Integrated services user part (ISUP) /session initiation protocol (SIP) gateway for unlicensed mobile access (UMA) emergency services call flow

• US 8,090,341 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2006
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Simon
• Application Number:
  US11/487,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20070014282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,996 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.4, 455/422.1, 455/458, 455/435.1, 455/456.1, 455/404.1, 370/352, 379/37
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1033 Signalling gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• 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: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 : Data link layer protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements

Abstract

An ISUP/SIP gateway is implemented to encapsulate SS7 location requests from a switched telephone network into an Internet protocol SIP message including one or more location objects. The ISUP/SIP gateway is implemented between a mobile switching center (MSC) and a VoIP positioning center (VPC) to provide support of unlicensed mobile access (UMA) voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call routing, e.g., for E9-1-1, 4-1-1, 2-1-1, etc. The disclosed location objects that are encapsulated into a SIP message includes calling party number, called party number, CGI, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), mobility indicator, and/or access point MAC address. At the SIP/ISUP gateway, SS7 integrated services user part (ISUP) location request messages are encapsulated within SIP. The SIP encapsulated location request message is then routed over the Internet to a destination VoIP positioning center (VPC).

Claims

1. A method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network, comprising:

receiving, by an Integrated Services User Part (ISUP)/Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway, a geographic location request for geographic location information associated with an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) wireless device and an emergency call; and

encapsulating, by said ISUP/SIP gateway, said geographic location request in a SIP message;

passing said SIP encapsulated geographic location request from said ISUP/SIP gateway to a voice over Internet protocol (VolP) positioning center to retrieve routing information associated with said emergency call.

2. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein:

said UMA call originated at a dual-mode phone.

3. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 2, wherein:

said dual-mode phone is capable of initiating said call via a WiFi network.

4. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

a calling party number.

5. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

a calling party number; and

a called party number.

6. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

an access point MAC address.

7. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number;

called party number; and

access point MAC address.

8. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number;

called party number; and

CGI.

9. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 8, wherein said encapsulated location request further comprises:

access point MAC address.

10. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number;

called party number;

CGI; and

International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

11. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number; and

mobility indicator.

12. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 11, wherein said encapsulated location request further comprises:

access point MAC address.

13. The method of providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number;

CGI; and

International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

14. Apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network, comprising:

means for receiving, by an Integrated Services User Part (ISUP)/Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) gateway, a geographic location request for geographic location information associated with an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) wireless device and an emergency call; and

means for encapsulating, by said ISUP/SIP gateway, said geographic location request in a SIP message;

means for passing said SIP encapsulated geographic location request from said ISUP/SIP gateway to a voice over Internet protocol (VolP) positioning center to retrieve routing information associated with said emergency call.

15. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein:

said UMA call originated at a dual-mode phone.

16. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 15, wherein:

said dual-mode phone is capable of initiating said call via a WiFi network.

17. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

a calling party number.

18. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

a calling party number; and

a called party number.

19. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

an access point MAC address.

20. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number;

called party number; and

access point MAC address.

21. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number;

called party number; and

CGI.

22. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 21, wherein said encapsulated location request further comprises:

access point MAC address.

23. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number;

called party number;

CGI; and

International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

24. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number; and

mobility indicator.

25. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 24, wherein said encapsulated location request further comprises:

access point MAC address.

26. The apparatus for providing location based support to a call made via a UMA network according to claim 14, wherein said encapsulated location request comprises:

calling party number;

CGI; and

International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).