Rapid response backup system for telecommunications networks
First Claim
1. In a telecommunications network, a method for maintaining a telecommunications path between a telecommunications switching location and an emergency response service facility, the telecommunications switching location being coupled to a plurality of telephone transceivers and being capable of coupling each of the plurality of telephone transceivers to the emergency response service facility upon receiving a predetermined request signal from one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, the method comprising the steps of:
- monitoring at the telecommunications switching location a public switched telephone network trunk providing a first telecommunications path between the telecommunications switching location and the emergency response service facility;
determining if the first telecommunications path is disrupted;
in response to determining that the first telecommunications path is disrupted, establishing a second telecommunications path between the telecommunications switching location and the emergency response service facility before receiving the predetermined request signal by one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, the predetermined request signal being a personal emergency voice telephone call;
continuously maintaining the second telecommunications path; and
in response to the predetermined request signal by one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, coupling the one telephone transceiver through the second telecommunications path to the emergency response service facility after the steps of establishing and maintaining the second telecommunications path.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An instant telecommunications network backup system includes several trunk diverter circuits and several responder circuits. Each trunk diverter circuit is installed proximate to an originating central office within the telecommunications network and monitors an outgoing trunk for faulty conditions. The trunk diverter circuit maintains a database that classifies each responder circuits as being in one of two classes: a maintain link class and a disabled class. One or more responder circuits are installed proximate to an emergency response facility. Whenever a faulty condition is detected, the trunk diverter circuit establishes an alternative telecommunications path through either a public switch telephone network or a mobile telephone switching network to one of the responder circuits in the maintain link class. The trunk diverter circuit and the responder circuit exchange communications with each other. When the trunk diverter circuit detects an incoming emergency telephone call, the trunk diverter circuit and responder circuit surrender the alternative path to the emergency telephone call to permit the telephone caller to access the emergency facility through the alternative path. If no alternative path has previously been established, then the trunk diverter circuit establishes an alternative communications path to any of the responder circuits, regardless of their class, and reroutes the emergency telephone call therethrough. Alternatively, the trunk diverter circuit is installed approximate to a remote switching office and monitors for an alarm signal from the remote switching office. The trunk diverter circuit establishes an alternative communications path to one of the responder circuits after detecting the alarm signal. Data identifying the location of the central office is supplied to the emergency response facility if specific data regarding the location of the emergency telephone call is unavailable.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. In a telecommunications network, a method for maintaining a telecommunications path between a telecommunications switching location and an emergency response service facility, the telecommunications switching location being coupled to a plurality of telephone transceivers and being capable of coupling each of the plurality of telephone transceivers to the emergency response service facility upon receiving a predetermined request signal from one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring at the telecommunications switching location a public switched telephone network trunk providing a first telecommunications path between the telecommunications switching location and the emergency response service facility; determining if the first telecommunications path is disrupted; in response to determining that the first telecommunications path is disrupted, establishing a second telecommunications path between the telecommunications switching location and the emergency response service facility before receiving the predetermined request signal by one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, the predetermined request signal being a personal emergency voice telephone call; continuously maintaining the second telecommunications path; and in response to the predetermined request signal by one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, coupling the one telephone transceiver through the second telecommunications path to the emergency response service facility after the steps of establishing and maintaining the second telecommunications path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for maintaining communications between an emergency response service facility and a telecommunications switching location over a public switched telephone network trunk or an alternative telecommunications path, the telecommunications switching location being coupled to a plurality of telephone transceivers and being capable of coupling one of the plurality of telephone transceivers to the emergency response service facility upon receiving a predetermined request signal from one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, the system comprising:
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a first transceiver positioned at the emergency response service facility, the first transceiver being coupled to the alternative telecommunications path; and a second transceiver coupled to the public switched telephone network trunk and to the alterative telecommunications path and positioned at the telecommunications switching location, the second transceiver having a memory, a processing unit coupled to the memory and at least one coupling circuit intercoupling the processing unit to the public switched telephone network trunk and to the alternative telecommunications path, the processing unit monitoring the public switched telephone network trunk, and the processing unit approximately continuously exchanging signals with the first transceiver over the alternative telecommunications path after the processing unit determines that the public switched telephone network trunk is faulty, but before the processing unit receives the predetermined request signal so that the alternative communications path is available for the one telephone transceiver, and the processing unit providing the alternative telecommunications path to the one telephone transceiver after the processing unit receives the predetermined request signal, and after the processing unit approximately continuously exchanges signals with the first transceiver, the predetermined request signal being a personal emergency voice telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of maintaining a signal exchange between a telecommunications switching location and an emergency response service facility having first and second transceivers associated therewith, the first and second transceivers being selectively coupled for signal exchange about a signal path upon receiving an initiation, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring at the emergency response service facility a public switched telephone network trunk coupling the telecommunications switching location to the emergency response service facility, the first and second transceivers being located at the telecommunications switching location and the emergency response service facility respectively; determining if the public switched telephone network trunk is disrupted; after the step of determining that the public switched telephone network trunk is disrupted, establishing a second signal path between the emergency response service facility and the telecommunications switching location before receiving the initiation by a third transceiver, the initiation being a personal emergency voice telephone call; continuously maintaining the second signal path; and after the steps of establishing and maintaining the second signal path, providing the second signal path from the third transceiver to the second transceiver upon receipt of the initiation from the third transceiver.
