Managing multiple devices within a security ecosystem may be a time-consuming and challenging task. This task typically requires an in-depth knowledge of each type of device within the security ecosystem in order to produce a desired workflow when a security event is detected. For example, consider a school system that employs a security ecosystem comprising a radio communication system, a video security system, and a door access control system. Assume that an administrator wishes to implement a first workflow that notifies particular radios if a door breach is detected. Assume that the administrator also wishes to implement a second workflow that also notifies the particular radios when a security camera detects loitering. In order to implement these two workflows, the access control system may have to be configured to provide the notifications to the radios and the video security system may have to be configured to provide the notifications to the radios. Thus, both the access control system and the video security system may need to be configured separately in order to implement the two workflows. As is evident, this requires the administrator to have an in-depth knowledge of both the video security system and the access control system. Thus, the lack of continuity across systems is a burden to administrators since an in-depth knowledge of all systems within the ecosystem may be needed in order to properly configure workflows within the ecosystem.
In order to reduce the burden on administrators and enhance their efficiency, a need exists for a user-friendly interface tool that gives administrators the ability to configure and automate workflows that control their integrated security ecosystem. It would also be beneficial if such a tool equips administrators with the capabilities they need to detect triggers across a number of installed devices/systems and quickly take actions (execute workflows) to reduce the risk of breaches and downtime by automatically alerting the appropriate teams and executing the proper procedures.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
In order to address the above-mentioned need, a system, method, and apparatus for implementing workflows across multiple differing systems and devices is provided herein. During operation, a computing device, such as a workflow server, may monitor one or more triggers that occur in the differing systems and devices based on sensor data generated by, and received from one or more sensors, and, in response, implement one or more actions that may include communicating with one or more communication devices across the differing systems and devices, for example to dispatch security personnel associated with the one or more communication devices to locations, at which the sensor data was collected that lead to the triggers. However, it may be challenging to communicate to the one or more communication devices the sensor data that lead to the one or more triggers and/or to change and/or control the safety workflows. Thus, there exists a need for an improved technical system, device, and system for communicating with communication devices based on workflow interactions.
Hence, provided herein is a computing device, for example in the form a workflow server interacting with a workstation, which monitors execution of a safety workflow and/or a plurality of safety workflows. A safety workflow is understood to include an association between a trigger, which occurs when certain conditions are met as determined using sensor data from a physical sensor, and an action, which occurs in response to the trigger, and which may include at least an electronic interaction and/or communication with a communication device. One example trigger may comprise determining that a given door is open (e.g. and/or has been open for a given time period) and a responsive action may comprise communicating with a given communication device to dispatch security personnel operating the communication device to the location of the open door.
The present system provides a computing system having a network interface and a processor and method of using same where the processor is specifically configured to resolve workflow conflict among shared physical devices (including but not limited to all manner of IoT devices such as cameras, locks, occupancy sensors, bio-sensors, drones, etc.) In operation, the present system receives workflows from a plurality of different workflow computer systems and identifies conflicts between or among one or more of these physical devices. The present system and method mitigates the identified conflicts by modifying at least one of the workflows to avoid the identified conflict. In addition, the present system provides the modified workflow back to one or more of workflow computer systems implementing the workflows that caused the conflict(s). In optional aspects, modifications to avoid conflicts may include reorganizing workflow steps, generating alternate workflow steps or activating additional physical devices to perform assigned workflow steps (or some combination thereof). In addition, one workflow may be prioritized over another, and such prioritization may be done in accordance with established public safety parameters (for example, the police may be given priority access to a school camera over school administrators). Optionally, systems may be included for changing or adding workflow triggers or actions to mitigate the identified conflict(s). Optionally as well, historic workflow data may be analyzed by an analytical engine to predict conflict between or among the various physical devices.
In one optional aspect, the present system provides a computing device comprising a network interface and a processor where the processor is configured to: receive workflows from a plurality of workflow computer systems, the workflows comprising: respective triggers and respective responsive actions that are executed by one or more physical devices; identify conflicts in the one or more physical devices that are shared among the workflows received from the plurality of workflow computer systems; modify at least one workflow to avoid an identified conflict; and provide the at least one workflow as modified back to one or more of workflow computer systems implementing the workflows that caused the conflicts.
In optional aspects, two workflow computer systems are involved and the present system sends the workflow as modified back to both workflow computer systems.
In optional aspects, the processor is further configured to modify the at least one workflow by one or more of: reorganizing workflow steps; generating alternative workflow steps; and activating additional physical devices and assigning one more of existing workflow actions and the alternative workflow actions to the additional physical devices. Workflows may be modified in various ways, including but not limited to: changing one or more triggers of one or more of the workflows; adding one or more alternative triggers to the one or more of the workflows; changing one or more actions of one or more of the workflows; and adding one or more alternative action to the one or more of the workflows.
In optional aspects, the processor is further configured to modify at least one workflow to avoid the identified conflict by prioritizing a first workflow received from a first workflow computer system over a second workflow received from a second workflow computer system. The processor may execute the first workflow and not the second workflow or execute the first workflow and modify the second workflow to avoid or mitigate the conflict.
In optional aspects, historic workflow execution data is logged and the processor is further configured to predict conflicts among the physical devices by analyzing the historic workflow execution data.
