communication data <NUM>; and selecting the one or more second radio channels <NUM> as a function of one or more of: the content of the communication data <NUM>; and the additional context data of one or more of the radio device <NUM> and the first user <NUM> (e.g., as determined at the block <NUM>).

It is hence understood that the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify second radio channels <NUM> on which to rebroadcast the communication data <NUM> using any suitable context data of any suitable combination of the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> and/or the users <NUM>, <NUM>, and the like. The context data may be similar to, and/or different from, any of the additional context data described herein but pertaining to one or more of the radio devices <NUM>, <NUM> and/or the users <NUM>, <NUM>.

At a block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> causes at least a portion of the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data to be broadcast on the one or more second radio channels <NUM>, the additional context data being broadcast in a channel-compatible format one or more of preceding, succeeding and embedded in the portion of the communication data <NUM>.

For example, at the block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may broadcast the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data on the one or more second radio channels <NUM> and/or controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may control an associated radio device and/or radio broadcast device to broadcast the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data on the one or more second radio channels <NUM>.

Regardless, the additional context data is broadcast on the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM> in a channel-compatible format one or more of preceding, succeeding and embedded in the portion of the communication data <NUM>. For example, when the additional context data comprises text from the records <NUM>, the additional context data may be converted to audio data by implementing a text-to-speech engine using the text-to-speech module <NUM> so that the additional context data may be broadcast as audio data on the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM>. The audio data may be broadcast prior to the portion of the communication data <NUM> and/or after the portion of the communication data <NUM> on the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM>.

Similarly, the communication data <NUM> is also generally in a channel-compatible format when rebroadcast on the one or more second radio channels <NUM>. For example, when the communication data <NUM> comprises video data and the one or more second radio channels <NUM> supports audio data, but not video data, audio data of the communication data <NUM> may be extracted therefrom for rebroadcast the one or more second radio channels <NUM>.

Alternatively, images of the communication data <NUM> may be converted to audio data corresponding to descriptive text (e.g., which describe object and/or people and/or situations in the images) by the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> (e.g., using a video analysis engine implemented by the video analysis module <NUM>, as well as the text to speech module <NUM>, and the like).

Alternatively, when the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM> support video data, the additional context data may be converted to video data, for example as text and/or graphics embedded in video data from the communication data <NUM>. In some of these examples, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may use text of the additional context data to annotate video data (e.g., a name of the first user <NUM>, text and/or graphics indicating an injury, and the like, may be placed on an image of the first user <NUM> in video data of the communication data <NUM> rebroadcast on the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM>).

Hence, when the formats of the first radio channel <NUM> and the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM> are different (e.g., the first radio channel <NUM> may support video data, but the one or more second radio channels may support audio data but not video data), the method <NUM> may further comprise converting the additional context data and/or the communication data <NUM> to a channel-compatible format. In particular, when the channel-compatible format comprises an audio format, the method <NUM> may further comprise the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> converting the additional context data /or the communication data <NUM> to the audio format using a text-to-speech engine (e.g., implemented using the text-to-speech module <NUM>).

It is hence further understood that the communication data <NUM>, rebroadcast via the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM>, on the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM>, may comprise the entirety of the communication data <NUM> received on the first radio channel <NUM> and/or a subset and/or a portion of the communication data <NUM> received on the first radio channel <NUM>, in an original format and/or converted to another format; regardless the format of the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data broadcast on identified one or more second radio channels <NUM> is compatible with the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM>.

It is yet further understood that, at the block <NUM>, when the portion of the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data is broadcast on the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM>, all of the radio devices <NUM> that are tuned to, and/or communicating on, the identified one or more second radio channels <NUM> receive the portion of the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data.

In yet further examples, at the block <NUM>, the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> may identify two or more of the second radio channels <NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data determined at the block <NUM> and/or broadcast on the two or more of the second radio channels <NUM>, may vary for the two or more of the second radio channels <NUM>.

Put another way, when the controller <NUM> and/or the device <NUM> identifies two or more of the second radio channels <NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data, the additional context data may be customized for particular the second radio channels <NUM>.

For example, the additional context data may be varied for each of two or more of the identified second radio channels <NUM> based on one or more of: an associated function of each of the two or more of the second radio channels <NUM>; one or more of associated roles and associated identities of other users <NUM> associated with each of the two or more of the second radio channels <NUM>; and context data associated with the other users <NUM> associated with each of the two or more of the second radio channels <NUM>.

