Exchange of crisis-related information amongst multiple individuals and multiple organizations

Abstract

A crisis information exchange manages the exchange of crisis-related information among multiple individual users and organizations. A safety communications service (SCS) manages information flow between users and organizations without compromising the security of the private networks of organizations protected by firewalls. The SCS manages subscription data for controlling what information is received by particular users and organizations, providing subscription services including automated subscriptions services based on configurable business rules. User-initiated communications are routed to multiple organizations and/or other users based on configurable business rules. Organization-initiated communications are routed to multiple individual users and/or organizations based on configurable business rules. In one embodiment, the system automatically generates follow-up communications related to the acknowledgement of receipt of communications and/or prompts users for additional information if an expected communication was not received in a timely manner or is not fully responsive to prior communications, based on configurable business rules.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A safety communications service (SCS) for managing crisis-related communications amongst a plurality of entities, the SCS comprising:
 a repository configured to store data regarding entities and indicating relationships between entities, each relationship comprising an indication of a first entity, an indication of a second entity, an indication of whether the first entity is available to receive information from the second entity, an indication of whether the second entity is available to receive information from the first entity, and additional information describing the relationship between the first and second entities;   an entity interface configured to receive, from devices of a plurality of originating entities, crisis-related information items, each crisis-related information item including metadata and information; and   a business logic subsystem, operatively connected to the repository and to the entity interface, configured to analyze information items to determine whether the information items include certain metadata attributes, the metadata attributes including: an originating entity's identity, an originating entity's geographical location, one or more geographical locations corresponding to the information item, a time the information item was originated, an urgency of the information item, a type of the information item, and one or more groups of specified recipient entities, the business logic subsystem further configured to identify, for each information item, a corresponding set of recipient entities based on the metadata attributes determined to be included in that information item and the relationships stored in the repository.   
     
     
         30 . The SCS of  claim 29 , further comprising a message delivery subsystem, operably connected to the business logic subsystem, configured to compile, for a given information item, a new message including at least a portion of the information included in the given information item, and distribute the new message to devices of the corresponding set of recipient entities. 
     
     
         31 . The SCS of  claim 30 , wherein the message delivery subsystem distributes the new message by performing processes including:
 adding the new message to a queue, the queue comprising an ordered list of messages to be delivered to a device of a recipient entity;   establishing a connection with the device of the recipient entity responsive to receiving a connection request from the device of the recipient entity; and   delivering a first message in the ordered list of messages to the device of the recipient entity.   
     
     
         32 . The SCS of  claim 31 , wherein a position at which the new message is added to the ordered list of messages is based on a priority of the new message relative to other messages in the list. 
     
     
         33 . The SCS of  claim 29 , wherein a candidate recipient is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on one or more business rules, the one or more business rules relating: the originating entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's affiliation with one or more groups, a relationship between the originating entity and the candidate recipient entity, and explicit groups of recipient entities specified within the given information item. 
     
     
         34 . The SCS of  claim 29 , wherein a candidate recipient entity is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on one or more business rules, the one or more business rules relating: the one or more geographical locations corresponding to the given information item, the originating entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's location, the candidate recipient entity's locations of interest; the candidate recipient entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's availability, and a relationship between the originating entity and the candidate recipient entity. 
     
     
         35 . The SCS of  claim 29 , wherein a candidate recipient entity is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on one or more business rules, the one or more business rules relating: the originating entity's location, the candidate recipient entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's location, the candidate recipient entity's locations of interest, a type of the given information item, and a relationship between the originating entity and the candidate recipient entity. 
     
     
         36 . The SCS of  claim 29 , wherein a candidate recipient entity is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on one or more business rules, the one or more business rules relating: a type of the information item, the candidate recipient entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's location, the candidate recipient entity's locations of interest, and a location specified within the information item. 
     
     
         37 . The SCS of  claim 29 , wherein a candidate recipient entity is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on: an urgency of the information item, the candidate recipient entity's identity, and a relationship between the originating entity and the candidate recipient entity. 
     
     
         38 . The SCS of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 a relationship generation subsystem configured to automatically compare data relating to a first entity with a profile of a second entity to determine a correspondence therebetween, the relationship generation subsystem further configured to store, in the repository, a relationship between the first entity and the second entity responsive to the correspondence.   
     
     
         39 . The SCS of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 a relationship generation subsystem configured to determine, based on location data for a first entity, that the first entity has entered a new location, the relationship generation subsystem further configured to identify at least one other entity relevant to the new location as a candidate for being related to the first entity.   
     
     
         40 . The SCS of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 a relationship generation subsystem configured to automatically relate entities associated with a first entity to the first entity, the relationship generation subsystem further configured to send a message to entities associated with a second entity, the message comprising a notification that the entities associated with the second entity are eligible to receive information items from the second entity.   
     
