Determining a physical location of a VoIP endpoint device utilized to originate an emergency call

• US 20070242660A1
• Filed: 04/14/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Xiaode
• Granted Patent: US 8,358,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• 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 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 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method and system for enabling determination of a physical location of a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) endpoint device utilized to originate an emergency call are described. A network location associated with the VoIP endpoint device is automatically detected. The VoIP endpoint device is coupled with a VoIP network via a port of a network device (e.g., a wireline or a wireless network device). The network location includes an identity of the network device and an identity of the port. The network location is saved and upon initiation of an emergency call, the VoIP endpoint device forwards the network location to a device capable of converting the network location to a physical location.

Claims

1. A method for locating an endpoint in a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the method comprising:

in response to the endpoint connecting to the network, automatically determining at the endpoint a network device and a port on the network device through which the endpoint is connected to the network, the network device and the port collectively indicating a network location of the endpoint; and

communicating from the endpoint information identifying the network device and the port to facilitate determination of a physical location of the endpoint according to the network location of the endpoint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device is in the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint is a mobile telephone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint connecting to the network comprises the endpoint being associated or reassociated to an access point (AP).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint connecting to the network comprises the endpoint plugging into a jack coupled to the network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the information from the endpoint comprises communicating the information from the endpoint at initiation of a call from the endpoint.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the call is an E911 call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the information from the endpoint comprises using an E911 initiation message to communicate the information from the endpoint.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the network device and the port comprise using an extension of Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) or Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to determine the network device and the port.

10. Logic for locating an endpoint in a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when executed operable to:

in response to the endpoint connecting to the network, automatically determine at the endpoint a network device and a port on the network device through which the endpoint is connected to the network, the network device and the port collectively indicating a network location of the endpoint; and

communicate from the endpoint information identifying the network device and the port to facilitate determination of a physical location of the endpoint according to the network location of the endpoint.

11. The logic of claim 10, wherein the network device is in the network.

12. The logic of claim 10, wherein the endpoint is a mobile telephone.

13. The logic of claim 10, wherein the endpoint connecting to the network comprises the endpoint being associated or reassociated to an access point (AP).

14. The logic of claim 10, wherein the endpoint connecting to the network comprises the endpoint plugging into a jack coupled to the network.

15. The logic of claim 10, operable to communicate the information from the endpoint at initiation of a call from the endpoint.

16. The logic of claim 15, wherein the call is an E911 call.

17. The logic of claim 10, operable to use an E911 initiation message to communicate the information from the endpoint.

18. The logic of claim 10, operable to use an extension of Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) or Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to determine the network device and the port.

19. A method for locating an endpoint in a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the method comprising:

receiving information communicated from an endpoint connected to the network, the information identifying a network device and a port on the network device through which the endpoint is connected to the network, the network device and the port collectively indicating a network location of the endpoint; and

using the information communicated from the endpoint, determining a physical location of the endpoint according to the network location of the endpoint.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the network device is in the network.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the endpoint is a mobile telephone.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the endpoint communicated the information at initiation of a call from the endpoint.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the call is an E911 call.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the endpoint used an E911 initiation message to communicate the information.

25. Logic for locating an endpoint in a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the logic encoded in media and when executed operable to:

receive information communicated from an endpoint connected to the network, the information identifying a network device and a port on the network device through which the endpoint is connected to the network, the network device and the port collectively indicating a network location of the endpoint; and

use the information communicated from the endpoint to determine a physical location of the endpoint according to the network location of the endpoint.

26. The logic of claim 25, wherein the network device is in the network.

27. The logic of claim 25, wherein the endpoint is a mobile telephone.

28. The logic of claim 25, wherein the endpoint communicated the information at initiation of a call from the endpoint.

29. The logic of claim 28, wherein the call is an E911 call.

30. The logic of claim 25, wherein the endpoint used an E911 initiation message to communicate the information.

31. A system for locating an endpoint in a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the system comprising:

an endpoint operable to;

in response to the endpoint connecting to the network, automatically determine a network device and a port on the network device through which the endpoint is connected to the network, the network device and the port collectively indicating a network location of the endpoint; and

communicate to a server information identifying the network device and the port to facilitate determination of a physical location of the endpoint according to the network location of the endpoint; and

the server, operable to receive the information communicated from the endpoint and use the information communicated from the endpoint to determine a physical location of the endpoint according to the network location of the endpoint.