System and method for identifying E-911 calls and notifying family members/friends of the caller

• US 9,332,122 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zeigler, John, Leister, Jeffrey L., Chakravarthy, Cadathur V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLAIR, KILE O
• Application Number:
  US12/365,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20100195805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,645 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37, 379/38, 379/40, 379/41, 379/45, 379/47, 379/51, 379/205.01, 455/404.1, 455/521
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications

Abstract

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method and system may be provided for providing notification that an emergency call is being placed. The system and method includes identifying a telephone call as being an emergency call, identifying a calling party of the telephone call, locating a notification list associated with the identified calling party, and sending a notification to members on the notification list.

Claims

1. A method for providing notification of an emergency call being placed, said method comprising:

receiving a telephone call at an E-911 service platform, the E-911 service platform comprising a selective router and an application server;

identifying, using a processor of the E-911 service platform, the telephone call as being an emergency call;

identifying, by the E-911 service platform, a calling party of the telephone call;

locating, by the selective router, an appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP) based on information related to the emergency call and the calling party;

routing, by the selective router, a first message to the appropriate public safety answering point, wherein the first message includes the emergency call and an identification code unique to the calling party;

receiving a second message from the appropriate public safety answering point, wherein the second message includes contact information of an emergency responder and the identification code unique to the calling party;

query, by the application server, a subscriber database to determine if the calling party is a subscriber to 911 family notification;

responsive to a determination that the calling party is a subscriber to 911 family notification, locating, by the application server, a notification list associated with the identified calling party; and

automatically sending, by the application server, a notification to members on the notification list, wherein an amount of detail provided in the notification to each member is specified by one of a plurality of notification levels selected for that member by the calling party at the time the members of the notification list are selected, wherein at least one of —

the plurality of notification levels includes the contact information of the —

emergency responder received from the appropriate public safety answering point, and wherein sending the notification includes sending at least one of a text message, phone recording, and electronic mail as predetermined based on information located within the subscriber database.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the calling party includes identifying a customer profile associated with the calling party.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein locating a notification list associated with the identified calling party further includes accessing an e-911 database used to route calls to the public safety answering point (PSAP).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying a telephone call as an emergency call further comprises identifying a 911 call.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending a notification further comprises sending a location associated with the calling party.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein sending a notification further comprises sending a location where the calling party is located when the telephone call is placed.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein sending a notification further comprises sending a location associated with an emergency responder to the emergency call.

8. A system for providing notification of an emergency call being placed, said system comprising:

a selective router;

an application server;

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory being encoded with instructions, the instructions operable when executed by the processor to;

receive an indication of an emergency call;

identify a calling party associated with the emergency call;

locate, using the selective router, an appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP) based on information related to the emergency call and the calling party;

route, using the selective router, a first message to the appropriate public safety answering point, wherein the first message includes the emergency call and an identification code unique to the calling party;

receive a second message from the appropriate public safety answering point, wherein the second message includes contact information of an emergency responder and the identification code unique to the calling party;

query, using the application server, a subscriber database to determine if the calling party is a subscriber to 911 family notification;

responsive to a determination that the calling party is a subscriber to 911 family notification, locate a notification list associated with the identified calling party; and

initiate a notification to members on the notification list, wherein an amount of detail provided in the notification to each member is specified by one of a plurality of notification levels selected for that member by the calling party at the time the members of the notification list are selected, wherein at least one of the plurality of notification levels includes the contact information of the emergency responder received from the appropriate public safety answering point, and wherein sending the notification includes sending at least one of a text message, phone recording, and electronic mail as predetermined based on information located within the subscriber database.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein identifying the calling party includes identifying a customer profile associated with the calling party.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein locating a notification list associated with the identified calling party further includes accessing an e-911 database used to route calls to the public safety answering point (PSAP).

11. The system of claim 8, wherein identifying a telephone call as an emergency call further comprises identifying a 911 call.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein sending a notification further comprises sending a location associated with the calling party.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein sending a notification further comprises sending a location where the calling party is located when the telephone call is placed.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein sending a notification further comprises sending a location associated with an emergency responder to the emergency call.