Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating routing of a call to a public safety answering point

• US 6,956,930 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc. (Exxon Mobil Corporation), Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Cook, Russell R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, WING F
• Application Number:
  US10/712,881
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 379 37- 51, 379/201.01, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/221.03
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1325 Priority service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating service handling of a call placed to a public safety answering point using a universal dialing code, such as an emergency 9-1-1 dialing code. A centralized routing database is formed and maintained. When a call is originated and routed to a call routing entity, the centralized routing data base is accessed to obtain the identity of the public safety answering point to which to route the call. Thereby, a call connection is formed to an appropriate public safety answering point. Due to the centralized nature of the routing data base, updates to the data base are readily and easily ascertainable.

Claims

1. In a telephonic communication system permitting of a call, originated at a calling station, to be placed to a selected public safety answering point of a set of public safety answering points by way of a call routing entity of a set of call routing entities, an improvement of apparatus for facilitating service handling of the call to the selected public safety answering point together with providing selected information pertaining to the calling station to the selected public safety answering point, said apparatus comprising:

a centralized routing data base maintainable in communication connectivity with each call routing entity of the set of call routing entities, said centralized routing data base containing a listing indexing together a calling-station identity of the calling station and a public safety identity of at least one of the public safety access points, said centralized routing data base accessed by the call routing entity by way of which the call is placed at least to identify the selected public safety answering point to which to route the call, the selected public safety answering point comprising the public safety answering point indexed together with the calling station; and

a signaling transfer point (STP) having the centralized routing database at the STP, wherein the STP directly accesses the centralized routing data base, wherein the centralized routing data base is maintained in communication connectivity with each call routing entity by way of the STP, and wherein the information of the centralized routing data base is updated by way of the signaling transfer point.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selected information pertaining to the calling station comprises positional indicia identifying a location at which the calling station is positioned when the call is originated.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the public safety access points each have associated therewith an emergency services number and wherein the public-safety identity forming part of the listing contained at said centralized routing data base comprises the emergency services number associated therewith.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said centralized routing database comprises a NENA-compliant (National Emergency Numbering Association-compliant) PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) routing data base.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a centralized location identifier data base also maintainable in communication connectivity with each call routing entity of the set of call routing entities, said centralized location identifier data base containing positional indicia associated with the calling station.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each call routing entity of the set of call routing entities comprises a 9-1-1 tandem switch element and wherein said centralized call routing data base is maintained in communication connectivity with each of the 9-1-1 tandem switches.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the calling station comprises a mobile station, the mobile station having associated therewith positional indicia identifying a location thereof when the call is originated therefrom, indications of the positional indicia used to identify which of the public safety access points comprises the selected public safety access point.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a centralized routing node at which said centralized routing data base is embodied, the positional indicia identifying the location of the mobile station further maintained at the centralized routing node.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the call routing entity by way of which the calling station places the call inquires of said centralized routing database of the selected public safety answering point associated with the calling station, and wherein the call routing entity routes the call to the selected public safety answering point responsive to responses made to inquiry of the centralized routing data base.

10. In a method for communicating in a telephonic communication system permitting of a call, originated at a calling station, to be placed to a selected public safety answering point of a set of public safety answering points by way of a call routing entity of a set of call routing entities, an improvement of a method for facilitating service handling of the call to the selected public safety answering point together with providing selected information pertaining to the calling station to the selected public safety answering point, said method comprising:

forming a centralized routing data base at a signaling transfer point (STP) containing a listing indexing together a calling station identity of the calling station and a public safety identity of at least one of the public safety answering points, the centralized routing data base maintainable in communication connectivity with each call routing entity of the set of call routing entities by way of the STP;

routing the call, when originated at the calling station, to the call routing entity of the set of call routing entities;

accessing the STP, from the call routing entity, and directly accessing by the STP the centralized routing data base, to identify therefrom the selected public safety answering point to which further to route the call, the selected public safety answering point comprising the public safety answering point indexed together with the calling station; and

updating the information of the centralized routing data base by way of the signaling transfer point.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the calling station comprises a mobile station and wherein said method further comprises the operation of forming a centralized positional indication data base containing positional indicia associated with the calling station.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the positional indication data base formed during said operation of forming the centralized positional indication data base further associates public safety answering points associated with the positional indicia.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the centralized positional indication data base and the centralized routing data base are embodied theretogether.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the operation of accessing the positional indication data base to ascertain the public safety answering point associated with the mobile station when positioned at a location indicated by the positional indicia.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the public safety answering points each have associated therewith an emergency services number and wherein the public safety identity forming part of the listing contained in the data base formed during said operation of forming comprises the emergency service number associated with the public safety answering point.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the centralized routing data base formed during said operation of forming comprises an NENA-compliant (National Emergency Numbering Association-compliant) public safety answering point routing data base.

17. The method of claim 10 comprising the further operation of further routing the call to the public safety answering point.