Telephone network having dual gateway interconnection architecture for handling emergency services

• US 6,252,943 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Leticia Garcia, Kancianic, Eugene M., Walsh, Maria, Zahray, Walter Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/433,505
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 379/45, 379/207, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/224, 379/242, 379/246, 379/245
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

A telephone network includes one or more end office switches not directly connected by a trunk line to a 911-type emergency tandem switch to handle emergency telephone calls. For those end office switches not so connected, a received emergency “9-1-1”-type telephone call is routed to a gateway switch having a trunk line connected to the emergency tandem. In the network, a first gateway switch connected to the emergency tandem switch provides the primary link, while a second gateway switch connected to the emergency tandem switch provides the secondary link. Routing information resident in end office switches is sent to the switch network to facilitate proper handling of an emergency call. The disclosed telephone network allows for less than full connectivity between gateway switches and an emergency tandem switch, while still providing a measure of redundancy to help ensure that an emergency call is completed.

Claims

1. A telephone network configured to route an emergency call between a subscriber telephone and an emergency tandem switch, said telephone network comprising:

a first switch having a first link to an emergency tandem switch and at least one connection to a first subscriber telephone;

a second switch having a second link to said emergency tandem switch and at least one connection to a second subscriber telephone;

a third switch having no link to said emergency tandem switch, said third switch having at least one connection to a third subscriber telephone, said third switch having customer-specific routing information indicative of a location of said third subscriber telephone within a geographical area covered by an area code of said third subscriber telephone; and

a switch network configured to route calls between said first, second and third switches;

wherein

said first, second and third switches and said switch network are configured such that upon receipt of an emergency call from said third subscriber telephone, said third switch routes said emergency call to said emergency tandem switch, based at least in part on said customer-specific routing information, via said switch network and also

(a) via said first switch and said first link, if said first switch and said first link are available; and

(b) via said second switch and said second link, if either said first switch or said first link are not available.

2. The telephone network according to claim 1, wherein said third switch is arranged to create a routing number configured to index a first routing treatment directing said emergency call to said first switch, and configured to index a second routing treatment directing said emergency call to said second switch.

3. The telephone network according to claim 2, wherein said routing number includes information identifying said call as an emergency call.

4. The telephone network according to claim 3, wherein said routing number includes information identifying an area code of said subscriber telephone.

5. The telephone network according to claim 4, wherein said routing number includes said customer-specific routing information.

6. The telephone network according to claim 2, wherein said routing number is a 10-digit number.

7. The telephone network according to claim 6, wherein the 10-digit routing number includes an area code of the third subscriber telephone and a representation of a geographical location of the third subscriber telephone.

8. The telephone network according to claim 1, wherein the first and second links are trunk lines.

9. A method for completing an emergency call between an end office switch and an emergency tandem switch wherein the end office switch is not directly connected to said emergency tandem switch, the method comprising:

receiving, at said end office switch, an emergency call from a subscriber connected thereto;

creating, at said end office switch, 10-digit routing information including within the 10 digits, an area code of the subscriber and a representation of a geographical location of said subscriber, said geographical location sufficient to identify at least one public safety answering point designated to answer said emergency call;

determining at least first and second routing treatments for directing the emergency call to a gateway switch connected to said emergency tandem switch, based on said routing information;

transferring said routing information and said emergency call to a gateway switch, based on at least one of said first and second routing treatments; and

routing said emergency call to said emergency tandem switch, based on said routing information,

(a) via a first gateway switch having a first link to said emergency tandem switch, if said first gateway switch and said first link are available; and

(b) via a second gateway switch having a second link to said emergency tandem switch, if either said first gateway switch or said first link are unavailable.

10. A telephone network configured to route an emergency call between a subscriber telephone and an emergency tandem switch, said telephone network comprising:

a first switch having a first link and a second link to an emergency tandem switch and at least one connection to a first subscriber telephone;

a second switch having no link to said emergency tandem switch, said second switch having at least one correction to a second subscriber telephone, said second switch having customer-specific routing information indicative of a location of said second subscriber telephone within a geographical area covered by an area code of said second subscriber telephone; and

a switch network configured to route calls between said first and second switches;

wherein

said first and second switches and said switch network are configured such that upon receipt of an emergency call from said second subscriber telephone, said second switch routes said emergency call to said emergency tandem switch, based at least in part on said customer-specific routing information, via said switch network and also

(a) via said first link, if said first link is available; and

(b) via and said second link, if said first link is not available.

11. The telephone network according to claim 10, wherein said second switch is arranged to create a routing number configured to index a routing treatment directing said emergency call to said first switch.

12. The telephone network according to claim 11, wherein said routing number includes information identifying said call as an emergency call.

13. The telephone network according to claim 12, wherein said routing number includes information identifying an area code of said subscriber telephone.

14. The telephone network according to claim 13, wherein said routing number includes said customer-specific routing information.

15. The telephone network according to claim 11, wherein said routing number is a 10-digit number.

16. The telephone network according to claim 15, wherein the 10-digit routing number includes an area code of the second subscriber telephone and a representation of a geographical location of the second subscriber telephone.

17. The telephone network according to claim 10, wherein the first and second links are trunk lines.

18. A method for completing an emergency call between an end office switch and an emergency tandem switch wherein the end office switch is not directly connected to said emergency tandem switch, the method comprising:

receiving, at said end office switch, an emergency call from a subscriber connected thereto;

creating, at said end office switch, 10-digit routing information including within the 10 digits, an area code of the subscriber and a representation of a geographical location of said subscriber, said geographical location sufficient to identify at least one public safety answering point designated to answer said emergency call;

determining at least a first routing treatment for directing the emergency call to a first gateway switch connected to said emergency tandem switch, based on said routing information;

transferring said routing information and said emergency call to said first gateway switch, based on said first routing treatment; and

routing said emergency call to said emergency tandem switch, based on said routing information,

(a) via a first link connected between said first gateway switch and said emergency tandem switch, if said first link is available; and

(b) via a second link connected between said first gateway switch and said emergency tandem switch, if said first link is unavailable.