Remote Emergency Alert Network for Non-Line-of-Sight Dispatch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current emergency management systems for responders are limited by short-range communication, lack of systematic data collection, and ineffective emergency alerts, posing safety risks and inefficiencies in emergency response.
Innovation Solution
A system for remotely managing emergency equipment and personnel using nodes equipped with sensors, processors, and transmitters, connected to a remote server that analyzes data to create safety zones and transmit alerts to direct and indirect subscribers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If visual and audio warning systems (emergency lights and sirens) are installed on emergency equipment, then emergency responders can alert others to their approach, but these warning messages are easily ignored by people or go unnoticed by people with hearing impairments or distracted drivers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system that uses road-side units and centralized servers to relay emergency vehicle locations and warnings to traffic signals and driver devices. This intermediary infrastructure ensures alerts are delivered reliably through multiple channels (visual traffic signals, mobile device notifications) rather than relying solely on direct audio/visual warnings from the emergency vehicle, which may be ignored or missed.
2Productivity
If pre-empt traffic signal technology is used to regulate traffic flow and facilitate emergency responders, then traffic can be controlled to aid emergency movement, but this technology requires a direct line-of-sight range from the traffic signal control device to the emergency equipment and is costly to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal communication infrastructure where road-side units serve multiple functions: they communicate with emergency vehicles, control traffic signals, and provide data to centralized servers. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for specialized line-of-sight communication devices at each traffic signal, reducing overall system complexity and cost while maintaining productivity benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized server acts as an intermediary that receives data from road-side units and emergency vehicles, processes information, and coordinates traffic signal control. This intermediary architecture removes the direct line-of-sight requirement between traffic signals and emergency vehicles, allowing indirect communication through the server while maintaining system efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If vehicle-to-vehicle communication technologies are used to alert people to approaching emergency responders, then people can be warned, but these technologies also require line-of-sight range to trigger the alert system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses road-side units and centralized servers as intermediaries to extend communication range beyond line-of-sight limitations. Emergency vehicle data is transmitted to road-side units which relay information through the server network to subscriber devices, enabling alert transmission over distances that exceed direct vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-signal line-of-sight ranges, thereby improving personnel safety.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure presents a system for remotely managing emergency equipment through wireless network and methods to use this system to monitor emergency equipment and deliver emergency information to subscribers. The system for remotely managing emergency equipment includes at least a node, also called as end user emergency equipment, a remote server, and a plurality of direct and indirect subscriber devices. The remote server receives data collected from each node, processes the node data, and sends the processed data to direct and indirect subscribers to manage emergency equipment. The system can improve the efficiency on collision avoidance, emergency warning, and emergency vehicle dispatch management.