Gateway Server Standardizing Non-Voice Emergency Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) face challenges in standardizing communication infrastructure and accepting non-voice information from diverse sources, including mobile devices, due to varying technological infrastructures and policies, limiting situational awareness during emergency responses.
Innovation Solution
The Enhanced Gateway Safety System (EGSS) facilitates the communication of non-voice information between third-party systems and public or private agencies via a broadband internet connection, selecting the appropriate agency based on unique identifiers or location, and processing information to be compatible with the agency's systems, providing enhanced situational awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If PSAPs integrate multiple proprietary protocols (ASAP, NG911 i3) for receiving non-voice information, then information sources are diversified, but system complexity and integration difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway server as an intermediary component that sits between multiple information sources (ASAP systems, NG911 i3 systems, mobile devices) and the PSAP. This gateway server receives non-voice information from various protocols, standardizes the data format, and forwards it to the PSAP in a unified manner. This mediator approach allows the system to support diverse information sources without requiring the PSAP to directly integrate with each proprietary protocol, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining adaptability.
2Loss of information
If PSAPs accept non-voice information from diverse third-party systems, then situational awareness is enhanced, but standardization across different PSAP infrastructures becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal gateway server that can handle multiple types of non-voice information (text messages, images, video, sensor data) from various sources (mobile devices, alarm systems, wearables) and route them to appropriate PSAPs. The gateway server implements a standardized interface layer that works across different PSAP infrastructures, enabling universal compatibility. This multi-functional gateway can adapt to different information types and sources while maintaining a consistent communication framework, thus enhancing situational awareness without sacrificing standardization.
3Device complexity
If traditional voice-only communication is used in PSAPs, then system simplicity is maintained, but operator situational awareness and response accuracy are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into two distinct channels: the traditional voice communication channel remains simple and unchanged, while a separate non-voice information channel is added through the gateway server. This segmentation allows the voice system to maintain its simplicity and reliability, while the additional non-voice channel provides enhanced situational awareness through text messages, images, video, and sensor data from mobile devices and other sources. The gateway server manages the non-voice channel independently, ensuring that adding these capabilities does not complicate the core voice communication system.
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprising receiving non-voice information concerning an emergency event captured by at least one electronic device; selecting a responding agency to receive the non-voice information, based on at least one of a unique identifier and location information; and directing the non-voice information to the selected agency, via a broadband internet connection, to provide enhanced situational awareness regarding the emergency event to a responding agent at the selected agency. A method comprising receiving non-voice information concerning an emergency event; selecting a responding agency to which to direct the non-voice information; processing the non-voice information to be compatible with at least one of an intake or dispatch system utilized by the selected agency; and directing the processed non-voice information to the selected agency, via a broadband internet connection, to provide enhanced situational awareness regarding the emergency event to a responding agent at the selected agency.