Mobile emergency response network

• US 9,918,211 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meredith, Sheldon Kent, Cottrill, William, Zerick, Juliette
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US15/180,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20170359712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041, 4554042, 455433, 455445, 4554561, 4554565
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/866 a predetermined or undetermined destination, e.g. notifying a prepaid accounting server of a successful delivery of a service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0051 where the data service is a multimedia messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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 8/10 between location register and external networks

Abstract

A mobile emergency response network may be utilized to respond to emergencies. Emergency response resources may be selected and deployed through the use of network communications between user equipment and network elements. In an example configuration, a mobile emergency response network may receive emergency data, determine an emergency is occurring, determine a resource requirement for the emergency, identify a mobile device associated with a user who meets the resource requirement, and send a request to the mobile device.

Claims

1. An emergency services server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving, from a first remote mobile device over a first wireless communication channel, a first emergency message comprising a first multimedia data file, wherein the first multimedia data file comprises first metadata;

receiving, from a second remote mobile device over a second wireless communication channel, a second emergency message comprising a second multimedia data file, wherein the second multimedia data file comprises second metadata;

separating the first multimedia data file from the first emergency message;

extracting a first location value from the first metadata;

separating the second multimedia data file from the second emergency message;

extracting a second location value from the second metadata;

aggregating the first multimedia data file and the second multimedia data file;

generating an emergency responder request comprising the aggregated first and second multimedia data files;

defining, based on the first location value and the second location value, a candidate region;

identifying a candidate mobile device within the candidate region, wherein the candidate mobile device is not the first remote mobile device or the second remote mobile device; and

transmitting the emergency responder request over a third wireless communication channel to the candidate mobile device.

2. The emergency services server of claim 1, wherein the emergency responder request is transmitted to the candidate mobile device responsive to receipt of an indication that a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) associated with a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) has received a voice call.

3. The emergency services server of claim 2, wherein the indication comprises a source telephone number associated with the voice call, and wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, based on the indication, a source location of the voice call, wherein the source location is determined based on location information received from a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) or Mobile-Services Switching Center (MSC) Server.

4. The emergency services server of claim 1, wherein the emergency responder request activates an emergency services application on the mobile device such that the emergency services application renders the aggregated first and second multimedia data files for display on the candidate mobile device.

5. The emergency services server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

associating the candidate mobile device with a user account; and

determining whether to transmit the emergency responder request to the candidate mobile device based at least in part on an account status of the user account.

6. The emergency services server of claim 5, wherein user account is received by the emergency services server from a mobile device provisioning server.

7. The emergency services server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the candidate mobile device, responsive to the emergency responder request, a rejection message.

8. The emergency services server of claim 7, wherein the rejection message is generated by an emergency services application on the candidate mobile device responsive to the emergency responder request based at least in part on an active status of the emergency services application.

9. The emergency services server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the candidate mobile device, responsive to the emergency responder request, an acceptance message generated by an emergency services application activated on the candidate mobile device responsive to the emergency responder request.

10. The emergency services server of claim 1, wherein the first remote mobile device comprises a Mobile Messaging Service (MMS) client and the first emergency message comprises an MMS message.

11. The emergency services server of claim 10, wherein the second remote mobile device comprises an Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) client and the second emergency message comprises an XMPP message.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, by an emergency services server, from a first remote mobile device over a first wireless communication channel, a first emergency message comprising a first multimedia data file, wherein the first multimedia data file comprises first metadata;

receiving, by the emergency services server, from a second remote mobile device over a second wireless communication channel, a second emergency message comprising a second multimedia data file, wherein the second multimedia data file comprises second metadata;

separating, by the emergency services server, the first multimedia data file from the first emergency message;

extracting, by the emergency services server, a first location value from the first metadata;

separating, by the emergency services server, the second multimedia data file from the second emergency message;

extracting, by the emergency services server, a second location value from the second metadata;

aggregating, by the emergency services server, the first multimedia data file and the second multimedia data file;

generating, by the emergency services server, an emergency responder request comprising the aggregated first and second multimedia data files;

defining, by the emergency services server, based on the first location value and the second location value, a candidate region;

identifying, by the emergency services server, a candidate mobile device within the candidate region, wherein the candidate mobile device is not the first remote mobile device or the second remote mobile device; and

transmitting, by the emergency services server, the emergency responder request over a third wireless communication channel to the candidate mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the emergency responder request is transmitted by the emergency services server to the candidate mobile device responsive to receipt by the emergency services server of an indication that a Public Branch Exchange (PBX) associated with a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) has received a voice call.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the indication comprises a source location of the voice call.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the emergency responder request further comprises the source location of the voice call.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the emergency responder request activates an emergency services application on the candidate mobile device, and wherein the emergency services application renders the aggregated first and second multimedia data files for display on the candidate mobile device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first multimedia data file was originally generated by a device other than the first remote mobile device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first multimedia data file comprises an image file, an audio file, or a video file.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the emergency responder request is transmitted by the emergency services server to the candidate mobile device responsive to receipt of an indication that a Public Branch Exchange (PBX) associated with a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) has rejected a voice call.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining, by the emergency services server, based on the indication, a source location of the voice call, wherein the source location is determined based on location information received from a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) or Mobile-Services Switching Center (MSC) Server; and

determining, by the emergency services server, that the source location, first location value, and second location value, correspond to geographic locations within a coverage area of a cellular network cell.