Automatic location identification (ALI) service requests steering, connection sharing and protocol translation

• US 20070082650A1
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhu, Yinjun, Liao, Hsin-Chih, Hines, Gordon, Conner, Cristine, Pelligrini, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,282,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An ALI/ESME steering gateway bridges the nationwide ALI/ESME network notes (or PSAPs) with the GMLC/MPCs of various different XPC networks. The steering gateway provides a unified interface between the PSAP/ALI network and positioning centers (GMLC/MPC/VPCs). Using the steering gateway, an E911 service provider accesses positioning centers (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of any XPC network. This access by the ALI to the positioning center is accomplished with any type of interface, irregardless of the protocol type. The connectivity of each virtual communication path between ALIs and PSAPs is managed. The ALI/ESME steering gateway also provides translation of the protocols between the two ALI-MPC interface sets (inbound and outbound). The ALI/ESME steering gateway also consolidates (or “de-duplicates”) any/all duplicated requests from a same ALI or PSAP for the same emergency call so that only one request is then sent to the destined positioning center within the relevant network.

Claims

1. An automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway, comprising:

a plurality of interface protocol agents for communicating with respective ALI systems each having a different communication interface protocol for communicating with a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC etc);

an inbound ALI interface for connecting each of said plurality of protocol agents to said respective ALI systems; and

an outbound ALI interface for connecting each of said plurality of protocol agents to respective positioning centers.

2. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 1, wherein said inbound ALI interface communication protocols comprise:

PAM—

v6.1;

Legacy NENA—

NENA 02 or 04

E2—

redundant node Primary/Secondary configuration;

E2 ALISA —

NENA 05 full redundant node configuration;

OMA MLP (European

     112); and

V-e2 (VoIP E2)

3. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 1, wherein said different outbound ALI interface communication protocols comprise:

PAM—

v6.1;

Legacy NENA—

NENA 02 or 04

E2—

redundant node Primary/Secondary configuration;

E2 ALISA—

NENA 05 full redundant node configuration;

OMA MLP (European

     112); and

V-e2 (VoIP E2)

4. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

an ALI request de-duplicator, to consolidate a plurality of ALI requests received by said ALI/ESME Steering Gateway into a fewer plurality of ALI requests transmitted by said ALI/ESME Steering Gateway.

5. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a carrier look-up table associating an interface protocol type with a given positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) in a given non-landline network.

6. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 1, further compromising:

a carrier look-up table associating an outbound interface protocol type with a given positioning center in a non-landline network (cellular or VoIP).

7. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said outbound ALI interface protocol type is E2.

8. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said outbound ALI interface protocol type is PAM.

9. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said outbound ALI interface protocol type is Legacy NENA.

10. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said outbound ALI interface protocol type is E2 ALISA.

11. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said outbound ALI interface protocol type is OMA MLP.

12. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said outbound ALI interface protocol type is V-E2.

13. The automatic location identification (ALI) steering gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said ALI/ESME Steering Gateway is comprised in an E911 service provider network.

15. The method of steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 11, wherein:

said ALI requests are instigated by a public safety access point (PSAP).

16. The method of steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 11, further comprising:

upon receipt of a location request from said ALI, determining a non-landline carrier servicing a particular location by accessing a suitable location to carrier lookup table.

17. The method of steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 11, further comprising:

upon receipt of a location request from said ALI, determining an interface type of a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of a carrier servicing a relevant emergency caller.

18. The method of steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 11, further comprising:

multiplying a single ALI location request from an ALI or PSAP to multiple ALI queries directed to respective multiple positioning centers (GMLC/MPC/VPC).

19. The method of steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 11, further comprising:

de-duplicating a plurality of similar ALI location requests into a fewer plurality of ALI location requests directed to a given positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC).

20. The method of steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 11, wherein said first type interface Protocol and said second type interface protocol each comprise one of:

PAM—

v6.1;

Legacy NENA—

NENA 02 or 04

E2—

redundant node Primary/Secondary configuration;

E2 ALISA—

NENA 05 full redundant node configuration;

OMA MLP (European

     112); and

V-e2 (VoIP E2).

22. The apparatus for steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 20, wherein:

said ALI requests are instigated by a public safety access point (PSAP).

23. The apparatus for steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 20, further comprising:

means for determining a carrier servicing a particular location by accessing a suitable location to carrier lookup table, upon receipt of a location request from said ALI.

24. The apparatus for steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 20, further comprising:

means for determining an interface type of a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of a carrier servicing a relevant emergency caller, upon receipt of a location request from said ALI.

25. The apparatus for steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 20, further comprising:

means for multiplying a single ALI location request from an ALI or PSAP to multiple ALI queries directed to respective multiple positioning centers (GMLC/MPC/VPC).

26. The apparatus for steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 20, further comprising:

means for de-duplicating a plurality of similar ALI location requests into a fewer plurality of ALI location requests directed to a given positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC).

27. The apparatus for steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol according to claim 20, wherein said first type interface protocol and said second type Internet Protocol each comprise one of:

PAM—

v6.1;

Legacy NENA—

NENA 02 or 04

E2—

redundant node Primary/Secondary configuration;

E2 ALISA—

NENA 05 full redundant node configuration;

OMA MLP (European

     112); and

V-e2 (VoIP E2).

14. A method of steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol, comprising:

receiving an ALI request of an inbound ALI interface using a first type interface protocol;

converting said ALI request into a second type interface protocol different from said first type interface protocol; and

transmitting said converted ALI request over an outbound ALI interface using said second type interface protocol;

wherein an ALI request of one type interface protocol is able to access a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) using a different type interface protocol.

21. Apparatus for steering automatic location identification (ALI) requests of one type interface protocol to a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) of another type interface protocol, comprising:

means for receiving an ALI request of an inbound ALI interface using a first type interface protocol;

means for converting said ALI request into a second type interface protocol different from said first type interface protocol; and

means for transmitting said converted ALI request over an outbound ALI interface using said second type interface protocol;

wherein an ALI request of one type interface protocol is able to access a positioning center (GMLC/MPC/VPC) using a different type interface protocol.