Apparatus and methods for transmission of emergency call data over wireless networks

• US 8,265,022 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hans, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYUN, SOON D
• Application Number:
  US12/368,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20100202368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• 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 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• 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 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing useful data in association with a high-priority call such as an emergency call. In one embodiment, the data comprises a data (e.g., an MSD or FSD) embedded within one or more real-time protocol packets such as RTP Control Protocol (RTCP) packets, that are interspersed within the voice or user data stream (carried in e.g., RTP packets) of an emergency call. Apparatus and methods are described for transmitting the data portion reliably from the initiating terminal (e.g., an in-vehicle system) to a Public Safety Answering Point CPSAP), by using the same transport connection as the user data.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making an emergency call within a network capable of packet-switched operation, the apparatus comprising:

a microphone;

one or more sensors;

a radio transmitter;

a processor in data communication with the transmitter; and

a computer-readable apparatus comprising media comprising a computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor;

continuously capture and digitally analyze voice into a plurality of first packets;

encode one or more parameters associated with the apparatus or a platform on which the apparatus is carried into one or more second packets;

generate the plurality of packets for transmission at least in part from an interspersing of the plurality of first packets with the one or more second packets;

establish a session, wherein the session routes the interspersed plurality of first packets and one or more second packets; and

transmit the interspersed plurality of packets via the radio transmitter across a wireless network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus additionally comprises:

a radio receiver; and

a speaker in communication with the radio receiver to digitally synthesize voice from a plurality of packets received at the receiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus additionally comprises a speaker subsystem, receiver apparatus, and separation apparatus to separate a plurality of packets received from the network at the receiver apparatus into a voice component and a data component, the separation apparatus configured to:

(i) provide the voice component to the speaker subsystem; and

(ii) determine from the data component a status of receipt of the one or more second packets.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is housed.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus comprises a satellite-based position determination receiver, and one or more sensors comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

(i) an accelerometer to detect a collision;

(ii) an accelerometer to detect the vehicle overturning; and

(iii) a sensor to determine the vehicle occupancy.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises a cellular network compliant with 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) requirements, and the session is established using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interspersing of the plurality of first packets with the one or more second packets comprises interspersing a plurality of Real Time Transport Protocol (RTP) packets with one or more RTP Control Protocol (RTCP) packets, the one or more RTCP packets comprising a Minimum Set of Data (MSD).

8. Network apparatus configured to receive an emergency call within a packet switched network, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface to receive first and second pluralities of packets via an interne protocol (IP) network in data communication with the apparatus;

a processor in data communication with the interface; and

a computer readable apparatus comprising media comprising a computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions that when executed by the processor;

receive a request for a communication session, where the session facilitates transfer of the first and second pluralities of packets;

establish the session;

receive the first and second pluralities of packets via the session;

extract real-time user data from the first plurality of packets; and

extract emergency-related data from the second plurality of packets.

9. The network apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an audio module having a speaker;

and wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor further play out audio via the speaker, the audio derived from the extracted real-time user data.

10. The network apparatus of claim 8, wherein the packet-switched network comprises a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Core Network Sub-System (IMS), and the session is established using at least the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

11. The network apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first and second pluralities of packets comprise interspersed Real Time Transport Protocol (RTP) packets and RTP Control Protocol (RTCP) packets, respectively.

12. The network apparatus of claim 8, wherein the emergency-related data comprises a Minimum Set of Data (MSD).

13. The network apparatus of claim 8. wherein the network apparatus comprises a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

14. A method of placing a high-priority call within a network capable of packet-switched operation, the method comprising:

providing a continuous user data stream;

providing a plurality of data related to a high-priority event;

disposing at least portions of the user data stream within a first packetized protocol structure;

disposing at least portions of the data related to the high-priority event within a second packetized protocol structure;

interspersing the first and second protocol structures; and

transmitting the composite stream over the network via a communications session, where the composite stream comprises the interspersed first and second protocol structures.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the high-priority call comprises an emergency call, and the data related to a high-priority event comprises a Minimum Set of Data (MSD).

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the network comprises a 3rd Generation (3G) cellular network, and the transmitting comprises first establishing at least one session via a session establishment protocol.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first packetized protocol comprises a real-time transport protocol, and the second packetized protocol comprises a real-time control protocol.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is initiated automatically by a transmission apparatus disposed within a land vehicle pursuant to the event.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a collision;

(ii) a vehicle roll-over; and

(iii) a vehicle fire.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the user data comprises both video and voice data.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the data related to a high-priority event comprises accurate location data for the first entity at the time of the call.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the accurate location data is not solely based on a network address.

23. A telecommunications apparatus for the conveyance of emergency calls using a reliable packetized protocol transport to an entity to receive packetized data from a network and process the data, the apparatus comprising:

a radio transmitter; and

apparatus in communication with the transmitter that causes transmission of packetized data over the network, the packetized data comprising first packets carrying real-time user data, and second packets interspersed with the first packets and carrying emergency-related data;

wherein the first and second packets are formatted according to different protocols; and

wherein each of the different protocols support quality-of-service requirements for reliability.

24. The telecommunications apparatus of claim 23, wherein the emergency-related data comprises accurate location data for the telecommunications apparatus at the time of a call.

25. The telecommunications apparatus of claim 24, wherein the accurate location data is not solely based on a network address.

26. Network apparatus configured to receive an emergency call within a packet switched network, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface to receive first and second pluralities of packets via an internet protocol (IP) network in data communication with the apparatus;

where the first and second pluralities of packets comprise interspersed Real Time Transport Protocol (RIP) packets and RTP Control Protocol (RTCP) packets, respectively, and where at least a portion of the RTCP packets comprise a Minimum Set of Data (MSD);

a processor in data communication with the interface; and

a computer readable apparatus comprising media comprising a computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions that when executed by the processor;

receive a request for a communication session, where the session facilitates transfer of the first and second pluralities of packets;

establish the session;

receive the first and second pluralities of packets via the session;

extract real-time user data from the first plurality of packets; and

extract emergency-related data from the second plurality of packets.

27. The network apparatus of claim 26, further comprising an audio module having a speaker and wherein the plurality of instructions when executed by the processor further play out audio via the speaker, the audio derived from the extracted real-time user data.

28. The network apparatus of claim 26, wherein the packet-switched network comprises a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Core Network Sub-System (IMS), and the session is established using at least the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

29. The network apparatus of claim 26, wherein the network apparatus comprises a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).