Apparatus and method of explicit indication of call from emergency call centre

• US 7,412,225 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Willey, William Daniel, Islam, M. Khaledul, Estable, Luis P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/591,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20070054653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041-4042, 4554561-457, 455/456, 455/445, 455/422.1, 455/433, 455/425, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 340/5.8, 340/539.1, 340/572.1, 340/825.49, 379/33, 379/37, 379 45- 46
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Herein are disclosed an apparatus and method of explicit indication of call from emergency call center. The method includes the steps of forming an emergency signal in relation to the mobile station terminated call; sending the emergency signal to the mobile station on behalf of the emergency call center; and detecting the emergency signal at the mobile station. The apparatus includes emergency signal forming means for forming an emergency signal in relation to the mobile station terminated call; emergency signal sending means for sending said emergency signal to the mobile station on behalf of the emergency call center; and emergency signal detecting means for detecting said emergency signal at the mobile station. A global emergency call information record is disclosed for use in cdma2000 type networks and the like. The apparatus and method may apply to other networks.

Claims

1. A method of explicitly indicating that a mobile station terminated call is from an emergency call centre, the method comprising the steps of:

maintaining an emergency callback period during which the mobile station operates in emergency callback mode;

initiating an emergency callback timer in response to an emergency call originating from the mobile station;

enabling location services on the mobile station during the emergency callback mode;

disabling location services when the emergency callback timer has expired;

receiving a mobile terminated emergency call after the emergency callback timer has expired; and

in response to receiving the mobile terminated emergency call, enabling location services.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming an emergency signal in relation to the mobile terminated emergency call;

sending said emergency signal to the mobile station on behalf of the emergency call center; and

detecting said emergency signal at the mobile station.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining an apparently continuous emergency call.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of automatically transitioning from said mobile station originated emergency call to the mobile terminated emergency call.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of blocking a non-emergency mobile station terminated call in favor of one of said mobile station originated emergency call and mobile terminated emergency call.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising resetting the emergency callback timer so as to cause the mobile station to operate in emergency callback mode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the location of the mobile station.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the apparently continuous emergency call comprises at least one call with a first responder.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the location of the mobile station is communicated to said first responder.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining if the mobile station is configured to allow location services outside the emergency callback period, and if so determined, then preventing location services from being enabled outside the emergency callback period.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining if the emergency callback timer has expired;

and if so determined, then disabling location services.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of notifying emergency information at the mobile station.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said emergency information is derived from said emergency signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of adapting said emergency information to be more readily understood by the subscriber of the mobile station.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said locale is a default locale at the mobile station.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said locale is a preferred locale at the mobile station.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said locale is a function of a preferred ranking of locales at the mobile station.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said emergency signal includes an emergency code.

19. A mobile station, comprising:

an emergency callback timer configured to measure an emergency callback period during which the mobile station operates in an emergency callback mode, the emergency callback period being initiated when an emergency call is originated from the mobile station, the mobile station configured to communicate with an emergency call center;

an emergency continuity controller configured to determine if a mobile terminated emergency call is received outside of the emergency callback period;

the emergency continuity controller configured to disable location service when the emergency callback timer has expired.

20. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the emergency continuity controller is further configured to provide location privacy at the mobile station.

21. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the emergency continuity controller is further configured to receive an emergency call signal transmitted in relation to the mobile terminated emergency call.

22. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the emergency continuity controller is further configured to block non-emergency calls in favor of the mobile terminated emergency call.

23. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the emergency continuity controller is further configured to determine if the mobile terminated emergency call occurs outside of the emergency callback period, and if so then reset the emergency callback timer to cause the mobile station to operate in emergency callback mode.

24. The mobile station of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining a geographic location of the mobile station.