Systems and methods for improved E911 call handling

• US 10,498,774 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Nimbavikar, Gunjan, Chiang, Hsin-Fu Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Hashem, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US15/665,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20180302450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• 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 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Systems and methods for improved e911 call handling. The system enables users to create multiple categories of callers. When a user makes a 911 (emergency) call, different categories of users receive different treatment. A call from a public safety access point (PSAP), for example, can receive a recorded message or a text message indicating that the user is already connected to a PSAP. A caller on a favorites list may also receive the same, or similar, treatment. General callers, on the other hand, can be sent to voicemail, as is currently the practice for all callers. The system can enable callers to be informed as to why the user is not answering, rather than being sent to voicemail with no explanation. The system can be used to provide this additional information to family members, business contacts, PSAPs, and other important callers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, with a processor of a user'"'"'s user equipment (UE), that a transceiver on the user'"'"'s UE is connected to a public safety answering point (PSAP);

receiving, at the transceiver of the user'"'"'s UE, an incoming call from a caller'"'"'s UE;

sending, from the transceiver of the user'"'"'s UE to a cellular network entity, a message indicating that the user is currently engaged in an emergency call; and

sending, from the network entity to the caller'"'"'s UE, a command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to provide an alert to the caller indicating that the user is currently engaged in an emergency call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to provide an alert indicating that the user is currently engaged in an emergency call comprising sending a command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to receive a text message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to provide an alert indicating that the user is currently engaged in an emergency call comprising sending a command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to play a recorded message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a message to the network entity indicating that the user is currently engaged in an emergency call comprises sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) message including a response code indicating the user is engaged in a 911 call.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

routing, with the network entity, the caller'"'"'s UE to a voicemail address associated with the user'"'"'s UE.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the transceiver on the user'"'"'s UE is connected to the PSAP comprises determining that a dialer on the user'"'"'s UE has dialed 911.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to provide an alert to the caller indicating that the user is currently engaged in an emergency call comprises sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) message to the caller'"'"'s UE to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to display a text message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to provide an alert to the caller indicating that the user is currently engaged in an emergency call comprises sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) message to the caller'"'"'s UE to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to play a recorded message.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, at a network entity associated with a telecommunications network, a call for a user'"'"'s UE from a caller'"'"'s user equipment (UE);

determining, with the network entity, that the user'"'"'s UE is currently connected to a public safety answering point (PSAP); and

sending, from the network entity to the caller'"'"'s UE, a message indicating that the user'"'"'s UE is currently engaged in an emergency call; and

wherein the message causes the caller'"'"'s UE to provide an alert indicating that the user'"'"'s UE is currently engaged in an emergency call.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the network entity comprises a telephony application server (TAS).

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the message comprises a session initiation protocol (SIP) message;

and

wherein the alert comprises a text message.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining, with the network entity, that the caller'"'"'s UE is associated with a first list of a plurality of lists.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first list comprises a list of PSAPs, favorites, or both PSAPs and favorites.

14. A user'"'"'s user equipment (UE) comprising:

a display;

one or more input devices to receive inputs from a user;

one or more transceivers to send and receive one or more wireless transmissions;

one or more processors in communication with at least the display, the one or more transceivers, and the one or input devices; and

memory storing a call-handling algorithm that, when executed, causes the one or more processors to;

determine that the transceiver is connected to a public safety access point (PSAP) on a first call;

detect a second call from a caller'"'"'s UE incoming to the transceiver;

determine whether that a number associated with the caller'"'"'s UE is included in a list of one or more lists; and

send a command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to provide an alert to the caller indicating that the user'"'"'s UE is currently engage in an emergency call only if the caller'"'"'s UE is included in the list.

15. The UE of claim 14, wherein determining that the number associated with the caller'"'"'s UE is listed in the list comprises determining that the number is associated with a public safety access point (PSAP).

16. The UE of claim 15, wherein sending the command to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to provide an alert to the caller indicating that the user'"'"'s UE is currently engaged in an emergency call comprises sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) message to cause the caller'"'"'s UE to display a text indicating the user'"'"'s UE is currently engaged in an emergency call.

17. The UE of claim 15, the call-handling algorithm further causing the one or more processors to send the second call to voicemail.

18. The UE of claim 14, wherein determining that the number associated with the caller'"'"'s UE is listed in the list comprises determining that the number is associated with a favorites list.

19. The UE of claim 18, the call-handling algorithm further causing the one or more processors to send the second call to voicemail.

20. The UE of claim 14, the call-handling algorithm further causing the one or more processors to:

determine that the number associated with the caller'"'"'s UE is not listed in the list; and

send the second call to voicemail.