System and Method for Conditionally Attempting an Emergency Call Setup

• US 20080166989A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Sokondar, Eniko
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A system and method is provided for a communications device to conditionally attempt an emergency call setup. The communications device maintains at least one condition for attempting emergency call setups. Upon receiving a message prompting an emergency call setup, the communications device attempts the emergency call setup only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied. The at least one least condition is defined such that the communications device does not erroneously attempt to establish an emergency call when there is no emergency. The at least one condition might for example include whether the message prompting the emergency call setup indicates a message source that is trusted by the user of the mobile device. A system and method is also provided for a communications network to block at least at least some of the messages from being delivered to their target communications device.

Claims

1. A method in a communications device comprising:

maintaining at least one condition for attempting emergency call setups;

receiving a message prompting an emergency call setup; and

in response to receiving the message prompting the emergency call setup, attempting the emergency call setup only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the message prompting the emergency call setup comprises:

receiving a 380 alternative service message, the 380 alternative service message prompting the emergency call setup.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a configuration of whether the message prompting the emergency call setup should in fact trigger the emergency call setup;

wherein attempting the emergency call setup only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied comprises attempting the emergency call setup only if the configuration indicates that the message prompting the emergency call setup should in fact trigger the emergency call setup.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising at least one of:

receiving user input for manipulating the configuration; and

receiving network input for manipulating the configuration.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the message prompting the emergency call setup is in response to a request transmitted by the communications device for establishing a voice call session;

wherein attempting the emergency call setup only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied comprises attempting the emergency call setup only if the message prompting the emergency call setup is in response to a request transmitted by the communications device for establishing a voice call session.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the message prompting the emergency call setup is in response to a request transmitted by the communications device for establishing a video call session;

wherein attempting the emergency call setup only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied comprises attempting the emergency call setup only if the message prompting the emergency call setup is in response to a request transmitted by the communications device for establishing a video call session.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining an identification of services that can be redirected to an emergency number;

wherein attempting the emergency call setup only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied comprises attempting the emergency call setup only if the message prompting the emergency call setup is in respect of a service that according to the identification can be redirected to an emergency number.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining an identification of trusted sources;

wherein attempting the emergency call setup only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied comprises attempting the emergency call setup only if there is indication that the message prompting the emergency call setup was sent from a message source that according to the identification is a trusted source.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

warning a user of the communications device if the emergency call setup is not attempted in response to the message prompting the emergency call setup.

10. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor so as to implement the method of claim 1.

11. A communications device comprising an emergency call setup function adapted to:

maintain at least one condition for attempting emergency call setups;

receive a message prompting an emergency call setup; and

in response to receiving the message prompting the emergency call setup, attempt the emergency call setup only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied.

12. The communications device of claim 11 wherein the communications device is a mobile device comprising a wireless access radio operable to communicate with a wireless network over a wireless connection.

13. A method in a communications network comprising:

maintaining at least one condition for forwarding messages that prompt a target communications device to attempt an emergency call setup;

receiving a message that prompts a target communications device to attempt an emergency call setup; and

forwarding the message along a signalling data path only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein forwarding the message along the signalling data path comprises at least one of:

forwarding the message to the target communications device; and

forwarding the message to a network component.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

maintaining an identification of trusted sources;

wherein for each message, forwarding the message only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied comprises forwarding the message only if there is indication that the message was sent by a message source that according to the identification is a trusted source.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein receiving the message comprises:

receiving a 380 alternative service message, the 380 alternative service message prompting the target communications device to attempt an emergency call setup.

17. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor so as to implement the method of claim 13.

18. A communications network comprising a message blocking function operable to:

maintain at least one condition for forwarding messages that prompt a target communications device to attempt an emergency call setup;

receive a message that prompts a target communications device to attempt an emergency call setup; and

forward the message along a signalling data path only if any of the at least one condition is satisfied.

19. A method in a communications network comprising:

receiving messages, each message being directed at a respective target communications device for prompting the target communications device to attempt an emergency call setup; and

for each message, blocking the message from being forwarded along a signalling data path.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein receiving messages comprises:

receiving 380 alternative service messages, each 380 alternative service message prompting the target communications device to attempt an emergency call setup.

21. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor so as to implement the method of claim 19.

22. A communications network comprising a message blocking function operable to:

receive messages, each message being directed at a respective target communications device for prompting the target communications device to attempt an emergency call setup; and

for each message, block the message from being forwarded along a signalling data path.