Method and System for Initiating and Handling an Emergency Call

• US 20060234727A1
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wirelesswerx International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wirelesswerx International, Inc.
• Inventors: Ashley, James Jr., Mooney, Patrick, Mooney, Frank
• Application Number:
  US11/278,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20060234727A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.400
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/006 for emergency situations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

A system and method of making an emergency voice call from a portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device communicates with the cellular base station. A cellular base station identifier that corresponds to the cellular base station is determined. A public safety answering point identifier associated with the cellular base station identifier is determined. The public safety answering point identifier corresponds to a public safety answering point responsible to handle emergency calls being routed through the cellular base station. A voice call destination number is identified. The voice call destination number is associated with the public safety answering point identifier. The voice call destination number is utilized to communicate with the public safety answering point.

Claims

1. A method of making an emergency voice call from a portable computing device, comprising:

communicating with a cellular base station;

determining a cellular base station identifier that corresponds to the cellular base station;

locating a public safety answering point identifier associated with the cellular base station identifier, the public safety answering point identifier corresponding to a public safety answering point responsible to handle emergency calls being routed through the cellular base station;

identifying a voice call destination number associated with the public safety answering point identifier; and

utilizing the voice call destination number in order to communicate with the public safety answering point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice call destination number is a telephone number of the public safety answering point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice call destination number is an Internet protocol address of the public safety answering point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the public safety answering point identifier and the cellular base station identifier are correlated in a lookup table.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the lookup table resides in the portable computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the lookup table resides in a remote server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the public safety answering point identifier and the voice call destination number are correlated in a lookup table.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the lookup table resides in the portable computing device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the lookup table resides in a remote server.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving emergency call input to initiate the emergency voice call from a user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically initiating the emergency voice call if a preconfigured event occurs.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting personal data associated with a user of the portable computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the personal data includes a medical condition, contact information of a relative, or blood type of the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency voice call is transmitted to the public safety answering point through a cellular network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency voice call is transmitted to the public safety answering point through a public switched network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency voice call is transmitted to the public safety answering point through an Internet protocol network.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting location data to a communication data interface module at the public safety answering point.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the location data is transmitted through a data link.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the location data is transmitted through a voice link.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable computing device is a personal data assistant, a cellular telephone, a smart phone, or a laptop computer.

21. A portable computing device to make an emergency voice call, comprising:

a cellular transceiver that communicates with a cellular base station, the cellular transceiver being configured to determine a cellular base station identifier that corresponds to the cellular base station;

a processor that locates a public safety answering point identifier associated with the cellular base station identifier in a lookup table, the public safety answering point identifier corresponding to a public safety answering point responsible to handle emergency calls being routed through the cellular base station, the processor being configured to identify a voice call destination number associated with the public safety answering point identifier; and

a dialer module that initiates communication with the public safety answering point utilizing the voice call destination number.

22. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the voice call destination number is a telephone number of the public safety answering point.

23. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the voice call destination number is an Internet protocol address of the public safety answering point.

24. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the public safety answering point identifier and the cellular base station identifier are correlated in a lookup table.

25. The portable computing device of claim 24, wherein the lookup table resides in the portable computing device.

26. The portable computing device of claim 24, wherein the lookup table resides in a remote server.

27. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the public safety answering point identifier and the voice call destination number are correlated in a lookup table.

28. The portable computing device of claim 27, wherein the lookup table resides in the portable computing device.

29. The portable computing device of claim 27, wherein the lookup table resides in a remote server.

30. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the emergency voice call is transmitted to the public safety answering point through a cellular network.

31. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the emergency voice call is transmitted to the public safety answering point through a public switched network.

32. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the emergency voice call is transmitted to the public safety answering point through an Internet protocol network.

33. The portable computing device of claim 21, further comprising a data transceiver that transmits location data to a communication data interface module.

34. The portable computing device of claim 33, wherein the communication data interface module is located at the public safety answering point.

35. The portable computing device of claim 21, further comprising a data transceiver that transmits personal data associated with a user of the portable computing device.

36. The portable computing device of claim 35, wherein the personal data includes a medical condition, contact information of a relative, or blood type of the user.

37. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the location data is transmitted through a data link.

38. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the location data is transmitted through a voice link.

39. The portable computing device of claim 21, wherein the portable computing device is a personal data assistant, a cellular telephone, a smart phone, or a laptop computer.

40. A method of making a voice call from a portable computing device, comprising:

communicating with a cellular base station;

determining a cellular base station identifier that corresponds to the cellular base station;

locating a call center identifier associated with the cellular base station identifier, the call center identifier corresponding to a call center responsible to handle calls being routed through the cellular base station;

identifying a voice call destination number associated with the call center identifier; and

utilizing the voice call destination number in order to communicate with the call center.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the call center is a public safety answering point.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the voice call destination number is a telephone number of the call center.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the voice call destination number is an Internet protocol address of the call center.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the call center identifier and the cellular base station identifier are correlated in a lookup table.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the lookup table resides in the portable computing device.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the lookup table resides in a remote server.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the call center identifier and the voice call destination number are correlated in a lookup table.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the lookup table resides in the portable computing device.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the lookup table resides in a remote server.