AU2015201441A1

AU2015201441A1 - A Telecommunications System

Info

Publication number: AU2015201441A1
Application number: AU2015201441A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Derel Wust
Original assignee: 4TEL Pty Ltd
Current assignee: 4TEL Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2014-03-18
Filing date: 2015-03-18
Publication date: 2015-10-08

Abstract

A telecommunications system for mapping and communicating with a group of users of the system. The system comprises a software application for displaying a map overlayed with data from one or more digital devices, at least one server for collecting and processing data relating to the location of the one or more digital devices and a network for communications between the digital devices and the server. The software application is used to display data on the digital devices relating to one or more of the other digital devices and enables the users to communicate via the network. Cc ~ N' II ~c "' ~ t i $$ -N Q9 N-

Description

I A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to telecommunications and, more particularly, to a digital system for mapping and communicating with a group of users of the system. BACKGROUND ART [0002] On a large worksite, foremen often use a map of the worksite and a Citizens' Band ('CB') radio to supervise and direct workers. A problem with this method of communication is that many of the workers may not know their precise location to relay it back it the foreman. Consequently, the foreman may not be aware of the current location of any particular worker on the worker site at any particular time. This is particularly problematic if the work site is dangerous. [0003] For example, when workers are performing railway repairs it is critical to know the location of the workers who may otherwise be exposed to oncoming trains. When working on railway lines in remote locations, there may be no clearly definable landmarks for the workers to use to communicate their exact position back to the foreman. [0004] By way of another example, on an open cut mine site, it is critical that workers are aware of any potentially dangerous activities around them, such as moving machines, areas where explosives have been planted and unstable ground. [0005] In the case of an industrial harbour, various boats may not be aware of each other's precise location and may present safety risks to one another. If a container ship is awaiting cargo from an approaching locomotive, information about the position of the locomotive may not be readily available. In addition, the boats may not be entirely aware of the geography of the harbour itself. [0006] A marine traffic coordinator may use an Automatic Identification System (AIS) and radar to manage vessel traffic. However, AIS systems are generally only used to monitor the locations of large vessels. Each of those vessels generally only has access to the monitoring information at one location on the ship, usually on the bridge. The information about the vessels situation is not readily available to anyone, anywhere in the area. [0007] For example, port authorities are required to coordinate the loading of coal from trains onto certain vessels for export. Trains from different mine sites will have coal loads of different compositions. These coal loads may need to be blended to have the correct composition to fulfil a contract with a purchaser of the coal. It would be useful if the port authority could have ready access to information about the positions of both the vessels and oncoming trains and their cargos. [0008] In the trucking industry, foremen are required to be aware of the locations of all of the trucks and drivers, so that they can inform the recipients of their cargos of the time at which the truck will arrive. If a driver is travelling through a remote or isolated location, the position of the truck will be particularly relevant. A foreman could call the driver of one of the trucks to establish the truck's location. However, this information may not be readily available to the foreman. Likewise, the contact information of the cargo recipient may not be readily available to the foreman, so that all parties in the transaction may readily communicate. If the driver is involved in an emergency, such as an accident or a breakdown in a remote location, the driver may not know who to call and how to explain their current location so that they may be rescued. [0009] If workers can be more aware of their situation and surroundings, they are less likely to be exposed to occupational health and safety risks. A telecommunications system is required to provide situational awareness for workers and a means of communication between those workers. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0010] The present invention is directed to telecommunications system, which may at least partially overcome at least one of the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice. [0011] With the foregoing in view, the present invention in one form, resides broadly in a telecommunications system for mapping and communicating with a group of users of the system, the system comprising: (a) a software application for displaying a map overlayed with data from one or more digital devices; (b) at least one server for collecting and processing data relating to the location of the one or more digital devices; and (c) a network for communications between the digital devices and the server; wherein the software application is used to display data on the digital devices relating to one or more of the other digital devices and enables the users to communicate via the network.

[0012] The map may be a combination of an Open Source Map (OSM) data overlayed with data from one or more digital devices. The server using source information from the database generates the map. The live digitised information is then dynamically assembled and provided to the user for display. [0013] The digital device could be any form of digital computational device, such as a desktop computer, a server, a tablet computer or a mobile phone. [0014] The server(s) may include an application server and a database server. The application server may include multiple separate servers, such as a map server or an overlay server. The software application may run on one or more sets of digital devices, depending on the size of the software application and the number of users of the systems. [0015] The database server may store the communication properties of each digital device. The properties may include telephone numbers, the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, Unique Device Identifier (UDID) numbers, Internet Protocol addresses (IP addresses), usernames and email address, etc. Preferably, only active means of communicating with digital devices are presented to a user of the system. [0016] The network may include the internet and/or a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A telephony network may be used for voice transmission. Alternatively, a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) may also be used to transmit and control telephony over the network. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a preferred protocol because it is an open standards based protocol. Such protocols are advantageous because they will not restrict the system to one or a limited range of vendors for the Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX). If a digital device does not have telephony capabilities (such as in the case of a desktop computer or a tablet computer), VOIP may used for telephony capabilities by associating a particular telephone number with the digital device within the database server. [0017] The users may be displayed on the map as an icon. The icons are preferably configurable. That is, the icon may be adapted to clearly illustrate the particular type or class of digital device. [0018] In a preferred form of the invention, the software application is adapted to be used on a digital device with touch screen capability. The software application may be adapted to enable a user to press a single icon to initiate a routine or emergency voice call to a designated digital device.

