Geographic routing of emergency service call center emergency calls

• US 20040184584A1
• Filed: 03/24/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intrado Life & Safety Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intrado Incorporated (West Corporation)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Peter R., McCalmont, Patti L., Sherry, Robert A., Mathis, Ronald W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,177,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/45
• 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 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13163 Fault alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• 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

Abstract

The present invention is related to the delivery of requests for emergency service initially handled by an emergency service call center to a public safety answering point. The invention additionally allows for enhancement information to be provided to a public safety answering point operator visually in connection with calls routed to that public safety answering point. This information may include caller identification, and additional information, such as information regarding the location of the caller and the nature of the emergency. Furthermore, the routing of requests for emergency service to an appropriate public safety answering point can be accomplished for requests received over a wide geographic area. In particular, requests can be appropriately routed even though they may originate from locations encompassed by different E9-1-1 tandems. The present invention is particularly well suited for use in connection with automatic collision notification and personal alarm monitoring call centers serving areas encompassed by more than one E9-1-1 tandem.

Claims

1. A method for routing a request for emergency services, comprising:

receiving first location information regarding a first request for emergency services;

determining a first emergency service zone that includes a first location identified by said received first location information;

associating a first routing number with said first request for emergency services, wherein said first routing number is operable to route said first request for emergency services to a switch associated with said first emergency service zone;

associating a first request identifier with said first request for emergency services, wherein said first request identifier uniquely identifies said first request for emergency services; and

storing at least a portion of said received first location information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first location information does not comprise a telephone number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second location information regarding a second request for emergency services;

determining a second emergency service zone that includes a second location identified by said second location information;

associating a second routing number with said request for emergency services, wherein said second routing number is operable to route said second request for emergency services to a switch associated with said second emergency service zone;

associating a second request identifier with said second request for emergency services, wherein said fourth identifier uniquely identifies said second request for emergency services; and

storing at least a portion of said received second location information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining an emergency service zone that includes said first location comprises performing a point-in-polygon lookup.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said first and second emergency service zones are served by different network switches.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said different network switches comprise different tandems.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for said stored first location information, said request comprising said first request identifier; and

in response to said request, returning said stored first location information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said request is received as a query from a first public safety answering point, and wherein said stored first location information is returned to said first public safety answering point.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a request for said stored second location information comprising said second request identifier; and

in response to said request, returning said stored second location information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said request is received as a query from a second public safety answering point, and wherein said stored second location information is returned to said second public safety answering point.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first location information is received from an emergency service call center.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said emergency service call center comprises an automatic collission notification center.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said first request identifier identifies said first request for emergency services as being associated with an emergency service call center, in addition to uniquely identifying said first request for emergency services.

14. A method for routing emergency calls, comprising:

receiving at a first network node first location information from a second network node;

assigning a first identification key to said first location information;

storing said first location information in said first network node;

receiving at said first network node a query for said first location information from a third network node, wherein said query includes said first identification key; and

in response to said query, providing said first information to said third network node.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first information comprises a location coordinate.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining at said first network node a first routing number for a first request for emergency services associated with said first location information, wherein said first routing number identifies a first switch having a coverage area that includes a first emergency service zone that encompasses a location specified by said first location information.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said first network node comprises an emergency services complex and includes a positioning server and a coordinate routing database.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said second network node comprises an emergency service call center.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said third network node comprises a public safety answering point.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said routing number is used by a public switched telephone network to establish voice communications between said third node and at least one of a communication device initiating said request for emergency services and said second node.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving at said first network node second location information from said second network node;

assigning a second identification key to said second location information;

storing said second location information in said first network node;

receiving at said first network node a query for said second location information from a fourth network node, wherein said query includes said second identification key; and

providing said second information to said fourth network node.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said fourth network node comprises a public safety answering point.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining at said first network node a second routing number for a second request for emergency services associated with said second location information, wherein said second routing number identifies a second switch having a coverage area that includes a second emergency service zone that encompasses a location specified by said second location information.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said first emergency service zone receives communications from a first switch and said second emergency service zone receives communications from a second switch.

