System and methods for providing updated mobile station location estimates to emergency services providers

• US 7,848,769 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fuller, Jr., Marvin U., Davis, III, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US11/145,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20060276168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 455/62, 455/512, 455/436, 455/521, 455/432.1, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• 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

Abstract

A wireless communication system, including apparatuses and methods, for handling emergency calls from wireless communication devices to emergency services providers and for automatically providing updated location estimates for the wireless communication devices to during such emergency calls absent any request therefor. The updated location estimates are generally provided in response to a detected occurrence of a triggering event within the wireless communication system. In the exemplary embodiments, such triggering events include the passage of a pre-determined threshold period of time and the handover of an emergency call between cells or sectors of the wireless communication system in response to movement of the wireless communication device from which the emergency call is being made. Further, according to at least one exemplary embodiment, the wireless communication system may selectively limit the provision of updated location estimates based on whether movement of a wireless communication device is substantial or insubstantial.

Claims

1. A method for providing updated location information for a wireless communication device during an emergency call between the wireless communication device and a public safety answering point (PSAP), the method comprising:

establishing, over a wireless communication network, the emergency call between the wireless communication device and the PSAP;

initializing a count-up timer;

after initializing the count-up timer, detecting, at the wireless communication network, if a triggering event associated with the emergency call has occurred, wherein the triggering event includes handover of the emergency call from one subdivision of the wireless communication network to a new subdivision of the wireless communication network;

after the detecting step, and if the handover is detected, determining if a triggering condition associated with the emergency call is satisfied, wherein the triggering condition includes a current value of the count-up timer being greater than a pre-determined threshold value;

if the triggering condition is not satisfied, returning to the determining step;

if the triggering condition is satisfied, determining whether an automatic provision of updated location estimates feature has been enabled for the PSAP, wherein the automatic provision of updated location estimates feature, when enabled, provides for provisioning of updated location estimates made to the PSAP automatically and not in response to a request for updated location estimate;

if the automatic provision of updated location estimates feature has not been enabled for the PSAP, returning to the initializing step; and

if an automatic provision of updated location estimates feature has been enabled for the PSAP;

obtaining updated location information for the wireless communication device; and

transmitting the updated location information to the PSAP.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each service area subdivision comprises a cell of the wireless communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each service area subdivision comprises a sector of a cell of the wireless communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated location information includes an estimated latitude and longitude corresponding to the location of the wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined threshold value corresponds to a time period related to whether movement of the wireless communication device is substantial or unsubstantial.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, at the wireless communication network, if the triggering event associated with the emergency call has occurred includes receiving a message from a mobile switching center.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined threshold value corresponds to a time period related to a desired frequency with which position updates should be provided to the PSAP.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined threshold value corresponds to a value distinguishing between:

(i) insubstantial movement of the wireless communication device, whereby the wireless device is presumed to be moving rapidly in and out of subdivisions of the wireless communication network and (ii) substantial movement of the wireless communication device wherein the wireless device is presumed to not be moving rapidly in and out of subdivisions of the wireless communication network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the automatic provision of updated location estimates feature is enabled includes retrieving enablement data associated with the PSAP and evaluating the retrieved enablement data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining updated location information for the wireless communication device includes a serving mobile location center obtaining an estimated location of the wireless device including an estimated latitude of the wireless device and an estimated longitude of the wireless device; and

the estimated location of the wireless device further comprises a statistically-generated number corresponding to a number of meters from an intersection of the estimated latitude and the estimated longitude, the number of meters representing a distance within which the wireless device is likely to be present according to a pre-determined percentage of confidence.

11. A wireless network configured to provide updated location information associated with a wireless device to a public safety answering point (PSAP) during an emergency call, wherein the wireless network is configured to perform steps comprising:

establishing, over the wireless network, a communication path between the wireless device and the public safety answering point (PSAP);

initialize a count-up timer;

after initializing the count-up timer, detecting if a triggering event associated with the emergency call occurring over the communication path has occurred, wherein the triggering event includes handover of the emergency call from one subdivision of the wireless communication network to a new subdivision of the wireless communication network;

after the detecting step, and if the handover is detected, determining if a trigger-related condition associated with the emergency call is satisfied, wherein the triggering condition includes a current value of the count-up timer being greater than a pre-determined threshold value;

if the triggering condition is not satisfied, returning to the determining step;

if the triggering condition is satisfied, determining whether an automatic provision of updated location estimates feature has been enabled for the PSAP, wherein the automatic provision of updated location estimates feature, when enabled, provides for provisioning of updated location estimates made to the PSAP automatically and not in response to a request for updated location estimate;

if the automatic provision of updated location estimates feature has not been enabled for the PSAP, returning to the initializing step; and

if the automatic provision of updated location estimates feature has been enabled for the PSAP;

obtaining, using a mobile location center, updated location information for the wireless device; and

transmitting the updated location information to the PSAP.

12. The wireless network of claim 11, wherein the mobile location center comprises a serving mobile location center for obtaining an estimated location of the wireless device.

13. The wireless network of claim 12, wherein the estimated location of the wireless device comprises an estimated latitude of the wireless device and an estimated longitude of the wireless device.

14. The wireless network of claim 13, wherein the estimated location of the wireless device further comprises a statistically-generated number corresponding to a number of meters from an intersection of the estimated latitude and the estimated longitude, the number of meters representing a distance within which the wireless device is likely to be present according to a pre-determined percentage of confidence.

15. The wireless network of claim 11, wherein the pre-determined threshold value corresponds to a time period related to whether movement of the wireless communication device is substantial or unsubstantial.

16. The wireless network of claim 11, wherein the step of detecting if the triggering event associated with the emergency call has occurred includes receiving a message from a mobile switching center.

17. The wireless network of claim 11, wherein the pre-determined threshold value corresponds to a time period related to a desired frequency with which position updates should be provided to the PSAP.

18. The wireless network of claim 11, wherein the pre-determined threshold value corresponds to a value distinguishing between:

(i) insubstantial movement of the wireless communication device, whereby the wireless device is presumed to be moving in and out of subdivisions of the wireless communication network and (ii) substantial movement of the wireless communication device wherein the wireless device is presumed to not be moving rapidly in and out of subdivisions of the wireless communication network.

19. The wireless network of claim 11, wherein the wireless network is further configured so that determining whether the automatic provision of updated location estimates feature is enabled includes retrieving enablement data associated with the PSAP and evaluating the retrieved enablement data.