User defined codes for emergency calls

• US 20060258328A1
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Godoy, Mario Francisco
• Application Number:
  US11/126,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258328A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• 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 user of a telecommunications device (112, 202), such as a telephone, wireless terminal, or the like, activates use of user codes for certain emergency calls. The user supplies the user codes to the telecommunication system for storage in a subscriber database (109, 212). Subsequently, if the user code is received by the telecommunications system from the user and this feature is activated, emergency treatment is applied to the call (400, 402, 406). For all other calls, traditional treatment is applied (404). Emergency treatment, which may be user defined, preferably includes: determining a location for the user using GPS (global positioning system) or other location determining systems; logging information related to the circumstances of the call, such as, subscriber number, time of call, day of call, serving base station or other pertinent information; monitoring and logging activity; connecting to other systems, such as police or emergency offices; routing calls to live operators, announcements, music or other audible sounds, including silence.

Claims

1. A telecommunications switch comprising:

an interface for receiving from a device a predefined activation code that enables a user-defined emergency feature and a user-defined code associated with the user-defined emergency feature;

a subscriber database that stores the user-defined code, the subscriber database being coupled to the interface;

a processor coupled to the interface and the subscriber database that;

receives a dialed number entered at the device;

compares the dialed number with the user-defined code stored in the database;

initiates a pre-selected emergency action if the dialed number matches the user-defined code stored in the database, wherein the pre-selected emergency action includes forwarding the call to an emergency response center; and

treats the call as a normal call if the dialed number does not match the user-defined code stored in the database.

2. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the subscriber database is a one of a home location register and a visitor location register.

3. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the interface includes a wireless interface for coupling to wireless devices.

4. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the interface receives at least one emergency action code that determines a pre-selected emergency action to be taken in response to receipt of a user-defined code.

5. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the pre-selected emergency action includes playing an audible response and the audible response is one of music, an announcement, and silence.

6. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the pre-selected emergency action includes monitoring activity associated with device.

7. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the pre-selected emergency action includes determining and monitoring a location of the device.

8. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the interface receives a predefined deactivation code that disables the user-defined emergency feature such that if a dialed number is the user-defined code, the call is treated as a normal call.

9. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the interface receives a pre-defined false-alarm code, wherein in response to receipt of the false alarm code the processor cancels any emergency action taken in response to receiving the user-defined code.

10. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the pre-selected emergency action is a default emergency action.

11. The telecommunications switch of claim 1 wherein the pre-selected emergency action includes logging at least one of a subscriber number, a time of call, a day of call, and a serving base station.

12. A method for enabling a user to define at least one code for emergency calls in a telecommunications system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a predefined activation code that enables a user-defined emergency feature;

receiving a user-defined code associated with the user-defined emergency feature;

storing the user-defined code in a subscriber database;

receiving a dialed number from a device associated with the user;

determining whether the dialed number is the user-defined code stored in the database;

if the dialed number is the user-defined code stored in the database, then applying a pre-selected emergency action; and

if the dialed number is not the user-defined code stored in the subscriber database, then processing continues according to the dialed number.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of receiving at least one emergency action code that determines a pre-selected emergency action to be taken in response to receipt of a user-defined code.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the pre-selected emergency action includes determining and monitoring a location of the device associated with the user.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the pre-selected emergency action includes playing an audible response and the audible response is one of music, an announcement, and silence.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of receiving a predefined deactivation code that disables the user-defined emergency feature such that if a dialed number is the user-defined code, the call is processed according to the dialed number and no pre-selected emergency action is taken.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of receiving a pre-defined false-alarm code, wherein receipt of the false alarm code cancels any emergency action taken in response to receiving the user-defined code.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the pre-selected emergency action includes notifying an emergency response center.