Method and system for obtaining emergency caller location

• US 8,032,109 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiu, Shin Cheung Simon, Ho, Chi Fai
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/750,281
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/554.1, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 379/37, 379/51, 379/88.19, 379/67.1, 379/88.2
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• 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

Methods and systems for obtaining the location of a caller during an emergency or other telephone call. Before or during a call, a phone system can obtain from one or more sources a subscriber access line identity associated with a subscriber location record that includes a subscriber access line identity attribute and a subscriber location attribute. A phone system can send a query that includes the subscriber access line identity to a subscriber location query system that returns a subscriber location record or a subscriber location to the phone system. The phone system can then display the caller location information to a phone system, an agent or operator so that emergency services can be quickly and accurately dispatched. Using similar procedure and a memory, phone systems can also determine if a subscriber phone has or is changing location. Methods for testing the emergency call capabilities of a subscriber access line.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a subscriber location for a call from a phone, wherein the phone is coupled to a subscriber access line module via a subscriber access line, wherein the subscriber access line module is coupled to a phone system, comprising:

(a) determining by the phone system a subscriber access line identity of the subscriber access line;

(b) sending a query from the phone system to a subscriber location query system, wherein the query comprises the subscriber access line identity; and

(c) receiving from the subscriber location query system the subscriber location corresponding to the subscriber access line identity, wherein the subscriber location comprises a physical or link layer property of the subscriber access line module to which the subscriber access line is coupled; and

(d) determining by a subscriber phone equipment if an emergency call can be made using the subscriber access line, wherein the subscriber phone equipment is coupled to the subscriber access line module via the subscriber access line, comprising the steps of;

(d1) sending a query by an emergency call test module of the subscriber phone equipment to the subscriber access line module or an emergency phone system; and

(d2) receiving a response from the subscriber access line module or the phone system to the emergency call test module indicating whether or not the emergency call can be made.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining (d) further comprises:

(d3) setting an emergency call test indicator of the subscriber phone equipment according to the response.

3. A system, comprising:

a subscriber access line having a subscriber access line identity;

a subscriber access line module;

a phone coupled to the subscriber access line module via the subscriber access line;

a subscriber location query system, comprising a subscriber location corresponding to the subscriber access line identity;

a phone system coupled to the subscriber access line module, wherein the phone system receives a call from the phone via the subscriber access line,

wherein the phone system determines the subscriber access line identity,

wherein the phone system sends a query to the subscriber location query system, wherein the query comprises the subscriber access line identity, and

wherein the phone system receives from the subscriber location query system the subscriber location, wherein the subscriber location comprises a physical or link layer property of the subscriber access line module to which the subscriber access line is coupled; and

a subscriber phone equipment coupled to the subscriber access line module via the subscriber access line, wherein the subscriber phone equipment comprises an emergency call test module,

wherein the emergency call test module sends a query to the subscriber access line module or an emergency phone system, and receives a response from the subscriber access line module or the phone system to the emergency call test module indicating whether or not an emergency call can be made.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the subscriber phone equipment further comprises an emergency call test indicator, wherein the emergency call test indicator is set according to the response.