Methods and systems to retrieve and validate emergency information associated with VoIP communications

• US 10,122,659 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sumner, Tera J., Sayer, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US15/183,378
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5006 Creating or negotiating SLA contracts, guarantees or penalties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

A VoIP 911 application is accessible to VoIP callers in the form of a portal and/or at least one API executed by one or more of a plurality of computing systems to retrieve a physical location of a VoIP user utilizing a VoIP number. A known postal address is generated from the physical location. The postal address is processed using a GIS system to determine if the postal address is a valid actual address. The postal address is processed using geocoding, and an updated MSAG address associated with the location of the VoIP user is generated. The VoIP 911 application may comprise an instant messaging application. The IM application is installed to and/or integrated with existing software packages. A VoIP user may update emergency information by submitting a current physical location of the VoIP user via an IM chat window. The physical location submitted is validated and confirmed.

Claims

1. A method of validating emergency information for a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) number using an instant messaging (IM) application, comprising:

utilizing a computing device comprising at least one processing unit in communication with at least one tangible storage media, the tangible storage media further including computer executable instructions for performing operations of;

displaying a prompt message to a chat window of the IM application to request acknowledgement about predefined terms of service for updating the emergency information associated with the VoIP number;

receiving a confirmation accepting the predefined terms of service at the chat window;

receiving a request to update the emergency information at the chat window;

receiving physical location information in a form of a plurality of text messages inputted through the chat window;

validating the physical location information;

displaying at least one address via the chat window based on the physical location information; and

receiving a selected address by a selection inputted to the chat window.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an alternate address.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the prompt message upon identifying a change in an IP address associated with the VoIP number.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the emergency information for the VoIP number using the selected address and transmitting the information to a VoIP positioning center database.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the physical location information from a user via a series of predefined text questions and inputs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompt message includes a hyperlink to a disclaimer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating the IM application within an existing unified communications platform.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a change in the physical location information of a computing device associated with a user by a global positioning system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising validating the physical location information by:

translating the selecting address to a postal address;

verifying the postal address is a recognized location using a geographic information system (GIS);

geocoding the postal address to produce a geocode; and

generating a master street address guide (MSAG) address using the geocode and the postal address.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting the MSAG address to a database of a VoIP positioning center (VPC) so that the MSAG address is available for emergency responders during an emergency call from the VoIP number.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving previous entries of emergency information associated with the VoIP number from a database; and

displaying the previous entries of emergency information via the chat window.

12. An emergency location system for validating emergency information of a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) number using an IM application, comprising:

a network service computing device comprising at least one memory for storing instructions that are executed by at least one processor to;

receive a request to update physical location information for the VoIP number via a chat window;

interpret a plurality of input commands received via the chat window to retrieve the physical location information;

validate the physical location information;

receive a selected address based upon the validated physical location information; and

update the emergency information for the VoIP number using the selected address.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the IM application is integrated within an existing unified communications platform.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the request to update the physical location information for the VoIP number is initiated automatically upon a change in an IP address associated with the VoIP number.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the selected address includes a master street guide address.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the selected address is provisioned to a database of a VoIP positioning center database such that 911 calls made from the VoIP number are associated with the selected address.