In addition, the present system includes an optional method of managing workflows received from a plurality of workflow computer systems, comprising: receiving, in a multi-workflow computing device, workflows from a plurality of workflow computer systems; identifying, in the multi-workflow computing device, conflicts in IoT devices that are shared among the workflows; mitigating, in the multi-workflow computing device, the conflicts among the IoT devices by modifying at least one workflow to avoid a conflict; and providing the at least one workflow as modified back to one or more of workflow computer systems implementing the workflows that caused the conflicts.
Each of the above-mentioned aspects will be discussed in more detail below, starting with example system and device architectures of the system in which the embodiments may be practiced, followed by an illustration of processing blocks for achieving an improved security ecosystem and/or an improved Security Ecosystem, Device, System and Method For Mitigating Conflicts In Workflows.
Example embodiments are herein described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to example embodiments. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, may be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a special purpose and unique machine, such that the instructions, which execute via processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The methods and processes set forth herein need not, in some embodiments, be performed in the exact sequence as shown and likewise various blocks may be performed in parallel rather than in sequence. Accordingly, the elements of methods and processes are referred to herein as “blocks” rather than “steps.”
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that may direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instructions, which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus that may be on or off-premises, or may be accessed via cloud in any of a software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), or infrastructure as a service (IaaS) architecture so as to cause a series of operational blocks to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide blocks for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. It is contemplated that any part of any aspect or embodiment discussed in this specification may be implemented or combined with any part of any other aspect or embodiment discussed in this specification.
Further advantages and features consistent with this disclosure will be set forth in the following detailed description, with reference to the drawings.
Turning now to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like components,
The various components of the system 100 are in communication via any suitable combination of wired and/or wireless communication links, and communication links between components of the system 100 are depicted in
As shown, the security ecosystem 100 comprises a public-safety network 130, a video surveillance system 140, a private radio system 150, and an access control system 160. A workflow server 102 is coupled to each system 130, 140, 150, and 160. The workstation 101 is shown coupled to the workflow server 102 and is utilized to configure the workflow server 102 with workflows, for example as generated by a user. It should be noted that although the components in
The workstation 101 may comprise a computer configured to execute Motorola Solution™'s Orchestrate™ and/or Ally™ dispatch and incident management software. As will be discussed in more detail below, the workstation 101 is configured to present a user with a plurality of triggers capable of being detected by the network and systems 130, 140, 150, 160 as well as present the user with a plurality of actions capable of being executed by the network and systems 130, 140, 150, 160. The user will be able to generate workflows and upload these workflows to the workflow server 102 based on the presented triggers and actions. While only one workstation 101 is shown, the system 100 may comprise a plurality of workstations 101.
The workflow server 102 may comprise a server running Motorola Solution™'s Command Central™ software suite comprising the Orchestrate™ platform. While the workflow server 102 is depicted as one device, the workflow server 102 may be implemented as one or more computing devices (e.g.: as seen in
The workflow server 102 is configured to receive workflows generated by the workstation 101 (and/or a plurality of workstations 101A and 101B in
The public-safety network 130 is configured to detect various triggers and report the detected triggers to the workflow server 102. The public-safety network 130 is also configured to receive action commands from the workflow server 102 and execute the actions. In some examples, the public-safety network 130 includes typical radio-access network (RAN) elements such as base stations, base station controllers (BSCs), routers, switches, and the like, arranged, connected, and programmed to provide wireless service to user equipment, report detected events, and execute actions received from the workflow server 102.
The video surveillance system 140 is configured to detect various triggers and report the detected triggers to the workflow server 102. The video surveillance system 140 is also configured to receive action commands from the workflow server 102 and execute the actions. In one example, the video surveillance system 140 comprises a plurality of video cameras that may be configured to automatically change their field-of-views over time. The video surveillance system 140 is configured with a recognition engine/video analysis engine (VAE) that comprises a software engine that analyzes any video captured by the cameras using, for example, any suitable process, which may include, but is not limited to machine learning algorithms, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and the like. Using the VAE, the video surveillance system 140 is capable of “watching” video to detect any triggers and report the detected triggers to the workflow server 102. These triggers may include, but are not limited to, appearance searches and unusual Activity Detection (e.g., loitering). In a similar manner, the video surveillance system 140 is configured to execute action commands received from the workflow server 102. In some examples, the video surveillance system 140 comprises an Avigilon™ Control Center (ACC) server having Motorola Solution™'s Access Control Management (ACM)™ software suite.
The private radio system 150 may comprise a private enterprise radio system that is configured to detect various triggers and report the detected triggers to the workflow server 102. The private radio system 150 is also configured to receive action commands from the workflow server 102 and execute the actions. In some examples, the private radio system 150 comprises a MOTOTRBO™ communication system having radio devices that operate in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum and combines broadband data with voice communications.
The access control system 160 comprises an Internet-of-Things (IoT) network, which may serve to connect every-day devices to the Internet. Devices such as cars, kitchen appliances, medical devices, sensors, doors, windows, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, drones, . . . , etc. may all be connected through the IoT network of the access control system 160. Indeed, any suitable device that may be powered may be connected to the internet to control its functionality. The access control system 160 generally allows objects to be sensed or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure. For example, the access control system 160 may be configured to provide access control to various doors and windows. In particular, the access control system 160 is configured to detect various triggers (e.g., door opened/closed) and report the detected triggers to the workflow server 102. The access control system 160 is also configured to receive action commands from the workflow server 102 and execute the action received from the workflow server 102. The action commands may take the form of instructions to lock, open, and/or close a door or window.