     
         41 . The SCS of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 a relationship generation subsystem configured to compare a profile of a first entity to a profile of a second entity to determine a correspondence therebetween, the relationship generation subsystem further configured to identify a candidate entity related to the first entity and generate a suggestion that the second entity also relates to the candidate entity, based on the correspondence between the first and second entities.   
     
     
         42 . The SCS of  claim 29 , wherein the data regarding entities comprises composite entity profiles, each composite entity profile comprising at least one common attribute and at least one relationship-specific attribute. 
     
     
         43 . A method of managing crisis-related communications amongst a plurality of entities, the method comprising:
 storing, in a repository, data regarding entities and indicating relationships between entities, each relationship comprising an indication of a first entity, an indication of a second entity, an indication of whether the first entity is available to receive information from the second entity, an indication of whether the second entity is available to receive information from the first entity, and additional information describing the relationship between the first and second entities;   receiving, from devices of a plurality of originating entities, crisis-related information items, each crisis-related information item including metadata and information;   analyzing information items to determine whether the information items include certain metadata attributes, the metadata attributes including: an originating entity's identity, an originating entity's geographical location, one or more geographical locations corresponding to the information item, a time the information item was originated, an urgency of the information item, a type of the information item, and one or more groups of specified recipient entities; and   identifying, for each information item, a corresponding set of recipient entities based on the metadata attributes determined to be included in that information item and the relationships stored in the repository.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 compiling, for a given information item, a new message including at least a portion of the information included in the given information item; and   distributing the new message to devices of the corresponding set of recipient entities.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein distributing the new message comprises:
 adding the new message to a queue, the queue comprising an ordered list of messages to be delivered to a device of a recipient entity, the new message added at a position based on a priority of the new message relative to other messages in the list;   establishing a connection with the device of the recipient entity responsive to receiving a connection request from the device of the recipient entity; and   delivering a first message in the ordered list of messages to the device of the recipient entity.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein a candidate recipient is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on one or more business rules, the one or more business rules relating to: the originating entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's affiliation with one or more groups, a relationship between the originating entity and the candidate recipient entity, and explicit groups of recipient entities specified within the given information item. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein a candidate recipient entity is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on one or more business rules, the one or more business rules relating: the one or more geographical locations corresponding to the given information item, the originating entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's location, the candidate recipient entity's locations of interest, the candidate recipient entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's availability, and a relationship between the originating entity and the candidate recipient entity. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein a candidate recipient entity is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on one or more business rules, the one or more business rules relating: the originating entity's location, the candidate recipient entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's location, the candidate recipient entity's locations of interest, a type of the given information item, and a relationship between the originating entity and the candidate recipient entity. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein a candidate recipient entity is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on one or more business rules, the one or more business rules relating: a type of the information item, the candidate recipient entity's identity, the candidate recipient entity's location, the candidate recipient entity's locations of interest, and a location specified within the information item. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein a candidate recipient entity is included in the set of recipient entities for a given information item based on: an urgency of the information item, the candidate recipient entity's identity, and a relationship between the originating entity and the candidate recipient entity. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 automatically comparing data relating to a first entity with a profile of a second entity to determine a correspondence therebetween; and   storing, in the repository, a relationship between the first entity and the second entity responsive to the correspondence.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 determining, based on location data for a first entity, that the first entity has entered a new location; and   identifying at least one other entity relevant to the new location as a candidate for being related to the first entity.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 automatically relating entities associated with a first entity to the first entity; and   sending a message to entities associated with a second entity, the message comprising a notification that the entities associated with the second entity are eligible to receive information items from the second entity.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 comparing a profile of a first entity to a profile of a second entity to determine a correspondence therebetween;   identifying a candidate entity related to the first entity; and   generating a suggestion that the second entity also relates to the candidate entity, based on the correspondence between the first and second entities.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the data regarding entities comprises composite entity profiles, each composite entity profile comprising at least one common attribute and at least one relationship-specific attribute. 
     
     
         56 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for providing personnel crisis communications management, the computer program instructions when executed causes one or more computing systems to:
 store, in a repository, data regarding entities and indicating relationships between entities, each relationship comprising an indication of a first entity, an indication of a second entity, an indication of whether the first entity is available to receive information from the second entity, an indication of whether the second entity is available to receive information from the first entity, and additional information describing the relationship between the first and second entities;   receive, from devices of a plurality of originating entities, crisis-related information items, each crisis-related information item including metadata and information;   analyze information items to determine whether the information items include certain metadata attributes, the metadata attributes including: an originating entity's identity, an originating entity's geographical location, one or more geographical locations corresponding to the information item, a time the information item was originated, an urgency of the information item, a type of the information item, and one or more groups of specified recipient entities; and   identify, for each information item, a corresponding set of recipient entities based on the metadata attributes determined to be included in that information item and the relationships stored in the repository.