Apparatus and method for managing crisis situations

Claim 2

A crisis management system comprising: means for receiving crisis information concerning a particular crisis; crisis information storing means, for storing; 1) a list of most usual crisis situation types, 2) for each of said crisis situation types, a list of topic files each of which represents a type of information associated with said each crisis situation type, and 3) for each topic file, a list of other topic files related to said each topic file, and in which related information should be stored; processing means, responsive to said information from said receiving means, for: 1) determining a beginning of said particular crisis, and beginning a crisis clock at said beginning of said particular crisis, 2) obtaining a particular crisis situation type associated with said particular crisis; 3) accessing said crisis information storing means using said particular crisis situation type and obtaining a list of topic files associated therewith; 4) attaching automatically a time from said crisis clock to each item of said crisis information; 5) determining a selected topic file to which said each crisis information most closely belongs; 6) accessing said crisis information storing means to obtain said list of said other topic files associated with said selected topic file; 7) storing said each crisis information and its associated time in all of said selected topic file, and said other topic files from said list; and 8) organizing said information in the selected file chronologically with respect to said attached time; and means for exhibiting said information in each said selected file in a predetermined format.

Claim 3

A crisis management system according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting means for receiving said information from said processing means and transmitting said information to a remote location.

Claim 4

A crisis management system according to claim 2, wherein said receiving means and said transmitting means are a telephone and modem.

Claim 5

A crisis management system according to claim 2, wherein said receiving means and said transmitting means are a radio.

Claim 6

A crisis management system according to claim 2, wherein said receiving means and said transmitting means are a facsimile machine.

Claim 7

A crisis management system according to claim 2, wherein said receiving means and said transmitting means include means for performing satellite communications.

Claim 8

A crisis management system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one remote unit comprising: remote receiving means for receiving said information transmitted from said transmitting means; remote processing means for: (1) receiving said information; (2) storing said information into a selected remote file based upon a nature of said information; and (3) updating automatically with said information all remote files having predetermined relevance to the selected remote file; and remote transmitting means for transmitting said information to said receiving means.

Claim 9

A crisis management system according to claim 7, further comprising means for exhibiting remotely said information in each said file in a predetermined format.

Claim 10

A crisis management system according to claim 2, wherein said crisis clock corresponds to a current time in a time zone in which the crisis arose.

Claim 11

A crisis management system comprising a central command unit and plurality of remote units located remotely from said central command unit, (a) said central command unit comprising: (i) central receiving means for receiving crisis information indicative of a particular crisis from said remote units; (ii) buffer means for holding said crisis information until it is determined whether said information is relevant to the particular crisis; (iii) crisis information storing means, including: 1) a list of most usual crisis situation types, 2) for each of said crisis situation types, a list of topic files each of which represent a type of information associated with said each crisis situation type, and 3) for each topic file, a list of other topic files related thereto into which related information should be stored; processing means, responsive to said information from said receiving means, for: 1) determining a beginning of said particular crisis, and beginning a crisis clock at said beginning of said particular crisis, 2) obtaining a particular crisis situation type associated with said particular crisis; 3) accessing said crisis information storing means using said particular crisis situation type and obtaining a list of topic files associated therewith; 4) attaching automatically a time from said crisis clock to each time of said information; 5) determining a selected topic file to which said each crisis information most closely belongs; 6) accessing said crisis information storing means to obtain said list of said other topic files associated with said selected topic file; 7) storing said each crisis information and its associated time in all of said selected topic file, and topic files from said list; and 8) organizing said information in the selected file chronologically with respect to the attached time said information into the selected file; (iv) central exhibiting means for centrally exhibiting said crisis information organized in a predetermined format; and (v) central transmitting means for transmitting said crisis information to all said remote units; and (b) each said remote unit comprising: (i) remote receiving means for receiving said information transmitted by said central transmitting means of said central command unit; (ii) remote processing means for: (1) receiving said information from said remote receiving means; (2) storing said information into a selected remote file based upon a nature of said information; (3) attaching automatically a time to said information; (4) organizing chronologically with respect to said time attached by said remote processing means said information in said selected remote file; and (5) updating automatically with said information all remote files having predetermined relevance to the selected remote file; (iii) remote exhibiting means for exhibiting remotely said information in a predetermined format; and (iv) remote transmitting means for transmitting said information to said central receiving means of said central command unit; wherein said central command unit and said remote units automatically maintain updated files via said transmission of information.

Claim 12

A crisis management system comprising a central command unit and plurality of remote units located remotely from said central command unit, (a) said central command unit comprising: (i) central receiving means for receiving crisis information indicative of a particular crisis from said remote units; (ii) buffer means for holding said crisis information until it is determined whether said information is relevant to the particular crisis; (iii) crisis information storing means, including: 1) a list of most usual crisis situation types, 2) for each of said crisis situation types, a list of topic files each of which represent a type of information associated with said each crisis situation type, and 3) for each topic file, a list of other topic files related thereto into which related information should be stored; processing means, responsive to said information from said receiving means, for: 1) determining a beginning of said particular crisis, and beginning a crisis clock at said beginning of said particular crisis, 2) obtaining a particular crisis situation type associated with said particular crisis; 3) accessing said crisis information storing means using said particular crisis situation type and obtaining a list of topic files associated therewith; 4) attaching automatically a time from said crisis clock to each time of said information; 5) determining a selected topic file to which said each crisis information most closely belongs; 6) accessing said crisis information storing means to obtain said list of said other topic files associated with said selected topic file; 7) storing said each crisis information and its associated time in all of said selected topic file, and topic files from said list; and 8) organizing said information in the selected file chronologically with respect to the attached time said information into the selected file; (iv) central exhibiting means for centrally exhibiting said crisis information organized in a predetermined format; and (v) central transmitting means for transmitting said crisis information to all said remote units; and (b) each said remote unit comprising: (i) remote receiving means for receiving said information transmitted by said central transmitting means of said central command unit; (ii) remote processing means for: (1) receiving said information from said remote receiving means; (2) storing said information into a selected remote file based upon a nature of said information; (3) attaching automatically a time to said information; (4) organizing chronologically with respect to said time attached by said remote processing means said information in said selected remote file; and (5) updating automatically with said information all remote files having predetermined relevance to the selected remote file; (iii) remote exhibiting means for exhibiting remotely said information in a predetermined format; and (iv) remote transmitting means for transmitting said information to said central receiving means of said central command unit; wherein said central command unit and said remote units automatically maintain updated files via said transmission of information.

Claim 13

A crisis management system according to claim 10, wherein said crisis clock corresponds to a current time in a time zone in which the crisis arose.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of exhibiting said information.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of altering information already existing in said selected file.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting said information to remote locations.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of: receiving said transmitted information at a remote location; inputting said information into a selected remote file based upon a nature said information; organizing chronologically said information in said selected remote file based upon said time attached to said information prior to transmission; and updating automatically with said information all other remote files having predetermined relevance to said selected remote file.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: receiving said transmitted information at a remote location; selecting automatically a remote file based upon a nature of said information; inputting automatically said transmitted information into said remote file; organizing chronologically said information in said remote file based upon said time attached to said information prior to transmission; updating automatically with said transmitted information all other remote files having predetermined relevance to said remote file; and remotely exhibiting said information.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of: inputting at said remote location newly gathered information into said remote file; attaching automatically a time to said new information; organizing chronologically said new information in sad remote file based upon said time attached to said new information; and transmitting said new information to a central location.