As is evident, the security ecosystem 100 allows an administrator using the workstation 101 to generate rule-based, automated workflows between technologies to enhance efficiency, and improve response times, effectiveness, and overall safety. The security ecosystem 100 generally has the capability to detect triggers across a number of devices within network and systems 130, 140, 150, 160 and quickly take actions by automatically executing the proper procedure (i.e., executing the appropriate action once a trigger is detected).
The network and systems 130, 140, 150, 160 are next described in further detail.
The gateway 133 may comprise an Avigilon™ Control Center running Avigilon's Access Control Management software. The gateway 133 is configured to run any suitable Application Program Interface (API) to provide communications between the public-safety core network 132 and the workflow server 102.
A public safety officer (not shown in
It is envisioned that the public-safety officer may have an array of these sensors 138 available to the officer at the beginning of a shift. The officer may select and pull sensors 138 off a shelf, and form a personal-area network (PAN) 136 with the devices that may accompany the officer on their shift. For example, the officer may pull a gun-draw sensor, a body-worn camera, a wireless microphone, a smart watch, a police radio, smart handcuffs, a man-down sensor, a bio-sensor, and the like. All sensors 138 pulled by the officer may be configured to form a PAN 136 by associating (pairing) with each other and communicating wirelessly among the devices. At least one device may be configured with a digital assistant. In some examples, a PAN 136 comprises more than two sensors 138, so that many sensors 138 may be connected via a PAN 136 simultaneously.
A method called bonding may be used for recognizing specific sensors 138 and thus enabling control, over which accessories are allowed to connect to each other when forming a PAN 136. Once bonded, accessories may establish a connection without user intervention. A bond may be generated through a process called “pairing”. The pairing process may be triggered by a specific request by the user to generate a bond from a user via a user interface on the accessories. Thus, as shown, public-safety network 130 incorporates PANs 136 generated as described above. In some examples, radios 137 and sensors 138 form a PAN 136, with communication links between sensors 138 and radios 137 taking place utilizing a short-range communication system protocol such as a Bluetooth communication system protocol. In this particular example, a PAN 136 may be associated with a single officer. Thus,
The RAN 135 may include various RAN elements such as base stations, base station controllers (BSCs), routers, switches, and the like, arranged, connected, and programmed to provide wireless service to user equipment (e.g., the radios 137, and the like) in a manner known to those of skill in the relevant art. The RAN 135 may implement a direct-mode, conventional, or trunked land mobile radio (LMR) standard or protocol such as European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), a Project 25 (P25) standard defined by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International (APCO), Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), or other LMR radio protocols or standards. In other examples, the RAN 135 may implement a Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advance, or 5G protocol including multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) or single site point-to-multipoint (SC-PTM) (including, but not limited to open mobile alliance (OMA) push to talk (PTT) over cellular (OMA-PoC)), a voice over IP (VoIP), an LTE Direct or LTE Device to Device, or a PTT over IP (PoIP) application may be implemented. In still further examples, the RAN 135 may implement a Wi-Fi protocol for example operating in accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard (e.g., 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g) or a WiMAX protocol for example operating in accordance with an IEEE 802.16 standard.
The public-safety core network 132 may include one or more packet-switched networks and/or one or more circuit-switched networks, and in general provides one or more public-safety agencies with any suitable computing and communication needs, transmitting any suitable public-safety-related data and communications.
For narrowband LMR wireless systems, the public-safety core network 132 may operate in either a conventional or trunked configuration. In either configuration, a plurality of communication devices is partitioned into separate groups (talkgroups) of communication devices. In a conventional narrowband system, each communication device in a group is selected to a particular radio channel (frequency or frequency & time slot) for communications associated with that communication device's group. Thus, each group is served by one channel, and multiple groups may share the same single frequency (in which case, in some examples, group IDs (identifiers) may be present in the group data to distinguish between groups using the same shared frequency).
In contrast, a trunked radio system and its communication devices use a pool of traffic channels for virtually an unlimited number of groups of communication devices (e.g., talkgroups). Thus, all groups are served by all channels. The trunked radio system works to take advantage of the probability that not all groups need a traffic channel for communication at the same time.
Group calls may be made between radios 137 and other devices via wireless transmissions in accordance with either a narrowband or a broadband protocol or standard. Group members for group calls may be statically or dynamically defined. That is, in a first example, a user or administrator may indicate to the switching and/or radio network (such as at a call controller, PTT server, zone controller, or mobile management entity (MME), base station controller (BSC), mobile switching center (MSC), site controller, Push-to-Talk controller, or other network device) a list of participants of a group at the time of the call or in advance of the call. The group members (e.g., communication devices) could be provisioned in the network by the user or an agent, and provide some form of group identity or identifier, for example. Then, at a future time, an originating user in a group may cause some signaling to be transmitted indicating that he or she wishes to establish a communication session (e.g., join a group call having a particular talkgroup ID) with each of the pre-designated participants in the defined group. In another example, communication devices may dynamically affiliate with a group (and also disassociate with the group) based on user input, and the switching and/or radio network may track group membership and route new group calls according to the current group membership.
The radios 137 generally serve as PAN main devices, and may be any suitable computing and communication device configured to engage in wireless communication with the RAN 135 over the air interface as is known to those in the relevant art. Moreover, one or more radios 137 are further configured to engage in wired and/or wireless communication with one or more local sensor 138 via a local communication link. The radios 137 may be configured to determine when to forward information received from PA sensors 138 to, for example, a dispatch center or the workflow server 102.
