Trigger mechanism

• US 9,549,419 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2015
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Nesmith, Thomas Woodrow, Marshall, Roger Stuart, Hines, Gordon John, Burton, Victor, Poremba, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US14/857,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20160227372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/550.1, 379/45, 379/38, 379/42, 379/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An Automatic Location Identifier (ALI) trigger mechanism can include a data tap configured to detect an ALI location request for an emergency services call. The data tap can also be configured to output a trigger signal in response to detecting the ALI location request. The ALI trigger mechanism can also include a metadata router configured to receive the trigger signal and output an enhanced caller information request to a metadata server in response to the trigger signal.

Claims

1. An Automatic Location Identifier (ALI) trigger mechanism comprising:

a data tap configured to;

detect an ALI location request for an emergency services call; and

output a trigger signal in response to detecting the ALI location request, wherein the data tap is a passive component that does not interfere with the ALI location request from being sent to an ALI client or an ALI service;

and

a metadata router configured to;

receive the trigger signal; and

output an enhanced caller information request to a metadata server in response to the trigger signal.

2. The ALI trigger mechanism of claim 1, wherein the data tap comprises an input port for receiving a cable that outputs the ALI location request.

3. The ALI trigger mechanism of claim 2, wherein the cable is an RS232 cable.

4. The ALI trigger mechanism of claim 1, wherein the data tap receives external power.

5. The ALI trigger mechanism of claim 1, wherein the ALI location request includes a locator key assigned to an end-user device employed to initiate the emergency services call.

6. The ALI trigger mechanism of claim 5, wherein the end-user device is a wireless phone.

7. A system comprising:

an Automatic Location Identifier (ALI) trigger mechanism comprising;

a data tap configured to output a trigger signal in response to detecting an ALI location request for an emergency service call by a caller, wherein the data tap is a passive device that does not interfere with the ALI location request from being sent to an ALI client or an ALI service; and

a metadata router configured to output an enhanced caller information request in response to the trigger signal; and

a metadata server comprising one or more computing devices, the metadata server being configured to;

receive the enhanced caller information request via a network; and

query an information source via the network for information related to an end-user device employed to initiate the emergency services call and/or the caller.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the information sources comprises a plurality of information sources, the metadata server being further configured to collate data from each of the plurality of information sources to form the enhanced caller information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the metadata server is further configured to convert the enhanced caller information into the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the metadata server is further configured to provide the enhanced caller information to a web browser operating on a user terminal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the user terminal is operating at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the user terminal is operating at a secondary call center.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the ALI location request is provided on an RS232 cable.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the ALI location request is provided by customer premise equipment (CPE) at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

15. A method comprising:

detecting a location request provided to an Automatic Location Identifier (ALI) client via a cable, wherein the ALI location request includes a locator key corresponding to an emergency services call initiated by a wireless phone;

providing, by a data tap, a trigger to a metadata router in response to detecting the ALI location request, wherein the data tap is a passive component that does not interfere with the ALI location request from being sent to an ALI client or an ALI service; and

generating an enhanced caller information request in response to receiving the trigger, wherein the enhanced caller information request includes the locator key.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

querying a positioning center for location information for the end-user device, wherein the query to the positioning center includes the locator key; and

querying a plurality of information sources for information corresponding to the wireless phone.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

collating data received from the plurality of information sources to form the enhanced caller information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the enhanced caller information includes data characterizing an altitude of the end-user device.