APPARATUS AND METHOD OF EXPLICIT INDICATION OF CALL FROM EMERGENCY CALL CENTRE

• US 20110250863A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Willey, William Daniel, Islam, M. Khaledul, Estable, Luis P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,467,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A method in a mobile device includes receiving an incoming call. An emergency signal, associated with an incoming call, is detected. The emergency signal indicates the incoming call is from an emergency call center. Responsive to detecting the emergency signal, the emergency call is automatically answered, and information identifying the incoming call as an emergency call is displayed on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call;

detecting an emergency signal, associated with an incoming call, the emergency signal indicating the incoming call is from an emergency call center; and

responsive to detecting the emergency signal,

automatically answering the emergency call, and

displaying information on the mobile device identifying the incoming call as an emergency call.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to said detecting, enabling speakerphone capability of the mobile device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the mobile station has speakerphone capability prior to enabling the speakerphone capability.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

waiting for a predetermined amount of time before automatically answering the emergency call.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said information is derived from said emergency signal.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

determining localized emergency information based on the emergency signal; and

displaying the localized emergency information on the mobile device.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the localized emergency information is based on a preferred locale configured at the mobile device.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said emergency signal includes a language-independent indication.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the incoming call, placing an outgoing emergency call from the mobile device; and

responsive to placing the outgoing emergency call, enabling an emergency callback timer of the mobile device.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, the method further comprising:

if the emergency signal is detected while the emergency callback timer is running, enabling location services of the mobile device without regard to location service options configured for non-emergency calls.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable medium; and

instructions stored in the computer readable medium and executable by the processor to receive an incoming call;

detect an emergency signal associated with an incoming call, the emergency signal indicating the incoming call is from an emergency call center; and

responsive to detecting the emergency signal, automatically answer the emergency call, and display information on the mobile device identifying the incoming call as an emergency call.

12. The mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

responsive to said detecting, enable speakerphone capability of the mobile device.

13. The mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine if the mobile station has speakerphone capability prior to enabling the speakerphone capability.

14. The mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

wait for a predetermined amount of time before automatically answering the emergency call.

15. The mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein said information is derived from said emergency signal.

16. The mobile device as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine localized emergency information based on the emergency signal; and

display the localized emergency information on the mobile device.

17. The mobile device as recited in claim 16, wherein the localized emergency information is based on a preferred locale configured at the mobile device.

18. The mobile device as recited in claim 15, wherein said emergency signal includes a language-independent indication.

19. The mobile device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

prior to receiving the incoming call, place an outgoing emergency call from the mobile device; and

responsive to placing the outgoing emergency call, enable an emergency callback timer of the mobile device.

20. The mobile device as recited in claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to:

if the emergency signal is detected while the emergency callback timer is running, enable location services of the mobile device without regard to location service options configured for non-emergency calls.