Some examples of sensors 138 follow:
In some examples, a sensor 138 may comprise a sensor-enabled holster that maintains and/or provides state information regarding a weapon or other item normally disposed within the user's sensor-enabled holster. The sensor-enabled holster may detect a change in state (presence to absence) and/or an action (removal) relative to the weapon normally disposed within the sensor-enabled holster. The detected change in state and/or action may be reported to a radio 137 via its short-range transceiver, which may forward the state change to the dispatch center 131 or the workflow server 102. In some examples, the sensor-enabled holster may also detect whether the first responder's hand is resting on the weapon even if it has not yet been removed from the holster and provide such information to portable radio 137.
In some examples, a sensor 138 may comprise a biometric sensor (e.g., a biometric wristband) for tracking an activity of the user or a health status of a user, and may include one or more movement sensors (such as an accelerometer, magnetometer, and/or gyroscope) that may periodically or intermittently provide to a radio 137 indications of orientation, direction, steps, acceleration, and/or speed, and indications of health such as one or more of a captured heart rate, a captured breathing rate, and a captured body temperature of the user, for example accompanying other information. This information may be reported to a radio 137, which may forward the information to the dispatch center 131 and/or the workflow server 102.
In some examples, a sensor 138 may comprise an accelerometer to measure acceleration. Single and multi-axis models are available to detect magnitude and direction of the acceleration as a vector quantity, and may be used to sense orientation, acceleration, vibration shock, and falling. The accelerometer may determine if an officer is running A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of conservation of angular momentum. One type of gyroscope, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based gyroscope, uses lithographically constructed versions of one or more of a tuning fork, a vibrating wheel, or resonant solid to measure orientation. Other types of gyroscopes could be used as well. A magnetometer is a device used to measure the strength and/or direction of the magnetic field in the vicinity of the device, and may be used to determine a direction, in which a person or device is facing. This information may be reported to a radio 137, which may forward the information to dispatch center 131 and/or the workflow server 102.
In some examples, a sensor 138 may comprise a heart rate sensor that uses electrical contacts with the skin to monitor an electrocardiography (EKG) signal of its wearer, or may use infrared light and imaging device to optically detect a pulse rate of its wearer, among other possibilities. This information may be reported to a radio 137, which may forward the information to the dispatch center 131 and/or the workflow server 102.
In some examples, a sensor 138 may comprise a breathing rate sensor 138 to monitor breathing rate. The breathing rate sensor may include use of a differential capacitive circuits or capacitive transducers to measure chest displacement and thus breathing rates. In other examples, a breathing sensor may monitor a periodicity of mouth and/or nose-exhaled air (e.g., using a humidity sensor, temperature sensor, capnometer or spirometer) to detect a respiration rate. Other possibilities exist as well. This information may be reported to a radio 137, which may forward the information to the dispatch center 131 and/or the workflow server 102.
The dispatch center 131 may comprise, and/or may be part of, a computer-aided-dispatch center (sometimes referred to as an emergency-call center or public-safety answering point), that may be manned by an operator providing any suitable dispatch operations. For example, the dispatch center 131 may comprise a graphical user interface that provides the dispatch operator any suitable information about public-safety officers. As discussed above, some of this information originates from sensors 138 providing information to radios 137, which forwards the information to the RAN 135 and ultimately to the dispatch center 131.
In a similar manner, information about public-safety officers may be provided to the workflow server 102. This information may originate from the sensors 138 providing information to the radios 137, which forwards the information to the RAN 135 and ultimately to the workflow server 102 via the public-safety core network 132 and the gateway 133. For example, a sensor 138 comprising a gun-draw sensor may send an indication to the workflow server 102 that a gun has been drawn. This may serve as a “trigger” for the workflow server 102 to initiate a particular “action”, for example, notifying surrounding officers (for example on a particular talkgroup) by having their radios 137 provide an alarm indicating the triggering event. Thus, the workflow server 102 may provide instructions to any sensor 138 or radio 137 by sending an “action” to a sensor 138 in response to a trigger being received.
Cameras 142 may be fixed or mobile and may have pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) capabilities to change their field-of-view. The cameras 142 are generally understood to comprise image sensors and hence may also be referred to as images sensors. Cameras 142 may also comprise circuitry configured to serve as a VAE 143 (only one of which is depicted in
The gateway 141 may comprise an Avigilon™ Control Center running Avigilon's Access Control Management software. The gateway 141 is configured to run any suitable Application Program Interface (API) to provide communications between any cameras 142 and the workflow server 102.
The gateway 151 may comprise an Avigilon™ Control Center running Avigilon's Access Control Management software. The gateway 151 is configured to run any suitable Application Program Interface (API) to provide communications between any of the system infrastructure 152 and the workflow server 102.
The system infrastructure 152 comprises any suitable equipment to provide wireless communications to and from the radio 153. The system infrastructure 152 may comprise Motorola Solution™'s MOTOTRBO™ equipment, such as an SLR Series Repeater (e.g., SLR 1000, SLR 5000, or SLR8000 repeater) configured to provide two-way radio service to radio 153.
Although only a single radio 153 is shown in
The IoT devices 163 may comprise devices that control objects, doors, windows, sensors, and the like. Any particular suitable communication protocol (e.g. an IoT protocol) may be used for each IoT device. For example, various proprietary protocols such as DNP, Various IEC**** protocols (IEC 61850 etc. . . . ), bacnet, EtherCat, CANOpen, Modbus/Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, PROFIBUS, PROFINET, DeviceNet, . . . , etc. may be used. Also a more generic protocol such as Coap, Mqtt, and RESTfull may also be used.
