Emergency call service backup using device user plane communications

• US 10,375,556 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Laaser Critical Communications Corp.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gross, Brent, Pandit, Sushain, Sauter, Guenter A., Wolfson, Charles D., Self, Michael R., White, Frederick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US15/851,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20190200204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• 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 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

An initiation of an emergency communication with an emergency service associated with an emergency telephone number is detected by a mobile communications device. A completion of the emergency communication using a first communication path associated with a mobile communications service provider is attempted. The mobile communication device determines that the emergency communication using the first communication path has failed. An identity of a destination of the failed emergency communication is determined using location and telemetry data from the mobile communication device. A connection of the mobile communications device to the identified destination is facilitated using a second communication path. The mobile communications device is identified to the determined destination as an originator of the connection.

Claims

1. A method for emergency communication service backup, the method comprising:

detecting, by a mobile communications device, an initiation of an emergency communication with an emergency service associated with an emergency telephone number;

attempting completion of the emergency communication using a first communication path associated with a mobile communications service provider;

determining, by the mobile communication device, that the emergency communication using the first communication path has failed;

determining, using location and telemetry data from the mobile communication device, an identity of a destination of the failed emergency communication;

facilitating a connection of the mobile communications device to the identified destination using a second communication path, wherein the mobile communications device is identified to the determined destination as an originator of the connection;

storing historical information of the failed emergency communications;

determining a failure probability of subsequent emergency communications based upon the historical information; and

determining at least one preventative action to mitigate subsequent emergency communication failures based upon the failure probability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication path uses a previously unused portion of a network of the mobile communications service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication path bypasses emergency communication components associated with the mobile communications service provider.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining enhanced location information based upon the location information and telemetry data; and

providing the enhanced location information to the mobile communications service provider.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location information includes a latitude and longitude of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the enhanced location information includes one or more of a pressure, elevation, or floor of a building associated with a location of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving updated location information and telemetry data from the mobile device, the updated location information and telemetry data includes a change in location and telemetry of the mobile device since the initiating of the emergency communication.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the mobile communications service provider of the failed emergency communication.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking locations of failed emergency communications of at least one of the mobile device and other mobile devices, a frequency of the failed emergency communications, and an identity information of the mobile communications service provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one preventative measure includes selectively changing network routing in a particular geographic area.

11. A computer usable program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, the stored program instructions comprising:

program instructions to detect, by a mobile communications device, an initiation of an emergency communication with an emergency service associated with an emergency telephone number;

program instructions to attempt completion of the emergency communication using a first communication path associated with a mobile communications service provider;

program instructions to determine, by the mobile communication device, that the emergency communication using the first communication path has failed;

program instructions to determine, using location and telemetry data from the mobile communication device, an identity of a destination of the failed emergency communication;

program instructions to facilitate a connection of the mobile communications device to the identified destination using a second communication path, wherein the mobile communications device is identified to the determined destination as an originator of the connection;

program instructions to store historical information of the failed emergency communications;

program instructions to determine a failure probability of subsequent emergency communications based upon the historical information; and

program instructions to determine at least one preventative action to mitigate subsequent emergency communication failures based upon the failure probability.

12. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the second communication path uses a previously unused portion of a network of the mobile communications service provider.

13. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the second communication path bypasses emergency communication components associated with the mobile communications service provider.

14. The computer usable program product of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions to determine enhanced location information based upon the location information and telemetry data; and

program instructions to provide the enhanced location information to the mobile communications service provider.

15. The computer usable program product of claim 14, wherein the location information includes a latitude and longitude of the mobile device.

16. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

17. The computer usable program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage device associated with the remote data processing system.

18. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, and one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the stored program instructions comprising:

program instructions to detect, by a mobile communications device, an initiation of an emergency communication with an emergency service associated with an emergency telephone number;

program instructions to attempt completion of the emergency communication using a first communication path associated with a mobile communications service provider;

program instructions to determine, by the mobile communication device, that the emergency communication using the first communication path has failed;

program instructions to determine, using location and telemetry data from the mobile communication device, an identity of a destination of the failed emergency communication;

program instructions to facilitate a connection of the mobile communications device to the identified destination using a second communication path, wherein the mobile communications device is identified to the determined destination as an originator of the connection;

program instructions to store historical information of the failed emergency communications;

program instructions to determine a failure probability of subsequent emergency communications based upon the historical information; and

program instructions to determine at least one preventative action to mitigate subsequent emergency communication failures based upon the failure probability.