System and method for enhanced 9-1-1 address development, maintenance and call routing using road access zones

• US 6,529,722 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microdata LLC (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Heinrich, Bruce Jason, Heinrich, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/336,443
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/445, 455/456, 455/457, 379/45, 379/37, 342/450, 702/5
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• 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

Abstract

System and method for enhanced 9-1-1 address development, maintenance and call routing using road access zones (RAZs). RAZs are geographic areas accessible by a particular road. RAZs are formed from geographic data in vector form which includes a plurality of road names, address numbers, and road center lines. The steps for forming the RAZ include: first assigning a number to each road name, then creating a roadname route system based on the plurality of road names and the address numbers, then creating a plurality of polygons, wherein each polygon is associated with a different road name number, and then overlaying the road center lines with the polygons so as to define a left side and a right side of each road center line. RAZs efficiently provide for the verification, maintenance and determination of road names, address parity, geo-coding and emergency service zones (ESZ). In addition, an emergency service zone data layer (ESZ) can be created from the RAZs, which allows for, among other things, an enhanced E-911 system suitable for use with wireless communication devices, such as cell phones.

Claims

1. A method of creating an ESZ data layer having emergency service numbers, from an MSAG using road access zones each having associated attributes including a road name, a road center line and an emergency service number, comprising the steps of:

a) linking the road access zones to the MSAG through the road names; and

b) creating a plurality of emergency service zones by combining the road access zones that have the same emergency service number.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step a) includes the step of electronically adding to the ESZ data layer one or more existing digital attributes from one or more of said road access zones using an identity operation.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step a) includes the step of manually adding to the ESZ data layer one or more existing attributes.

4. A method according to claim 3, further including the step, after said step b), of correcting errors in the ESZ data layer arising from errors in the MSAG.

5. A system for creating an ESZ data layer, the system comprising:

a) a computer; and

b) a software program executable by said computer for implementing the steps of claim 1.

6. A method of creating an ESZ data layer having emergency service numbers, from an MSAG having a first set of road names, comprising the steps of:

a) creating road access zones, each of said road access zones having attribute information including an associated emergency service number and a second set of road names;

b) linking said road access zones to the MSAG through said first and second sets of road names; and

c) creating a plurality of emergency service zones by combining said road access zones that have the same emergency service number.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step b) further includes the step of matching road names having slightly different spelling.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step a) further includes the step of adding attribute information to said road access zones.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said attribute information includes at least one of road name, side-of-road, PSAP, community, law, fire, EMS, U.S. Postal Service ZIP code, telephone exchange NNX, high and low address sites or road C/L ARCID.

10. A method according to claim 6, further including the step, after said step c), of identifying any of said emergency access zones missing emergency service numbers.

11. A system for creating an ESZ data layer, the system comprising:

a) a computer; and

b) a software program executable by said computer for implementing the steps of claim 6.

12. A system for creating an emergency service zone data layer having emergency service numbers, from an MSAG using road access zones each having an associated road name, a road center line and an emergency service number, comprising:

a) linking means for linking the road access zones to the MSAG through the road names; and

b) means for creating a plurality of emergency service zones by combining the road access zones that have the same emergency service number.

13. A system for creating an emergency service zone coverage having emergency service numbers, from a master street address guide having a first set of road names, comprising:

a) means for creating road access zones, each of said road access zones having an associated emergency service number and a second set of road names;

b) means for linking said road access zones to the master street address guide through said first and second sets of road names; and

c) means for creating a plurality of emergency service zones by combining said road access zones that have the same emergency service number.

14. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for creating an emergency service zone data layer having emergency service numbers, from an MSAG using road access zones each having an associated road name, a road center line and an emergency service number, which when executed by the computer comprises:

a) linking the road access zones to the MSAG through the road names; and

b) creating a plurality of emergency service zones by combining the road access zones that have the same emergency service number.

15. A computer readable medium for creating an emergency service zone coverage having emergency service numbers, from a master street address guide having a first set of road names, which when executed by the computer comprises:

a) creating road access zones, each of said road access zones having an associated emergency service number and a second set of road names;

b) linking said road access zones to the master street address guide through said first and second sets of road names; and

c) creating a plurality of emergency service zones by combining said road access zones that have the same emergency service number.