Method and apparatus for detecting relocation of endpoint devices

• US 8,780,895 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McLaughlin, Robert J., Cherchali, Ali M.
• Primary Examiner(s): JENSEN, NICHOLAS A
• Application Number:
  US11/744,728
• Time in Patent Office: 2,629 Days
• Field of Search: 370/356, 370/352, 455/411, 455/402.1, 455/404.2, 455/456.5, 709/223, 379/207.12
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• 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

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for detecting relocation of endpoint devices used for accessing services provided on packet networks, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks are disclosed. For example, the method receives a report of a detected inertial movement of a customer endpoint device, and the method then uses the report of the detected inertial movement for determining whether a relocation of the customer endpoint device has occurred.

Claims

1. A method for determining a relocation of a customer endpoint device, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a report of a detected inertial movement of the customer endpoint device when the customer endpoint device is activated, wherein the inertial movement is recorded in a memory of the customer endpoint device that is maintained by a secondary power source and the report of the detected inertial movement comprises a degree of motion, a date and a time of the detected inertial movement, wherein the customer endpoint device comprises an enhanced 911 voice over internet protocol endpoint device;

resetting, by the processor, the memory of the customer endpoint device after the report of the detected inertial movement is received;

receiving, by the processor, a report of a power loss event associated with the customer endpoint device only when the report of the detected inertial movement is also received, wherein the report of the power loss event comprises a type of power loss, a duration of the power loss, a time and a date;

determining, by the processor, a previous source internet protocol address used by the customer endpoint device;

obtaining, by the processor, a record of a last check-in message from the customer endpoint device;

determining, by the processor, that the relocation of the customer endpoint device has occurred using the report of the detected inertial movement, the report of the power loss event, the previous source internet protocol address and the record of the last check-in message; and

intercepting, by the processor, a voice over internet protocol service of the customer endpoint device until a customer address is obtained.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the report of the power loss event or the report of the detected inertial movement is received automatically.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the report of the power loss event or the report of the detected inertial movement is received as a response to a query.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

intercepting the voice over internet protocol service until a customer address is validated in addition to obtaining the customer address.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium to store a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for determining a relocation of a customer endpoint device, the operations comprising:

receiving a report of a detected inertial movement of the customer endpoint device when the customer endpoint device is activated, wherein the inertial movement is recorded in a memory of the customer endpoint device that is maintained by a secondary power source and the report of the detected inertial movement comprises a degree of motion, a date and a time of the detected inertial movement, wherein the customer endpoint device comprises an enhanced 911 voice over internet protocol endpoint device;

resetting the memory of the customer endpoint device after the report of the detected inertial movement is received;

receiving a report of a power loss event associated with the customer endpoint device only when the report of the detected inertial movement is also received, wherein the report of the power loss event comprises a type of power loss, a duration of the power loss, a time and a date;

determining a previous source internet protocol address used by the customer endpoint device;

obtaining a record of a last check-in message from the customer endpoint device;

determining that the relocation of the customer endpoint device has occurred using the report of the detected inertial movement, the report of the power loss event, the previous source internet protocol address and the record of the last check-in message; and

intercepting a voice over internet protocol service of the customer endpoint device until a customer address is obtained.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, further comprising:

intercepting the voice over internet protocol service until a customer address is validated in addition to obtaining the customer address.

6. A method for determining a relocation of a customer endpoint device, comprising:

detecting, by a processor, an inertial movement of the customer endpoint device;

recording, by the processor, the inertial movement as a report of a detected inertial movement in a memory of the customer endpoint device that is maintained by a secondary power source and the report of the detected inertial movement comprises a degree of motion, a date and a time of the detected inertial movement, wherein the customer endpoint device comprises an enhanced 911 voice over internet protocol endpoint device;

detecting, by the processor, a power loss event of the customer endpoint device only when the inertial movement of the customer endpoint device is also detected, wherein the report of the power loss event comprises a type of power loss, a duration of the power loss, a time and a date;

detecting, by the processor, a change in an internet protocol address used by the customer endpoint device by comparing the internet protocol address used to make a call with a previously stored internet protocol address;

sending, by the processor, the report of the detected inertial movement, the power loss event and the internet protocol address to a network application server for determining whether the relocation of the customer endpoint device has occurred when the customer endpoint device is activated, wherein a voice over internet protocol service of the customer endpoint device is intercepted by the network application server until a customer address is obtained; and

receiving, by the processor, a signal to reset the memory of the customer endpoint device from the network application server after the report of the detected inertial movement is sent to the network application server.