Emergency Radio Communications System Incorporating Integral Public Safety Radio Bridging Capability

摘要

A communication system and method is provided for handling emergency situations wherein complex public safety radio systems can be used to directly communicate with normally incompatible radio systems used by organizations such as schools, hospital, and other facilities. The system includes a radio communication bridge that is selectively activated by emergency personnel to contact selected organizations. The bridge is activated via a TCP/IP command sent from an organization having activation privileges to the selected communication endpoints. Computer software or firmware installed at various communication endpoints, emergency responder locations, and at an emergency call center is used to facilitate functionality of the system to include emergency notifications, dissemination of information associated with a particular emergency, and the status of the system to include activation and deactivation of the radio bridge.

主权项

1. A communication system especially adapted for facilitating emergency communications between communicants having respective radio systems, said system comprising:
first and second computer processors located at respective communication endpoints a communication server for managing communications between the communication endpoints; a communications network for interconnecting said communications server and said computer processors, said server and each of said computer processors having respective IP addresses; at least one public safety radio associated with one of said communication endpoints; at least one local radio associated with the other of said communication endpoints; a radio bridge for facilitating direct radio communications between said at least one public safety radio and said local radio, said radio bridge facilitating connection between the radios, said bridge further including a processor that communicates with said server to receive activation and deactivation instructions sent from an authorized user, said instructions being sent as IP packets over the communications network; computer instructions to selectively control and monitor the system to include (i) activation and deactivation of said radio bridge as controlled by said first computer and to prevent activation and deactivation control at said communication endpoint associated with the at least one local radio, and (ii) to produce visual displays on at least one user interface for said first or second computers; and wherein said visual displays include an activation or status screen showing an audio detect feature indicative of which communication endpoints are transmitting radio communications.