Emergency services management network utilizing broadband voice over data networks

• US 6,914,896 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1999
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Electronics Commerce Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Tomalewicz, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US09/434,640
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 370/392, 370/352, 370/389, 370/395, 342/357.09, 342/450, 342/465, 342/457, 455/404, 455460-466, 455/564, 455426-434, 455/456, 455/404.2, 455/445, 455/456.5, 379/211.02, 379/207.02, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 379219-224, 379 45- 49, 379/245, 379/37, 379/242, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 709/202, 348/231.99, 348/135, 702/115, 702/144, 702/150, 340/988
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• 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 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for processing a public safety call. The method includes the steps of receiving the public safety call and determining a geographic source of the public safety call. The method further includes the steps of determining an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call, identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined environment and forwarding the call to the identified resource.

Claims

1. A method of processing a public safety call, comprising the steps of:

receiving the public safety call;

determining a geographic source of the public safety call;

determining an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call;

selecting a public safety attended position of the identified resource; and

forwarding the call to the identified resource.

2. A method of processing a public safety call, comprising the steps of:

receiving the public safety call;

determining a geographic source of the public safety call;

determining an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

correlating the received public safety call with other received public safety calls from the environs of the determined geographic source;

identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call; and

forwarding the call to the identified resource.

3. A method of processing a public safety call, comprising the steps of:

receiving the public safety call as a packet message from an Internet connection;

detecting and decoding the packet message to determine a geographical source of the public safety call from a data field embedded within the packet;

determining an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call; and

forwarding the call to the identified resource.

4. The method of processing public safety calls as in claim 3 wherein the step of receiving the call as a packet message from an Internet connection further comprises receiving a web telephony call.

5. The method of processing public safety calls as in claim 3 wherein the step of receiving the call as a packet message from an Internet connection further comprises receiving an e-mail message.

6. A method of processing a public safety call, comprising the steps of:

receiving the public safety call;

determining a geographic source of the public safety call;

determining an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call; and

forwarding an Internet address of the caller to the identified resource.

7. The method of processing public safety calls as in claim 6 wherein the step of forwarding an Internet address of the caller to the identified resource further comprises including a request to form an Internet telephony voice connection with the public safety caller.

8. Apparatus for processing a public safety call, comprising:

means for receiving the public safety call;

means for determining a geographic source of the public safety call;

means for determining an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

means for identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call;

means for selecting a public service attended position of the identified resource; and

means for forwarding the call to the identified resource.

9. Apparatus for processing a public safety call, comprising:

means for receiving the public safety call as a packet message from an Internet connection;

means for detecting and decoding the packet message to determine a geographical source of the packet message from a data field embedded within the packet message;

means for determining an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

means for identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call; and

means for forwarding the call to the identified resource.

10. The apparatus for processing public safety calls as in claim 9 wherein the means for receiving the call as a packet message from an Internet connection further comprises means for receiving a web telephony call.

11. The apparatus for processing public safety calls as in claim 9 wherein the means for receiving the call as a packet message from an Internet connection further comprises means for receiving an e-mail message.

12. Apparatus for processing a public safety call, comprising:

means for receiving the public safety call;

means for determining a geographic source of the public safety call;

means for determining an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

means for identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call; and

means for forwarding an Internet address of the caller to the identified resource.

13. The apparatus for processing public safety calls as in claim 12 wherein the means for forwarding an Internet address of the caller to the identified resource further comprises means for including a request to form an Internet telephony voice connection with the public safety caller.

14. Apparatus for processing a public safety call, comprising:

a call processor adapted to receive the public safety call;

a first database adapted to determine a geographic source of the public safety call;

an environment processor adapted to determine an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

a resource processor adapted to identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call;

an automatic call distributor adapted to select a public service attended position of a municipality identified by the resource processor; and

a communication processor adapted to forward the call to the identified resource.

15. Apparatus for processing a public safety call, comprising:

a call processor adapted to receive the public safety call;

a first database adapted to determine a geographic source of the public safety call;

an environment processor adapted to determine an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

a correlation processor adapted to correlate the received public safety call with other received public safety calls from the environs of the determined geographic source;

a resource processor adapted to identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call; and

a communication processor adapted to forward the call to the identified resource.

16. The apparatus for processing public safety calls as in claim 15 further comprising an Internet connection adapted to receive the public safety call as a packet message.

17. Apparatus for processing a public safety call, comprising:

a call processor adapted to receive the public safety call as a packet message;

a packet processor adapted to detect and decode a geographical source of the packet message by comparing a data field of the packet with a content of a first database;

an environment processor adapted to determine an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

a resource processor adapted to identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call; and

a communication processor adapted to forward the call to the identified resource.

18. The apparatus for processing public safety calls as in claim 17 wherein the packet processor further comprises an web telephony processor adapted to receive a web telephony call.

19. The apparatus for processing public safety calls as in claim 17 wherein the packet processor further comprises an e-mail processor adapted to receive an e-mail message.

20. Apparatus for processing a public safety call, comprising:

a call processor adapted to receive the public safety call;

a first database adapted to determine a geographic source of the public safety call;

an environment processor adapted to determine an environment of the geographic source of the public safety call;

a resource processor adapted to identifying a resource to handle the public safety call based upon the determined source and environment of the call; and

a communication processor adapted to compose an Internet packet including an Internet address of the caller and to forward the composed packet to the identified resource.

21. The apparatus for processing public safety calls as in claim 20 wherein the Internet packet further comprises a data field adapted to include a request to form an Internet telephony voice connection with the public safety caller.