Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, such as an accident site, a natural or human-made disaster site, or any other first response site. One system is for locating a plurality of portable modules at an incident scene. The system comprises a plurality of receivers transportable to the incident scene. The system also comprises a processing entity configured to: determine a location of a first one of the portable modules based on first data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules and received by at least three receivers of the plurality of receivers; and determine a location of a second one of the portable modules based on the location of the first one of the portable modules and second data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules and received by the first one of the portable modules.

Abstract: A method of processing a communication request destined for an intended recipient, comprising: determining an interrupt worthiness of the communication request; determining an interruptability of the intended recipient; determining at least one delivery feature based on the interrupt worthiness of the communication request and the interruptability of the intended recipient; and causing delivery of the communication request over a communication system in accordance with the at least one delivery feature.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, such as an accident site, a natural or human-made disaster site, or any other first response site. One system comprises a portable patient module to be associated with a patient at the incident scene and configured to transmit wireless signals. The system also comprises a processing system comprising at least one receiver to receive the wireless signals and a processing entity configured to process data derived from the wireless signals to determine an action to be performed with respect to the patient, such as transmission of a message conveying information regarding the patient to a first responder at the incident scene, establishment of communication between a first responder at the incident scene and a clinician remote from the incident scene to discuss the patient, or transmission of a message to initiate preparation of resources at a healthcare facility remote from the incident scene for arrival of the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, such as an accident site, a natural or human-made disaster site, or any other first response site. One system comprises a plurality of portable modules for the incident scene and configured to transmit wireless signals.

Abstract: A portable memory module, which comprises an interface allowing the module to be connected to and disconnected from an electronic device by a user of the module such that the electronic device is in close physical proximity to the module when connected thereto; memory storing an identifier of the module; an emitter; and a processing entity configured to encode the identifier of the module into a signal that is transmitted via the emitter as a wireless beacon. The memory contains information that allows the module to be identified by an entity connected to the electronic device. The wireless beacon is configured to enable a location of the module to be determined by a detection sub-system. When the module is connected to the electronic device and the identity of the module is transmitted to a network entity via the electronic device, the location of the module can be used by the network entity to establish the location of the electronic device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, such as an accident site, a natural or human-made disaster site, or any other first response site. One system is for locating a plurality of portable modules at an incident scene. The system comprises a plurality of receivers transportable to the incident scene. The system also comprises a processing entity configured to: determine a location of a first one of the portable modules based on first data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules and received by at least three receivers of the plurality of receivers; and determine a location of a second one of the portable modules based on the location of the first one of the portable modules and second data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules and received by the first one of the portable modules.

Abstract: A system for more optimally providing a service, such as a communications service, in an institutional setting by use of smart context-aware approaches. The system comprises an environmental context processing engine configured to transform sensed data indicative of activity relevant to provision of said service into data indicative of an environmental context in which said activity is deemed to have occurred; a situational context processing engine configured to transform the data indicative of the environmental context into data indicative of a situational context in which said activity is deemed to have occurred; and a decision making engine configured to apply data indicative of an institutional context to the data indicative of the situational context in order to determine an action to be taken in accordance with provision of said service.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for providing power management to sensing nodes in a sensor network. A system may include a plurality of sensing nodes, each sensing node connected through a power management device to an external power source, such as a powered node of another network, for managing power from the external power source to the sensing node. Beneficially, a plurality of power management devices allow for a sensor network of fixed or mobile wireless sensing nodes or sensor gateways to make use of power from an external source such as an another network e.g. an existing emergency lighting system or other similar powered building system. Thus for example, a sensor or group of sensing nodes and their associated power management devices may be integral with or co-located in proximity to powered nodes of these other networks.

Abstract: A method and system is provided that may be used to dynamically modify membership of a collaboration group participating in a collaboration session using dynamic situational information associated with collaboration session and/or collaboration group member candidates. The dynamic situational information may include collaboration session information, environmental information and context information. A change in collaboration session purpose may trigger a modification of group membership in accordance with a concomitant change in group membership criteria. A change of situational information associated with any group member candidate may trigger the modification of group membership, to add or delete the candidate from the group.

Abstract: Network entity, method and computer-readable storage medium for use in a network that includes an arrangement of cell sites, each cell site being configured to provide wireless services to users within a respective coverage region. The network entity comprises an input configured to receive position information regarding occurrence of an event at an event site, and a processing entity configured to determine on a basis of the position information regarding occurrence of the event and policy information regarding the network, whether the event warrants coverage region reconfiguration and, if so, to generate a message commanding an adjustment to the coverage region of at least one cell site. An output is configured to release the message towards the at least one cell site, whereby application of the adjustment to the coverage region of the at least one cell site enables an increase in traffic to be accommodated in a vicinity of the event site.

Abstract: System and method for dynamically re-directing communications sessions destined for a particular entity in a communications system, each communications session being associated with at least one predefined route. Location information indicative of a current location of the particular entity is obtained and applied to a predefined set of conditional routing rules associated with the particular entity. This rules-based processing generates a routing result, on the basis of which the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity is dynamically updated.

