PROVISION OF TEXT MESSAGES TO EMERGENCY CALL TAKERS

• US 20120149324A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daly, Brian K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Concurrent text and voice communications can be maintained with an emergency call taker. An application executing on a mobile communications device in conjunction with a network gateway provide voice communication as well as an interactive Short Messaging System (SMS) session with a public safety answering point (PSAP). The gateway correlates and manages SMS messages with the PSAP and the mobile device. As such, a virtual session is generated over a traffic channel, that provides the advantages of a voice call as well as allowing text based communications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a session initiation message for a text message session to be established between a device and a call taker handling the text messaging session, wherein the session initiation message is received prior to establishing the text messaging session, the session initiation message comprising;

an indication of the call taker handling the text messaging session; and

an indication of an identity of the device to be used for the text messaging session;

receiving a text message;

determining, based on the received text message, an identity of an identified device that provided the text message, determining, based on the identity of the identified device and received session initiation message, that the call taker is handling the text messaging session for the identified device; and

providing the text message to the call taker handling the text messaging session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message is received responsive to a text message indicating that a text messaging session has been established.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a destination of the text message is an emergency service.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the text message is immediately forwarded upon a determination that the destination address is an emergency service.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a processor.

5. A gateway comprising:

memory having executable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving a session initiation message, wherein the session initiation message is received prior to establishing a text messaging session, the session initiation message comprising;

an indication of a call taker to be handling the text messaging session; and

an indication of an identity of a device to be used for the text messaging session;

receiving a text message; and

providing the text message to the call taker handling the text messaging session.

6. The gateway of claim 5, wherein the text message is received responsive to a text message indicating that a text messaging session has been established.

7. The gateway of claim 5, wherein a destination of the text message is an emergency service.

8. The gateway of claim 7, wherein the text message is immediately forwarded upon a determination that the destination address is an emergency service.

9. A computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed, perform operations comprising:

receiving a session initiation message, wherein the session initiation message is received prior to establishing a text messaging session, the session initiation message comprising;

an indication of a call taker handling the text messaging session; and

an indication of an identity of a device to be used for the text messaging session, wherein the text messaging session is to be between the call taker and the device to be used for the text message session;

receiving a text message; and

providing the text message to the call taker handling the text messaging session.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the text message is received responsive to a text message indicating that a text messaging session has been established.

11. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein a destination of the text message is 911.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the text message is immediately forwarded upon a determination that the destination address is 911.