25. An emergency services complex apparatus, comprising:

an input operable to interconnect said complex to a first communication network and to receive information related to a first request for emergency services comprising first location related information;

an output operable to interconnect said complex to the first communication network and to deliver a routing number and an identifier;

a positioning server wherein a plurality of tables of unique identifiers are stored therein, and wherein storage for information is provided, and wherein at least some of said information related to a first request for emergency services is stored in said positioning server;

a coordinate routing database, wherein boundary information for a plurality of emergency service zones is stored on said coordinate routing database, and wherein an emergency service zone that includes a location identified by said first location related information is provided to said positioning server;

an input operable to interconnect said complex to a second communication network and to receive a query for said information related to a first request for emergency services comprising an identifier delivered to said first communication network; and

an output operable to interconnect said complex to the second communication network, and to deliver at least some of said information related to a first request for emergency services stored on said positioning server in response to said query.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said coordinate routing database comprises information regarding the boundaries of emergency service zones covering substantially all of the United States.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said boundary information for a plurality of emergency service zones comprises geographic information system data.

28. A method for routing requests for emergency services, comprising:

receiving a first request for emergency services from a first communication device;

identifying said first communication device initiating said first request;

obtaining said first location information related to said first request;

providing said first location information to a first network node;

receiving a first routing number and a first unique identifier from said first network node, wherein said first unique identifier is not received with said first request for emergency services; and

routing said first request for emergency services over a public switched telephone network, wherein said first routing number is used as a called number and said first unique identifier is used as a calling number.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said first location information is obtained from said first communication device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of obtaining first location information comprises accessing a table of location information, wherein a location is associated with said first communication device.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving a second request for emergency services from a second communication device;

identifying said second communication device initiating said second request;

obtaining second location information related to said second request;

providing said second location information to said first network node;

receiving a second routing number and a second unique identifier from said first network node; and

routing said second request for emergency services over a public switched telephone network, wherein said second routing number is used as a called number and said second unique identifier is used as a calling number, wherein said first request for emergency services is received by a first public safety answering point that is served by a first tandem, and wherein said second request for emergency services is received by a second public safety answering point served by a second tandem.

32. An emergency service call center system for routing requests for emergency services and information, comprising:

an input from a communication network operable to receive a request for emergency services;

an output to the communication network;

an input from a first computer network;

an output to the first computer network;

a call center manager operable to receive a first request for emergency services from at least one of a computer network and the communication network;

a call center database operable to store first information regarding a location, wherein a query comprising said first information regarding a location from which the first request for emergency services originated is transmitted by said call center system over the first computer network, wherein a first identifier comprising a routing number and a second identifier comprising a request identifier are received over the first computer network in response to said query, wherein said first identifier is associated with the first request for emergency services by said emergency service call center system as a called number to allow the first request for emergency services to be routed over the communication network to a network switch, and wherein said second identifier is associated with the first request for emergency services by said emergency call center system as a calling number.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said input from the communication network and said output to the communication network together comprise an interface with the public switched telephone network.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said interface with the public switched telephone network comprises a primary rate ISDN interface.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein said second identifier is not a telephone number of a device from which said request for emergency services was initiated.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein said call center manager is operable to place an operator in voice communication with a party associated with the request for emergency services.

37. A method for routing an emergency call to an appropriate public safety answering point, comprising:

receiving at a call center a signal from a communication device related to a request for emergency services;

determining a geographic location of said communication device;

correlating said geographic location of said communication device to a public safety answering point;

obtaining an identification key from an emergency services complex, wherein said identification key is assigned by said emergency services complex to said signal from a communication device;

placing a telephone call to a public safety answering point over a first communication network, wherein said identification key is associated with said telephone call; and

providing said geographic location information to said public safety answering point over a second communication network.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising obtaining a routing number from said emergency services complex, wherein said routing number is used to route said telephone call over said first communication network.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said signal received from a communication device comprises a telephone call, and wherein said step of placing a telephone call over said first communication network comprises routing said telephone call to said public safety answering point over a public switched telephone network.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said identification key assigned to said telephone call is not a telephone number of said communication device.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein said first communication network comprises a public switched telephone network, and wherein said second communication network comprises a computer network.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein said step of determining a geographic location of said communication device comprises receiving geographic location information from said communication device.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein said step of determining a geographic location of said communication device comprises:

receiving source identification information from said communication device; and

correlating said source identification information to a geographic location.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein said communication device comprises a mobile source.

45. The method of claim 37, wherein said communication device comprises stationary source.

46. The method of claim 37, further comprising passing data between a positioning server and an information retrieval center.