Method and apparatus for assisted emergency calls

• US 9,866,672 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Balabhadruni, Venkata Ramesh, Lindholm, Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US15/034,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20160269535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041, 4554042, 455518, 4554141, 455418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• 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

A method is provided for use in a communication system that includes a first terminal and an emergency center. The method includes transmitting, by a second terminal, an indicator indicating that emergency service is required for the first terminal, and automatically establishing a call session between the first terminal and the emergency center in response to the indicator.

Claims

1. A method in a communication system comprising a first terminal and an emergency center, the method comprising:

receiving, by a network server in the communication system, an indicator transmitted by a second terminal during a set-up of a call session between the second terminal and the first terminal, the indicator indicating that emergency service is required for the first terminal; and

automatically establishing, by the network server, a conference session between the first terminal and the emergency center in response to receiving the indicator,

wherein the conference session communicatively connects the first terminal, the second terminal and the emergency center.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is transmitted upon a request of a user of the second terminal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is received in a call session between the first terminal and the second terminal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication system further comprises a first network connected to the first terminal and the emergency center, and a second network connected to the second terminal.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending location information of the first terminal to the emergency center.

6. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform the method according to claim 1.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicator transmitted by the second terminal comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message transmitted over an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network to the network server.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein establishing the conference session communicatively connecting the first terminal, the second terminal and the emergency center comprises a RE-INVITE SIP message or an UPSATE SIP message in the IMS network.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is transmitted as part of a new call set-up request towards the first terminal.

10. A method performed by a first terminal in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, the first terminal comprising a network interface, the method comprising:

receiving, during a call session between the first terminal and a second terminal, an indicator comprising a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message from the second terminal for establishing a call conference with an emergency center;

in response to receiving the first SIP message, transmitting via the network interface a second SIP message to a network server of the IMS network indicating that emergency service is required for the first terminal; and

establishing the call session between the first terminal and the emergency center,

wherein the call session is established as a conference session communicatively connecting the first terminal, the second terminal and the emergency center.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second SIP message comprises an INVITE SIP message transmitted to the network server on the IMS network.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first SIP message is received during a set-up of a second call session between the first terminal and the second terminal.

13. A first terminal comprising a processor configured to perform operations comprising the method of claim 10.

14. A method performed by a network entity in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network comprising an emergency center, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving over the IMS network from a second terminal, during a set-up of a call session between the second terminal and a first terminal, an indicator comprising a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message indicating that emergency service is required for the first terminal; and

in response to receiving the indicator, automatically establishing a conference session between the first terminal and the emergency center,

wherein the conference session communicatively connects the first terminal, the second terminal and the emergency center.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the network entity is a network server.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein establishing the conference session communicatively connecting the first terminal, the second terminal and the emergency center comprises a RE-INVITE SIP message or an UPDATE SIP message in the IMS network.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the network entity is the first terminal.

18. A network entity comprising a processor configured to perform operations comprising the method of claim 14.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the indicator is transmitted during a set-up of a call session between the first terminal and the second terminal.