Methods, systems, and computer program products for emergency 911 (E911) registration assistance for subscribers using portable internet protocol (IP) communications devices

• US 20070104183A1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadsoft Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec
• Inventors: Madhusudan, Subash, Brannick, Gary, Bakke, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,843,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• 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: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for E911 registration assistance for subscribers using portable Internet Protocol (IP) communications devices are disclosed. According to one method, an IP address of a portable IP communications device is stored. A message is received that indicates an IP address of the portable IP communications device. Next, it is determined whether a difference between the stored IP address and the received IP address indicated by the registration message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device. In response to determining that the difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device, a subscriber is prompted to update stored geographic location information for providing E911 service to the subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for providing emergency 911 (E911) registration assistance for a portable Internet Protocol (IP) communications device, the method comprising:

(a) storing an IP address of a portable IP communications device;

(b) receiving a registration message indicating an IP address of the portable IP communications device;

(c) determining whether a difference between the stored IP address and the received IP address indicated by the registration message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device; and

(d) in response to determining that the difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device, prompting a subscriber to update stored geographic location information for providing E911 service to the subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (a)-(d) are performed at a Voice over IP (VoIP) application server.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the portable IP communications device comprises a portable IP telephone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein storing an IP address of the IP communications device includes maintaining a database including a physical IP address of the portable IP communications device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein maintaining a database includes maintaining a mapping between the stored physical IP address and the geographic location information in the database.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the registration message utilizes a protocol selected from the group consisting of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Cisco Skinny Client Control Protocol, and Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) includes determining whether the difference indicates that the IP addresses are associated with the same subnet.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein, in response to determining that the IP addresses are associated with the same subnet, refraining from prompting a subscriber to update the stored geographic location information for the IP communications device.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising, in response to the prompting:

(a) receiving updated geographic location information from the subscriber; and

(b) storing the updated geographic location information.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising communicating the updated geographic location information to an emergency call center.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein prompting the subscriber includes initiating a call with the subscriber geographic location information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein prompting the subscriber includes for requesting updated geographic location information from the subscriber via a web interface.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein prompting the subscriber includes sending a message to the portable IP communications device.

14. A method for providing emergency 911 (E911) registration assistance for a portable Internet Protocol (IP) communications device, the method comprising:

(a) storing an IP address of a portable IP communications device;

(b) communicating a request message for requesting an IP address of the portable IP communications device;

(c) receiving a response message indicating an IP address of the portable IP communications device;

(d) determining whether a difference between the stored IP address and the received IP address indicated by the response message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device; and

(e) in response to determining that the difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the response message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device, prompting a subscriber to update stored geographic location information for providing E911 service to the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein steps (a)-(e) are performed at a Voice over IP (VoIP) application server.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the request message is a message selected from the group consisting of an Audit Endpoint (AUEP) message and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) OPTIONS message.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein storing an IP address of the IP communications device includes maintaining a database including a physical IP address of the portable IP communications device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein maintaining a database includes maintaining a mapping between the stored physical IP address and the geographic location information in the database.

19. A method for providing emergency 911 (E911) registration assistance for an Internet Protocol (IP) communications device, the method comprising:

(a) at an IP node;

(i) maintaining a mapping between a first physical IP address of an IP communications device and a logical IP address of the IP communications device;

(ii) receiving a registration message indicating a second physical IP address of the IP communications device; and

(iii) communicating the registration message to an IP application server indicating the second physical IP address of the IP communications device; and

(b) at the IP application server;

(i) storing the first physical IP address of the IP communications device;

(ii) receiving the registration message from the IP node indicating the second physical IP address of the IP communications device;

(iii) determining whether a difference between the first and second physical IP addresses indicates a change in geographic location of the IP communications device; and

(iv) in response to determining that the difference between the first and second physical IP addresses indicates a change in geographic location of the IP communications device, prompting a subscriber to update stored E911 geographic location information for the IP communications device.

20. An IP application server providing emergency 911 (E911) registration notification assistance for an Internet Protocol (IP) communications device, the IP application server comprising:

(a) a location database for storing an IP address of a portable IP communications device;

(b) an IP interface adapted to receive a registration message indicating an IP address of the portable IP communications device;

(c) an address comparator function adapted to determine whether a difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received registration message that is associated with the portable IP communications device indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device; and

(d) an E911 registration notification function for prompting a subscriber to update stored geographic location information at which the subscriber receives E911 service in response to a determination that the difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received registration message indicates a change in geographic location of the IP communications device.

21. The IP application server of claim 20 wherein the portable IP communications device comprises a landline IP telephone.

22. The IP application server of claim 20 wherein the location database is operable to associate the geographic location information with the stored IP address.

23. The IP application server of claim 20 wherein the IP interface is operable to utilize a protocol selected from the group consisting of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Cisco Skinny Client Control Protocol, and Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP).

24. The IP application server of claim 20 wherein the address comparator is operable to determine whether the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received registration message are associated with the same subnet.

25. The IP application server of claim 24 wherein the E911 registration notification function is operable to refrain from prompting the subscriber to update stored geographic location information in response to determining that the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received registration message indicates that the IP addresses are associated with the same subnet.

