Method and system for providing tactical information during crisis situations

Abstract

A computer-based method and system for storing and retrieving tactical information pertaining to a site during crisis situations. The method and system provides a graphical user interface comprising a computer screen display and a selection device wherein a user may select from a plurality of options to receive desired tactical information pertaining to a particular site in a plurality of different data formats (e.g, text, graphic images, video, etc.).

1 . In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a computer screen display and a selection device, a method of providing tactical information pertaining to a site, the method comprising: 
 providing a first window on said computer screen display, said first window displaying a menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information;    receiving a user selection of one of said categories of information;    retrieving tactical information corresponding to said selected category, wherein said tactical information is retrieved from a computer readable medium; and    providing a second window on said computer screen display, said second window displaying said retrieved tactical information corresponding to said selected category.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 providing a third window on said computer screen display for displaying a layout diagram of a floor of a building located on said site, said layout diagram illustrating the location and layout of a plurality of rooms on said floor;    providing a plurality of links in said layout diagram, wherein each link corresponds to one of said plurality of rooms;    detecting when a user has selected one of said plurality of links; and    displaying in said second window an image of one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said image comprises a 360-degree spherical image stored in said computer-readable medium, wherein said user may navigate in said image, to obtain different perspectives of said one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link, by using a cursor of said selection device to select a desired navigational direction.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said spherical image further comprises at least one embedded pop-up message, wherein, when said cursor is positioned on an object within said image, said pop-up message appears in said third window so as to provide further information pertaining to said object.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said second window further comprises a sub-window for displaying further information pertaining to said one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a map category; and    said second window displays at least one map illustrating a geographic location of said site when said map category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an aerial view category; and    said second window displays an aerial view of said site when said aerial view category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an aerial animation category; and    said second window displays an aerial animation of said site when said aerial animation category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a site map category; and    said second window displays a site map of said site when said site map category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an ingress video category; and    said second window displays an ingress video illustrating an ingress route to said site when said ingress video category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 providing a third window on said computer screen display, wherein said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a critical information category and said second window displays a plurality of critical information subcategories upon selection of said critical information category from said menu;    receiving a user selection of one of said plurality of critical information subcategories; and    displaying information corresponding to said selected critical information subcategory in said third window.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said critical information subcategories comprise administrative personnel contact information and emergency utility shut-off information.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 detecting when said emergency utility shut-off information category is selected from said second window;    providing, in said third window, utility shut-off information pertaining to said site and at least one link corresponding to a utility shut-off mechanism when said emergency utility shut-off information subcategory is selected from said second window;    detecting when said at least one link is selected by a user; and    displaying, in said second window, an image of said utility shut-off mechanism when said at least one link is selected by said user.    
   
   
       14 . A system for providing tactical information pertaining to a site, comprising: 
 means for providing a first window on said computer screen display, said first window displaying a menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information;    means for receiving a user selection of one of said categories of information;    means for retrieving tactical information corresponding to said selected category, wherein said tactical information is retrieved from a computer readable medium; and    means for providing a second window on said computer screen display, said second window displaying said retrieved tactical information corresponding to said selected category.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 means for providing a third window on said computer screen display for displaying a layout diagram of a floor of a building located on said site, said layout diagram illustrating the location and layout of a plurality of rooms on said floor;    means for providing a plurality of links in said layout diagram, wherein each link corresponds to one of said plurality of rooms;    means for detecting when a user has selected one of said plurality of links; and    means for displaying in said second window an image of one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said image comprises a 360-degree spherical image stored in said computer-readable medium, wherein said user may navigate in said image, to obtain different perspectives of said one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link, by using a cursor of a selection device to select a desired navigational direction.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said spherical image further comprises at least one embedded pop-up message, wherein, when said cursor is positioned on an object within said image, said pop-up message appears in said third window so as to provide further information pertaining to said object.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said second window further comprises a sub-window for displaying further information pertaining to said one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 14  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a map category; and    said second window displays at least one map illustrating a geographic location of said site when said map category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 14  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an aerial view category; and    said second window displays an aerial view of said site when said aerial view category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 14  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an aerial animation category; and    said second window displays an aerial animation of said site when said aerial animation category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 14  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a site map category; and    said second window displays a site map of said site when said site map category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 14  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an ingress video category; and    said second window displays an ingress video illustrating an ingress route to said site when said ingress video category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 means for providing a third window on said computer screen display, wherein said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a critical information category and said second window displays a plurality of critical information subcategories upon selection of said critical information category from said menu;    means for receiving a user selection of one of said plurality of critical information subcategories; and    means for displaying information corresponding to said selected critical information subcategory in said third window.    
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein said critical information subcategories comprise administrative personnel contact information and emergency utility shut-off information.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 24  further comprising: 
 means for detecting when said emergency utility shut-off information category is selected from said second window;    means for providing, in said third window, utility shut-off information pertaining to said site and at least one link corresponding to a utility shut-off mechanism when said emergency utility shut-off information subcategory is selected from said second window;    means for detecting when said at least one link is selected by a user; and    means for displaying, in said second window, an image of said utility shut-off mechanism when said at least one link is selected by said user.    
   