Hence, for example, as has already been described, medical information associated with the user <NUM>, as determined from the records <NUM>, such as a blood type and/or a medical condition, may be broadcast as additional context data with at least a portion of the communication data <NUM> on the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> (e.g., as the user <NUM>-<NUM> may have a role and/or a function of a medical technician and hence an associated function of the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> may comprise a medical function). However, such medical information may be omitted from additional context data broadcast with a portion of the communication data <NUM> on the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>, which has a dispatching function.

In a further example, another second radio channel <NUM> may have a firefighter function, or a supervisor function (e.g., as respective second users <NUM> of associated radio devices <NUM> may be firefighters or supervisors), and the additional context data may be varied accordingly. For example, while not heretofore described, additional context data for firefighters may include, but is not limited to, a floor plan (e.g., as stored in the records <NUM>) of a building in which the first user <NUM> is located (e.g., when the communication data <NUM> indicates that the first user <NUM> is trapped in a building on fire). Similarly, additional context data for supervisors may include, but is not limited to, an employee record for the first user <NUM>. Such examples further illustrate that while an incident of an injury of a police officer has been used as an example in <FIG>, other incident types and/or other types of second users are within the scope of the present specification, with the communication data <NUM> and the additional context data adapted accordingly.

Attention is next directed to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, which depict an example of the method <NUM> being implemented in the system <NUM>. <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> are substantially similar to <FIG>, with like components having like numbers.

Attention is first directed to <FIG>, which depicts the device <NUM> monitoring and/or detecting (e.g., at the block <NUM> of the method <NUM>) the communication data <NUM> on the first radio channel <NUM>, by receiving the communication data <NUM>, and comparing (e.g., at the block <NUM> of the method <NUM>) the communication data <NUM> with the given criteria <NUM>. As depicted, the device <NUM> has determined that the communication data <NUM> meets the given criteria <NUM> (e.g., a "YES" decision at the block <NUM>, as indicated by the word "MEETS" in <FIG>). For example, the device <NUM> may determine that the word "MAYDAY" in the communication data <NUM> meets given criteria <NUM> indicating that the word "MAYDAY" in communication data is to result in a rebroadcast of the communication data, as described above.

As also depicted in <FIG>, the device <NUM>, responsive to determining that the communication data <NUM> meets the given criteria <NUM> for rebroadcasting, determines additional context data <NUM> (e.g., as indicated in <FIG> by the arrow between the word "MEETS", and the additional context data <NUM>). In particular, the additional context data <NUM> includes an identifier of the first user <NUM> (e.g., as represented by text "USER <NUM>", which may be a name and/or a badge number of the first user <NUM> as determined from the records <NUM>), an indication of an injury of the first user <NUM> (e.g., as represented by text "SHOT", as determined from the communication data <NUM>), a blood type of the first user <NUM> (e.g., as represented by text "BLOOD TYPE A-", as determined from the records <NUM>), a location of the first user <NUM> (e.g., as represented by text "LOCATION", which may be an address and/or GPS coordinates, as determined from the metadata of the communication data <NUM>, and the like), an identifier of the first radio channel <NUM> (e.g., as represented by text "RADIO CHANNEL <NUM>", which may be a channel number and/or talkgroup identifier of the first radio channel <NUM>).

Attention is next directed to <FIG>, which depicts the device <NUM> identifying (e.g., at the block <NUM> of the method <NUM>) a second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> for rebroadcast of the communication data <NUM>. For example the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> be identified by the device <NUM> as the first user <NUM> is injured and the user <NUM>-<NUM> operating a second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> on the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> is a medical technician, and/or the user <NUM>-<NUM> operating a second radio device <NUM>-<NUM> on the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> a closest user to the first user <NUM>. The identification of the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>, indicated via an arrow <NUM>, may be based on content of the communication data <NUM> and/or the additional context data <NUM> However, identification of the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> may alternatively be based on context data of the second radio devices <NUM>, the second users <NUM>, and the like, as described above.

Attention is next directed to <FIG>, which depicts the device <NUM> causing (e.g., at the block <NUM> of the method <NUM> converting at least a portion of the communication data <NUM> to a format compatible with the second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>, which may support audio data but not video data. Hence, as depicted an audio data portion <NUM> of the communication data <NUM>, for example the audio data "MAYDAY", is extracted from the communication data <NUM>, and the additional context data <NUM> is converted to audio data <NUM> and appended to the audio data portion <NUM> of the communication data <NUM>. Alternatively the depicted audio data portion <NUM> may be converted to text with the additional context data <NUM> appended thereto.

