Enhanced emergency service provider

• US 20060128357A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Suryanarayana, Lalitha, Gorti, Sreenivasa Rao, Grannan, Michael F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,027,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• 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

Abstract

A service enhancement to emergency-911 capability involves a new entity termed an EESP which implements and operates a system that communicates subscriber-specific emergency information portably linked to subscriber identity in a timely fashion to emergency care providers.

Claims

1. An enhanced emergency service, the service comprising:

a service provider associated with a particular subscriber identity;

a network service provider;

means for the network service provider to identify the service provider associated with the subscriber identity;

an emergency care provider;

a PSAP;

a database hosted by the service provider and containing the subscriber'"'"'s emergency information, wherein the subscriber'"'"'s information is portably linked to the subscriber'"'"'s identity;

a communication device; and

a communication network to connect the service provider, the emergency care provider, the PSAP and the communication device,

wherein, the service supports the communication of subscriber emergency information to the emergency care provider portably across multiple modes, platforms, devices and phone numbers.

2. The service of claim 1, further comprising a SIP client on the communication device, wherein the communication network supports VoIP.

3. The service of claim 1, further comprising a smart card, wherein the communication device supports the smart card to provide portability of database access across devices and networks on the basis of subscriber identity.

4. The service of claim 1, further comprising a temporary URL to display emergency information routed by the network.

5. The service of claim 1, wherein the subscriber emergency information is included in a federated database.

6. The service of claim 1, wherein the database comprising the subscriber emergency information is at least partially federated.

7. The service of claim 6, wherein the federation is based upon user-specified rules or preferences regarding privacy and sharing of the information.

8. The service of claim 1, wherein access to the subscriber emergency information is secure.

9. The service of claim 1, further comprising an encryption protocol to ensure confidentiality during information transmission over the network.

10. The service of claim 1, further comprising SAML to transmit security assertions over the network.

11. The service of claim 1, further comprising a time sensitive passcode or key for access authorization to the database.

12. The service of claim 1, further comprising automatic updating of the subscriber information.

13. The service of claim 1, further comprising automatic validation of subscriber emergency information against other online information.

14. The service of claim 1, further comprising support for other users on the subscriber'"'"'s account, whereby the emergency responder selects the identity of the other user.

15. The service of claim 1, further comprising a unique subscriber identifier, whereby the subscriber emergency information is portably linked to the subscriber identity.

16. The service of claim 1, further comprising an RFID component portable across communication devices and subscriber identifiers, to portably link the subscriber to the subscriber'"'"'s emergency information.

17. A system to provide enhanced emergency service, the system comprising:

an emergency care provider;

an EESP entity that maintains a subscriber emergency information database;

an EESP subscriber whose emergency information is included in the EESP database;

a communications network comprising a network service provider having means to identify the EESP associated with the subscriber;

a PSAP;

a communication means for routing an emergency communication comprising information about the subscriber'"'"'s EESP to the emergency care provider via the PSAP;

a communication means for the PSAP to query the EESP for subscriber specific emergency information; and

a communication means for an emergency care provider to query the EESP for subscriber specific information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication means for routing an emergency communication supports VoIP and further comprises a communications terminal having a resident SIP client.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a third party database, wherein the communication means for routing an emergency communication comprising information about the subscriber'"'"'s EESP to the emergency care provider comprises an out of band query to the third party database to look up information about the subscriber'"'"'s EESP.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a cross reference database that identifies all the EESP subscribers for the network service provider to identify the EESP associated with the subscriber.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the cross reference database comprises an ENUM database.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the subscriber emergency information comprises emergency information of the subscriber'"'"'s designee'"'"'s.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the means to identify the EESP associated with the subscriber comprises a communication terminal that maintains the subscriber'"'"'s emergency information which identifies the subscriber'"'"'s EESP, and which has a resident SIP client, whereby the subscriber'"'"'s EESP information is provided to the network service provider as part of the SIP INVITE for an emergency communication.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications network comprises an AIN-based circuit switched environment.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications network comprises a Plain Old Telephone System.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications network comprises a wireless communications network.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication means to update the subscriber emergency information comprises an IVR system.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication means to update the subscriber emergency information comprises a voice activated user interface.

29. The system of claim 17 wherein the subscriber emergency information is automatically updated and validated from other online information

30. A method for providing enhanced emergency service, the method comprising providing secure, portable, access to subscriber emergency information linked to subscriber identity across devices, networks and platforms.