Locating a voice over packet (VoP) device connected to a network

• US 9,049,132 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Livingood, Jason D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US14/637,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20150180727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 91 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 370/259, 370/352, 379/37, 379/45, 379/201.03, 455/445, 455/412.2, 709/206, 709/249, 726/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• 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 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for determining a physical address for a device connected to a network via an access point. Associations between one or more physical addresses and access points may be stored in a profile associated with the device. If the device is connected to a particular access point, the profile and associations may be used to determine a current physical address for the device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an access point via which a Voice over Packet (VoP) device has access to a network;

accessing a profile associated with the VoP device, the profile comprising a plurality of physical addresses each associated with a respective access point, each physical address of the plurality of physical addresses indicating a location of the VoP device when the VoP device has access to the network via the respective access point; and

responsive to a determination that the access point via which the VoP device has access to the network matches an access point in the profile, associating the VoP device with a physical address associated with the access point in the profile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the VoP device is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-capable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the VoP device is a wireless phone.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a communication indicating the association between the VoP device and the physical address.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising engaging in a VoP call.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing an emergency call to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) based on the physical address.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the profile in response to the VoP device having access to the network via an access point that is not one of the respective access points in the profile.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the updating comprises querying a user of the VoP device for a street address.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising confirming the physical address via feedback from the VoP device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the respective access points is stored in the profile based on a nickname or an identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical address comprises a street address.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile is stored in a database remote from the VoP device.

13. A method comprising:

determining that a device is connected to a network access point;

determining, based on a profile associated with the device, a physical address associated with the network access point;

associating the device with the physical address for a Voice over Packet (VoP) communication; and

engaging in the VoP communication.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the VoP communication is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the VoP communication is an emergency call.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the device is connected to a different network access point that is not included in the profile associated with the device; and

updating the profile associated with the device to indicate an association between the different network access point and a physical address associated with the different network access point.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the updating comprises at least one of querying the device for the physical address associated with the different network access point or determining the physical address associated with the different network access point by performing location matching for the device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the profile associated with the device comprises a plurality of entries associating the device with a plurality of network access points and, for each of the plurality of network access points, a corresponding physical address.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the profile is generated by prompting a user of the device for a plurality of street addresses corresponding to a plurality of different network access points.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the device is a wireless phone.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the network access point is indicated in the profile associated with the device based on a nickname or an identifier.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the profile associated with the device is stored on a database remote from the device.

23. A method comprising:

determining an access point via which a device has access to a network;

accessing a profile associated with the device;

determining, based on the profile associated with the device, a physical address associated with the access point; and

sending a communication indicating that the device is associated with the physical address.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising engaging in a Voice over Packet (VoP) call.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the VoP call is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the VoP call is an emergency call, the method further comprising routing the emergency call to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) based on the physical address.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the device is a wireless phone.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising updating the profile associated with the device in response to a determination that the device is connected to the network from a different access point.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein each of a plurality of access points stored in the profile associated with the device is represented in the profile by an identifier or a nickname.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the profile associated with the device is stored on a database remote from the device.