Method and system for obtaining emergency caller location

• US 8,838,143 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Chi Fai, Chiu, Shin Cheung Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US13/628,050
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041-4042, 4554561-4513, 4554565-4566, 455/521, 455/554.1, 379/37, 379/51, 379/67.1, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/207.01, 379/219, 379/230
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• 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 3/5116 for emergency applications
• 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 4/029 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 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A method and system for determining if a phone has changed locations includes a subscriber phone equipment coupled to a phone system through a subscriber access line. The subscriber phone equipment includes a location test module and a datastore. The location test module includes a first subscriber access line identity for the subscriber access line. The datastore includes a first subscriber location for the first subscriber access line identity. The location test module obtains a second subscriber access line identity for the subscriber access line, obtains a second subscriber location for the second subscriber access line identity, and compares the first subscriber location and the second subscriber location. If the first subscriber location does not match the second subscriber location, then the subscriber phone equipment has changed locations. If the first subscriber location matches the second subscriber location, then the subscriber phone equipment has not changed locations.

Claims

1. A method for indicating a location change for a location module, comprising:

(a) providing a telephone comprising a location module, the location module being coupled to an access module, wherein the location module comprises a location of the access module;

(b) coupling the location module to a current access module different from the access module;

(c) obtaining by the location module a current location for the current access module from a location query system; and

(d) determining by the location module that the telephone has changed locations when the current location does not match the location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) obtaining a current location-based service for the telephone from a service provider, comprising;

(e1) in response to determining that the telephone has changed locations, obtaining the current location-based service using the current location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location or the current location comprises one or more of the following:

geophysical location;

geophysical property;

physical address;

street address;

building address;

room number;

or cubicle number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining (c) comprises:

(c1) communicating with the location query system by the location module;

(c2) providing, by the location module to the location query system, a current access module identity associated with the current access module; and

(c3) receiving, from the location query system by the location module, the current location associated with the current access module identity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the communicating (c1) comprises:

(c1i) communicating with the location query system by the location module via the access module or the current access module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the current access module comprises a Wi-Fi access point or a cellular base station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone is coupled to a phone system via the current access module.

8. A system, comprising:

a location query system;

an access module; and

a telephone comprising a location module and coupled to the access module, wherein the location module comprises a location of the access module, wherein the location module;

couples to a current access module different from the access module;

provides to the location query system a current access module identity associated with the current access module;

receives from the location query system a current location associated with the current access module identity; and

determines the telephone has changed locations when the current location does not match the location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the location module further:

obtains a current location-based service for the telephone from a service provider,

wherein the location module, in response to determining that the telephone has changed locations, obtains the current location-based service using the current location.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the location or the current location comprises one or more of the following:

geophysical location;

geophysical property;

physical address;

street address;

building address;

room number;

or cubicle number.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the location module communicates with the location query system via the access module or the current access module.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the current access module comprises a Wi-Fi access point or a cellular base station.

13. A method for obtaining a location-based service for a telephone, comprising:

(a) providing the telephone coupled to an access module and a service provider, wherein the telephone comprises a location of the access module;

(b) obtaining by the telephone a location-based service from the service provider using the location;

(c) coupling the telephone to a current access module different from the access module;

(d) in response to coupling the telephone to the current access module, obtaining by the telephone a current location for the current access module;

(e) determining the telephone has changed locations when the current location does not match the location; and

(f) obtaining by the telephone a current location-based service from the service provider using the current location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the telephone further comprises a location module, wherein the location module communicates with a location query system, wherein the obtaining (d) comprises:

(d1) providing, by the location module to the location query system, a current access module identity associated with the current access module; and

(d2) receiving, by the location module from the location query system, the current location associated with the current access module identity.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining (e) comprises:

(e1) determining by the location module that the telephone has changed locations when the current location does not match the location.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the service provider provides one or more of the following:

telephony service;

directory service;

marketing information service;

toll-free service; and

pay-per-use service.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the location or the current location comprises one or more of the following:

geophysical location;

geophysical property;

physical address;

street address;

building number;

room number;

or cubicle number.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the current access module comprises a Wi-Fi access point or a cellular base station.

19. A system, comprising:

a service provider;

an access module; and

a telephone coupled to the access module and the service provider, wherein the telephone comprises a location for the access module, wherein the telephone;

obtains a location-based service from the service provider using the location;

couples to a current access module different from the access module;

in response to coupling to the current access module, obtains a current location of the current access module;

determines the telephone has changed locations when the current location does not match the location; and

obtains a current location-based service from the service provider using the current location.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the telephone further comprises a location module, wherein the location module communicates with a location query system, wherein in obtaining the location-based service from the service provider, the location module:

provides to the location query system a current access module identity associated with the current access module; and

receives from the location query system the current location associated with the current access module identity.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein in determining that the telephone has changed locations when the current location does not match the location, the location module:

determines that the telephone has changed locations when the current location does not match the location.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the service provider provides one or more of the following:

telephony service;

directory service;

marketing information service;

toll-free service; and

pay-per-use service.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the location or the current location comprises one or more of the following:

geophysical location;

geophysical property;

physical address;

street address;

building number;

room number;

or cubicle number.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the current access module comprises a Wi-Fi access point or a cellular base station.