Computer-related devices and techniques for facilitating an emergency call via a cellular or data network using remote communication device identifying information

• US 8,433,283 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: YMAX Communications Corporation (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: YMAX Communications Corporation (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Inventors: Borislow, Daniel M., Wood, Gregory Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US12/360,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20100190466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/404.1, 455/403, 4554561-457
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02524 Creating or updating the radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• 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 4/90 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 device includes a transceiver and control logic. The control logic (a) receives one or more first signals carrying corresponding one or more cellular tower identifiers that each identifies a cellular tower, (b) determines signal strengths of the one or more first signals and a location of the device based on the one or more cellular tower identifiers, (c) receives a second signal corresponding to an emergency call, and (d) transfers, via a cellular network or a packet switched network, a third signal carrying an indicator of the location of the device to a remote device to aid emergency personnel in identifying the location of the device, the control logic implementing the emergency call as one of a cellular-based call via the cellular network or a VoIP call via the packet switched network.

Claims

1. A communication device for use with a computer, said communication device comprising:

a transceiver; and

control logic that (a) receives via said transceiver, one or more first signals from one or more cellular towers including data corresponding to one or more cellular tower identifiers that each identify one or more cellular towers, (b) determines one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals and a location of the communication device based on the one or more cellular tower identifiers and the one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals, (c) receives a second signal corresponding to an emergency call, and (d) transfers, via a cellular network or a packet switched network, a third signal carrying an indicator of the location of said communication device based on the one or more cellular tower identifiers and the one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals to a remote device to aid emergency personnel in identifying the location of said communication device, said control logic implementing said emergency call as one of a cellular-based call via said cellular network or a VoIP call via said packet switched network.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said control logic causes the location of said communication device to be displayed on a display associated with said communication device or said computer.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said control logic outputs a fourth signal including data corresponding to the one or more cellular tower identifiers and receives a fifth signal including data comprising one or more locations of the cellular towers having the one or more cellular tower identifiers, wherein said control logic determines the location of the communication device using the one or more locations of the cellular towers and the one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the one or more locations of the cellular towers are retrieved from a database using the one or more cellular tower identifiers.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said control logic outputs a fourth signal including data corresponding to the one or more cellular tower identifiers and the one or more signal strengths, receives data comprising information relating to the location of said communication device, and determines the location of said communication device based on the information.

6. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the location of the communication device is used to update registered location information of the communication device, said indicator being selected from the registered location information of the communication device that has been updated.

7. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the registered location information is stored in a memory of one of the communication device and the computer.

8. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the registered location information is stored in a database that is remote from said communication device and said computer.

9. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the location of the communication device is used by a user of the communication device to update registered location information of the communication device, said indicator being selected from the registered location information of the communication device that has been updated.

10. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the update is carried out automatically.

11. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the location of the communication device is used by a user of the communication device to update registered location information of the communication device with the aid of a display upon which the location of the communication device is depicted.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said communication device is incorporated into said computer.

13. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said control logic determines when said second signal corresponds to an emergency call.

14. A method for making a telephone call via a communication device that is coupled to a computer, the method comprising:

receiving, at a communication device via a transceiver, one or more first signals from one or more cellular towers including data corresponding to one or more cellular tower identifiers that each identify one or more cellular towers;

determining, via control logic, one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals and a location of the communication device based on the one or more cellular tower identifiers and the one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals;

receiving, at the communication device, a second signal corresponding to an emergency call;

transferring, via a cellular network or a packet switched network, a third signal carrying an indicator of the location of said communication device based on the one or more cellular tower identifiers and the one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals to a remote device to aid emergency personnel in identifying the location of said communication device; and

implementing said emergency call as one of a cellular-based call via said cellular network or a VoIP call via said packet switched network.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying the location of the communication device on a display associated with said communication device or said computer.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting a fourth signal including data corresponding to the one or more cellular tower identifiers and receiving a fifth signal including data comprising one or more locations of the cellular towers having the one or more cellular tower identifiers, wherein said determining a location of said communication device is performed using the one or more locations of the cellular towers and the one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more locations of the cellular towers are retrieved from a database using the one or more cellular tower identifiers.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting a fourth signal including data comprising the one or more cellular tower identifiers and the one or more signal strengths, receiving data comprising information relating to the location of said communication device, and determining the location of said communication device based on said information.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the location of said communication device is used to update registered location information of the communication device, said indicator being selected from the registered location information of the communication device that has been updated.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the registered location information is stored in a memory of one of the communication device and the computer.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the registered location information is stored in a database that is remote from said communication device and computer.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the location of the communication device is used by a user of the communication device to update registered location information of the communication device, said indicator being selected from the registered location information of the communication device that has been updated.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the update is carried out automatically.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the location of the communication device is used by a user of the communication device to update registered location information of the communication device with the aid of a display upon which the location of the communication device is depicted.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining when said second signal corresponds to an emergency call.

26. A processor program product for use in connection with one or more processors for executing software instructions, said processor program product comprising:

a non-transitory processor usable medium having processor readable program code embodied therein for causing said one or more processors to (a) receive via a transceiver of a communication device one or more first signals from one or more cellular towers including data corresponding to one or more cellular tower identifiers that each identify one or more cellular towers, (b) determine one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals and a location of the communication device including the transceiver based on the one or more cellular tower identifiers and the one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals, (c) receive a second signal corresponding to an emergency call, and (d) transfer, via a cellular network or a packet switched network, a third signal carrying an indicator of the location of said communication device to a remote device to aid emergency personnel in identifying the location of said communication device, said one or more processors implementing said emergency call as one of a cellular-based call via said cellular network or a VoIP call via said packet switched network.

27. The processor program product of claim 26, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to have the location of said communication device be displayed on a display associated with said communication device or a computer coupled to the communication device.

28. The processor program product of claim 26, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to output a fourth signal carrying the one or more cellular tower identifiers and receive a fifth signal carrying one or more locations of the one or more cellular towers having the one or more cellular tower identifiers, wherein said one or more processors determine a location of the communication device using the one or more locations of the cellular towers and the one or more signal strengths of the one or more first signals.

29. The processor program product of claim 28, wherein the one or more locations of the cellular towers are retrieved from a database using the one or more cellular tower identifiers.

30. The processor program product of claim 26, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to output a fourth signal carrying the cellular tower identifiers and the signal strengths, receive information relating to the location of said communication device, and determine the location of said communication device based on the information.

31. The processor program product of claim 28, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to have the location of the communication device be used to update registered location information of the communication device, said indicator being selected from the registered location information of the communication device that has been updated.

32. The processor program product of claim 31, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to have the registered location information stored in a memory of one of said communication device and a computer.

33. The processor program product of claim 31, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to have the registered location information stored in a database that is remote from said communication device and a computer.

34. The processor program product of claim 28, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to receive input from a user of the communication device such that the location of the communication device is used by said one or more processors to update registered location information of the communication device, said indicator being selected from the registered location information of the communication device that has been updated.

35. The processor program product of claim 31, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to carry out the update automatically.

36. The processor program product of claim 28, wherein said processor readable program code causes said one or more processors to receive input from a user of the communication device such that the location of the communication device is used by said one or more processors to update registered location information of the communication device, said update being carried out with the aid of a display upon which the location of the communication device is depicted.

37. The processor program product of claim 26, wherein said processor readable program code causes said processor to determine when said second signal corresponds to an emergency call.