Dispatch Incident Window for Communication Asset Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dispatchers in complex communication networks face difficulties in efficiently managing multiple talk groups and accessing relevant information and controls during emergency situations, often requiring numerous mouse clicks to switch between groups and navigate through cluttered graphical user interfaces.
Innovation Solution
The generation of an incident window customized to a specific incident, which collects critical information and UI controls, allowing dispatchers to efficiently organize assets and information, and can be automatically generated or manually populated, providing a focused interface for handling incidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If dispatchers use traditional graphical user interfaces with multiple monitors and numerous controls, then comprehensive communication network management is achieved, but the complexity of operation increases and time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional monolithic dispatcher interface is segmented into multiple independent virtual desktops, each dedicated to specific functions (talk group monitoring, incident management, asset tracking, etc.). This segmentation allows dispatchers to access only the relevant interface for current tasks, reducing navigation time and operational complexity while maintaining comprehensive system management capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
A virtual desktop environment acts as an intermediary layer between the dispatcher and the underlying communication network systems. This virtualization layer consolidates multiple system functions into unified interface panels, eliminating the need to switch between multiple physical monitors and controls, thereby reducing operational time and complexity.
2Loss of information
If dispatchers access all communication assets and information through traditional interfaces, then complete information availability is achieved, but interface clutter increases and relevant information identification becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Each virtual desktop is configured with localized interface elements tailored to specific operational contexts (e.g., fire response desktop shows fire-related assets and talk groups, while police desktop shows corresponding police resources). This contextual customization ensures that only relevant information is displayed prominently in each view, eliminating interface clutter while maintaining comprehensive information availability across different virtual desktops.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface dynamically adapts its content and layout based on the active virtual desktop, current incident type, and selected talk groups. Information panels automatically reconfigure to show only pertinent assets and data for the current operational context, reducing visual clutter while ensuring complete information remains accessible through virtual desktop switching.
3Reliability
If multiple dispatchers operate simultaneously on the same communication network, then comprehensive network coverage is achieved, but coordination complexity and potential for errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual desktop environment provides a universal interface framework that all dispatchers use regardless of their specific responsibilities. Each dispatcher receives customized virtual desktop configurations based on their role and assigned talk groups, but all operate within the same standardized virtual environment, reducing coordination complexity while maintaining comprehensive network coverage through role-based access.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention pertains to methods and apparatus for displaying information and presenting user interface controls for interfacing with a communication network and controlling communication assets on the network. The invention is particularly suited to a dispatch environment and specifically to providing an interface that permits a dispatcher to efficiently organize assets and information around individual incidents.