Aggregate location dynometer (ALD)
View Patent ↗An Aggregate Location Dynometer (ALD) in a physical wireless network alerts to a problematic crowd risk using location based services (LBS). An Aggregate Location Dynometer (ALD) comprises a Network Monitor, a Crowd Risk Determinant and an Alert Module. The Network Monitor monitors wireless traffic for a potential viral event, associated with a formation of a plurality of wireless devices. The Crowd Risk Determinant requests location information associated with a plurality of wireless devices in a given area regarding a respective viral event. The Crowd Risk Determinant determines if the viral event also indicates a crowd safety risk, based on the shape and movement of observed wireless devices. The Alert Module triggers an alert of an impending crowd problem when crowd risk is above a given threshold. Historical databases are empirically determined and maintained in the Aggregate Location Dynometer (ALD) for use in viral event and crowd risk assessment.
1. An aggregate location dynometer in a physical wireless network server, said aggregate location dynometer comprising:
a network monitor to monitor a wireless network for an indication of a potential viral event indicated by an aggregation of current locations of a plurality of physical wireless devices associated with said potential viral event; and
a crowd risk determinant to assess said aggregation of said current locations of said plurality of physical wireless devices pertaining to said potential viral event triggered by said network monitor.
2. The aggregate location dynometer in a physical wireless network server, said aggregate location dynometer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an alert module to initiate an alert message relating to a public safety risk determined from said potential viral event.
3. The aggregate location dynometer in a physical wireless network server, said aggregate location dynometer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an historical database maintaining a geographic region associated with said potential viral event.
4. The aggregate location dynometer in a physical wireless network server, said aggregate location dynometer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an historical database maintaining a plurality of acceptable crowd shapes, a crowd shape being defined by a past aggregation of said current locations of said plurality of physical wireless devices associated with a known acceptable viral event.
5. The aggregate location dynometer in a physical wireless network server, said aggregate location dynometer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an historical database maintaining a plurality of unacceptable crowd shapes, a crowd shape being defined by a past aggregation of said current locations of said plurality of physical wireless devices associated with a known unacceptable viral event.
6. The aggregate location dynometer in a physical wireless network server, said aggregate location dynometer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a configurable parameter defining a threshold of a crowd shape becoming unacceptable and thus initiating said crowd risk.
7. The aggregate location dynometer in a physical wireless network server, said aggregate location dynometer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an historical database maintaining a plurality of crowd shape trends based on historical locations of physical wireless devices during previous known viral events.
8. A method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk based on location based services (LBS), comprising:
monitoring wireless traffic for a potential impending viral event associated with a formation by an aggregation of current locations of a plurality of physical wireless devices within a given region;
requesting location information associated with said plurality of physical wireless devices; and
determining a crowd risk of said aggregation of said current locations of said plurality of physical wireless devices based on a crowd shape of said aggregation of said current locations of said plurality of physical wireless devices.
9. The method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk based on location based services (LBS) according to claim 8 , further comprising:
triggering a crowd alert message when said determined crowd risk is above a given threshold.
10. The method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk with location based services (LBS) according to claim 8 , wherein:
said crowd risk of said aggregation of said plurality of physical wireless devices is further determined based on a movement of said aggregation of said plurality of physical wireless devices.
11. The method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk with location based services (LBS) according to claim 10 , wherein said monitoring wireless traffic comprises:
monitoring wireless traffic at a given point in a wireless network; and
comparing a given traffic parameter associated with said aggregation of said current locations of said plurality of physical wireless devices, with an historical traffic parameter associated with a previous problematic crowd formation.
12. The method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk with location based services (LBS) according to claim 11 , wherein:
said given point is at a given base station in said wireless network.
13. The method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk with location based services (LBS) according to claim 10 , further comprising:
logging a snapshot formation created by said aggregation of said current locations of said plurality of physical wireless devices.
14. The method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk with location based services (LBS) according to claim 10 , further comprising:
initiating a location request for each of said plurality of physical wireless devices.
15. The method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk with location based services (LBS) according to claim 9 , further comprising:
comparing a viral pattern formed by said aggregation of said current locations of said plurality of wireless devices to predetermined risk rules.
16. The method of alerting to a problematic crowd risk with location based services (LBS) according to claim 15 , further comprising:
logging said viral pattern.