Abstract: System and method for determining location-enhanced presence information for a particular entity subscribed to a communications system. Location information indicative of a current location for the particular entity is obtained, as well as presence information indicative of a current activity status of the particular entity within the communications system. A combination of the current location and current activity status of the particular entity is applied as a condition to a set of conditional rules associated with the particular entity, for determining current location-enhanced presence information for the particular entity.

Abstract: System and method for dynamically reconfiguring communications session routing in a communications system, each communications session being destined for a particular entity and being associated with at least one predefined route. Location information indicative of a current location for the particular entity is obtained and applied, in combination with at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity, to a predefined set of conditional routing rules associated with the particular entity. This rules-based processing generates a routing result, on the basis of which the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity is dynamically updated. The at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity may include presence information, location-enhanced presence information, entity profile information and administrative information.

Abstract: Apparatus for redirecting a plurality of optical beams emanating from a respective plurality of optical transmitters arranged in a pattern along a first dimension and a second dimension. The apparatus comprises a plurality of refractive regions. Each refractive region intercepts the optical beams emanating from an associated group of optical transmitters occupying a common position in the first dimension. In addition, each particular refractive region imparts to the intercepted optical beams an angular deflection in the first dimension, the angular deflection in the first dimension being a function of the common position in the first dimension occupied by the optical transmitters from which emanate the optical beams intercepted by the particular refractive region. Use of the refractive regions reduces the amount of available deflection area left unused when a parallel set of port cards is employed for switching optical signals.

Abstract: A fast optical switch is needed to realize an economical and scaleable optical-core network. In the disclosed optical switch, switching is effected by rapid wavelength conversion. Either channel switching, Time Division Multiplex (TDM) switching or both may be provided by the fast optical switch. The operation of the fast optical switch is enabled by a fast scheduler. The throughput of the optical switch may be increased through a process of bimodal pipelined connection-packing. An in-band exchange of control signals with external nodes may serve to minimize the control overhead. Such control signals may include time-locking signals and connection-requests. A modular structure may be configured to comprise several fast optical switches to yield a high-speed, high-capacity, fully-connected optical switch.

Abstract: A method of controlling deflection of an optical beam at a beam steering element. The method comprises receiving switching instructions indicative of a target one of a plurality of potential transmit or receive elements; determining a control signal associated with the target transmit or receive element; and applying the control signal to the beam steering element, thereby to cause deflection of the optical beam. Deflection of optical beams on the basis of the determined control signal allows greater pointing accuracy. Also, a port card, comprising a plurality of optical transmitter elements operative to produce respective optical beams from the input optical signals; and an array of beam steering elements operative to controllably orient the optical beams into respective transmit directions. The port card also comprises a controller for controlling the beam steering elements of the array using, for example, the above method.

Abstract: A last optical switch is needed to realize an economical and scaleable optical-core network. In the disclosed optical switch, switching is effected by rapid wavelength conversion. Either channel switching, Time Division Multiplex (TDM) switching or both may be provided by the fast optical switch. The operation of the fast optical switch is enabled by a fast scheduler. The throughput of the optical switch may be increased through a process of bimodal pipelined connection-packing. An in-band exchange of control signals with external nodes may serve to minimize the control overhead. Such control signals may include time-locking signals and connection-requests. A modular structure may be configured to comprise several fast optical switches to yield a high-speed, high-capacity, fully-connected optical switch.

Abstract: A depopulated MEMs array based protection switch is provided. The protection switch includes a depopulated protection array for rerouting optical signals using fewer switching elements than a fully populated array, and in some implementations an integrated test array for performing a self-test in service mode, and for testing failed optical components.

Abstract: In order to enhance collaborations, the system responds to a trigger event to determine the nature of any collaboration which should be assembled in response to the trigger, and determines the requirements needed to respond to the event. These requirements set out the type of resources (personnel, equipment, information systems, etc) that are needed. The system then identifies a subset of specific resources based on a criteria, and invites the specified resources to collaborate to respond to the event. The criteria can include the availability of the specific resource. According to an embodiment, the system evaluates responses from the invited resources and then convenes the collaboration, for example by establishing one or more communication sessions. According to an embodiment, the system evaluates responses from the invited resources to ensure that the requirements are satisfied, and if not, determines other resources to invite.

Abstract: A method of communicating in a healthcare establishment. The method comprises receiving data indicative of a desire to communicate with a target clinician; receiving data regarding a wirelessly detectable tag associated with the target clinician; determining a location of the target clinician within the healthcare establishment based at least in part on the data regarding the wirelessly detectable tag; applying an unavailability policy to obtain an outcome indicating whether the target clinician is available for communication, the unavailability policy being a function of the location of the target clinician; and responsive to the outcome indicating that the target clinician is available for communication, performing an action to cause communication with the target clinician. In this way, time and effort will not be spent attempting to communicate with clinicians that are not considered to be available, even though they may be registered for duty.