Method and system for using a situational network
Patent No. US9877345 (titled "Method and system for using a situational network") on Sep 22, 2015. The application was issued on Jan 23, 2018.
What is this patent about?
’345 is related to the field of situational networking and emergency management systems. Specifically, it addresses the technical challenge of rapidly organizing ad-hoc communication networks among individuals who are physically affected by a specific event, such as a natural disaster or a localized emergency, but who may have no prior social or technical connection to one another.
The underlying idea behind ’345 is the automated formation of a dynamic situational network based on geographic proximity to an event. Rather than relying on static contact lists, the system identifies potential participants by their real-time physical location relative to a situation’s coordinates and establishes temporary communication links to facilitate the exchange of critical information and safety status.
The claims of ’345 focus on a method and system for managing a roll call query within this situational network. The independent claims specifically cover the process of identifying geographically proximate devices, transmitting a status solicitation to those devices, receiving responses regarding the participants' safety or needs, and aggregating those responses into a centralized roll call list for use by authorities.
In practice, the invention functions by creating an event node that acts as a temporary hub for the situation. A central server monitors the movement of devices and invites them to join the network as they enter the affected area. This allows for a tiered access structure where emergency responders can prioritize high-bandwidth communication while simultaneously collecting safety data from the general public through the automated check-in mechanism.
This approach differs from traditional social networks by utilizing temporally limited links that exist only for the duration of the event. Unlike static emergency broadcast systems, it enables a two-way flow of data, allowing authorities to generate a spatial map of the situation using location-tagged responses and providing a searchable message board for individuals outside the network to verify the safety of those within the affected zone.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical Landscape
In the mid-2000s when ’345 was filed, mobile data exchange and location-aware services were typically implemented using static client-server architectures where devices communicated with centralized databases via cellular or early wireless local area networks. At a time when systems commonly relied on pre-defined user profiles and fixed infrastructure for information routing rather than dynamic, context-aware peer groupings, hardware and software constraints made the real-time formation of ad-hoc networks based on transient situational variables non-trivial. Data processing for emergency services and navigation was generally siloed within specific applications, often requiring manual intervention to correlate geographic proximity with relevant personal or environmental data.
Prosecution Position
The disclosed invention represents a technical advancement through the architectural shift toward situational networking, which enables the automated creation of transient network projections based on shared context, such as location, time, or specific events. By integrating personal information aggregation with dynamic network formation, the system overcomes the constraint of static user associations, allowing for the autonomous delivery of location-based services and emergency notifications to a fluid set of participants. This capability enables more efficient data routing and resource allocation in time-sensitive scenarios by ensuring that information is disseminated only to entities within a relevant situational boundary.
Claims
The patent contains a total of 16 claims, with claims 1, 8, and 13 being independent. These independent claims focus on methods and a system for managing situation-related information by forming a situational network of geographically proximate devices, issuing roll call queries to participants, and aggregating status responses into a roll call list. The dependent claims serve to further define the types of situations covered, specify the contents of the status responses, and detail additional functionalities such as sharing the roll call list with participants, reporting non-responsive devices, and establishing message boards for external access to information.
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US9877345
- Application Number
- US14861340A
- Filing Date
- Sep 22, 2015
- Publication Date
- Jan 23, 2018
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO , Google Patents