Internet protocol (IP) emergency connections (ITEC) telephony

• US 20030063714A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Stampfl, Robert, Fartmann, Alfons, Hipfinger, Walter, Stumer, Peggy M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,678,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1275 Methods and means to improve the telephone service quality, e.g. reservation, prioritisation or admission control

Abstract

An IP Telephony Emergency Connections (ITEC) system and method that determines the precise origin of an emergency call and routes the call to the proper Public Service Answering Point (PSAP). A source-based routing mechanism is provided in an IP telephony type network, such as a VoIP or IP over LAN/ATM. Emergency calls are routed to the correct PSAP jurisdiction. Each server/switch may include the mechanism such that the IP Telephony network can identify an E911 connection and egress to a public network at a point closest to the emergency call point of origin. Whenever an emergency number call is made, the call'"'"'s origin is determined during call setup establishment. Every port or end user jack in the network is assigned a Source Group Index (SGI), which is a number or index representing each PSAP jurisdiction in the network. All ports/jacks within the same PSAP jurisdiction are assigned the same SGI. Users may be in different areas of multiple PSAP jurisdictions.

Claims

1. A method for processing an emergency call made from a device connected to a network entity on a private network, said private network including one or more network entities, said method comprising the steps of:

a) assigning a source group index (SGI) to each network entity port;

b) identifying emergency calls;

c) determining an origination port for each identified port emergency call;

d) identifying a public safety answering point (PSAP) jurisdiction corresponding to the SGI assigned to each determined origination port; and

e) connecting each identified emergency call with a corresponding identified PSAP.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein said emergency call is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call and the step (b) of identifying emergency calls comprises the steps of:

i) comparing a dialed number for each call with known emergency numbers; and

ii) sending an emergency connection identifier (ECI) packet to a network area router (NAR) for a dialed number matching a known emergency number.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the ECI message includes an ECI packet type, a calling number, a called number, a call ID number and ECI data.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the ECI data includes the SGI assigned to said origination port of said identified emergency call and an emergency location identification number (ELIN) index number.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein the ECI packet further includes call priority.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein call priority is determined in the step (i) of comparing the dialed number with known emergency numbers.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein identified emergency calls are queued according to said call priority.

8. A method as in claim 4 wherein the PSAP jurisdiction is identified by a route number retrieved from a source group table and corresponding to said SGI assigned to said identified emergency call.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein the route number corresponds to the identified emergency call to said PSAP jurisdiction.

10. A method as in claim 9 further comprising the step of:

(f) sending an acknowledgment from said NAR to an ECI module located at said origination port.

11. A network including an apparatus for processing emergency calls made from connected devices, said network comprising:

a plurality of network entities communicating with each other;

a plurality of devices connected to said network entities, at least one network entity having two or more connected said devices;

a network area router (NAR) in at least one network entity; and

an emergency connection identifier (ECI) module in at least one network entity with one or more ports, said ECI module in communication with said NAR, said ECI module identifying emergency calls made from devices connected to said one or more ports and forwarding identified emergency calls to said NAR, said NAR identifying a public safety access point (PSAP) corresponding to a point of origin of each identified emergency call and forwarding said each identified emergency call to said PSAP.

12. A network as in claim 11 wherein said ECI module comprises:

an emergency number table including one or more series of dialed numbers corresponding to emergency telephone numbers; and

an ECI port equipment number (PEN) table including port equipment numbers for ports located in said network entity in which said ECI module is located and corresponding each said PEN with a source group index (SGI) number, said SGI number corresponding to a PSAP jurisdiction.

13. A network as in claim 12 wherein the ECI emergency number table further includes priority numbers corresponding to said emergency numbers.

14. A network as in claim 13 wherein said ECI PEN table further includes an ELIN index corresponding to each PEN entry.

15. A network as in claim 12 wherein the NAR includes a routing table, a source group table and an ELIN table.

16. A network as in claim 15 wherein said routing table provides a routing for identified dialed emergency numbers.

17. A network as in claim 16 wherein the source group table indicates a route number for each SGI number.

18. A network as in claim 12 wherein said at least one ECI module is two or more ECI modules, at least one of said two or more ECI modules is located on a common network entity with said NAR.

19. A network as in claim 18 wherein at least one network entity includes ports located in two or more PSAP jurisdictions.

20. A network as in claim 18 wherein said common network entity includes a gateway in communication with a public service telephone network (PSTN).

21. A network as in claim 20 wherein at least one other of said plurality of network entities includes an ECI module and a gateway in communication with said PSTN.