Determination by PSAPs of caller location based on the WiFi hot spots detected and reported by the caller's device(s)

• US 9,648,479 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Michaelis, Paul Roller, Mohler, David S., Vick, Jason H.
• Primary Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/584,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20150111527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Location information associated with a wireless access point is used to assist with emergency call routing. Additionally, the location information can be used to assist with determining where an emergency call is physically originating from. This location information is one or more of enterable, detectable and/or populated with the assistance of a location determining device, such as a GPS, associated with the wireless network. The location information can also be dynamic to account for mobile wireless access points, such as a mobile access point provided on public transportation. The location information is also associatable with an outbound communication, such as an emergency communication, with this location information usable to route the communication to an appropriate entity(ies).

Claims

1. A mobile communications device comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a caller identification (ID); and

a wireless network emergency application running on the mobile communications device that receives a first location information for the mobile communications device based on a first plurality of wireless access points that have or have acquired the first location information, wherein the mobile communications device has no Global Positioning Service (GPS) connectivity and no cellular connectivity, the wireless network emergency application including the first location information in at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message and a Service Set Identifier (SSID) field, the caller ID usable for a first routing of a 911 communication to a first Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) associated with the caller ID, and the first location information usable for a rerouting of the 911 communication to a second PSAP associated with the first location information;

the wireless network emergency application further receiving a second location information for the mobile communications device from a second plurality of wireless access points, the second location information including floor information, wherein the second location information is dynamically updated based on one or more of the second plurality of wireless access points, and wherein the second location information is usable by first responders to assist with determining a caller'"'"'s location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first location information is based on signal strengths.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first location information is included in a SIP message.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first location information is included in a SIP message to one of the first or second PSAP.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second pluralities of wireless access points are associated with a moving vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first location information is from a GPS device associated with at least one of the first plurality of wireless access points.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first location information is input into at least one of the first plurality of wireless access points by a network administrator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first location information is dynamically updated based on information from a GPS device associated with at least one of the first plurality of wireless access points.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first location information is provided in an SSID field.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at a wireless communications device, a first location information of the wireless communications device based on a first location information acquired by a first plurality of wireless access points, wherein the wireless communications device has no Global Positioning Service (GPS) connectivity and no cellular connectivity;

including the first location information in at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message and a Service Set Identifier (SSID) field, a caller identification (ID) usable for a first routing of a 911 communication to a first Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) associated with the caller ID and the first location information usable for a rerouting of the 911 communication to a second PSAP associated with the first location information; and

receiving a second location information for the wireless communication device from a second plurality of wireless access points, the second location information including floor information, wherein the second location information is dynamically updated based on one or more of the second plurality of wireless access points, and wherein the second location information is usable by first responders to assist with determining a caller'"'"'s location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first location information is based on signal strengths.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first location information is included in a SIP message.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first location information is included in a SIP message to the first PSAP.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of wireless access points are associated with a moving vehicle.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first location information is from a GPS device associated with at least one of the first plurality of wireless access points.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first location information is input into at least one of the first plurality of wireless access points by a network administrator.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the first location information is dynamically updated based on information from a GPS device associated with at least one of the first plurality of wireless access points.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first location information is provided in an SSID field.

19. A system comprising:

a mobile communications device adapted to send a text message to a first Public Service Answering Point (PSAP), the text message indicating one or more of;

a wireless access point the mobile communications device is communicating with and a first location information for the mobile communications device, wherein the mobile communications device has no Global Positioning Service (GPS) connectivity and no cellular connectivity;

the mobile communications device including the first location information in at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message and a Service Set Identifier (SSID) field, a caller identification (ID) of the mobile communications device usable for a first routing of a 911 communication to the first PSAP associated with the caller ID and the first location information usable for a rerouting of the 911 communication to a second PSAP associated with the first location information, and receiving a second location information for the mobile communications device from a plurality of wireless access points, the second location information including floor information, wherein the second location information is dynamically updated based on one or more of the second plurality of wireless access points, and wherein the second location information is usable by first responders to assist with determining a caller'"'"'s location.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the text message further includes one or more identifications of one or more wireless access points in range.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the first location information is in a SIP message.