MTTS
Multi-modal Tracking and Tracing Service centre

It is proposed to study the feasibilities and demonstrate a system that will be able to import the data from the Mission Control Centre (MCC) using standard formats and allowing for maximum interoperability with the RLSP, the MCC and RCCs, and potentially other emergency service parties. The MTTS will also have interfaces to map, environmental and medical data. In order to show the feasibility of the approach described here a proof-of-concept for the maritime user community will be part of the project.

Since SAR/Galileo is one of the main differentiators of Galileo it is proposed to fully exploit the potential of the Galileo return link message (RLM) and the return link service provider (RLSP) concepts by means of introducing a new virtual Multimodal Tracking and Tracing Service Centre (MTTS) which links directly to the RLSP and operates in parallel with the rescue control centre (RCC).

Description

The MTTS centre holds all the vital data of leisure vessels and their respective crews. The centre will also be capable of rating the distress calls, provide a standard interface for other distress systems, augmenting or combining the distress location with environmental data such as wind, waves, currents, sea level and bathymetry on demand for the geographical areas covered. It can also trigger the generation of ‘environmental alert return link messages’ to war vessels in a certain area for dangerous environmental conditions. This project will combine new and existing technology and data and in order to:

1. Facilitate the rescue control centre (RCC) in providing SAR information details to the return link service provider (RLSP);
2. Provide a common interface to the RCC for various (new) forms of distress calls like eMerge messages, short message service (SMS) and Mobitex;
3. Rate the incoming distress calls (on a scale of 0 to 100) in order for the rescue services to perform more effectively;
4. Track changes in the distress situation and report them to the rescue services;
5. Automatically handle distress situations based on available information;
6. Engage in communications with people in distress by means of voice support, SMS, etc, allowing for a refinement of the alert rating service;
7. Efficiently coordinate emergency activities by having access to information (such as accessibility of the area where the alert is coming from, environmental conditions, availability of nearest rescue resources) in order to decrease the rescue time;
8. Inform the public on environmental conditions (including MSI data) to increase safety and limit the need for rescue measures. A new virtual service centre will be designed which, in order to avoid complexity, can be seamlessly integrated with existing centres, and perform a proof-of-concept.

Objectives

The GJU/GSA aims at launching dedicated, sharply focused activities, which consequently should bring new knowledge to Galileo and will aim, among others, at developing services. Therefore the project members have joined forces in order to demonstrate the viability of a new virtual service centre that is able to improve and extend existing SAR/Galileo location-based services (LBS). SAR/Galileo, especially the return link service, is one of the main differentiators of Galileo. A so-called Multimodal Tracking and Tracing Service centre (MTTS) will be developed and set up to:

• ensure safe navigation to European citizens and to increase the effectiveness of rescue workers;
• operate a commercially viable maritime data collection, and (location-based) distribution and service centre to support safety at sea using the benefits of Galileo.