VoIP emergency call support

• US 10,178,522 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen William, Burroughs, Kirk Allan, Nasielski, John Wallace
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassim, Khaled
• Application Number:
  US11/497,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,543 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356, 4554561, 4554041
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• 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 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• 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: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16

Abstract

Techniques to support emergency voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls are described. The techniques may be used for various 3GPP and 3GPP2 networks, various location architectures, and various types of User Equipment (UE). A UE communicates with a visited network to send a request to establish an emergency VoIP call. The UE interacts with a location server instructed by the visited network to obtain a first position estimate for the UE. The UE performs call setup via the visited network to establish the emergency VoIP call with a PSAP, which may be selected based on the first position estimate. The UE may thereafter perform positioning with the location server to obtain an updated position estimate for the UE, e.g., if requested by the PSAP.

Claims

1. A server for facilitating an emergency voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, comprising:

a communications unit configured to;

receive, from an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) entity in a visited network, a first request to route an emergency VoIP call for a user equipment (UE) to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), wherein the first request comprises first location information for the UE and an identity for the UE;

send a second request for second location information for the UE to a first network entity; and

receive, from the first network entity, a first response comprising the second location information and

at least one processor configured to

select a PSAP for the emergency VoIP call based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information wherein

the communications unit is further configured to;

send a second response to the IMS entity, the second response comprising at least one of an identity for the selected PSAP or routing information for the selected PSAP;

after sending the second response to the IMS entity, receive from the selected PSAP a third request for updated location information for the UE;

send a fourth request for the updated location information to the first network entity;

receive a third response from the first network entity comprising the updated location information; and

send a fourth response comprising the updated location information to the selected PSAP.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the IMS entity is an Emergency Call Session Control Function (E-CSCF).

3. The location server of claim 1, wherein the first network entity is the IMS entity.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the first network entity is a location server.

5. The location server of claim 4, wherein the location server is a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP) server.

6. The server of claim 1, wherein:

the first location information comprises a cell identifier (ID); and

the second location information comprises a position estimate for the UE.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein the second response further comprises the second location information.

8. The server of claim 1, wherein the routing information for the selected PSAP further comprises information identifying the server, the routing information being forwarded to the selected PSAP.

9. The server of claim 1, wherein:

the second location information comprises an initial position estimate for the UE; and

the updated location information comprises an updated position estimate for the UE.

10. A method performed by an apparatus for facilitating an emergency voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, comprising:

receiving, from an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) entity in a visited network, a first request to route an emergency VoIP call for a user equipment (UE) to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), wherein the first request comprises first location information for the UE and an identity for the UE;

sending a second request for second location information for the UE to a first network entity;

receiving, from the first network entity, a first response comprising the second location information;

selecting a PSAP for the emergency VoIP call based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information

sending a second response to the IMS entity, the second response comprising at least one of an identity for the selected PSAP or routing information for the selected PSAP;

after sending the second response to the IMS entity, receiving from the selected PSAP a third request for updated location information for the UE;

sending a fourth request for the updated location information to the first network entity;

receiving a third response from the first network entity comprising the updated location information; and

sending a fourth response comprising the updated location information to the selected PSAP.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the IMS entity is an Emergency Call Session Control Function (E-CSCF).

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first network entity is the IMS entity.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first network entity is a location server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the location server is a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP) server.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first location information comprises a cell identifier (ID); and

the second location information comprises a position estimate for the UE.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the second response further comprises the second location information.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the routing information for the selected PSAP further comprises information identifying the apparatus, the routing information being forwarded to the selected PSAP.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the second location information comprises an initial position estimate for the UE; and

the updated location information comprises an updated position estimate for the UE.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, from an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) entity in a visited network, a first request to route an emergency VoIP call for a user equipment (UE) to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), wherein the first request comprises first location information for the UE and an identity for the UE;

means for sending a second request for second location information for the UE to a first network entity;

means for receiving, from the first network entity, a first response comprising the second location information;

means for selecting a PSAP for the emergency VoIP call based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information;

means for sending a second response to the IMS entity, the second response comprising at least one of an identity for the selected PSAP or routing information for the selected PSAP;

means for receiving from the selected PSAP a third request for updated location information for the UE after sending the second response to the IMS entity;

means for sending a fourth request for the updated location information to the first network entity;

means for receiving a third response from the first network entity comprising the updated location information; and

means for sending a fourth response comprising the updated location information to the selected PSAP.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving, from an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) entity in a visited network, a first request to route an emergency VoIP call for a user equipment (UE) to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), wherein the first request comprises first location information for the UE and an identity for the UE;

instructions for sending a second request for second location information for the UE to a first network entity;

instructions for receiving, from the first network entity, a first response comprising the second location information;

instructions for selecting a PSAP for the emergency VoIP call based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information;

instructions for sending a second response to the IMS entity, the second response comprising at least one of an identity for the selected PSAP or routing information for the selected PSAP;

instructions for receiving from the selected PSAP a third request for updated location information for the UE after sending the second response to the IMS entity;

instructions for sending a fourth request for the updated location information to the first network entity;

instructions for receiving a third response from the first network entity comprising the updated location information; and

instructions for sending a fourth response comprising the updated location information to the selected PSAP.