As also depicted in <FIG>, the device <NUM> broadcasts (e.g., at the block <NUM>), on the identified second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>, the audio data portion <NUM> of the communication data <NUM> with the audio data <NUM> indicative of the additional context data <NUM> succeeding the audio data portion <NUM>. The audio data portion <NUM> and the audio data <NUM> are received at the second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, as broadcast on the identified second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>, and provided as respective sound and/or audio <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> for example via speakers at the second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>.

Alternatively, when the audio data portion <NUM> is converted to text, with the additional context data <NUM> (e.g., also text) appended thereto, and broadcast on the identified second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM>, the second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> may receive the audio data portion <NUM>, as converted to text, with the additional context data <NUM> appended thereto, and convert the received text to the respective sound and/or audio <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>. In such examples, it is further understood that the identified second radio channel <NUM>-<NUM> supports transmission of text.

Regardless, the second users <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> hear the respective sound and/or audio <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and may respond to the "MAYDAY" of the first user <NUM> accordingly. For example, the second users <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> may hear "MAYDAY" and tune their respective second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> to the channel number and/or talkgroup number indicated by "RADIO CHANNEL <NUM>" of the additional context data <NUM> (and/or the audio data <NUM>) and/or travel to the "LOCATION" indicated by the additional context data <NUM> (and/or the audio data <NUM>) and/or hear "USER <NUM> SHOT" and "BLOOD TYPE A-" and take appropriate medical action.

In some examples, the information received from the device <NUM> (whether as audio data <NUM>, <NUM>, or as text) may be converted (e.g., by the respective second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>) to a format compatible with display screens of the respective second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> and rendered at the display screens of the respective second radio devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>.

As should be apparent from this detailed description above, the operations and functions of computing devices described herein are sufficiently complex as to require their implementation on a computer system, and cannot be performed, as a practical matter, in the human mind. Computing devices such as set forth herein are understood as requiring and providing speed and accuracy and complexity management that are not obtainable by human mental steps, in addition to the inherently digital nature of such operations (e.g., a human mind cannot interface directly with RAM or other digital storage, cannot transmit or receive electronic messages, electronically encoded video, electronically encoded audio, etc., among other features and functions set forth herein).

However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below.

In this document, language of "at least one of X, Y, and Z" and "one or more of X, Y and Z" may be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XY, YZ, XZ, and the like). Similar logic may be applied for two or more items in any occurrence of "at least one. " and "one or more. " language.

Moreover, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "has", "having," "includes", "including," "contains", "containing" or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by "comprises. a", "includes. a", "contains. a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms "a" and "an" are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms "substantially", "essentially", "approximately", "about" or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within <NUM>%, in another embodiment within <NUM>%, in another embodiment within <NUM>% and in another embodiment within <NUM>%. The term "coupled" as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is "configured" in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.

Moreover, an embodiment may be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flash memory. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) comprising:
detecting (<NUM>), by a radio-channel monitoring device (<NUM>), communication data (<NUM>) broadcast on a first radio channel (<NUM>) by a radio device (<NUM>) associated with a first user (<NUM>); and
in response to determining (<NUM>), by the radio-channel monitoring device (<NUM>), that the communication data (<NUM>) meets given criteria (<NUM>) for rebroadcasting:
determining (<NUM>), by the radio-channel monitoring device (<NUM>), additional context data associated with one or more of the radio device (<NUM>) and the first user (<NUM>);
identifying (<NUM>), by the radio-channel monitoring device (<NUM>), two or more second radio channels (<NUM>) for rebroadcast of the communication data (<NUM>); and
causing (<NUM>), by the radio-channel monitoring device (<NUM>), at least a portion of the communication data (<NUM>) and the additional context data to be broadcast on the two or more second radio channels (<NUM>), the at least a portion of the communication data (<NUM>) and the additional context data being broadcast in a channel-compatible format on the two or more second radio channels (<NUM>), the additional context data one or more of preceding, succeeding and being embedded in the portion of the communication data (<NUM>)
wherein the additional context data is varied for each of two or more of the second radio channels (<NUM>) based on one or more of: an associated function of each of the two or more of the second radio channels (<NUM>); one or more of associated roles and associated identities of other users associated with each of the two or more of the second radio channels (<NUM>); and context data associated with the other users associated with each of the two or more of the second radio channels (<NUM>).