The gateway 162 may comprise an Avigilon™ Control Center running Avigilon's Access Control Management software. The gateway 162 is configured to run any suitable Application Program Interface (API) to provide communications between any IoT device 163 and the workflow server 102.
The network 161 may comprise one of many networks used to transmit data, including, but not limited to, a network employing one of the following protocols: conventional, or trunked LMR standard or protocol such as ETSIDMR, a 25 standard defined by the APCO, TETRA, or other LMR radio protocols or standards; LTE protocol, LTE-Advance protocol, or 5G protocol including multimedia broadcast MBMS or SC-PTM protocol (including, but not limited to an OMA-PTT OMA-PoC), a VoIP protocol, an LTE Direct or LTE Device to Device protocol, or a PoIP protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol for example operating in accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard (e.g., 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g) or a WiMAX protocol for example operating in accordance with an IEEE 802.16 standard.
The network interface 601 includes any suitable components for communicating with other suitable components of the system 100, in particular, as depicted, to the workstation 101, the gateways 133, 141, 151, 162 of the networks and systems 130, 140, 150, 160, and the like. Components of the network interface 601 include any suitable processing, modulating, and transceiver components that are operable in accordance with any one or more standard or proprietary wireless interfaces, wherein some of the functionality of the processing, modulating, and transceiver components may be performed by means of the processor 603 through programmed logic such as software applications or firmware stored on the storage component 602 (e.g., standard random access memory) or through hardware. The network interface 601 may include any suitable wired or wireless network interfaces, including, but not limited to, Ethernet interfaces, T1 interfaces, USB interfaces, IEEE 802.11b interfaces, IEEE 802.11g interfaces, and the like.
The processor 603 may comprise a digital signal processor (DSP), general purpose microprocessor, a programmable logic device, or application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and the like, and is generally configured to receive triggers from various gateways, systems, and networks (e.g. of the system 100). The processor 603 is further configured to execute (or cause to be executed) a particular action for a trigger that is received. More particularly, when the processor 603 receives a trigger from any network or system, the processor 603 may access the storage component 602 to determine an action for the particular trigger. Once an action has been determined, the processor 603 will execute the action, or cause the action to be executed. In order to perform the above, the processor 603 may execute an instruction set/software (e.g., Motorola Solution™'s Command Central™ software suite comprising the Orchestrate™ platform), which may be stored at the storage component 602.
The storage component 602 may comprise standard memory (such as Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), and the like) and generally serves to store associations between triggers and actions. Examples of various triggers and actions are illustrated in in Table 1, below.
The network interface 701 includes any suitable components for communicating with other suitable components of the system 100, in particular, as depicted, to the workflow server 102. Components of the network interface 701 include any suitable processing, modulating, and transceiver components that are operable in accordance with any one or more standard or proprietary wireless interfaces, wherein some of the functionality of the processing, modulating, and transceiver components may be performed by means of the processor 703 through programmed logic such as software applications or firmware stored on the storage component 702 (e.g., standard random access memory) or through hardware. The network interface 701 may include any suitable wired or wireless network interfaces, including, but not limited to, Ethernet interfaces, T1 interfaces, USB interfaces, IEEE 802.11b interfaces, IEEE 802.11g interfaces, and the like.
Processor 703 may comprise a DSP), general purpose microprocessor, a programmable logic device, or an ASIC and may be configured to execute Motorola Solution™'s Orchestrate™ and Ally™ dispatch and incident management software, which may be stored at the storage component 702. The execution of such software may allow users of the GUI 704 to generate workflows (i.e., actions and their associated responses) by receiving user inputs at the GUI 704 that define various triggers and their associated actions, which will ultimately be uploaded to the workflow server 102 and stored in the storage component 602.
The storage component 702 may comprise standard memory (such as RAM, ROM, and the like) and serves to store instructions as software. Particularly, Motorola Solution™'s Orchestrate™ and Ally™ dispatch and incident management software may be stored at the storage component 702.
The GUI 704 generally provides a man/machine interface for receiving an input from a user and displaying information. For example, the GUI 704 may provide a mechanism of conveying (e.g., displaying) user-generated workflows. Thus, the GUI 704 may also provide a mechanism for a user to input workflows into a displayed form. In order to provide the above features (and additional features), the GUI 704 may include any combination of a display screen 705 (e.g., a computer screen, which may include a touch screen, a monitor, and the like) and any suitable combination of one or more input devices 706 (e.g. a keyboard and mouse combination).
While the dashboard 800 is depicted in a particular configuration, the dashboard 800 may have any suitable configuration; for example, the selection panel 801 may be on a right-hand side, a top side or a bottom side relative to the workspace 802.
The triggers 806 represent the events originating from various sensors, software, and devices within the security ecosystem 100. The actions 807 represent the possible responses to the triggers that may be implemented via any suitable various sensors, software, and devices within the security ecosystem 100, including, but not limited to, the radios 137, 153.
After a workflow is deployed (i.e., uploaded to the workflow server 102), its actions activate when the triggers occur. Triggers and actions appear on the workspace after they are dragged and dropped from the triggers 806 and actions 807 tabs respectively. For example, as depicted, the field 808 represents a trigger 806 that may have been dragged and dropped to the workspace 802 and the field 809 represents an action 807 that may have been dragged and dropped to the workspace 802. Connecting the triggers and actions on the workspace (as described below) will generate a workflow.
