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

• US 9,055,550 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• 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:
  US14/641,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20150181554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 95 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 370/259, 370/352, 370/331, 379/37, 379/45, 455/445, 455/411, 455/412.2, 709/206
• 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 a network access point. Associations between one or more physical addresses and network access points may be stored in a profile associated with the device. If the device is connected to a particular network access point, the profile and associations may be used to determine a current physical address for the device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a voice over packet (VoP) device, a network access point associated with an access point identifier;

determining a physical address of the VoP device while the VoP device has access to the network access point; and

storing, in a profile associated with the VoP device, an association between the access point identifier and the physical address.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, via the network access point, a request for a VoP communication;

associating the VoP device with the physical address based on the association with the access point identifier stored in the profile; and

engaging in the VoP communication.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the VoP device, a second network access point associated with the access point identifier; and

responsive to detecting the second network access point, prompting a user of the VoP device to confirm or update the association between the access point identifier and the physical address.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the VoP device has access to a second network access point associated with the access point identifier, and that the second network access point is associated with a second physical address different from the physical address, updating the profile to associate the access point identifier with the second physical address.

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

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

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile is stored remotely from the VoP device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising engaging in a VoP communication.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the physical address of the VoP device while the VoP device has access to the network access point comprises determining the physical address by performing location matching for the VoP device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the physical address of the VoP device while the VoP device has access to the network access point comprises estimating the physical address and requesting confirmation of the physical address from a user of the VoP device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the physical address of the VoP device while the VoP device has access to the network access point comprises prompting a user of the VoP device to input the physical address.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising denying the physical address input by the user if there is an error associated with the input.

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

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile comprises a plurality of entries associating the device with a plurality of access point identifiers and, for each of the plurality of access point identifiers, an association with a corresponding physical address.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical address comprises one or more of:

a street address, a city, a state, and a zip code.

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

17. A method comprising:

identifying a network access point accessible to a voice over packet (VoP) device;

receiving a physical address from the VoP device; and

storing, in a profile associated with the VoP device, an association between the physical address and the network access point for VoP calls involving the VoP device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sending, via the network access point, a request for a requested VoP call involving the VoP device;

associating the VoP device with the physical address based on the association stored in the profile; and

engaging in the requested VoP call.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

associating an access point identifier with the network access point;

detecting, by the VoP device, a second network access point associated with the access point identifier; and

responsive to detecting the second network access point, prompting a user of the VoP device to confirm or update the association stored in the profile.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the VoP device is a wireless phone.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the profile is stored remotely from the VoP device.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the physical address comprises one or more of:

a street address, a city, a state, and a zip code.

23. A method comprising:

determining that a voice over packet (VoP) device has access to a network via a network access point;

providing a user with an option to update a physical address currently associated with the network access point for VoP calls involving the VoP device;

receiving an updated physical address from the VoP device; and

updating a profile associated with the VoP device to associate the updated physical address with the network access point for VoP phone calls involving the VoP device.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising denying the updated physical address if there is an error associated with a user input supplying the updated physical address.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the profile comprises a plurality of entries associating the VoP device with a plurality of access point identifiers and, for each of the plurality of access point identifiers, an association with a corresponding physical address.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the physical address comprises one or more of:

a street address, a city, a state, and a zip code.

27. A method comprising:

associating a first device with a first network access point;

accessing a profile, associated with the first device, comprising a plurality of physical addresses respectively associated with a plurality of network access points, to determine a first physical address of the first device;

associating the first physical address with the first device for a packetized voice call involving the first network access point; and

engaging in the packetized voice call.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first device is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-capable device.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising determining the first physical address of the first device by performing location matching for the first device.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising determining the first physical address of the first device by estimating the first physical address and requesting confirmation of the first physical address from a user of the first device.