Reverse 911 using multicast session internet protocol (SIP) conferencing of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) users

• US 20090154659A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Morin, Drew
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications

Abstract

A reverse 911 system uses voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)/Session Internet Protocol (SIP) conferencing. An emergency alert message may be a text, video, MMS, hyperlink and/or image communicated simultaneously to multiple VoIP users via a SIP conference. Multiple SIP conferences may be cascaded to communicate with a larger number of users in a relevant group of users to be communicated with.

Claims

1. A reverse 911 emergency alert system, comprising:

a conference server triggered by an appropriate event;

a Session Internet Protocol (SIP) conferencer, initiated by said conference server, to establish an initial SIP conference between a source of an emergency message and a plurality of user agents; and

a source of an emergency message transmitted into said SIP conference.

2. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency message is a text message.

3. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency message is a voice message.

4. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency message is a digital file.

5. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency message is a video message.

6. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein said emergency message comprises:

a hyperlink to an Internet web page.

7. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein said emergency message comprises:

an image file.

8. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, further comprising:

another SIP conference cascaded to said initial SIP conference.

9. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency message is static.

10. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency message is dynamic.

11. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency message is live.

12. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of user agents is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) client.

13. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of user agents is a Plain Old Telephone Line (POTS) telephone device.

14. A method of providing a reverse 911 service, comprising:

receiving a trigger for issuing an emergency alert;

establishing a first Session Internet Protocol (SIP) conference call between a source of an emergency message and a plurality of user agents selected to receive said emergency message; and

issuing said emergency message to said plurality of user agents.

15. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, further comprising:

establishing a second SIP conference call with another plurality of said user agents; and

cascading said second SIP conference call with said first SIP conference call.

16. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, wherein:

said emergency message is a text message.

17. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, wherein:

said emergency message is a text message.

18. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, wherein:

said emergency message includes an image.

19. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, wherein:

said emergency message is a video message.

20. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, wherein said emergency message comprises:

a hyperlink to an Internet web page.

21. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, wherein:

said emergency message is live.

22. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of user agents is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) client.

23. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 14, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of user agents is a Plain Old Telephone Line (POTS) telephone device.

24. Apparatus for providing a reverse 911 service, comprising:

means for receiving a trigger for issuing an emergency alert;

means for establishing a first Session Internet Protocol (SIP) conference call between a source of an emergency message and a plurality of user agents selected to receive said emergency message; and

means for issuing said emergency message to said plurality of user agents.