SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING EMERGENCY CONTACT SERVICES

• US 20090245477A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: ALIHASSAN, Ayat, MCKIEL, Frank A. JR., GER, Shanyu
• Granted Patent: US 8,130,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

An emergency contact platform provides emergency contact services where usual communications have been disrupted. The emergency contact platform may include a server to receive registration information including a phone number associated with a phone when communication using the phone is impracticable. The server may also be configured to receive an information request identifying the phone number. The emergency contact platform may also include a database to store the received registration information. The server may be also configured to perform a lookup in the database based on the phone number and provide a result of the lookup based on the received information request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by an emergency contact platform, an inquiry from a first party when a second party is unable to receive communications via a telephone number associated with the second party, wherein the inquiry identifies the telephone number;

performing a lookup in a database based on the telephone number;

determining whether contact information associated with the telephone number is stored in the database based on a result of the lookup; and

selectively receiving notification information from the first party when the result indicates that the contact information is not stored in the database.

2-20. -20. (canceled)