VOIP EMERGENCY CALL SUPPORT

• US 20180199180A1
• Filed: 03/06/2018
• Published: 07/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: EDGE, Stephen William, BURROUGHS, Kirk Allan, NASIELSKI, John Wallace
• Granted Patent: US 10,708,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• 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 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• 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: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16

Abstract

Techniques to support emergency voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls are described. The techniques may be used for various 3GPP and 3GPP2 networks, various location architectures, and various types of User Equipment (UE). A UE communicates with a visited network to send a request to establish an emergency VoIP call. The UE interacts with a location server instructed by the visited network to obtain a first position estimate for the UE. The UE performs call setup via the visited network to establish the emergency VoIP call with a PSAP, which may be selected based on the first position estimate. The UE may thereafter perform positioning with the location server to obtain an updated position estimate for the UE, e.g., if requested by the PSAP.

Claims

1. A method performed by an Emergency Call Session Control Function (E-CSCF) for facilitating an emergency voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, comprising:

receiving, from a first IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) entity in a visited network, a first request to establish an emergency VoIP call for a user equipment (UE) to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), wherein the first request comprises first location information for the UE and a UE identity;

sending a second request to a server to obtain routing information for the emergency VoIP call to the PSAP, wherein the second request comprises the first location information and the UE identity;

receiving from the server a first response comprising the routing information; and

routing the emergency VoIP call to the PSAP based on the routing information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first response further comprises at least one of second location information for the UE or information identifying the server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first location information comprises a cell identity; and

the second location information comprises a position estimate for the UE.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein routing the emergency VoIP call comprises sending a message comprising at least one of the UE identity or the information identifying the server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the message is sent directly to the PSAP or is sent to a second IMS entity to be forwarded to the PSAP.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second IMS entity is a Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first IMS entity is a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF).

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third request from the server after the emergency VoIP call is established, the third request comprising a request for second location information for the UE; and

sending a fourth request to the UE using at least one of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling or IMS signaling, the fourth request comprising the request for second location information for the UE.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second location information comprises a position estimate for the UE.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a communications unit configured to;

receive, from a first Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) entity in a visited network, a first request to establish an emergency voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) call for a user equipment (UE) to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), wherein the first request comprises first location information for the UE and a UE identity;

send a second request to a server to obtain routing information for the emergency VoIP call to the PSAP, wherein the second request comprises the first location information and the UE identity;

receive from the server a first response comprising the routing information; and

route the emergency VoIP call to the PSAP based on the routing information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first response further comprises at least one of second location information for the UE or information identifying the server.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the first location information comprises a cell identity; and

the second location information comprises a position estimate for the UE.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communications unit is configured to route the emergency VoIP call by sending a message comprising at least one of the UE identity or the information identifying the server.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the message is sent directly to the PSAP or is sent to a second IMS entity to be forwarded to the PSAP.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second IMS entity is a Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF).

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first IMS entity is a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF).

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the communications unit is further configured to:

receive a third request from the server after the emergency VoIP call is established, the third request comprising a request for second location information for the UE; and

send a fourth request to the UE using at least one of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling or IMS signaling, the fourth request comprising the request for second location information for the UE.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second location information comprises a position estimate for the UE.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving, from an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) entity in a visited network, a first request to establish an emergency voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) call for a user equipment (UE) to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), wherein the first request comprises first location information for the UE and a UE identity;

means for sending a second request to a server to obtain routing information for the emergency VoIP call to the PSAP, wherein the second request comprises the first location information and the UE identity;

means for receiving from the server a first response comprising the routing information; and

means for routing the emergency VoIP call to the PSAP based on the routing information.

20. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving, from an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) entity in a visited network, a first request to establish an emergency voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) call for a user equipment (UE) to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), wherein the first request comprises first location information for the UE and a UE identity;

instructions for sending a second request to a server to obtain routing information for the emergency VoIP call to the PSAP, wherein the second request comprises the first location information and the UE identity;

instructions for receiving from the server a first response comprising the routing information; and

instructions for routing the emergency VoIP call to the PSAP based on the routing information.