Method and system for allowing incoming emergency communications on a disabled device

• US 9,674,197 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Dunn, Timothy N., Ranjan, Nilesh, Chapman, Simon, Moodbidri, Neeta, Hall, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US15/156,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20160261598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6081 Service authorization mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• 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 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A system and method to allow a disabled device to receive an incoming communication after the termination of an emergency communication session with a service provider. A disabled device is a device having a portion of its service plan that allows the device to send or receive communications either temporarily or permanently disabled. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications during a defined period of time after the emergency communication session. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications from numbers or URIs contained in a repository of allowed numbers. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications if the service provider initiating the communication enters an authenticated routing key or passcode.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium, excluding transitory signals, and carrying instructions, which when executed by at least one data processor, perform a method in a disabled telecommunications device for establishing a communication session with a destination after a communication session between the disabled telecommunications device and a service provider has ended, the method comprising:

initiating, by the disabled telecommunications device, a first communication session between the disabled telecommunications device and a service provider;

receiving, at the disabled telecommunications device, an indication of a second communication session between a destination and the disabled telecommunications device,

wherein the indication of the second communication session is received after the first communication session between the service provider and the disabled telecommunications device has ended, and

wherein the indication of the second communication session is received in response to an authorization determination based on the destination; and

commencing, at the disabled telecommunications device and based on the authorization, the requested second communication session between the destination and the disabled telecommunication device.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, wherein the elapsed time is measured from the end of the first communication session, and wherein the end of the first communication session is a result of at least one of:

the disabled telecommunications device terminating the communication session, the service provider terminating the communication session, or network difficulties terminating the communication session.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, and wherein the elapsed time is measured from the start of the first communication session.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, and wherein the elapsed time is measured from the end of the first communication session.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first communication session is a voice, video, Instant Messaging (IM), Short Message Service (SMS), or multimedia session.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the second communication session is a voice, video, Instant Messaging (IM), Short Message Service (SMS), or multimedia session.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, and wherein the elapsed time is determined by a timer.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, and wherein the elapsed time is determined by comparing a time stamp associated with the first communication session and a time of the request to establish the second communication session.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising enabling charging for communication resources consumed during the second communication session.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the communication session is an emergency communication session, including a 911 call and the service provider is a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method involves an emergency responder and the service provider being the same parties.

12. A method in a disabled telecommunications device for establishing a second communication session with a destination after a first communication session between the disabled telecommunications device and a service provider has terminated, the method comprising:

initiating, by a disabled telecommunications device, a first communication session between the disabled telecommunications device and a service provider;

receiving, at the disabled telecommunication device, an indication of a second communication session between the destination and the disabled telecommunications device,

wherein the indication of the second communication session is received after the first communication session between the service provider and the disabled telecommunications device has terminated,

wherein the indication of the second communication session is received in response to an authorization determination based on the destination; and

commencing, at the disabled telecommunication device and based on the authorization, the second communication session between the destination and the disabled telecommunications device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, and wherein the elapsed time is measured from the start of the first communication session.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, and wherein the elapsed time is measured from the end of the first communication session.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first communication session is a voice, video, Instant Messaging (IM), Short Message Service (SMS), or multimedia session.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the second communication session is a voice, video, Instant Messaging (IM), Short Message Service (SMS), or multimedia session.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, and wherein the elapsed time is determined by a timer.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining an elapsed time between the first communication session and the request to establish the second communication session, and wherein the elapsed time is determined by comparing a time stamp associated with the first communication session and a time of the request to establish a second communication session.

19. A system for establishing a second communication session in a network between a disabled telecommunications device and a destination after a first communication session between the disabled telecommunications device and a service provider has terminated, comprising:

at least one processor in a disabled telecommunications device;

at least one memory, coupled to the at least one processor, and storing instructions to be performed by the at least one processor to;

initiate a first communication session between the disabled telecommunications device and a service provider;

receive an indication of a second communication session between the destination and the disabled telecommunications device,

wherein the indication of the second communication session is received after the first communication session between the service provider and the disabled telecommunications device has terminated,

wherein the indication of the second communication session is received in response to an authorization determination based on the destination; and

commence the second communication session between the destination and the disabled telecommunication device based on the authorization.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first communication session is a voice session, a video session, an Instant Messaging (IM) session, a Short Message Service (SMS) session, or a multimedia session, and wherein the second communication session is a voice session, a video session, an Instant Messaging (IM) session, a Short Message Service (SMS) session, or a multimedia session.