Enhanced E911 network access for a call center using session initiation protocol (SIP) messaging

• US 20100046489A1
• Filed: 10/13/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Croy, Jonathan, Dickinson, Richard, Hines, John Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A switched emergency call (e.g., a 911 call, an alarm company call) forwarded by a telematics call center is converted into a session initiation protocol (SIP) packetized phone call at the call center, and routed over an IP network, for presentation to an emergency services gateway, which connects to a selective router via dedicated circuits, gaining full access to the Enhanced 911 network. This provides a PSAP receiving a call from a telematics call center or other call center with all features available in an Enhanced 911 network, e.g., callback number of the 911 caller, and location of the 911 caller. Location of the caller is provided using a VoIP positioning center (VPC), queried from the call center. In this way, the switched emergency call is converted into a SIP packetized phone call and routed without further passage through the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

Claims

1. A method of providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP), comprising:

determining a unique PSAP having jurisdictional responsibility for a physical current location of a switched telephone device calling to said call center;

converting said switched telephone call to said call center into a session initiation protocol (SIP) packetized phone call at said call center;

querying a VoIP positioning center for call routing instructions for said SIP packetized phone call; and

routing said SIP packetized phone call to an emergency services gateway based on said call routing instructions without further passage through a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

2. The method of providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to claim 1, wherein:

said VoIP positioning center is queried from said call center.

3. The method of providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a designated number for said unique PSAP, said designated number not being a 10-digit phone number dialable on said PSTN.

4. The method of providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to claim 1, wherein:

said call center is a telematics call center.

6. The method of providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to claim 1, wherein:

said call center is an alarm monitoring center.

5. (canceled)

7. Apparatus for providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP), comprising:

means for determining a unique PSAP having jurisdictional responsibility for a physical current location of a switched telephone device calling to said call center;

means for converting said switched telephone call to said call center into a session initiation protocol (SIP) packetized phone call at said call center;

means for querying a VoIP positioning center for call routing instructions for said SIP packetized phone call; and

means for routing said SIP packetized phone call to an emergency services gateway based on said call routing instructions without further passage through a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

8. The apparatus for providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to claim 7, wherein:

said means for querying queries said VoIP positioning center from said call center.

9. The apparatus for providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to claim 7, further comprising:

means for providing a designated number for said unique PSAP, said designated number not being a 10-digit phone number dialable on said PSTN.

10. The apparatus for providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to claim 7, wherein:

said call center is a telematics call center.

12. The apparatus for providing a call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to claim 7, wherein:

said call center is an alarm monitoring center.

11. (canceled)