Emergency call redirection systems and methods

• US 9,439,054 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Best Buy Health Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GreatCall Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Sieg, Jonathan J., Matsuo, Kotaro, Williams, Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US13/004,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20120178403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 455/415, 455/418, 455/414.1, 455/567, 455/426.1, 379/67.1, 379/221.08, 379/196, 379/142.05, 379/226, 379/211.02, 379/266.06, 379/102.03, 379/211.01, 379/356, 379/88.12, 379/207, 379/67, 379/88, 379/265.11, 370/352, 370/229, 370/336, 370/328
• 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for connecting a caller to an alternate telephone number, such as 911, when a call to a private response center does not result in immediate assistance. In one example, when the call to the private response center does not connect, the communications device used to make the call may prompt the user to indicate that the call relates to an emergency, and the communications device may call the emergency services telephone number. Failure to connect may result when the call does not connect to a receiving party, or upon failure to timely reach a customer service representative. In another example, the call to the private response center may connect, but the private response center may signal the communications device that the call will not be handled immediately. The communications device may then prompt the user to indicate whether an alternate telephone number should be called.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a call at a service center from a communications device;

determining, by the service center, that the call will not be connected to a customer service representative at the service center within a predetermined time;

in response to the determination that the call will not be connected to a customer service representative at the service center within the predetermined time, sending a signal to the communications device indicating that the call is rejected, wherein the signal is a machine-to-machine signal directed to the communications device and not to a person using the communications device;

receiving at the communications device the signal indicating that the call is rejected; and

placing, by the communications device in response to the receipt of the signal indicating that the call is rejected, an outgoing call to a public safety answering point.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein sending a signal to the communications device indicating that the call is rejected comprises sending a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal across an audio link between the service center and the communications device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising communicating information to a user of the communications device via an automated voice response system.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the automated voice response system informs the user of an expected wait time.

5. A method comprising:

receiving a call at a service center from a communications device;

determining, by the service center, that the call will not be connected to a customer service representative at the service center within a predetermined time;

in response to the determination that the call will not be connected to a customer service representative at the service center within the predetermined time, sending a signal to the communications device indicating that the call is rejected, wherein the signal is directed to the communications device and not to a user of the communications device;

receiving at the communications device the signal indicating that the call is rejected; and

placing, by the communications device in response to the receipt of the signal indicating that the call is rejected, an outgoing call to a public safety answering point;

wherein sending a signal to the communications device indicating that the call is rejected comprises sending a short message service (SMS) message from the service center to the communications device.

6. A method for operating a service center, the method comprising:

receiving a call at the service center from a communications device;

connecting the call with a customer service representative at the service center; and

upon connecting the call with the customer service representative at the service center and while the call is connected with the customer service representative at the service center, sending a confirmatory message to the communications device indicating that the call has been answered by the customer service representative.

7. The method for operating a service center as recited in claim 6, wherein sending the confirmatory message to the communications device indicating that the call has been answered by the customer service representative comprises sending a short message service (SMS) message.

8. The method for operating a service center as recited in claim 6, further comprising placing the call in a hold status for a time after receiving the call and before connecting the call with the customer service representative.

9. A method for operating a service center, the method comprising:

receiving a call at the service center from a communications device;

connecting the call with a customer service representative at the service center;

communicating information to a user of the communications device via an automated voice response system, wherein the automated voice response system informs the user of an expected wait time; and

upon connecting the call with the customer service representative at the service center and while the call is connected with the customer service representative at the service center, sending a confirmatory short message service (SMS) message to the communications device indicating that the call has been answered by the customer service representative.