Systems and methods for location management and emergency support for a voice over internet protocol device

• US 8,531,995 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khan, Richard L., Qiu, Chaoxin, Dailey, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamza, Faruk
• Assistant Examiner(s): DECKER, CASSANDRA L
• Application Number:
  US11/555,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20080101552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/271
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Example systems and methods to manage location information for emergency services support of an internet protocol (“IP”) communication device are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves determining a geographic location change status associated with the IP device. A message is then forwarded to the IP device based on the geographic location change status requesting a user to confirm whether a registered geographic location associated with the IP device is a current geographic location of the IP device.

Claims

1. A method of managing location information for emergency service support of an internet protocol device, comprising:

determining a geographic location change status associated with the internet protocol device;

selecting, with a processor, a suspended operating mode for the internet protocol device when the geographic location change status indicates a suspected location change,

the suspended operating mode restricting the internet protocol device to;

using a subset of communication services associated with a service subscription of the internet protocol device, and using a 911 service;

when the internet protocol device is in the suspended mode and the internet protocol device attempts to make a call which is not allowed by the suspended mode;

forwarding a message to the internet protocol device requesting a user to confirm whether a registered geographic location associated with the internet protocol device is a current geographic location of the internet protocol device; and

selecting, with the processor, an unrestricted operating mode when a response is received confirming that the registered geographic location associated with the internet protocol device is the current geographic location of the internet protocol device and when a service provider is able to provide an E911 service including a location-identification service at the current geographic location of the internet protocol device; and

when the registered geographic location is not confirmed to be the same as the current geographic location;

presenting a uniform resource locator via the internet protocol device to update the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device,

offering to connect the internet protocol device with a customer service agent to update the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device, and

updating the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device when a user-provided geographic location provided to the customer service agent or provided via a website associated with the uniform resource locator is compliant with a master street address guide.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the geographic location change status comprises:

obtaining a first internet protocol address associated with the internet protocol device;

obtaining a second internet protocol address associated with the internet protocol device; and

comparing the first and second internet protocol addresses.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the first internet protocol address is assigned to a network access device providing Internet access to the internet protocol device.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the geographic location change status indicates that the internet protocol device may have been moved from the registered geographic location to a second geographic location.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the message is configured to enable the internet protocol device to present the registered geographic location.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining whether the internet protocol device is eligible for nomadic operation, and denying access to at least one service if the internet protocol device is not eligible for nomadic operation.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the message is an audio message.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising forwarding another message to the internet protocol device indicating at least one of the selected operating mode or a reason for selecting the operating mode.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the internet protocol device is a voice over internet protocol telephone.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the unrestricted operating mode enables the internet protocol device to access all services subscribed to with the service provider associated with the internet protocol device, and the suspended operating mode restricts the internet protocol device to calling telephone numbers selected by the service provider.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the registered geographic location is stored in at least one database in a service provider network in association with an internet protocol address previously registered for the internet protocol device.

12. A system to manage location information for emergency service support of an internet protocol device, the system comprising:

an internet protocol address interface to receive a first internet protocol address associated with the internet protocol device;

a comparator to compare the first internet protocol address with a second internet protocol address;

an operating mode selector to;

determine a geographic location change status based on the comparison by the comparator, and

select a suspended operating mode for the internet protocol device when the geographic location change status indicates a suspected location change, the suspended operating mode restricting the internet protocol device to;

using a subset of communication services associated with a service subscription of the internet protocol device, and using a 911 service;

a user interface to forward a message to the internet protocol device when the internet protocol device is in the suspended mode and the internet protocol device attempts to make a call which is not allowed by the suspended mode, the message requesting a user to confirm whether a registered geographic location associated with the internet protocol device is a current geographic location of the internet protocol device;

the operating mode selector further to select an unrestricted operating mode when a response is received confirming that the registered geographic location associated with the internet protocol device is the current geographic location of the internet protocol device and when a service provider is able to provide an E911 service including a location-identification service at the current geographic location of the internet protocol device, and

when the registered geographic location is not confirmed to be the same as the current geographic location, the user interface is further to present a uniform resource locator via the internet protocol device to update the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device, and offer to connect the internet protocol device with a customer service agent to update the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device; and

a geographic location information interface to update the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device when a user-provided geographic location provided to the customer service agent or provided via a website associated with the uniform resource locator is compliant with a master street address guide.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the message is configured to enable the internet protocol device to present the registered geographic location.

14. A system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a data structure configured to store the second internet protocol address.

15. A system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a services interface to determine whether the internet protocol device is eligible for nomadic use and to cause access denial to at least one service if the internet protocol device is not eligible for nomadic use.

16. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the second internet protocol address is associated with a geographic location within which the internet protocol device was located prior to being associated with the first internet protocol address.

17. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the internet protocol device is a voice over internet protocol telephone.

18. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the unrestricted operating mode enables the internet protocol device to access all services subscribed to with the service provider associated with the internet protocol device, and the suspended operating mode restricts the internet protocol device to calling telephone numbers selected by the service provider.

19. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the registered geographic location is stored in at least one database in a service provider network in association with the second internet protocol address, and the second internet protocol address is registered for the internet protocol device in the at least one database during a previous registration process.

20. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the operating mode selector is implemented with a programmed processor.

21. A machine accessible storage device comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

when a first internet protocol address associated with a current geographic location of an internet protocol device does not match a second internet protocol address associated with a registered geographic location of the internet protocol device, selecting a suspended operating mode for the internet protocol device,

the suspended operating mode restricting the internet protocol device to using a subset of communication services associated with a service subscription of the internet protocol device, the subset including a 911 service; and

when the internet protocol device is in the suspended mode and the internet protocol device attempts to make a call which is not allowed by the suspended mode;

forwarding a message to the internet protocol device requesting a user to confirm whether the registered geographic location associated with the internet protocol device is the current geographic location of the internet protocol device; and

selecting an unrestricted operating mode when a response is received confirming that the registered geographic location associated with the internet protocol device is the current geographic location of the internet protocol device and when a service provider is able to provide an E911 service including a location-identification service at the current geographic location of the internet protocol device; and

when the registered geographic location is not confirmed to be the same as the current geographic location;

presenting a uniform resource locator via the internet protocol device to update the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device,

offering to connect the internet protocol device with a customer service agent to update the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device, and

updating the registered geographic location of the internet protocol device when a user-provided geographic location provided to the customer service agent or provided via a website associated with the uniform resource locator is compliant with a master street address guide.

22. A machine accessible storage device as defined in claim 21, wherein the message is configured to enable the internet protocol device to present the registered geographic location.

23. A machine accessible storage device as defined in claim 21, wherein the internet protocol device is a voice over internet protocol telephone.

24. A machine accessible storage device as defined in claim 21 wherein the instructions further cause the machine to determine whether the internet protocol device is eligible for nomadic operation and to deny access to at least one service if the internet protocol device is not eligible for nomadic operation.