26. The IP application server of claim 20 wherein the communications module is operable to receive the updated geographic location information from the subscriber and operable to receive an emergency call message from the IP communications device;

and

comprising an emergency call function operable to communicate the updated geographic location information to an emergency call center in response to receiving the emergency call message.

27. The IP application server of claim 20 wherein the E911 registration notification function is operable to initiate a call with the subscriber for requesting the updated geographic location information.

28. The IP application server of claim 20 wherein the E911 registration notification function is adapted to request the updated geographic location information by sending a message to the portable IP communications device.

29. The IP application server of claim 20 wherein the E911 registration notification function is operable to prompt the subscriber for the updated geographic location information via a web interface.

30. An IP application server providing emergency 911 (E911) registration notification assistance for an Internet Protocol (IP) communications device, the IP application server comprising:

(a) a location database for storing an IP address of a portable IP communications device;

(b) an IP interface adapted to communicate a request message for requesting an IP address of the portable IP communications device and adapted to receive a response message indicating an IP address of the portable IP communications device;

(c) an address comparator function adapted to determine whether a difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received response message that is associated with the portable IP communications device indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device; and

(d) an E911 registration notification function for prompting a subscriber to update stored geographic location information at which the subscriber receives E911 service in response to a determination that the difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received response message indicates a change in geographic location of the IP communications device.

31. The IP application server of claim 30 wherein the IP interface is operable to communicate a request message selected from the group consisting of an Audit Endpoint (AUEP) message and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) OPTIONS message.

32. The IP application server of claim 30 wherein the location database is operable to associate the geographic location information with the stored IP address.

33. The IP application server of claim 32 wherein the communications module is operable to receive the updated geographic location information from the subscriber and operable to receive an emergency call message from the IP communications device;

and

comprising an emergency call function operable to communicate the updated geographic location information to an emergency call center in response to receiving the emergency call message.

34. A system for providing emergency 911 (E911) registration notification assistance to an Internet Protocol (IP) communications device, the system comprising:

(a) an IP node including;

(i) a logical-to-physical IP address mapping table for mapping between a physical IP address of an IP communications device and a logical IP address of the IP communications device; and

(ii) a registration message processor for receiving a first registration message indicating a first physical IP address of the IP communications device, generating a second registration message indicating the physical IP address of the IP communications device, and forwarding the second registration message to a destination; and

(b) an IP application server including;

(i) a location database for storing the first physical IP address of the IP communications device;

(ii) a communications module for receiving the second registration message from the IP node indicating the second physical IP address of the IP communications device;

(iii) an address comparator function for determining whether a difference between the first and second physical IP addresses indicates a change in geographic location of the IP communications device; and

(iv) an E911 registration notification function, responsive to a determination that the difference indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device, for prompting a subscriber to update stored geographic location information.

44. The computer program product of claim 34 comprising communicating the updated geographic location information to an emergency call center.

35. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) storing an IP address of a portable IP communications device;

(b) receiving a registration message indicating an IP address of the portable IP communications device;

(c) determining whether a difference between the stored IP address and the received IP address indicated by the registration message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device; and

(d) in response to determining that the difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the received message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device, prompting a subscriber to update stored geographic location information for providing E911 service to the subscriber.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein steps (a)-(d) are performed at a Voice over IP (VoIP) application server.

37. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the portable IP communications device comprises a portable IP telephone.

38. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein storing an IP address of the IP communications device includes maintaining a database including a physical IP address of the portable IP communications device.

39. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein maintaining a database includes maintaining a mapping between the stored physical IP address and the geographic location information in the database.

40. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the registration message utilizes a protocol selected from the group consisting of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Cisco Skinny Client Control Protocol, and Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP).

41. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein step (c) includes determining whether the difference indicates that the IP addresses are associated with the same subnet.

42. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein, in response to determining that the IP addresses are associated with the same subnet, refraining from prompting a subscriber to update the stored geographic location information for the IP communications device.

43. The computer program product of claim 35 comprising, in response to the prompting:

(a) receiving updated geographic location information from the subscriber; and

(b) storing the updated geographic location information.

45. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein prompting the subscriber includes initiating a call with the subscriber geographic location information.

46. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein prompting the subscriber includes for requesting updated geographic location information from the subscriber via a web interface.

47. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein prompting the subscriber includes sending a message to the portable IP communications device.

48. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) storing an IP address of a portable IP communications device;

(b) communicating a request message for requesting an IP address of the portable IP communications device;

(c) receiving a response message indicating an IP address of the portable IP communications device;

(d) determining whether a difference between the stored IP address and the received IP address indicated by the response message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device; and

(e) in response to determining that the difference between the stored IP address and the IP address indicated by the response message indicates a change in geographic location of the portable IP communications device, prompting a subscriber to update stored geographic location information for providing E911 service to the subscriber.

49. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein steps (a)-(e) are performed at a Voice over IP (VoIP) application server.

50. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein the request message is a message selected from the group consisting of an Audit Endpoint (AUEP) message and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) OPTIONS message.

51. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein storing an IP address of the IP communications device includes maintaining a database including a physical IP address of the portable IP communications device.

52. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein maintaining a database includes maintaining a mapping between the stored physical IP address and the geographic location information in the database.