The triggers 806 and the actions 807 are generally stored at the storage component 702 and represent integrations across multiple products. In other words, triggers 806 and the actions 807 comprise triggers and actions for any suitable components available in the security ecosystem 100. This includes cameras, sensors, IoT devices, radios, . . . , etc. As administrators add additional technology pieces to the security ecosystem 100, those pieces may be automatically made available for workflow generation as discussed herein.
In order to associate a trigger 806 with an action 807 in the workspace 802, a user selects a trigger 806 from all possible triggers 806, and drags and drops it onto workspace 802, as represented by the field 808. The user then selects an action 807 for the trigger 806 that is in the workspace 802, and drags and drops it onto workspace 802. Once in the workspace 802, a trigger 806 may be referred to as a trigger node, and an action 807 may be referred to as an action node. In order to associate the trigger 806 with the action 807, they are connected. To connect a trigger node to an action node, a user may click an end of the trigger node (e.g. that is closest to the action node) and drag a line to the action node, or vice versa. However, any suitable process for connecting nodes is within the scope of the present specification.
As shown in
Furthermore, it is understood that the system 100 may comprise a plurality of IoT devices 163 that are automated license plate readers, and that the trigger 901 may be for a particular automated license plate reader; as such, while not depicted, the actions 807 may include respective “ALPR” actions 807 for other automated license plate reader. Similarly, it is understood that the system 100 may comprise a plurality of IoT devices 163 that are backdoors, and that the action 902 may be for a particular backdoor; as such, while not depicted, the actions 807 may include respective “Unlock Backdoor” actions 807 for other backdoors.
For example, as depicted the triggers 806 include a trigger 806 for detecting loitering at a particular “North West” (e.g. NW) staircase of a particular building (e.g. “Loitering NW Staircase”) that may be detected using a VAE 143 of one or more cameras 142 and the like. The triggers 806 further includes a trigger 806 for detecting whether a particular backdoor is open (e.g. “Backdoor Open”) that may be detected using a VAE 143 of one or more cameras 142 and/or an open/closed sensor on the backdoor and the like. The triggers 806 further includes a trigger 806 for detecting whether a particular individual, for example a first responder and/or police officer and/or security guard having an identifier “SAM12” has an elevated body temperature (e.g. “Elevated Body Temp SAM12”) that may be detected using a biometric sensor of one or more sensors 138 and the like.
For example, as depicted the actions 807 include an action 807 for notifying a first responder and/or police and/or security dispatch (e.g. “Notify Dispatch”) such as the dispatch center 131. The actions 807 further includes an action 807 for alerting a particular talkgroup identified by the identifier TG1 and/or Talkgroup #1 (e.g. “Alert TG1”) such as a particular talkgroup of the radios 137 (and/or the radios 153). The actions 807 further includes an action 807 for alerting a particular security team identified by the identifier Security Team 6 (e.g. “Alert Security Team 6”), which may be associated with a particular group of the radios 137 (and/or the radios 153) and which may, or may not, be associated via a talkgroup.
However, the triggers 806 and actions 807 may include any suitable triggers and actions, which may be dragged and dropped, and the like, into the workspace 802, and associated with each other to generate workflows.
For example, as also shown in
Similarly, as also shown in
As illustrated in
In a similar manner multiple triggers may be associated with a single action. Thus, in an illustrated workflow 1004, both a trigger 1005 of “Elevated Body Temp SAM 12” and a trigger 1006 of “Loitering NW Staircase” will cause an action 1007 of “Notify Dispatch” 1008. When the workflow 1004 is uploaded to the workflow server 102, the workflow server 102 notifies the dispatch center when either a police officer (and the like) identified by the identifier “SAM 12” has an elevated body temperature (e.g. above a threshold body temperature”, or when loitering is detected in the NW staircase.
As mentioned above, it may be challenging to communicate to the one or more communication devices the sensor data that lead to the one or more triggers and/or to change and/or control the safety workflows.
In order to address such a problem, the workflow server 102 may be adapted to: monitor execution of a safety workflow, the safety workflow comprising one or more triggers and one or more responsive actions; provide, at a display screen, an indication of the safety workflow and respective visual indications of: a physical sensor that generated sensor data of a trigger of the safety workflow; and a communication device associated with a responsive action to the trigger; detect, via an input device, an interaction with one or more of the respective visual indications to interact with one or more of the physical sensor and the communication device; and based on the interaction, one or more of: retrieve the sensor data; initiate communication with the communication device; and send the sensor data to the communication device.
Hereafter, workflows may be interchangeably referred to as safety workflows as it is understood that workflows as described herein may be used to implement procedures and/or processes related to safety and/or public safety of persons and/or personnel, for example at a school, a hospital, an airport, a sporting event, a stadium, a factory, a warehouse and/or any other suitable location and/or building and the like. Hereafter, the workflow server 102 may be interchangeably referred to as a computing device (e.g. which may be implemented as one or more computing devices, one or more servers, one or more cloud computing devices, and the like). Hereafter, it is understood that any of the sensors 138, cameras 142, IoT devices 163 comprise physical sensors that may generate sensor data that may be provided to the workflow server 102 to determine whether a trigger has occurred.