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21. A system for maintaining communications between an emergency response service facility and a telecommunications switching location over a public switched telephone network trunk or an alternative telecommunications path, the telecommunications switching location being coupled to a plurality of telephone transceivers and being capable of coupling one of the plurality of telephone transceivers to the emergency response service facility upon receiving a predetermined request signal from one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, the system comprising:
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a first transceiver coupled to the alternative telecommunications path and being positioned at the emergency response service facility; and a second transceiver coupled to the public switched telephone network trunk and the alternative telecommunications path, and being located at the telecommunications switching location, the second transceiver having a memory and a database in the memory that indicates that the first transceiver is active, a processing unit coupled to the memory and at least one coupling circuit intercoupling the processing unit to the public switched telephone network trunk and the alternative telecommunications path, the processing unit monitoring the public switched telephone network trunk, and the processing unit approximately continuously exchanging signals with the first active transceiver over the alternative telecommunications path after the processing unit determines that the public switched telephone network trunk is faulty, but before the processing unit receives the predetermined request signal so that the alternative communications path is available for the one telephone transceiver, and the processing unit providing the alternative telecommunications path to the one telephone transceiver after the processing unit receives the predetermined request signal, and after the processing unit approximately continuously exchanges signals with the first transceiver, the predetermined request signal being a personal emergency voice telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of maintaining a signal exchange between an emergency response service facility and a telephone switching location having respective first and second transceivers associated therewith, the first and second transceivers being selectively coupled for signal exchange about a signal path upon receiving an initiation, the method comprising the steps of:
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designating the first transceiver as active; monitoring at the telephone switching location a public switched telephone network trunk coupling the emergency response service facility to the switching location, the telephone switching location being coupled to a plurality of telephone receivers; determining if the public switched telephone network trunk is disrupted; in response to determining that the public switched telephone network trunk is disrupted, establishing an alternative signal path between the emergency response service facility and the telephone switching location before receiving the initiation by a third transceiver, the initiation being a personal emergency voice telephone call; continuously maintaining the alternative signal path; and in response to initiation by the third transceiver, coupling the third transceiver through the alternative signal path to the emergency response service facility after the steps of establishing and maintaining the alternative signal path. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A system for maintaining communications between an emergency response service facility and a telecommunications switching location over a public switched telephone network trunk or an alternative telecommunications path, the telecommunications switching location being coupled to a plurality of telephone transceivers and being capable of coupling one of the telephone transceivers to the emergency response service facility upon receiving a predetermined request signal from one of the plurality of telephone transceivers, the telecommunications switching location also providing an alarm signal after detecting a faulty condition on the public switched telephone network trunk, the system comprising:
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a first transceiver positioned at the emergency response service facility, and the first transceiver being coupled to the alternative telecommunications path; and a second transceiver coupled to the public switched telephone network trunk and the alternative telecommunications path and being positioned at the telecommunications switching location, the second transceiver having a memory, a processing unit coupled to the telecommunications switching location and to the public switched telephone network trunk and the alternative telecommunications path, the processing unit approximately continuously exchanging signals with the first transceiver over the alternative telecommunications path after the processing unit senses the alarm signal, but before the processing unit receives the predetermined request signal so that the alternative telecommunications path is available for the one telephone transceiver, and the processing unit providing the alternative telecommunications path to the one telephone transceiver after the processing unit receives the predetermined request signal, and after the processing unit approximately continuously exchanges signals with the first transceiver, the predetermined request signal being a personal emergency voice telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. In a telecommunications network, a method for maintaining a telecommunications path between an emergency response service facility and a telecommunications switching location that is coupled to a plurality of telephone transceivers and capable of coupling first and second telephone transceivers to the emergency response service facility over a public switched telephone network trunk upon receiving a predetermined request signal from one of the first and second telephone transceivers the telecommunications switching location also capable of determining if the public switched telephone network trunk is disrupted, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the predetermined request signal from the telecommunications switching location, the predetermined request signal being a personal emergency voice telephone call; in response to receiving the predetermined request signal, establishing another public switch telephone network trunk between the telecommunications switching location and the emergency response service facility; after the step of establishing the another public switched telephone network trunk, providing the another public switched telephone network trunk to the first telephone transceiver for communication signal exchange between the first telephone transceiver and the emergency response service facility; after the step of providing the another public switched telephone network trunk, continuously maintaining the another public switched telephone network trunk following a termination of communication signal exchange between the first telephone transceiver and the emergency response service facility; and after the step of maintaining the another public switched telephone network trunk, providing the another public switched telephone network trunk to the second telephone transceiver upon receipt of the predetermined request signal by the second telephone transceiver.
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Specification