Device, system, and process for providing emergency calling service for a wireless device using voice over data

• US 10,334,111 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Vagelos, Theodore
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seyedvosoghi, Farid
• Application Number:
  US15/358,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20170149983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 4554042
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0066 Details of access arrangements to the networks where the access arrangement is a PSTN/ISDN access H04M7/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/125 Details of gateway equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• 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 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• 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

Abstract

A system for providing emergency telephone call solutions for wireless devices using a voice over data network, the system having the voice over data network to recognize an emergency call from one of the wireless devices, to determine whether a cellular network is available to receive the emergency call, and to transmit the emergency call to the cellular network, a gateway for converting the emergency call between a first format for the voice over data network and a second format for a public switched telephone network associated with the cellular network, a mobile virtual network operator to communicate information associated with the emergency call to the cellular network and to the voice over data network, and the voice over data network and the cellular network to route the emergency call and the information associated with the emergency call to an emergency authority.

Claims

1. A wireless device configured to operate over a voice over data network and further configured to provide emergency telephone call solutions, the wireless device comprising:

a wireless device transceiver configured to connect to a voice over data network and provide voice services;

the wireless device transceiver further configured to connect to a cellular network and provide voice services;

a wireless device processor configured to recognize an emergency call placed from the wireless device while operating over the voice over data network;

the wireless device processor is further configured to determine whether a cellular network is available to receive the emergency call, if the cellular network is available, the wireless device processor is further configured to control the wireless device transceiver to transmit the emergency call over the cellular network to a Public Safety Answering Point; and

the wireless device processor is further configured, if the cellular network is not available, to control the wireless device transceiver to transmit the emergency call over the voice over data network to a national emergency call center,

wherein the wireless device comprises one of the following;

a cellular phone or a smartphone.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless device transceiver is further configured to transmit information associated with the emergency call that includes location information for the wireless device.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the location information for the wireless device is determined by one of the following:

a device responsive to a global navigation satellite system and a mobile network operator.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store an application executed by the wireless device processor configured to provide the voice services over the voice over data network, determine whether a call is the emergency call, and place the emergency call over the cellular network.

5. A system implementing a voice over data network configured to provide emergency telephone call solutions to a wireless device, the system comprising:

a server configured to implement, at least in part, a voice over data network and provide voice services to a wireless device via a wireless device transceiver;

the server further configured to recognize an emergency call placed from the wireless device while providing the voice services over the voice over data network;

the server further configured to determine whether a cellular network is available for the wireless device to receive the emergency call, if the cellular network is available, the server further configured to direct the wireless device to transmit the emergency call over the cellular network with the wireless device transceiver to a Public Safety Answering Point; and

the server is further configured, if the cellular network is not available, to transmit the emergency call over the voice over data network to a national emergency call center,

wherein the wireless device comprises one of the following;

a cellular phone or a smartphone.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the server is further configured to transmit information associated with the emergency call that includes location information for the wireless device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the location information for the wireless device is determined by one of the following:

a device responsive to a global navigation satellite system and a mobile network operator.

8. A process of operating a wireless device over a voice over data network to provide emergency telephone call solutions, the process comprising:

connecting to a voice over data network and providing voice services with a wireless device transceiver over the voice over data network;

recognizing an emergency call placed from the wireless devices with a wireless device processor;

determining whether a cellular network is available to receive the emergency call with the wireless device processor, if the cellular network is available, transmitting the emergency call over the cellular network with the wireless device transceiver to a Public Safety Answering Point; and

transmitting, if the cellular network is not available, the emergency call over the voice over data network to a national emergency call center,

wherein the wireless device comprises one of the following;

a cellular phone or a smartphone.

9. The process of claim 8, further comprising transmitting information associated with the emergency call that includes location information for the wireless device with the wireless device transceiver.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the location information for the wireless device is determined by one of the following:

a device responsive to a global navigation satellite system and a mobile network operator.

11. The process of claim 8, further comprising storing in a memory an application executed by the wireless device processor for providing the voice services over the voice over data network voice, determining whether a call is the emergency call, and placing the emergency call over the cellular network.

12. A process for implementing a voice over data network and providing emergency telephone call solutions to a wireless device, the process comprising:

implementing a voice over data network and providing voice services to a wireless device via a wireless device transceiver with a server;

recognizing an emergency call placed from the wireless device with the server;

determining whether a cellular network is available with the server for the wireless device to receive the emergency call, if the cellular network is available, directing the wireless device to transmit the emergency call to the cellular network via the wireless device transceiver with the server to a Public Safety Answering Point; and

transmitting the emergency call over the voice over data network with the server to a national emergency call center if the cellular network is not available, to transmit,

wherein the wireless device comprises one of the following;

a cellular phone or a smartphone.

13. The process of claim 12, further comprising controlling a routing of information associated with the emergency call that includes location information for the wireless device with the server.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the location information for the wireless device is determined by one of the following:

a device responsive to a global navigation satellite system and a mobile network operator.

15. The process of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the emergency call over the voice over data network with the server if the cellular network is not available, to transmit;

and controlling a routing of information associated with the emergency call that includes location information for the wireless device with the server.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the location information for the wireless device is determined by one of the following:

a global navigation satellite system and a mobile network operator.