Method and apparatus for ensuring accessibility to emergency service via VoIP or via PSTN

• US 8,750,290 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoom Telephonics Incorporated (Minim Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zoom Telephonics Incorporated (Minim Inc.)
• Inventors: Manning, Frank B., Vance, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Man
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mansoury, Nourali
• Application Number:
  US11/582,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20070121593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,792 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/261, 370/266, 370/329, 370/352, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• 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 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• 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: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network

Abstract

The Federal Communications Commission Order 05-116, E911 Requirements for IP-Enabled Service Providers, (FCC Order) requires interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers to deliver all emergency service calls to a VoIP service user'"'"'s local emergency service operator as a standard feature of the service. Under the FCC Order, VoIP service providers must supply emergency service if the VoIP service user accesses the VoIP service over broadband and if the VoIP service provider interconnects to and from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Embodiments of the present invention guarantee compliance with the FCC Order by routing a call as either a VoIP call over the Internet or as a conventional call over the PSTN, verifying that at least one of the VoIP or PSTN telephony connections supports emergency service and routing calls over that connection or, if there is no connection supplying emergency service, restricting calling over the VoIP connection.

Claims

1. An endpoint telephone device for ensuring accessibility to emergency service via VoIP or via PSTN comprising:

a packet network interface to be connected to a packet network;

a telephone line interface to be connected to a PSTN telephone line;

a telephone set interface to be connected to a telephone set; and

a controller configured to receive information from a VoIP service provider, the VoIP service provider providing VoIP services to VoIP service users, indicating accessibility of the emergency service on the packet network interface where required, to sense the telephone line interface to verify accessibility to the emergency service over the telephone line interface, and to route calls to the packet network interface or the telephone line interface and restrict VoIP calls dependent on the information and sensed accessibility, emergency service calls being routed to the PSTN telephone line when the emergency service is not available on the packet network interface; and

programmable bits that can be set by the VoIP service provider and used to determine the endpoint'"'"'s behavior, including its decision about whether to route a call to the VoIP service provider; and

further the endpoint device is configured to supply the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server with required information in relation to the status of the endpoint'"'"'s PSTN connection to enable the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server to make a routing decision.

2. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the emergency service is 911 service or enhanced 911 service.

3. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller notifies the VoIP service provider of the accessibility of the emergency service over the telephone line interface.

4. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller restricts calling over the packet network interface when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device, the emergency service over the packet network interface is not confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is not verified.

5. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller routes all calls, including emergency service calls, over the packet network interface when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device, the emergency service over the packet network interface is confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is not verified.

6. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller routes emergency service calls over the telephone line interface when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device, the emergency service over the packet network interface is not confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is verified.

7. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller routes all calls, including emergency service calls, over the packet network interface or over the telephone line interface according to information supplied to the controller by an information server when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device, the emergency service over the packet network interface is confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is verified.

8. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller routes all calls over the packet network interface or over the telephone line interface according to information supplied to the controller by an information server when the VoIP service provider is not required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device.

9. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller restricts calling over the packet network interface only to other VoIP devices when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device, the emergency service over the packet network interface is not confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is not verified.

10. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller contains a software switch to connect the telephone set interface to the packet network interface or, alternatively, to the telephone line interface.

11. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller contains a hardware switch or relay to connect the telephone set interface to the packet network interface or, alternatively, to the telephone line interface.

12. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 11 wherein the hardware switch or relay automatically connects the telephone set interface to the telephone line interface when power is disrupted to the endpoint telephone device.

13. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the endpoint telephone device contains a switch indicating whether the endpoint telephone device should check whether the emergency service can be verified over the telephone line interface.

14. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller verifies the status of the emergency service over the telephone line interface by sensing whether there is an active telephone line connected to the telephone line interface.

15. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller notifies the VoIP service provider whenever it senses a change in whether there is an active telephone line connected to the telephone line interface.

16. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller restricts calling over the packet network interface when a number of successive notifications from the VoIP service provider fail to arrive at the endpoint telephone device when expected in response to resubscriptions unless there is an active telephone line connected to the telephone line interface.

17. The endpoint telephone device according to claim 1 wherein the controller routes calls dependent on whether a call is an emergency service call.

18. A method for ensuring accessibility to emergency service via VoIP or via PSTN comprising, at an endpoint telephone device:

providing a packet network interface to be connected to a packet network;

providing a telephone line interface to be connected to a PSTN telephone line;

providing a telephone set interface to be connected to a telephone set;

receiving information from a VoIP service provider, the VoIP service provider providing VoIP services to VoIP service users, indicating accessibility of the emergency service over the packet network interface where required;

sensing the telephone line interface to verify accessibility to the emergency service over the telephone line interface; and

routing calls to the packet network interface or the telephone line interface and restricting VoIP calls dependent on the information and sensed accessibility, emergency service calls being routed to the PSTN telephone line when the emergency service is not available on the packet network interface;

in response to the VoIP service provider, setting some programmable bits in the end point device to determine the endpoint'"'"'s behavior, including its decision about whether to route a call to the VoIP service provider; and

supplying the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server with required information in relation to the status of the endpoint'"'"'s PSTN connection to enable the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server to make a routing decision.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the emergency service is 911 service or enhanced 911 service.

20. The method according to claim 18 further comprising notifying the VoIP service provider of the accessibility of the emergency service over the telephone line interface.

21. The method according to claim 18 further comprising restricting calling over the packet network interface when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service over the packet network interface, the emergency service over the packet network interface is not confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is not verified.

22. The method according to claim 18 further comprising routing all calls, including emergency service calls, over the packet network interface when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service over the packet network interface, the emergency service over the packet network interface is confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is not verified.

23. The method according to claim 18 further comprising routing emergency service calls over the telephone line interface when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service over the packet network interface, the emergency service over the packet network interface is not confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is verified.

24. The method according to claim 18 further comprising routing all calls, including emergency service calls, over the packet network interface or over the telephone line interface according to information supplied by an information server when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service over the packet network interface, the emergency service over the packet network interface is confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is verified.

25. The method according to claim 18 further comprising routing all calls over the packet network interface or over the telephone line interface according to information supplied by an information server when the VoIP service provider is not required to supply the emergency service over the packet network interface.

26. The method according to claim 18 further comprising restricting calling over the packet network interface only to other VoIP devices when the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service over the packet network interface, the emergency service over the packet network interface is not confirmed, and the emergency service over the telephone line interface is not verified.

27. The method according to claim 18 further comprising verifying the status of the emergency service over the telephone line interface by sensing whether there is an active telephone line connected to the telephone line interface.

28. The method according to claim 18 further comprising notifying the VoIP service provider whenever a change is sensed in whether there is an active telephone line connected to the telephone line interface.

29. The method according to claim 18 further comprising restricting calling over the packet network interface when a number of successive notifications from the VoIP service provider fail to arrive over the packet network interface when expected in response to resubscriptions, unless there is an active telephone line connected to the telephone line interface.

30. The method according to claim 18 further comprising routing calls dependent on whether a call is an emergency service call.

31. A method for ensuring accessibility to emergency service via VoIP or via PSTN comprising, at an endpoint telephone device of a VoIP service user:

registering the endpoint telephone device of the VoIP service user with a VoIP service provider, the VoIP service provider providing VoIP services to the VoIP service user;

sensing whether the emergency service is available over a PSTN telephone line interface and notifying the VoIP service provider of the sensed availability;

receiving at the endpoint telephone device notification whether the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device;

receiving at the endpoint telephone device notification whether an account of the VoIP service user is configured for VoIP emergency service;

receiving at the endpoint telephone device notification whether the VoIP service provider supplies the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device; and

routing calls over a packet network interface or over the telephone line interface and restricting calls over the packet network interface dependent on information conveyed by the sensing and notifying, emergency service calls being routed to the PSTN telephone line when emergency service is not available on the packet network interface;

in response to the VoIP service provider, setting programmable bits in the endpoint device to determine the endpoint'"'"'s behavior, including its decision about whether to route a call to the VoIP service provider; and

supplying the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server with required information in relation to the status of the endpoint'"'"'s PSTN connection to enable the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server to make a routing decision.

