METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING OVER A PRIVATE NETWORK ACCURATE EMERGENCY LOCATION IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS (ELINS) FROM BEHIND A MULTI-LINE TELEPHONE SYSTEM (MLTS) UTILIZING PORT EQUIPMENT NUMBERS

• US 6,744,857 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Stumer, Peggy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, WING F
• Application Number:
  US09/816,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20020136360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37-51, 379/93.26, 379/156, 379/157, 379/167.01, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 379/45
• 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 3/42314 in private branch exchanges

Abstract

Methods for accurate transmission of ELIN/callback number from an emergency caller calling from behind a PBX/MLTS include assigning a port equipment number to each device/trunk of the PBX/MLTS and associating ports/devices with ELINs and callback numbers. The apparatus of the invention detects an emergency number, assigns the call priority, and uses the port/device number to determine the ELIN/callback number and properly transmit the ELIN/callback number over a private network for far-end hop-off to the public network PSAP.

Claims

1. A method for processing an emergency call made from behind a PBX/MLTS said method comprising the steps of:

a) assigning a port equipment number (PEN) to each device/trunk of the PBX/MLTS;

b) associating attributes with a particular PEN, said attributes comprising at least one of a call back number, an emergency location identification number (ELIN), an ELIN type, device identification information or other optional entries;

c) maintaining a centralized database of elements corresponding to each PEN, each element identifying one of said attributes;

d) detecting emergency calls;

e) determining the PEN from which the emergency call originated;

f) transmitting over a private network one or more elements of said database entry for said PEN; and

g) transmitting to a public safety answering point (PSAP) one or more elements of said database entry of said PEN.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of said method are performed by or at the PBX/MLTS.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein multiple emergency numbers are supported.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein emergency calls are assigned a priority relative to non-emergency calls.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of discriminating said assigned priority.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said ELIN type is geodetic.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said ELIN type is non-geodetic.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said attributes are definable at the PBX/MLTS.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining the PEN includes determining from which device the emergency call originated.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein emergency calls are routed through multiple PBX/MLTS systems before reaching the PSAP.

11. An apparatus for processing an emergency call made from behind a PBX/MLTS, said apparatus comprising:

a) means for assigning a port equipment number (PEN) to each device/trunk of the PBX/MLTS;

b) means for associating attributes with a particular PEN, said attributes comprising at least one of a call back number, an emergency location identification number (ELIN), an ELIN type, device identification information or other optional entries;

c) means for maintaining a centralized database of elements corresponding to each PEN, each element identifying one of said attributes;

d) means for detecting emergency calls;

e) means for determining the PEN from which the emergency call originated;

f) means for transmitting over a private network one or more elements of said database entry for said PEN; and

g) means for transmitting to a public safety answering point (PSAP) one or more elements of said database entry of said PEN.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means of said apparatus are located at the PBX/MLTS.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein multiple emergency numbers are supported.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein emergency calls are assigned a priority relative to non-emergency calls.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising the step of discriminating said assigned priority.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said ELIN type is geodetic.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said ELIN type is non-geodetic.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising wherein said attributes are definable at the PBX/MLTS.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for determining the PEN includes means for determining from which device/trunk the emergency call originated.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein emergency calls are routed through multiple PBX/MLTS systems before reaching the PSAP.