System and methods for providing updated mobile station location estimates to emergency services providers

• US 20060276168A1
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, John P. III, Fuller, Marvin U. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• 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 wireless communication system, including apparatuses and methods, for handling emergency calls from wireless communication devices to emergency services providers and for automatically providing updated location estimates for the wireless communication devices to during such emergency calls absent any request therefor. The updated location estimates are generally provided in response to a detected occurrence of a triggering event within the wireless communication system. In the exemplary embodiments, such triggering events include the passage of a pre-determined threshold period of time and the handover of an emergency call between cells or sectors of the wireless communication system in response to movement of the wireless communication device from which the emergency call is being made. Further, according to at least one exemplary embodiment, the wireless communication system may selectively limit the provision of updated location estimates based on whether movement of a wireless communication device is substantial or insubstantial.

Claims

1. A method for providing updated location information for a wireless communication device during an emergency call, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting the occurrence of a triggering event associated with an on-going emergency call established by a wireless communication network between a wireless communication device and communication equipment of a public safety organization; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the triggering event and absent a request for updated location information from outside of the wireless communication network, providing updated location information for the wireless communication device to the communication equipment of the public safety organization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the occurrence of a triggering event comprises detecting the passage of pre-determined period of time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pre-determined period of time corresponds to an amount of time since an immediately previous provision of location information for the wireless communication device to the communication equipment of the public safety organization.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a plurality of service area subdivisions for which wireless communication services are provided by the wireless communication network, and wherein the step of detecting the occurrence of a triggering event comprises detecting a handover of the emergency call between service area subdivisions of the wireless communication network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises, prior to the step of providing, a step of determining whether a pre-determined period of time has passed since an immediately previous provision of updated location information for the wireless communication device to the communication equipment of the public safety organization.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises, prior to the step of providing, a step of determining whether the wireless communication network is configured to provide updated location information to the communication equipment of the public safety organization.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein each service area subdivision comprises a cell of the wireless communication network.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein each service area subdivision comprises a sector of a cell of the wireless communication network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated location information includes an estimated latitude and longitude corresponding to the location of the wireless communication device.

10. A method for refreshing location information for a wireless communication device during an emergency call with an emergency services provider, the method comprising the step of:

automatically providing location information for a wireless communication device to an emergency services provider during an emergency call handled by a wireless communication network and between a user of the wireless communication device and the emergency services provider;

wherein the location information corresponds to the most recent location of the wireless communication device; and

wherein the step of automatically providing the location information is initiated solely by the wireless communication network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of automatically providing location information is performed on a periodic basis.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of automatically providing location information is performed on a non-periodic basis based at least in part on detected movement of the wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of automatically providing location information comprises the steps of selectively communicating location information to the emergency services provider, and minimizing the frequency of communication of location information to the emergency services provider.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of minimizing comprises a step of withholding the communication of location information to the emergency services provider based at least in part on insubstantial movement of the wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a plurality of service area subdivisions for which wireless communication services are provided by the wireless communication network, and wherein insubstantial movement of the wireless communication device comprises detected movement of the wireless communication device between at least two service area subdivisions absent the expiration of a pre-determined period of time since an immediately prior communication of location information to the emergency services provider.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the location information includes an estimated latitude and longitude corresponding to the location of the wireless communication device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of automatically providing location information comprises a step of communicating the location information to the emergency services provider absent a request for the location information from the emergency services provider.

18. In a wireless communication system operable to provide location information for a wireless communication device to an emergency services provider during an emergency call between the wireless communication device and the emergency services provider, the improvement therein comprising the adaptation of said wireless communication system to automatically provide updated location estimates to said emergency services provider corresponding respectively to the most recent locations of said wireless communication device without receiving a request for an updated location estimate.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein said improvement therein further comprises the adaptation of said wireless communication system to automatically provide said updated location estimates in response at least to the passage of a threshold period of time.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein said improvement therein further comprises the adaptation of said wireless communication system to automatically provide said updated location estimates in response at least to detected movement of said wireless communication device.

21. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein said improvement therein further comprises the adaptation of said wireless communication system to include data designating whether the automatic provision of said updated location estimates is enabled for said emergency services provider, and to automatically provide said updated location estimates to said emergency services provider only if said data designates that the automatic provision of said updated location estimates is enabled therefor.