Sharing data with an emergency response service over a mobile network

• US 20080095098A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McNamara, Justin Michael, Tuthill, Carolyn, Mikan, Jeffrey Clinton
• Granted Patent: US 8,199,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4025 where none of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed which relate to the sending and receiving of multimedia files between mobile users and emergency response service operators while connected through a voice call. These devices are free to send any type of file through a direct connection without the need to hang up and call back just to see if the file was sent successfully. These methods work for a plurality of cellular and computer devices connected through a cellular network or other Internet Service Provider.

Claims

1. A network system for sharing files, comprising:

a plurality of devices, at least one of which is engaged in a voice communication with another device that is part of an emergency response service;

a data connection between the engaged devices over an IP network; and

a plurality of units capable of acting as a gateway between the devices and an IP network;

wherein the units initiate, maintain, and terminate the data connection while the devices are engaged in voice communication.

2. The network system in claim 1, wherein the devices are mobile phones, computers, PDAs, or any combination of such devices.

3. The network system in claim 1, wherein the devices connect via a GSM, CDMA, TDMA or equivalent mobile network.

4. The network system in claim 1, wherein the devices connect via Wi-Fi, WiMax, or any equivalent packet-based network.

5. The network system in claim 1, wherein the unit acting as a gateway assigns unique IP addresses to the devices, said IP addresses being allocated from an IP Multimedia Subsystem or an Internet Service Provider.

6. The network system in claim 1, wherein the data connection request is initiated using a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) or Packet Delivery Protocol (PDP).

7. The data connection in claim 6, wherein the PDP connection uses a primary connection to send and receive a plurality of file requests and a secondary connection to send and receive a plurality of files.

8. The network system of claim 1, wherein the data connection uses the Realtime Transfer Protocol (RTP).

9. The network system of claim 1, wherein the data connection is used to send a plurality of multimedia files of any type.

10. The network system of claim 9, wherein the multimedia files are related to providing information to an emergency response service.

11. The multimedia files in claim 10, wherein the information provided includes vital bodily statistics for patients involved in emergencies.

12. A network system for improved E911 response, comprising:

a plurality of wireless devices, at least one of which is engaged in a voice communication with another device handled by an emergency response service operator,

a data connection between the engaged devices to transfer a plurality of multimedia files to the emergency response service across an IP network, and

a plurality of units capable of acting as a gateway between either device and an IP network, wherein the units initiate, maintain, and terminate the data connection using the SIP, PDP and RTP protocols, while the devices are engaged in voice communication.

13. The network system in claim 12, wherein the devices are mobile phones, computers, or PDAs that connect via a GSM, CDMA, TDMA or an equivalent mobile network.

14. The network system in claim 12, wherein the devices are mobile phones, computers, or PDAs that connect via Wi-Fi, WiMax, or an equivalent packet-based network.

15. The network system in claim 12, wherein the unit acting as a gateway assigns unique IP addresses to the devices, said IP addresses being allocated from an IP Multimedia Subsystem or an Internet Service Provider.

16. The network system in claim 12, wherein the PDP data connection uses a primary connection to send and receive a plurality of file requests and a secondary connection to send and receive a plurality of files.

17. The network system in claim 12, wherein the multimedia files are related to providing emergency-related information to an emergency response service.

18. The multimedia files in claim 17, wherein the information provided includes vital bodily statistics for patients involved in emergencies.

19. A method for improved emergency response, comprising the steps of:

establishing a voice connection between a plurality of communications devices, wherein the receiving device is operated by an emergency response service, and all devices are either SIP enabled or connected to SIP-enabled gateways;

assigning an IP address to the devices;

requesting a direct data connection from the sending device and accepting the request with the receiving device;

where this request and response are transmitted using the SIP or PDP protocols;

establishing a direct data connection over an appropriate file transfer protocol from the sending IP to the receiving IP; and

electing to send an emergency-related data through the data connection, where the data connection is established while the devices maintain the voice connection.

20. The method in claim 19, wherein the PDP data connection uses a primary connection to send and receive a plurality of file requests and a secondary connection to send and receive a plurality of files.