-r [0019] Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention. [0020] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0021] Various embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, in which: [0022] Figure 1 is a diagram of a software application according to the present invention, running on a digital device in the form of a tablet computer. [0023] Figure 2 is a diagram of the digital device of figure 1, showing tracking information for a particular worker. [0024] Figure 3 is a diagram of the digital device of figure 1, showing a foreman sending a text message to the worker. [0025] Figure 4 is a diagram of the digital device of figure 1, showing a voice over internet protocol call made by a foreman to a worker using the system. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0026] Figure 1 shows a digital device 10 operated by a foreman 11. The digital device 10 displays a map 12 with data relating to the locations of railway workers 14 and the positions of various locomotives 16 around the workers 14. Also shown on the map 12 is a harbour 18 with the positions of various ships, including cargo ships 20. The positions of the ships are obtained from data from an existing Automatic Identification System (AIS) overlayed onto the map 12 to create a composite picture of people, vehicles, locomotives, machines and ships from all source data. [0027] Also displayed on the map 12 are the positions of various worksite protection beacons 22. The beacons are digital devices comprising a GPS navigation receiver, a radio communications channel and a security panel for authorising use of the beacon. The beacons are used to define a 'geo-fence', which is the boundary of a safety zone in which workers are present. When a train crosses a geo-fence, workers located within that geo-fence are notified to take caution. [0028] The foreman 11 may touch the worker 14 displayed on the map 12 to reveal a field 24 containing data about the worker 14, including, for instance, the worker's name, location (i.e. the longitude and latitude of the worker) and the time at which the GPS transmitter on the digital device measured the location of the worker. These fields are programmable to a specific user's needs. [0029] For example, field 26 shows the data relating to the cargo of an oncoming locomotive 28, the locomotive number (issued by the locomotive foreman), the run number (the locomotive number designating the route of the locomotive), the time at which the locomotive was weighed and the gross tonnage of the locomotive itself. This data may be relevant to a port authority who is trying to coordinate the loading of freight onto a container ship. The data displayed in any particular field on any particular map can be adapted for any particular industry. [0030] The system of the present invention does not generate the positional data, but rather collates that data from other third party sources. These sources include GPS data from the digital devices. A ships positional data will come from an AIS system. A locomotive's positional data will come from a digital device such as a GPS receiver on the locomotive (almost all locomotives are currently fitted with GPS transmitters). [0031] Figure 1 also shows an emergency distress signal 29 initiated by a worker. The worker may have been injured in the course of work and consequently be in need of assistance or rescue. [0032] As shown in Figure 1, the foreman 11 may select a communications icon 30 to activate a communications menu 32, illustrated in more detail in Figure 2. The menu 32 may include a tracking icon 34 to track the movements of the worker 14, which then displays the position of the digital device held by the worker 14 as dots 36 on the map 12. GPS data tracking the movement of a particular digital device in the network may be recorded or deleted from the server. [0033] As the positional data is captured at regular intervals, the foreman can tell whether worker 14 moved slowly or quickly, or whether worker 14 stopped and if so, the duration of the stop. The intensity of the signal strength from the digital device of the worker 14 can also be determined from this data. The signal strength may vary as the worker moves around a mobile phone network.

[0034] It may be useful to track the position of a worker 14 to determine whether they have entered a restricted area, which may be unsafe. The foreman 11 could then use the system to call the worker 14 to advise her to leave the restricted area (as shown in Figure 4). The advantage provided by the system of the present invention is that the foreman 11 did not have to know the mobile telephone number of the worker 14 in order to communicate with the worker 14. [0035] The options which are available on the menu 32 will depend on the requirements of a client of the system. For example, menu 32 shows an SMS icon 38 and an email icon 40 to provide communication options for the foreman 11. Figure 3 shows the foreman 11 sending a SMS text message 44 via the digital device 10 to the worker 14. [0036] The menu 32 also contains a target icon 42 to ping the current location of the worker 14. The GPS data is collected by different digital devices at different times (e.g. at one minute intervals for digital devices held by workers, or at five minute intervals for digital devices on board locomotives) and may not be an instantaneous representation of the exact location of a digital device held by a worker. [0037] Each locomotive is assigned a specific number, called a locomotive number (equivalent to a car's vehicle identification number). Each train path is also assigned a routing identifier (which is an alpha-numeric number). For example a Qantas plane (e.g. #51651561) may be assigned to a particular flight number (e.g. QF432). The system of the present invention needs to be able to distinguish which locomotive is assigned to which train path. The foreman 11 is concerned with being able to contact any locomotive on the relevant train path. However, the system of the present invention cannot contact a train path, but rather needs to contact a particular locomotive. Accordingly, the system must map the locomotive number with the train path of concern to the foreman. [0038] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word 'comprising' and its derivatives including 'comprises' and 'comprise' include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers. [0039] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims (if any) appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for mapping and communicating with a group of users of the system, the system comprising: (a) a software application for displaying a map overlayed with data from one or more digital devices of one or more users; (b) at least one server for collecting and processing data relating to the location of the one or more digital devices; and (c) a network for communications between the digital devices and the server; wherein the software application is used to display the data on each digital device relating to one or more of the other digital devices and enables the users to communicate via the network.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the system additionally comprises one or more beacons the determining the position of one or more objects and wherein the data displayed on the digital devices includes the locations of the one or more objects on the map.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein the beacon is adapted to communicate with one or more of the digital devices of the system.

4. The telecommunications system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the server is adapted to track the movements of one or more digital devices on the map over time.

5. The telecommunications system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the digital devices communicate on the network via a Session Initiation Protocol.