System for providing expanded emergency service communication in a telecommunication network

• US 6,587,545 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2000
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ciesla, Lawrence W., Sherry, Robert Allen, Kroupa, Douglas Craig, Ziemann, Donald Robert, Antonucci, James T., Barnier, Brian Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/694,559
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37, 379/38, 379/39, 379/40, 379/45, 379/41, 379/42, 379/43, 379/44, 379/46, 379/47, 379/48, 379/49, 379/50, 379/243, 379/177, 455/404
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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

Abstract

A system for providing expanded emergency communication in a telecommunication network including an array of switches, junctions, channels, customer-operated communication devices and service providing stations. The network is connected to facilitate communication among stations using a plurality of milieux. Communication is effected among a service providing station, an emergency complex, an emergency answering position, and an expanded service subscriber. The system comprises: (a) a request acquisition subsystem for receiving emergency requests from a requesting caller; (b) an information store for storing information relating to selected callers; (c) a notification facility for notifying selected subscribers; and (d) a dispatch facility for receiving selected of the information relating to an extant emergency. The system effects transfer of information from the information store to the dispatch facility based upon emergency request information relating to the extant emergency. The system notifies subscribers based upon the emergency request relating to the extant emergency. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a request acquisition subsystem for receiving emergency requests from a caller; (b) providing an information store for storing information relating to selected callers; (c) providing a notification facility for notifying selected subscribers; (d) providing a dispatch facility for receiving information relating to affected callers; the affected callers being associated with an extant emergency; and (e) effecting transfer of information from the information store to the dispatch facility based upon emergency request information relating to the extant emergency.

Claims

1. A system for providing expanded emergency service communication in a telecommunication network;

said telecommunication network including a plurality of junctions connected by a plurality of communication channels, a plurality of telecommunication service providing stations connected into said plurality of communication channels at at least one of said for effecting a plurality of various telecommunication milieux for communication among at least one telecommunication services providing station of said plurality of telecommunication service providing stations, at least one emergency service complex, at least one emergency service answering position, and at least one expanded service subscriber;

the system comprising;

(a) a service request acquisition subsystem;

(b) an information store;

(c) a notification facility; and

(d) a dispatch facility;

said service request acquisition subsystem, said information store, said notification facility and said dispatch facility being distributed among said telecommunication network;

the system effecting transfer of pertinent information from said information store to said dispatch facility based upon emergency request information acquired by said acquisition subsystem;

said transfer being effected via a public switched telephone network;

the system effecting notification of selected expanded service subscribers of said at least one expanded service subscriber based upon said emergency request information.

2. A system for providing expanded emergency service communication in a telecommunication network as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of various telecommunication milieux includes Internet communications.

3. A system for providing expanded emergency service communication in a telecommunication network as recited in claim 1 or 2 wherein said plurality of various telecommunication milieux includes wireless communications.

4. A system for providing expanded emergency service communication in a telecommunication network;

said telecommunication network including an array of switches, junctions, communication channels, user-operated communication devices and telecommunication service providing stations connected to facilitate electronic communication among a plurality of stations using a plurality of communication milieux for communication among at least one said telecommunication service providing station, at least one emergency service complex, at least one emergency service answering position, and at least one expanded service subscriber;

the system comprising;

(a) a service request acquisition subsystem;

said service request acquisition subsystem receiving emergency service requests from a requesting caller via at least one of said customer-operated communication devices;

(b) an information store;

said information store storing pertinent information relating to selected said requesting callers;

(c) a notification facility;

said notification facility storing information relating to arrangements for notifying selected expanded service subscribers of said at least one expanded service subscriber pursuant to predetermined criteria;

said pertinent information including at least some of said predetermined criteria; and

(d) a dispatch facility;

said dispatch facility receiving at least some selected information of said pertinent information relating to affected said requesting callers;

said affected requesting callers being associated with an extant said emergency service request;

said service request acquisition subsystem, said information store, said notification facility and said dispatch facility being distributed among said telecommunication network;

the system effecting transfer of at least some selected information from said information store to said dispatch facility based upon emergency request information acquired by said acquisition subsystem relating to said extant emergency service request;

said transfer being effected via a public switched telephone network;

the system effecting notification of selected expanded service subscribers of said at least one expanded service subscriber based upon said emergency request information relating to said extant emergency service request.

5. A system for providing expanded emergency service communication in a telecommunication network as recited in claim 4 wherein said plurality of various telecommunication milieux includes Internet communications.

6. A system for providing expanded emergency service communication in a telecommunication network as recited in claim 4 or 5 wherein said plurality of various telecommunication milieux includes wireless communications.

7. A method for providing expanded emergency service communication in a telecommunication network;

said telecommunication network including an array of switches, junctions, communication channels, user-operated communication devices and telecommunication service providing stations connected to facilitate electronic communication among a plurality of stations using a plurality of communication milieux for communication among at least one said telecommunication service providing station, at least one emergency service complex, at least one emergency service answering position, and at least one expanded service subscriber;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing, in no particular order;

(1) a service request acquisition subsystem for receiving emergency service requests from a requesting caller via at least one of said user-operated communication devices;

(2) an information store for storing pertinent information relating to selected said requesting callers;

(3) a notification facility for storing information relating to arrangements for notifying selected expanded service subscribers of said at least one expanded service subscriber pursuant to predetermined criteria;

said pertinent information including at least some of said predetermined criteria; and

(4) a dispatch facility for receiving at least some selected information of said pertinent information relating to affected said requesting callers;

said affected requesting callers being associated with an extant said emergency service request; and

(b) effecting transfer of at least some selected information via a public switched telephone network from said information store to said dispatch facility based upon emergency request information acquired by said acquisition subsystem relating to said extant emergency service request.

8. A method for handling an special number call placed by a caller in a telecommunication network as recited in claim 7 wherein the method comprises the further step of:

(c) effecting notification of selected expanded service subscribers of said at least one expanded service subscriber based upon said emergency request information relating to said extant emergency service request.