Nationwide table routing of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) emergency calls

• US 20100046721A1
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Hines, Gordon J., Geldenbott, Gerhard, Martin, Jeff, Day, Ed
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications

Abstract

The present invention is used in an emergency network to identify and provide the correct public safety access point (PSAP) to service an emergency call originating from a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriber. Data stores in an emergency services network associate PSAPs to an input ZIP code obtained from a street address returned from an MSAG relating to a VoIP call, and PSAPs to an input ESN. An emergency caller'"'"'s civic street address is matched against a nationwide MSAG data store to result in a MSAG ESN. From the street address, the emergency caller'"'"'s ZIP code is matched to a PSAP in an appropriate ZIP/PSAP data store. A matching PSAP from both the ZIP/PSAP and PSAP/ESN data stores determines with great reliability the identity of the proper PSAP for that emergency caller.

Claims

1. A method of providing routing of an emergency call to a reliably proper public safety access point (PSAP), comprising:

receiving a request for location relating to an emergency call from an emergency wireless device

obtaining a street address associated with said emergency wireless device;

determining at least one PSAP associated with a ZIP code of said street address;

determining at least one PSAP associated with an emergency services number (ESN) assigned to said emergency call; and

providing for use by a routing device an identity of a matching unique PSAP associated with both a ZIP code of said street address and said ESN.

2. The method of providing routing of an emergency call to a reliably proper public safety access point (PSAP) according to claim 1, wherein:

said address is determined using a query to a Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) device.

3. The method of providing routing of an emergency call to a reliably proper public safety access point (PSAP) according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency call is initiated at a wireless voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device.

4. The method of providing routing of an emergency call to a reliably proper public safety access point (PSAP) according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency call is initiated at a landline voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device.

5. The method of providing routing of an emergency call to a reliably proper public safety access point (PSAP) according to claim 1, wherein:

said emergency call is a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call.

6. A table routing data store in communication with an emergency 911 network, comprising:

a first table associating input ZIP codes with serving public safety access points (PSAPs); and

a second table associating input emergency services numbers (ESNs) with PSAPs; and

a physical interface in communication with a routing device;

wherein an emergency call is routed by said routing device to a PSAP matched in both said first table and said second table to a given emergency call.

7. A table routing data store in communication with an emergency 911 network according to claim 6, wherein:

said emergency call is a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call.