SDN control in a combined sensor, information retrieval, and communications network for dangerous environments

A combined sensor and communication network can provide important support for first responders and emergency workers in dangerous environments. The innovation proposed here is use of SDN network control to dynamically accommodate, through an open API, competing resource demands for three distinct but closely associated needs: communication among people, environmental monitoring, and information retrieval. The SDN-controlled configuration realizes the desired flexibility and robustness. This paper outlines the physical and software-defined architecture of a quasi-linear communications-sensing relay network, with an SDN controller, that can be a major asset in emergencies or for work in dangerous environments.