System and method for distributing emergency data messages to public safety answering points in a balanced manner

• US 8,712,366 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Greene, Lynn T., Ray, Amar N., Morrill, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Application Number:
  US12/257,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20100003954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 4554561-457, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• 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: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for routing emergency data messages to public safety answering points may include identifying PSAPs local to the user and configured to receive emergency data messages. A determination of distribution of previous emergency data messages to the identified PSAPs may be performed. Based on the distribution of previous emergency data messages to the identified PSAPs, one of the identified PSAPs may be selected and the emergency data message may be routed thereto.

Claims

1. A system for routing emergency data messages to public safety answering points (PSAPs), said system comprising:

a memory;

an input/output (I/O) unit;

a processing unit in communication with said memory and I/O unit, and configured to;

receive an emergency data message and cell code identifier indicative of a location of a wireless communications device of a user, wherein the received emergency data message is of a data message type including at least one of text message, instant message (IM), email, photo message, and video message;

identify PSAPs local to the user and configured to receive emergency data messages, wherein said emergency data messages are of a data message type including at least one of text message, instant message (IM), email, photo message, and video message;

determine whether the capabilities of the identified PSAPs local to the user are matched with the data message type of the received emergency data message;

based on the determination of whether the capabilities of the identified PSAPs local to the user are matched with the data message type of the received emergency data message, select one of the identified PSAPs to route the received emergency data message;

route the received emergency data message to the selected PSAP;

store historical information of emergency data messages communicated to PSAPs in said memory, the historical information including distribution of the emergency data messages;

access the historical information stored in said memory;

update the historical information stored in said memory after routing the emergency data message to the selected PSAP;

receive data from respective PSAPs to which the emergency data messages were sent indicating that the emergency data messages were processed; and

update the historical information in said memory to include information reflective of the processed emergency data from the respective PSAPs;

generate a processed emergency data message per time unit statistical value; and

route the emergency data message based on the processed emergency data message per time unit statistical value.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured to select the PSAP to balance distribution of the emergency data messages among the identified PSAPs.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured to select the PSAP based on number of operator stations configured to receive a type of emergency data message of which is the emergency data message at each of the identified PSAPs.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the processing unit is configured to balance the number of emergency data messages based on an average defined by the emergency data messages on a per operator station at each PSAP basis.

5. A method for routing emergency data messages to public safety answering points (PSAPs), said method comprising:

identifying PSAPs local to the user and configured to receive emergency data messages, wherein said emergency data messages are of a data message type including at least one of text message, instant message (IM), email, photo message, and video message;

determining whether the capabilities of the identified PSAPs local to the user are matched with the data message type of a received emergency data message, wherein said received emergency data message is of a data message type including at least one of text message, instant message (IM), email, photo message, and video message;

based on the determination of whether the capabilities of the identified PSAPs local to the user are matched with the data message type of the received emergency data message, selecting one of the identified PSAPs to route the received emergency data message;

routing the received emergency data message to the selected PSAP;

storing historical information of emergency data messages communicated to PSAPs in said memory, the historical information including distribution of the emergency data messages;

accessing the historical information stored in said memory;

updating the historical information stored in said memory after routing the emergency data message to the selected PSAP;

receiving data from respective PSAPs to which the emergency data messages were sent indicating that the emergency data messages were processed; and

updating the historical information in said memory to include information reflective of the processed emergency data from the respective PSAPs;

generating a processed emergency data message per time unit statistical value; and

routing the emergency data message based on the processed emergency data message per time unit statistical value.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein selecting includes selecting the PSAP to balance distribution of the emergency data messages among the identified PSAPs.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein selecting includes selecting the PSAP based on number of operator stations at each of the identified PSAPs configured to receive a type of emergency data message of which the emergency data message is categorized.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising balancing the number of emergency data messages sent to the PSAPs based on an average defined by the emergency data messages on a per operator station at each PSAP basis.

9. A method for distributing emergency data messages at a PSAP, said method comprising:

receiving an emergency data message at a PSAP, wherein the received emergency data message is of a data message type including at least one of text message, instant message (IM), email, photo message, and video message;

determining distribution based on the data message type of emergency data messages to operator stations configured to handle the emergency data message type of which the received emergency data message is classified;

selecting one of the operator stations based on the determined distribution to distribute the received emergency data message; and

distributing the received emergency data message based on the data message type to the selected operator station.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein distributing the emergency data message includes:

determining how many emergency data messages have been distributed to each operator station; and

selecting the operator station to distribute the emergency data message to balance a number of emergency data messages sent to each operator station.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining a rate at which emergency data messages are being processed at each operator station; and

selecting the operator station to route the emergency data message based on a rate at which emergency data messages are being processed at each operator station and a number of emergency data messages in respective queues at each operator station.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

communicating statistical information to a network node in response to processing emergency data messages received from the network node, the statistical information including an indication of at least one emergency data message being processed.