   
       27 . A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computer system perform a method of providing tactical information pertaining to a site, the method comprising: 
 providing a first window on said computer screen display, said first window displaying a menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information;    receiving a user selection of one of said categories of information;    retrieving tactical information corresponding to said selected category, wherein said tactical information is retrieved from a computer readable medium; and    providing a second window on said computer screen display, said second window displaying said retrieved tactical information corresponding to said selected category.    
   
   
       28 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 27  wherein said method further comprises: 
 providing a third window on said computer screen display for displaying a layout diagram of a floor of a building located on said site, said layout diagram illustrating the location and layout of a plurality of rooms on said floor;    providing a plurality of links in said layout diagram, wherein each link corresponds to one of said plurality of rooms;    detecting when a user has selected one of said plurality of links; and displaying in said second window an image of one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link.    
   
   
       29 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 28  wherein said image comprises a 360-degree spherical image stored in said computer-readable medium, wherein said user may navigate in said image, to obtain different perspectives of said one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link, by using a cursor of a selection device to select a desired navigational direction.  
   
   
       30 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 29  wherein said spherical image further comprises at least one embedded pop-up message, wherein, when said cursor is positioned on an object within said image, said pop-up message appears in said third window so as to provide further information pertaining to said object.  
   
   
       31 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 28  wherein said second window further comprises a sub-window for displaying further information pertaining to said one of said plurality of rooms corresponding to said selected link.  
   
   
       32 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 27  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a map category; and    said second window displays at least one map illustrating a geographic location of said site when said map category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       33 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 27  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an aerial view category; and    said second window displays an aerial view of said site when said aerial view category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       34 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 27  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an aerial animation category; and    said second window displays an aerial animation of said site when said aerial animation category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       35 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 27  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a site map category; and    said second window displays a site map of said site when said site map category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       36 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 27  wherein: 
 said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises an ingress video category; and    said second window displays an ingress video illustrating an ingress route to said site when said ingress video category is selected by said user.    
   
   
       37 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 27  wherein said method further comprises: 
 providing a third window on said computer screen display, wherein said menu of user-selectable categories of tactical information comprises a critical information category and said second window displays a plurality of critical information subcategories upon selection of said critical information category from said menu;    receiving a user selection of one of said plurality of critical information subcategories; and    displaying information corresponding to said selected critical information subcategory in said third window.    
   
   
       38 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37  wherein said critical information subcategories comprise administrative personnel contact information and emergency utility shut-off information.  
   
   
       39 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 38  wherein said method further comprises: 
 detecting when said emergency utility shut-off information category is selected from said second window;    providing, in said third window, utility shut-off information pertaining to said site and at least one link corresponding to a utility shut-off mechanism when said emergency utility shut-off information subcategory is selected from said second window;    detecting when said at least one link is selected by a user; and    displaying, in said second window, an image of said utility shut-off mechanism when said at least one link is selected by said user.    
   
   
       40 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure comprising: 
 a first set of data representing a plurality of user-selectable categories of tactical information pertaining to a site;    a second set of data representing tactical information corresponding to said plurality of user-selectable categories;    a third set of data representing a layout diagram of a floor of a building located on said site, said layout diagram illustrating the location and layout of a plurality of rooms on said floor;    a fourth set of data representing a plurality of links in said layout diagram, wherein each link corresponds to one of said plurality of rooms; and    a fifth set of data representing a plurality of images each corresponding to one of said plurality of links.    
   
   
       41 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40  wherein said plurality of images comprise a plurality of 360-degree spherical images, wherein a user may navigate in said spherical images by using a cursor of a selection device to select a desired navigational direction.  
   
   
       42 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 41  wherein at least one of said plurality of spherical images further comprises at least one embedded pop-up message, wherein, when said cursor is positioned on an object within said spherical image, said pop-up message provides further information pertaining to said object.  
   
   
       43 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40  further comprising a sixth set of data representing text information pertaining to respective ones of said plurality of rooms.  
   
   
       44 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40  wherein: 
 said plurality of user-selectable categories comprises a map category; and    said tactical information comprises data for generating at least one map that graphically illustrates a geographic location of said site.    
   
   
       45 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40  wherein: 
 said plurality of user-selectable categories comprises an aerial view category; and    said tactical information comprises data for generating an aerial view of said site.    
   
   
       46 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40  wherein: 
 said plurality of user-selectable categories comprises an aerial animation category; and    said tactical information comprises data for generating an aerial animation of said site.    
   
   
       47 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40  wherein: 
 said plurality of user-selectable categories comprises a site map category; and    said tactical information comprises data for generating a site map of said site.    
   
   
       48 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40  wherein: 
 said plurality of user-selectable categories comprises an ingress video category; and    said tactical information comprises data for generating a video of an ingress route to said site.    
   
   
       49 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40  wherein said plurality of user-selectable categories comprise a critical information category and wherein said data structure further comprises: 
 a sixth set of data representing a plurality of critical information subcategories; and    a seventh set of data representing critical information corresponding to said plurality of critical information subcategories.    
   
   
       50 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 49  wherein said critical information subcategories comprise administrative personnel contact information and emergency utility shut-off information.  
   
   
       51 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 50  wherein said critical information comprises data for generating at least one image of a utility shut-off mechanism.