In optional aspects, workstation 101A may be operated by one agency or entity or department (such as a school, hospital, police or fire department, etc., and/or departments thereof) and the other workstation 101B may be operated by another agency or entity or department. For example, one may be operated by a police department with the other operated by school or hospital administrators. In another example, one may be operated by an administration department of a hospital with the other operated by a human resources department of hospital. The present system encompasses any entity or agency or department operating any of the workstations 101. Therefore, in further optional aspects, workstations 101A and 101B may be operated by the same agency or entity or department.
In optional aspects, the workflow server(s) 102 may be adapted to provide a computing system having a network interface (e.g.: network interface 601 in
In optional aspects, processor 603 may be configured to: receive workflows from a plurality of workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B), the workflows comprising respective triggers (806) and respective responsive actions (807) that are executed by one or more physical devices (found in 130, 140, 150 and 160); identify conflicts in the one or more physical devices that are shared among the workflows received from the plurality of workflow computer systems; modify at least one workflow to avoid an identified conflict; and provide the at least one workflow as modified back to one or more of workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B) implementing the workflows that caused the conflicts.
In optional aspects, the plurality of workflow computer systems comprises two workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B), and the workflow as modified by processor 603 and provided back to both workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B).
In optional aspects, processor 603 is further configured to modify the at least one workflow by one or more of: reorganizing workflow steps; generating alternative workflow steps; and activating additional physical devices and assigning one more of existing workflow actions and the alternative workflow actions to the additional physical devices.
In optional aspects, processor 603 is further configured to modify the at least one workflow by one or more of: changing one or more triggers 806 of one or more of the workflows; adding one or more alternative triggers 806 to the one or more of the workflows; changing one or more actions 807 of one or more of the workflows; and adding one or more alternative actions 807 to the one or more of the workflows.
As will be shown in the examples of
In optional aspects, processor 603 is further configured to prioritize the first workflow over the second workflow in accordance with a public safety parameter. Examples of suitable public safety parameters may include incident type or incident severity. For example, as will be shown, police and law enforcement agencies may be afforded priority access to a school's cameras and door locking systems (over school administrators).
In optional aspects, processor 603 is further configured to prioritize the first workflow over the second workflow by: requesting and receiving priority levels for the workflows, and processing the priority levels to determine which of the plurality of workflows comprises the first workflow that is prioritized over the second workflow. This may include, for example, processor 603 requesting workstations 101A and 101B to state or assign the priority levels for their workflows. (This request would be carried out through respective network interfaces 601 and 701).
In other optional aspects, processor 603 is further configured to notify one or more of the plurality of workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B) of one or more of: the identified conflict; and the at least one workflow being modified to avoid the identified conflict.
In other optional aspects, processor 603 is further configured to request approval, from one or more of the plurality of workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B), for modification of the workflow to avoid the identified conflict.
In further optional aspects, the present system may predict workflow conflicts by reviewing historical performance data that may be analyzed by an analytical engine in processor 603. The analytical engine may include any and all forms of machine learning, artificial intelligence, neural networks, etc. In optional aspects, memory 602 is used to log historic workflow execution data, and processor 603 is further configured to log historic workflow execution data in memory 602. The analytical engine in processor 603 thus predicts conflicts among the physical devices by analyzing the historic workflow execution data stored in memory 602.
For example, historic workflow execution data can include the records of past usages of the various physical devices and/or records of past conflicts of workflows and how such conflicts were resolved, for example by modifying workflows and/or prioritizing workflows and/or by temporarily pausing execution of workflows. For example, this historic workflow execution data can include camera performance and usage rates and records of past conflicts of workflows and how such conflicts were resolved, and may be analyzed over time to determine if the performance of one camera is affected by the operation of various other cameras at the same time and/or to determine how to resolve conflict between workflows. By recording the performance of the various physical devices over time and/or by recording how conflict between workflows were resolved, machine learning algorithms may be trained to determine when conflicts between workflow are occurring and/or how to resolve such conflicts, for example to mitigate conflicts between workflows. Hence, such historic workflow execution data may comprise machine learning training data. As such, conflicts between workflows may be determined by machine learning algorithms even in situations where the workflows do not overtly appear to be in direct conflict.
In other optional aspects, the present system further includes a method of managing workflows received from a plurality of workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B), by: receiving, in a multi-workflow computing device (e.g.: processor 603) workflows from a plurality of workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B); identifying, in the multi-workflow computing device, conflicts in physical devices that are shared among the workflows; mitigating, in the multi-workflow computing device, the conflicts among the physical devices by modifying at least one workflow to avoid a conflict; and providing the at least one workflow as modified back to one or more of workflow computer systems (e.g. the workstations 101A, 101B) implementing the workflows that caused the conflicts.
This optional method may further include the multi-workflow computing device prioritizing a first workflow received from a first workflow computer system over a second workflow received from a second workflow computer system, and executing only the first workflow. This optional method may also further include notifying both of the workflow computer systems that the first workflow has been prioritized over the second workflow. Moreover, as stated above, the present method may also include processor 603 and memory 602 logging historic workflow execution data, and analyzing the historic workflow execution data to predict conflicts among the physical devices.
