PROCESSING AND REPORTING SITUATIONAL INFORMATION TO EMERGENCY SERVICE PROVIDERS

• US 20090067584A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intrado Life & Safety Incorporated
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Waters, Michael Blayne, Despot, Pavel JR., Bruening, Gregory Wilfred, Ertz, Douglas John, Brandt, Leslie Ann, Snapp, John Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 10,070,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A system and method for processing and reporting situational information to emergency service providers in an emergency service communications network is disclosed. An emergency situation is monitored. Responsive to detecting the emergency situation, information relating to the emergency situation is collected. Then, the information is processed and stored in a database. The processed information is then reported to emergency service providers.

Claims

1. A method for processing and reporting situational information to emergency service providers, the method comprising:

monitoring for an emergency situation;

responsive to detecting the emergency situation, collecting information relating to the emergency situation;

storing and processing the information in a database; and

reporting the processed information to emergency service providers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the emergency situation comprises:

receiving an emergency call from a cellular phone of a caller.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein collecting information relating to the emergency situation comprises:

instructing the caller to send a message having multi-media information using a short code;

routing the message to a multi-media messaging carrier;

routing the message from the multi-media messaging carrier to a multi-media messaging system aggregator via a packet data servicing node; and

forwarding the message from the multi-media messaging system aggregator to the database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein processing the information from the database comprises:

identifying a telephone number of the caller from the message;

storing the telephone number and multi-media information of the message in the database.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein reporting the processed information to emergency service providers comprises:

receiving a query from a public safety answering point, the query comprising a telephone number;

comparing the telephone number with a plurality of telephone numbers in the database;

determining if a match exists between the telephone number and at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers; and

sending the multi-media information of the message to the public safety answering point if a match exists.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein reporting the processed information to emergency service providers comprises:

receiving a query from a public safety answering point for relevant multi-media information; and

returning all multi-media information associated from the database to the public safety answer point.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein reporting the processed information to emergency service providers comprises:

identifying a location of the caller based on the telephone number;

identifying a closest public safety answering point to the location; and

sending the multi-media information of the message to the closest public safety answering point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring for an emergency situation comprises:

instructing at least one camera at a geographical location to capture traffic and vehicle information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein collecting information relating to the emergency situation comprises:

recognizing an emergency situation based on the captured traffic and vehicle information; and

storing vehicle information associated with the emergency situation to the database.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein processing the information from the database comprises:

identifying at least one license from the vehicle information;

comparing the at least one license with a plurality of licenses in the database; and

determining if a match exists between the at least one license and at least one of the plurality of licenses.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein reporting the processed information to emergency service providers comprises:

locating a public safety answering point located closest to the at least one camera; and

sending corresponding vehicle information to the public safety answering point if a match of license or vehicle description exists.

12. A communications network for processing and reporting situational information to emergency service providers comprising:

at least one mobile unit used by a caller;

at least one multi-media messaging carrier communicably coupled to the at least one mobile unit;

at least one multi-media messaging system aggregator;

at least one public safety answering point; and

at least one multi-media clearing house comprising at least one database, the at least one multi-media clearing house is operable to monitor for an emergency situation, collect information relating to the emergency situation, store and process the information in the at least one database, and report the processed information to the at least one public safety answering point.

13. The communications network of claim 12, wherein the at least one multi-media clearing house is further operable to instruct a caller to send a message having multi-media information using a short code, route the message to the at least one multi-media messaging carrier, route the message from the at least one multi-media messaging carrier to the at least one multi-media messaging system aggregator via a packet data servicing node, and forward the message from the at least one multi-media messaging system aggregator to the at least one database.

14. The communications network of claim 12, wherein the at least one multi-media clearing house is further operable to identify a telephone number of the caller from the message, and store the telephone number and multi-media information of the message in the at least one database.

15. The communications network of claim 12, wherein the at least one multi-media clearing house is further operable to receive a query from the at least one public safety answering point, the query comprising a telephone number, compare the telephone number with a plurality of telephone numbers in the at least one database, determine if a match exists between the telephone number and at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers, and send the multi-media information of the message to the at least one public safety answering point if a match exists.

16. The communication network of claim 12, further comprising:

at least one geographical location server communicably coupled to the at least one multi-media clearing house, wherein the at least one multi-media clearing house is further operable to identify a location of the caller and identify a closest public safety answering point for the caller based on the location.

17. The communication network of claim 12, wherein the at least one multi-media clearing house is further operable to receive a query from the at least one public safety answering point for all relevant multi-media information and return all multi-media information associated from the database to the at least one public safety answer point.

18. A communications network for processing and reporting situational information to emergency service providers comprising:

at least one traffic camera for capturing traffic and vehicle information at a geographical location;

at least one public safety answering point; and

at least one multi-media clearing house comprising at least one database, the at least one multi-media clearing house is operable to monitor for an emergency situation, collect information relating to the emergency situation, store and process the information in the at least one database, and report the processed information to the at least one public safety answering point.

19. The communications network of claim 18, wherein the at least one multi-media clearing house is further operable to instruct at least one traffic camera at the geographical location to capture traffic and vehicle information.

20. The communications network of claim 18, wherein the at least one multi-media clearing house is further operable to identify at least one license from the vehicle information, compare the at least one license with a plurality of licenses in the at least one database, and determine if a match exists between the at least one license and at least one of the plurality of licenses.