Verification of communications network-derived location information

• US 8,761,718 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intrado Life & Safety Incorporated
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Koepke, Michael Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US11/564,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,763 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/435.2, 455/414.2, 455/456.3, 379/45, 379/49, 379/10.01, 340/539.13, 370/351, 342/357.22, 709/206
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• 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 40/20 based on geographic position or location

Abstract

A system and method that tests emergency services location information and provides virtually instantaneous feed-back to a technician in the field, monitoring center or both. A location of a mobile communications device is determined by the technician via independent means and a call is placed to a special test number. When an element in the mobile network receives the call, it recognizes the special number and obtains location information regarding the mobile communications device by the means currently employed in the art for emergency services calls. The location information is delivered back to the calling mobile communications device, where it is compared to the previously-determined location. The two locations may then be stored on the mobile communications device, forwarded to a monitoring center or both.

Claims

1. A method for testing accuracy of mobile communications network derived emergency services geographic location information comprising:

determining a first geographic location of a mobile communications device by a first geographic location determining means;

making a call by a user to an emergency services test number;

said emergency services test number being other than an emergency services number;

determining a second geographic location of said mobile communications device by the mobile communications network using a second geographic location determining means independent of said first geographic location determining means in response to said making a call to said emergency services test number; and

delivering the second geographic location of said mobile communications device to said user at said mobile communications device to permit said user to make a comparison of said first geographic location and said second geographic location to effect said testing,

wherein delivering the second geographic location of said mobile communications device to said user at said mobile communications device comprises;

sending a short message service (SMS) message to said mobile communications device from the mobile communications network.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein sending an SMS message comprises sending an SMS message via normal SMS channels.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein sending an SMS message comprises sending an SMS message directly to said mobile communications device.

4. A method for testing mobile communications network derived emergency services geographic location information comprising:

determining a first geographic location of a mobile communications device by a first geographic location determining means;

making a call by a user to an emergency services test number;

said emergency services test number being other than an emergency services number;

determining a second geographic location of said mobile communications device by the mobile communications network by a second geographic location determining means independent of said first geographic location determining means in response to said making a call to said emergency services test number; and

delivering the second geographic location of said mobile communications device to a data server accessible by said user,

wherein delivering the second geographic location of said mobile communications device comprises;

completing a connection between said mobile communications device and the data server in response to said making a call to said emergency services test number; and

up loading said second geographic location from said mobile communications device to said data server.