In further optional aspects of the methods disclosed herein, the multi-workflow computing device in server(s)102, 102A and 102B mitigating conflicts among the physical devices by: reorganizing workflow steps, generating alternative workflow steps, or activating additional physical devices and assigning workflow steps to the additional physical devices. The multi-workflow computing device may request approval to: modify at least one of the first and second workflows to avoid the conflict, or prioritize the first workflow over the second workflow. In optional aspects, the multi-workflow computing device may even execute both the first and second workflows and detecting the conflict by detecting a drop in workflow performance Next,
Accordingly, should a recognized teacher or custodian approach the door of the school at the same time a local police emergency occurs near the school, the door would have been given conflicting instructions. Specifically, the school administrator's workflow is saying “unlock the door” at the same time the police department's workflow is saying “lock the door”. The present system specifically avoids such a conflict by first determining the conflict exists and determines that the police workflow WF2 has a higher priority. As such, police workflow WF2 is carried out and school administrator workflow WF1 is stopped. The setting of these priorities may be carried out by a variety of different approaches, including, but not limited to, the workflow priorities being input into the present system when the workflows are initially set up. Alternatively, the respective workflow priorities may be based upon the identity of the agency originally setting up the workflow. For example, a “Local Police Emergency” 1204 may be set (and/or always set) to have a higher priority than a standard door unlocking procedure. Thus, WF2 having a higher priority than WF1 in
Furthermore, the resolution of the conflict between the workflows WF1, WF2 of
In optional aspects, workflow priorities may be modified based upon the priorities of the respective workflows when workflows conflict (as further illustrated in
Furthermore, the resolution of the conflict between the workflows WF1, WF2 of
However, in a particular example, a vehicle may approach the loading dock at the same time that a person also comes walking up to the loading dock. A potential conflict occurs when the camera could be given conflicting instructions to zoom in on the vehicle and the person at the same time. However, in accordance with the present system, hospital administrators may prioritize identifying the person over the vehicle such that workflow WF2 is prioritized and is carried out and the workflow WF1 is not carried out. However, workflow WF1 may again be executed after the trigger 1404 of workflow WF2 is no longer occurring (e.g. the camera no longer “sees” the person). Put another way, the conflict between the workflows WF1, WF2 is resolved by at least temporarily pausing execution of the workflow WF1.
Furthermore, the resolution of the conflict between the workflows WF1, WF2 of
In accordance with method 1500, workflows are managed by a multi-workflow computing system receiving workflows from a plurality of workflow computer systems at a block1502; identifying conflicts in physical devices that are shared among the workflows at a block 1504; mitigating the conflicts among the physical devices by modifying at least one workflow to avoid a conflict at a block 1506; and providing the at least one workflow as modified back to one or more of workflow computer systems implementing the workflows that caused the conflicts at a block 1508. Optionally, the present method 1500 may include prioritizing a first workflow over a second workflow at a block 1510, for example as described above with respect to
In various aspects of the system, a workflow conflict notification may be provided, for example at the workspace 802, and may come from one of the devices that senses that a workflow conflict has occurred. For example, in the above scenarios of
Furthermore, the resolution of the conflict between the workflows WF1, WF2 of
Indeed, it is understood that one or more machine learning algorithms may be placed into a training mode to train the one or more machine learning algorithms to one or more of determine conflicts between workflows and resolve conflicts between workflows. Alternatively, and/or in addition, such training may occur in a machine learning feedback loop.
As should be apparent from this detailed description above, the operations and functions of electronic computing devices described herein are sufficiently complex as to require their implementation on a computer system, and cannot be performed, as a practical matter, in the human mind. Electronic computing devices such as set forth herein are understood as requiring and providing speed and accuracy and complexity management that are not obtainable by human mental steps, in addition to the inherently digital nature of such operations (e.g., a human mind cannot interface directly with RAM or other digital storage, cannot transmit or receive electronic messages, implement electronic workflows, and the like such as determining whether cameras should be zoomed in or out to recognize specific individuals and/or vehicles in real time, or to lock or unlock doors depending upon the identity of the individuals approaching them (especially when the individuals are recognized electronically through RFID sensors and the like in real time). Moreover, a human mind could not discriminate between workflow commands that are being send by different entities and agencies at the same time in a manner that the workflow commands could be prioritized or modified in real time.
In the foregoing specification, specific examples have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has”, “having,” “includes”, “including,” “contains”, “containing” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a”, “has . . . a”, “includes . . . a”, “contains . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially”, “essentially”, “approximately”, “about” or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term “one of”, without a more limiting modifier such as “only one of”, and when applied herein to two or more subsequently defined options such as “one of A and B” should be construed to mean an existence of any one of the options in the list alone (e.g., A alone or B alone) or any combination of two or more of the options in the list (e.g., A and B together). Similarly the terms “at least one of” and “one or more of”, without a more limiting modifier such as “only one of”, and when applied herein to two or more subsequently defined options such as “at least one of A or B”, or “one or more of A or B” should be construed to mean an existence of any one of the options in the list alone (e.g., A alone or B alone) or any combination of two or more of the options in the list (e.g., A and B together).
A device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.
The terms “coupled”, “coupling” or “connected” as used herein may have several different meanings depending on the context in which these terms are used. For example, the terms coupled, coupling, or connected can have a mechanical or electrical connotation. For example, as used herein, the terms coupled, coupling, or connected may indicate that two elements or devices are directly connected to one another or connected to one another through intermediate elements or devices via an electrical element, electrical signal or a mechanical element depending on the particular context.
It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one or more generic or specialized processors (or “processing devices”) such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the method and/or apparatus described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used.
Moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. Any suitable computer-usable or computer readable medium may be utilized. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flash memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation. For example, computer program code for carrying out operations of various example embodiments may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, Python, or the like. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of various example embodiments may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on a computer, partly on the computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the computer and partly on a remote computer or server or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer or server may be connected to the computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it may be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
Number | Date | Country | |
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20240135286 A1 | Apr 2024 | US |