32. The method according to claim 31 further comprising restricting calling over the packet network interface when a number of successive notifications from the VoIP service provider fail to arrive at the endpoint telephone device when expected in response to resubscriptions, unless there is an active telephone line connected to the telephone line interface.

33. The method according to claim 31 further comprising periodically receiving notification at the endpoint telephone device:

whether the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device;

whether the VoIP service user'"'"'s account is configured for VoIP emergency service; and

whether the VoIP service provider provides the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device.

34. The method according to claim 31 further comprising immediately receiving notification at the endpoint telephone device whenever there is a change in

whether the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device;

whether the VoIP service user'"'"'s account is configured for VoIP emergency service;

or

whether the VoIP service provider provides the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device.

35. An endpoint telephone device for ensuring emergency service via VoIP or via PSTN comprising:

a packet network interface to be connected to a packet network;

a telephone line interface to be connected to a PSTN telephone line;

a telephone set interface to be connected to a telephone set;

means for receiving information from a VoIP service provider, the VoIP service provider providing VoIP services to VoIP service users, indicating accessibility of the emergency service over the packet network interface where required;

means for sensing the telephone line interface to verify accessibility to the emergency service over the telephone line interface; and

means for routing calls to the packet network interface or the telephone line interface and restricting VoIP calls dependent on the information and sensed accessibility, emergency service calls being routed to the PSTN telephone line when the emergency service is not available on the packet network interface;

programmable bits that can be set by the VoIP service provider and used to determine the endpoint'"'"'s behavior, including its decision about whether to route a call to the VoIP service provider; and

means for supplying the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server with required information in relation to the status of the endpoint'"'"'s PSTN connection to enable the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server to make a routing decision.

36. A method for ensuring accessibility to emergency service via VoIP or via PSTN comprising, at a VoIP service provider:

configuring an account of a VoIP service user of the VoIP service provider for the emergency service, the VoIP service provider providing VoIP services to the VoIP service user;

registering an endpoint telephone device of the VoIP service user with the VoIP service provider;

receiving notification whether the emergency service is available over a PSTN telephone line interface at the endpoint telephone device;

notifying the endpoint telephone device whether the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device;

notifying the endpoint telephone device whether the VoIP service user'"'"'s account is configured for VoIP emergency service; and

notifying the endpoint telephone device whether the VoIP service provider supplies the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device to enable calls to be routed over a packet network interface or over the telephone line interface of the endpoint telephone device dependent on information conveyed by the notifying, emergency service calls being routed to the PSTN telephone line when the emergency service is not available on the packet network interface; and

setting programmable bits in the endpoint device to determine the endpoint'"'"'s behavior, including its decision about whether to route a call to the VoIP service provider; and

making a routing decision at the VoIP service provider'"'"'s server, as long as the endpoint supplies the server with required information in relation to the status of the endpoint'"'"'s PSTN connection.

37. The method according to claim 36 further comprising periodically notifying the endpoint telephone device:

whether the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device;

whether the VoIP service user'"'"'s account is configured for VoIP emergency service; and

whether the VoIP service provider provides the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device.

38. The method according to claim 36 further comprising immediately notifying the endpoint telephone device whenever there is a change in

whether the VoIP service provider is required to supply the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device;

whether the VoIP service user'"'"'s account is configured for VoIP emergency service;

or

whether the VoIP service provider provides the emergency service to the endpoint telephone device.