Method for localization and location-related connection of a mobile Voice-over-IP subscriber to an emergency call station

• US 8,249,055 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Beinroth, Achim, Erfurt, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidner, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US12/293,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20090219921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,009 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• 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 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for localization and location-related connection of a mobile voice-over-IP subscriber to an emergency call station even when the subscriber is temporarily registered in the voice-over-IP network with an address of a location other than his home address (2). For this purpose, the voice-over-IP network comprises an address database which is either configured as a central or decentralized database and in which addresses are indexed with a location-related number. An address of the location of the subscriber is updated (3) by using the address range predefined in the address database and an emergency call is routed (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) to an associated emergency call station using the location-related number. The location-related number and data of the subscriber are then transmitted to the associated emergency call station (8, 9). The actual location of the subscriber emitting the emergency call is then determined in the emergency call station using the location-related number and querying the address database (11). The concept underlying the invention is to provide, in a simple manner and without major modifications to the voice-over-IP network, location-related information for voice-over-IP subscribers for the routing of emergency calls or for determining the actual location of a voice-over-IP subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for localization and location-related relaying of a subscriber in a Voice-over-IP network to an emergency center, wherein the subscriber may intermittently be registered at a location other than a home address of the subscriber, comprising:

providing the Voice-over-IP network with an address database;

indexing addresses in the address database with location-related numbers and using a location-related number in the address database to indicate a current location of the subscriber;

initializing the location-related number to identify the home address of the subscriber, wherein the home address at least identifies a city and a road;

when the subscriber inputs a current address indicating that the current location of the subscriber is different from the home address, setting the location-related number to indicate the current address;

at an expiration of a validity period of the current address indicating the current location, resetting the location-related number to identify the home address of the subscriber;

routing an emergency call to an associated emergency center using the location-related number;

transmitting the location-related number together with data from the subscriber to the associated emergency center; and

ascertaining the current location of the subscriber making the emergency call using the location-related number by querying the address database.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location-related number is linked to information for forwarding to the respective associated emergency center by means of a mapping table.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current address of the subscriber is updated using a World Wide Web interface.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein confirmation of the current address of the subscriber is requested periodically.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the address database is provided centrally or locally in the Voice-Over-IP network.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location-related number is transmitted by means of an SIP interface to a media gateway in a P-Access-Network-Info header based on Request for Comment RFC 3455.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location-related number is converted by a media gateway to an ISUP parameter “

Location Number”

for forwarding to the respective emergency center.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location-related number is stored in a format from a recommendation E.164 in the address database.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the validity period is a predefined period of time.