System and method for bridging an emergency call with an optimized satellite call

• US 6,356,751 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Alperovich, Vladimir, Valentine, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Legree, Tracy
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEAMER, TEMICA M
• Application Number:
  US09/344,201
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/416, 455/426, 455/427, 455/428, 455/445, 455/461, 455/12.1, 455/518, 455/519, 455/520, 455/521, 455/552, 455/553, 455/558, 455/560, 370/260, 370/261, 370/316
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for allowing a mobile station involved in a single-hop satellite call to complete a conference emergency call. One of the mobile stations involved in the single-hop satellite call activates an emergency call feature, which triggers one or both of the mobile stations to perform a call release and call re-establishment procedure. When one or both of the mobile stations performs call re-establishment, the call is marked as an Emergency Call to prevent the mobile stations from being reconnected in a single-hop call. After re-establishment, the mobile station that activated the emergency call feature transmits an Emergency Setup message to the MSC/VLR, which initiates a call connection to the Emergency Call Center (ECC). Once the MSC/VLR completes the call to the ECC, the MSC/VLR bridges all parties together in a conference call.

Claims

1. A satellite network for establishing an emergency call in parallel to an existing satellite call, comprising:

first and second mobile stations involved in a single-hop satellite call via a satellite, said first mobile station including an emergency call feature for activating said emergency call; and

a mobile switching center in wireless communication with said first and second mobile stations via said satellite, said mobile switching center disconnecting said single-hop satellite call, re-establishing a double-hop satellite call between said first and second mobile stations and establishing an emergency call in parallel to said double-hop satellite call in response to activation of said emergency call feature.

2. The satellite network of claim 1, wherein said first mobile station further comprises a memory for storing said emergency call feature.

3. The satellite network of claim 2, wherein said memory is a Subscriber Identity Module.

4. The satellite network of claim 1, wherein said first mobile station transmits a disconnect message to said second mobile station via said satellite, said disconnect message being detected by said mobile switching center.

5. The satellite network of claim 4, wherein said disconnect message includes an indication that said first mobile station has said emergency call feature associated therewith.

6. The satellite network of claim 4, wherein said second mobile station transmits a release message to said first mobile station, said release message being detected by said mobile switching center.

7. The satellite network of claim 6, wherein said release message includes an indication that said second mobile station has said emergency call feature associated therewith.

8. The satellite network of claim 7, wherein said first and second mobile stations each perform a respective call re-establishment procedure to said mobile switching center substantially simultaneously.

9. The satellite network of claim 6, wherein said first mobile station performs a call re-establishment procedure to said mobile switching center, said mobile switching center paging said second mobile station to establish said double-hop satellite call between said first and second mobile stations.

10. The satellite network of claim 1, wherein said first mobile station transmits an emergency setup message to said mobile switching center to initiate connection of said emergency call.

11. The satellite network of claim 10, further comprising an emergency call center, said emergency call being connected between said emergency call center and said first and second mobile stations.

12. The satellite network of claim 11, wherein said emergency call center is located within an area served by said mobile switching center.

13. The satellite network of claim 11, wherein said emergency call center is located within an area including an emergency party, said emergency party being said first or second mobile station.

14. The satellite network of claim 13, wherein an identification of said emergency party is included within said emergency setup message, said mobile switching center connecting said emergency call to said emergency call center within said area of said emergency party.

15. The satellite network of claim 14, wherein said mobile switching center connects said emergency call to said emergency call center via said satellite and an additional mobile switching center when said emergency call center is located within an area served by said additional mobile switching center.

16. A method for establishing an emergency call in parallel to an existing satellite call, comprising the steps of:

establishing a single-hop satellite call between first and second mobile stations via a satellite;

activating, by said first mobile station, an emergency call feature within said first mobile station;

releasing said single-hop satellite call;

re-establishing a double-hop satellite call between said first and second mobile stations; and

establishing an emergency call in parallel to said double-hop satellite call.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of releasing further comprises the step of:

transmitting a disconnect message from said first mobile station to said second mobile station via said satellite.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of releasing further comprises the steps of:

transmitting a release message from said second mobile station to said first mobile station; and

transmitting a release complete message from said first mobile station to a mobile switching center in wireless communication with said first and second mobile stations via said satellite.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said release message comprises an indication that said second mobile station has said emergency call feature associated therewith, said step of re-establishing further comprising the step of:

performing, by each said first and second mobile stations, a respective call re-establishment procedure to said mobile switching center substantially simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of re-establishing further comprises the step of:

performing, by said first mobile station, a call re-establishment procedure to said mobile switching center; and

paging, by said mobile switching center, said second mobile station to re-establish said double-hop satellite call between said first and second mobile stations.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of establishing said emergency call further comprises the step of:

transmitting an emergency setup message from said first mobile station to said mobile switching center; and

connecting said emergency call between an emergency call center and said first and second mobile stations.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of establishing said emergency call further comprises the step of:

transmitting an identification of an emergency party within said emergency setup message, said emergency party being said first or second mobile station; and

connecting said emergency call, by said mobile switching center, to said emergency call center located within an area associated with the location of said emergency party.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of connecting further comprises the step of:

connecting, by said mobile switching center, said emergency call to said emergency call center via said satellite and an additional mobile switching center when said emergency call center is located within an area served by said additional mobile switching center.

24. A method for establishing a conference emergency call by a first mobile station when said first mobile station is involved in a single-hop satellite call with a second mobile station via a satellite, comprising the steps of:

activating an emergency call feature on said first mobile station;

releasing said single-hop satellite call;

performing a call re-establishment procedure to a mobile switching center in wireless communication with said first and second mobile stations via said satellite to establish a double-hop satellite call between said first and second mobile stations; and

transmitting an emergency setup message to said mobile switching center to initiate connection of said emergency call between said first and second mobile stations and an emergency call center.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of releasing further comprises the step of:

transmitting a disconnect message from said first mobile station to said second mobile station via said satellite.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of releasing further comprises the step of:

transmitting a release complete message from said first mobile station to said mobile switching center via said satellite.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of transmitting further comprises the step of:

transmitting an identification of an emergency party within said emergency setup message, said emergency party being said first or second mobile station, said emergency call center being located within an area associated with the location of said emergency party.