Call-based provisioning of mobile equipment location information

• US 6,816,720 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Hussain, Tahir, Harpanhalli, Kiran
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US09/862,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20020037750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/466, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

Methods, systems, and arrangements enable a mobile equipment (ME) to provide notification when a preselected number is called. In accordance with certain embodiments, upon the calling of a preselected number, the ME sends a notification to the network in addition to setting up a voice call to the dialed number. Preselected number(s) may include emergency numbers (e.g., “911”), portal-defined numbers, etc. The notification may include dialed digits, time of call, and/or location information originating from the ME. When location information is included with the notification, the location information may be forwarded to the portal for further processing and possible additional transmission. Also, location information from the notification can reduce response time and signaling capacity usage when the network responds to an inquiry regarding location from an emergency service provider.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device for communicating with a wireless network, said wireless network including a voice switch for serving said communications device and a service control server (SCS) wherein said SCS connects said wireless network with non-telecommunication networks, comprising:

a transmitter and receiver for communicating with said wireless network;

a memory for storing at least one number accessible via said wireless network; and

at least one logic module for

detecting whether a call to the at least one number has been initiated and

if the call to the at least one number is detected, initiating dual communication connections comprising a voice call connection to the voice switch and a data connection to the SCS for providing a notification message associated with said voice call connection to said at least one number.

2. The mobile communications device, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said memory and said at least one logic module are realized in a mechanism removably attached to the mobile equipment.

3. The mobile communications device, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said memory and said at least one logic module are realized in an integrated, non-detachable manner with respect to the mobile equipment.

4. The mobile communications device, according to claim 1, wherein said memory stores a plurality of numbers.

5. The mobile communications device, according to claim 1, wherein said at least one number comprises “

911”

.

6. The mobile communications device, according to claim 1, wherein said data connection comprises a connectionless packet connection for forwarding information regarding the location of the mobile communications device.

7. The mobile communications device, according to claim 6, wherein the location information of the mobile communication device.

8. The mobile communications device, according to claim 6, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) unit, and wherein the location information of the mobile communication device comprises GPS-related data.

9. The mobile communications device, according to claim 8, wherein said data-packet SMS message is transmitted by said transmitter towards the SCS, the SCS being connected to at least one of an Internet portal and an emergency service node.

10. The mobile communications device, according to claim 6, wherein said notification message comprises a short message service (SMS) message.

11. The mobile communications device, according to claim 10, wherein said SMS message comprises a called number, a time of calling, and a location of calling.

12. A method for providing notification from a mobile communications device communicating with a wireless network, said wireless network including a voice switch for serving said communications device and a service control server (SCS) wherein said SCS connects said wireless network with non-telecommunication networks, comprising the steps of:

establishing at least one number in the mobile communications device;

detecting call initiation at the mobile communications device;

ascertaining a destination number of the call initiation;

determining whether the destination number corresponds to the at least one number; and

if so, initiating dual communication connections comprising a voice call connection to the voice switch and a data connection to the SCS for providing a notification message associated with said voice call connection to said at least one number.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of establishing at least one number in the mobile communications device further comprises the step of establishing the at least one number using a portal.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of establishing at least one number in the mobile communications device further comprises the step of establishing the at least one number at a time of manufacturing.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting a voice call request.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of forwarding the notification message to the SCS.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the SCS, a location request from an emergency service node; and

providing, from the SCS to the emergency service node, location information, of the mobile communications device.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the location request is triggered by the call to the destination number and the location information is extracted from the notification message.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the location information is received from a mobile positioning center after the call to the destination number is received from the mobile communications device.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

sending by the SCS to an Internet portal, the notification message, the notification message including a location indication of the mobile communications device.

21. A method for providing notification to a non-telecommunications node from a mobile communications device that is in communication with a wireless network, said wireless network including a voice switch for serving said communications device and a service control server (SCS) wherein said SCS connects said wireless network with non-telecommunication networks, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to originate an outgoing call to a particular terminal number;

processing the outgoing call;

determining whether the particular terminal number matches a predetermined terminal number;

if yes, then

initiating a dual communication connection comprising a voice call connection to the voice switch and a data connection to the SCS for providing a notification message associated with said particular terminal number; and

responsive to the data connection, said SCS communicating the notification message to a non-telecommunication node for effectuating at least one subscriber feature.

22. A method for providing location information from a mobile communications device, that is in communication with a wireless network, said wireless network including a voice switch for serving said communications device and a service control server (SCS) wherein said SCS connects said wireless network with non-telecommunication networks, comprising the steps of:

establishing at least one emergency number in the mobile communications device;

detecting call initiation at the mobile communications device;

determining whether a destination number of the call initiation corresponds to the at least one emergency number and if so;

initiating a dual communication connection comprising a voice call connection to the voice switch for connecting to the at least one emergency number and a data connection to the SCS for providing a notification message, associated with said voice call connection, that includes location information associated with said mobile communications device.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the at least one emergency number corresponds to “

911”

.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at the service control server a location request from an emergency service node;

responsively sending from the service control server the location information of the mobile communications device to the emergency service node.