METHODS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR ENABLING EMERGENCY 911 CALLS IN VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL (VOIP) SYSTEMS

• US 20080089316A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reams, Orin
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention provide methods for providing emergency services to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscribers. It is determined that a connection cannot be established between a VoIP router and a VoIP service provider network. A mobile terminal associated with the VoIP router is requested to dial the emergency services responsive to the determination that the connection cannot be established. A call is initiated from the mobile terminal to the emergency services responsive to the request. Related systems and computer program products are also provided herein.

Claims

1. A method for providing emergency services to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscribers, comprising:

determining that a connection cannot be established between a VoIP router and a VoIP service provider network;

requesting that a mobile terminal associated with the VoIP router dial the emergency services responsive to the determination that the connection cannot be established; and

initiating a call from the mobile terminal to the emergency services responsive to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting is preceded by querying the VoIP router for presence of a mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein querying is followed by:

determining if the mobile terminal is powered on if it is determined that a mobile terminal is present; and

powering on the mobile terminal if it is determined that the mobile terminal is not powered on.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting further comprises requesting that a mobile terminal associated with the VoIP router dial the emergency services over a universal serial bus (USB) connection between the VoIP router and the mobile terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal does not have a current service contract.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating further comprises initiating a call from the mobile terminal to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) through a wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein initiating is followed by redirecting the call or dispatching emergency services to a location of the VoIP subscriber.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein initiating a call from the mobile terminal to the PSAP is preceded by looking up the PSAP associated with a cell site in which the mobile terminal is currently located.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the current location of the mobile terminal is determined using a global positioning system (GPS).

10. A system for providing emergency services to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscribers, comprising:

a mobile terminal that is configured to receive positioning information; and

a VoIP router associated with the mobile terminal and configured to determine that a connection cannot be established between the VoIP router and a VoIP service provider network and request that the mobile terminal dial the emergency services responsive to the determination that the connection cannot be established, wherein the mobile terminal is further configured to initiate a call from the mobile terminal to the emergency services responsive to the request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the VoIP router further comprises at least one universal serial bus (USB) port configured to couple the VoIP router to the mobile terminal and wherein the VoIP router is further configured to query the VoIP router for presence of a mobile terminal if it is determined that the connection cannot be established between the VoIP router and a VoIP service provider.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the VoIP router is further configured to:

determine if the mobile terminal is powered on if it is determined that a mobile terminal is present; and

power on the mobile terminal if it is determined that the mobile terminal is not powered on.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile terminal is further configured to initiate a call from the mobile terminal to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) through a wireless network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the PSAP is configured to redirect the call or dispatch emergency services to a location of the VoIP subscriber.

15. A computer program product for providing emergency services to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscribers, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to determine that a connection cannot be established between a VoIP router and a VoIP service provider network;

computer readable program code configured to request that a mobile terminal associated with the VoIP router dial the emergency services responsive to the determination that the connection cannot be established; and

computer readable program code configured to initiate a call from the mobile terminal to the emergency services responsive to the request.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer readable program code configured to query the VoIP router for presence of a mobile terminal.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to determine if the mobile terminal is powered on if it is determined that a mobile terminal is present; and

computer readable program code configured to power on the mobile terminal if it is determined that the mobile terminal is not powered on.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program code configured to initiate further comprises computer readable program code configured to initiate a call from the mobile terminal to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) through a wireless network.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer readable program code configured to redirect the call or dispatching emergency services to a location of the VoIP subscriber.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer readable program code configured to look up the PSAP associated with a cell site in which the mobile terminal is currently located.