Method and apparatus for emergency call routing using an end node

• US 20060252407A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: O.Goldman, Stuart, Rollender, Douglas H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,116,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless 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 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• 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

A method is provided for routing an emergency call. The method comprises receiving an emergency call and identifying an end node associated with the call. The end node may be a communications device involved in establishing the emergency call that is geographically near the originator of the emergency call. A look-up table is then accessed to identify the appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP) associated with the end node, and the emergency call is routed to the identified PSAP.

Claims

1. A method for routing an emergency call, comprising:

receiving an emergency call;

identifying a first and second node associated with the call;

selecting one of the first and second nodes as an end node as a function of the proximity of the first and second nodes to an originator of the emergency call; and

routing the emergency call to a public safety answering point associated with the end node.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein identifying the first and second nodes associated with the call further comprises receiving a unique identifier associated with the first and second nodes associated with the call.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein selecting one of the first and second nodes as the end node as a function of the proximity of the first and second nodes to the originator of the emergency call further comprises selecting the node closest to the originator of the emergency call as the end node.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein selecting the node closest to the originator of the emergency call as the end node further comprises selecting the node closest to the originator of the emergency call that has a public safety answering point associated therewith as the end node.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein routing the emergency call to the public safety answering point associated with the first end node further comprises accessing a look-up table using a unique identifier associated with the end node to determine the appropriate public safety answering point.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising maintaining the look-up table with information correlating unique identifiers associated with end nodes and appropriate public safety answering points.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein routing the emergency call to the public safety answering point associated with the end node further comprises accessing a map using a unique identifier associated with the first end node to determine the appropriate public safety answering point.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising maintaining the map with information correlating unique identifiers associated with end nodes and appropriate public safety answering points.

9. A method for routing an emergency call, comprising:

receiving an emergency call;

identifying a first node associated with the call as an end node;

identifying a second node associated with the call as the end node in response to determining that a public safety answering point is not associated with the first node;

routing the emergency call to a public safety answering point associated with the end node.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein identifying the first node associated with the call as the end node further comprises receiving a unique identifier associated with the first associated with the call.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein identifying the first node associated with the call as the end node further comprises selecting the node closest to the originator of the emergency call as the end node.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein routing the emergency call to the public safety answering point associated with the end node further comprises accessing a look-up table using a unique identifier associated with the end node to determine the appropriate public safety answering point.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 12, further comprising maintaining the look-up table with information correlating unique identifiers associated with end nodes and appropriate public safety answering points.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein routing the emergency call to the public safety answering point associated with the end node further comprises accessing a map using a unique identifier associated with the end node to determine the appropriate public safety answering point.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 14, further comprising maintaining the map with information correlating unique identifiers associated with end nodes and appropriate public safety answering points.

16. A method for routing an emergency call, comprising:

receiving an emergency call at a node; and

appending a unique identifier associated with the end node to the emergency call to allow the emergency call to be routed to a public safety answering point associated with the first end