Method and system for obtaining emergency caller location

• US 8,744,400 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Chi Fai, Chiu, Shin Cheung Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/929,986
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/435.1, 455/432.3
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• 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 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• 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

Methods and systems for obtaining the location of a caller during an emergency or other telephone call. Before or during a call, a phone system can obtain from one or more sources a subscriber access line identity associated with a subscriber location record that includes a subscriber access line identity attribute and a subscriber location attribute. A phone system can send a query that includes the subscriber access line identity to a subscriber location query system that returns a subscriber location record or a subscriber location to the phone system. The phone system can then display the caller location information to a phone system, an agent or operator so that emergency services can be quickly and accurately dispatched. Using similar procedure and a memory, phone systems can also determine if a subscriber phone has or is changing location. Methods for testing the emergency call capabilities of a subscriber access line.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a location for a mobile phone equipment, wherein the mobile phone equipment is coupled to a wireless base station, comprising:

(a) obtaining by the mobile phone equipment a current wireless base station identity for a current wireless base station to which the mobile phone equipment is coupled;

(b) obtaining by the mobile phone equipment a stored wireless base station identity;

(c) determining by the mobile phone equipment that the current wireless base station identity does not match the stored wireless base station identity;

(d) obtaining by the mobile phone equipment a location corresponding to the current wireless base station identity; and

(e) storing the location by the mobile phone equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing (e) comprises:

(e1) storing the location associated with a service number of the mobile phone equipment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing (e) comprises:

(e1) sending the location to a remote system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sending (e1) comprises:

(e1i) sending the location to the remote system during a service call, wherein the remote system provides the service call.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the service call is free to the mobile phone equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location comprises street address information corresponding to the wireless base station identity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the storing (e) comprises:

(e1) sending the street address information to a remote system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

(f) obtaining a directory service or marketing information from the remote system based on the street address information.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

(f) indicating the street address information on a display connected to the mobile phone equipment.

10. A system, comprising:

a mobile phone equipment, wherein the mobile phone equipment;

(a) obtains a current wireless base station identity for a current wireless base station to which the mobile phone equipment is coupled;

(b) obtain a stored wireless base station identity;

(c) determine that the current wireless base station identity does not match the stored wireless base station identity;

(d) obtain a location corresponding to the current wireless base station identity; and

(e) store the location by the mobile phone equipment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the store (e) comprises:

(e1) store the location associated with a service number of the mobile phone equipment.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the store (e) comprises:

(e1) send the location to the remote system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the send (e1) comprises:

(e1i) send the location to the remote system during a service call, wherein the remote system provides the service call.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the service call is free to the mobile phone equipment.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the location comprises street address information corresponding to the wireless base station identity.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the store (e) comprises:

(e1) send the street address information to the remote system.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

(f) obtain a directory service or marketing information from the remote system based on the street address information.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

(f) indicate the street address information on a display connected to the mobile phone equipment.

19. A method for obtaining a location for a mobile phone equipment, wherein the mobile phone equipment is coupled to a wireless base station, comprising:

(a) obtaining by the mobile phone equipment a current wireless base station identity for a current wireless base station to which the mobile phone equipment is coupled;

(b) obtaining by the mobile phone equipment a stored wireless base station identity;

(c) determining by the mobile phone equipment that the current wireless base station identity does not match the stored wireless base station identity;

(d) obtaining by the mobile phone equipment a location corresponding to the current wireless base station identity; and

(e) sending the location to a remote system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the sending (e) comprises:

(e1) sending the location associated with a service number of the mobile phone equipment to the remote system.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the sending (e) comprises:

(e1) sending the location to the remote system during a service call, wherein the remote system provides the service call.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the location comprises street address information corresponding to the wireless base station identity.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

(f) obtaining a directory service or marketing information from the remote system based on the street address information.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

(f) indicating the street address information on a display connected to the mobile phone equipment.