Method and system for determining a location of a mobile device

• US 9,930,633 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Hillier, Katayoun, Hillier, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US14/640,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20160262126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining a location of a mobile device are disclosed. A location of a second (e.g., mobile) device can be determined using location information of a first (e.g., stationary or wired) device. The location information of the first device can be sent, using the second device, to a server, which can then transmit corresponding location information to, for example, a call center.

Claims

1. A method of determining a location of a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:

using short-range wireless communication, a plurality of first devices broadcasting location information comprising one or more of a directory number (DN) associated with a location of one of the broadcasting devices, an emergency response location (ERL) associated with users grouped by one or more of a logical zone and a location, an emergency location identification number (ELIN), and a customer emergency service identification (CESID), wherein the ERL is assigned to the ELIN or the CESID, and wherein each of the plurality of first devices is selected from the group consisting of;

a wired device, a desk phone, a conference unit, and a device dedicated to broadcasting location information;

using short-range wireless communication and an application, a second device determining using one or more of signal strength, known locations of the plurality of first devices, and information received from other broadcasting devices a nearest of the plurality of first devices; and

using the second device, transmitting the location information to a server as part of a call setup; and

using the server, determining corresponding location information and sending the corresponding information to a call center.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless communication is selected from the group consisting of one or more of:

near-field communication, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, and WiFi (wireless local area network).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a PBX (private branch exchange).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a database and the server uses the location information to determine the corresponding location information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a wired communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wired communication device comprises a phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the server transmits associated location information associated with the first device to a public service answering point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the associated location information comprises a direct inward dialing number.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a mobile device, and the mobile device further transmits GPS (global positioning system) information of the mobile device to the server.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein additional location information is transmitted to a public service answering point.

12. A method of determining a location of a mobile device and transmitting information to a public service answering point, the method comprising the steps of:

using an application on the mobile device, detecting a dialed emergency number on the mobile device;

using the application, activating a proximity detection feature on the mobile device;

using the application, determining, using one or more of signal strength, known locations of a plurality of first devices, and information received from other broadcasting devices, a closest broadcasting device from the plurality of broadcasting devices wherein each of the plurality of first devices is selected from the group consisting of;

a wired device, a desk phone, a conference unit, and a device dedicated to broadcasting location information; and

transmitting, using the mobile device, location information comprising one or more of a directory number (DN) associated with a location of one of the broadcasting devices, an emergency response location (ERL) associated with users grouped by one or more of a logical zone and a location, an emergency location identification number (ELIN), and a customer emergency service identification (CESID), wherein the ERL is assigned to the ELIN or the CESID, to one or more of a server and a call center during a call setup.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining comprises using short-range wireless communication.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the short-range wireless communication is selected from the group consisting of one or more of:

near-field communication, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, and WiFi (wireless local area network).

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of transmitting comprises sending the location information to the server.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of the server transmitting corresponding location information to a public service answering point.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of transmitting a direct inward dialing number to a public service answering point.

18. A system for determining a location of a mobile device and transmitting corresponding location information to a public service answering point, the system comprising:

a mobile device comprising an application for detecting dialing of an emergency number;

a plurality of broadcasting devices that broadcast location information comprising one or more of a directory number (DN) associated with a location of one of the broadcasting devices, an emergency response location (ERL) associated with users grouped by one or more of a logical zone and a location, an emergency location identification number (ELIN), and a customer emergency service identification (CESID), wherein the ERL is assigned to the ELIN or the CESID, to the mobile device, wherein each of the plurality of first devices is selected from the group consisting of;

a wired device, a desk phone, a conference unit, and a device dedicated to broadcasting location information; and

a server that receives the location information from the mobile device and transmits corresponding location information of the mobile device to the public service answering point.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the broadcasting device comprises a phone having a direct inward dialing number associated therewith.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the server comprises a PBX (private branch exchange).