EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION METHOD AND A NODE

• US 20110171928A1
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Vikberg, Jari, Bergqvist, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0069 Cell search, i.e. determining cell identity [cell-ID] design of multiplexing codes H04J13/00; processing access restriction or access information H04W48/16; discovery of network devices for network data management H04W8/005; sounding signals for channel estimation H04L25/0226; structure of reference signals in multicarrier modulation systems H04L27/2613; frame, time or carrier synchronisation in multicarrier modulation systems H04L27/2655
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A network controller node is configured to transmit an emergency message to a mobile station within a cell of an access point connected to the network controller node within a telecommunications network. The network controller node receives information of the mobile station and determines a location of the mobile station based on the received information. In addition, the network controller node receives an emergency notification comprising an indicator indicating an affected area and determines that the mobile station is within the indicated affected area based on the determined location. The network controller node then transmits the emergency message via the access point to the mobile station in the cell.

Claims

1. A method in a network controller node for transmitting an emergency message to a mobile station within a cell of an access point connected to the network controller node within a telecommunications network comprising the steps of:

receiving (A1) information of the mobile station,

determining (A2) location of the mobile station based on the received information,

receiving (A3) an emergency notification comprising an indicator indicating affected area,

determining (A4) that the mobile station is within the indicated affected area based on the determined location, and

that being the case, transmitting (A5) the emergency message, via the access point, to the mobile station in the cell.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the received information comprises cell identity, Access point identity, IP address, Location area identification, tracking area identity, routing area identity, geographical data such as longitude/latitude, and/or the like

3. A method according to any of the claims 1-2, wherein the received information of the mobile station is received directly from the mobile station.

4. A method according to any of the claims 1-2, wherein the received information of the mobile station is received from a femto base station, a Security Gateway, and or the like, that provides information to the network controller node.

5. A method according to any of the claims 1-4, the emergency message is transmitted to mobile stations independent of the existing cell broadcasting system required information.

6. A method according to any of the claims 1-5, wherein the emergency message comprises the emergency notification.

7. A method according to any of the claims 1-6, wherein the emergency notification comprises an Earthquake Tsunami Warning System, ETWS, notification.

8. A method according to any of the claims 1-7, further comprising the step of receiving an indication from the mobile station indicating that the mobile station supports reception of an emergency message.

9. A method according to any of the claims 1-8, wherein the cell comprises a micro/pico/Generic Area Network/Femto cell, and/or the like.

10. A network controller node (20) arranged to control at least one access point comprising a cell, characterised in that the network controller node (20) comprises a first network interface (207) arranged to connect the network controller node to a core telecommunications network and to receive an emergency notification comprising an indicator indicating affected area, a second network interface (209) arranged to connect the network controller node (20) to the at least one access point, the network controller node being arranged to receive information of a mobile station within the cell of the at least one access point, and a control unit (201) arranged to determine location of the mobile station based on the received information, to determine that the mobile station is within the indicated affected area based on the determined location and, that being the case, to transmit an emergency message to the mobile station via the access point over the second network interface (209).

11. A network controller node according to claim 10, wherein the received information comprises cell identity, Access point identity, IP address, Location area identification, tracking area identity, routing area identity, geographical data such as longitude/latitude, and/or the like.

12. A network controller node according to any of the claims 10-11, wherein the received information is received directly from the mobile station over the second network interface (209).

13. A network controller node according to any of the claims 10-11, wherein the received information is received from a femto base station, a Security Gateway, and/or the like, that provides information to the network controller node over the second network interface (209).

14. A network controller node according to any of the claims 10-13, the control unit (201) is arranged to transmit the emergency message to a mobile station independent of the existing cell broadcasting system required information.

15. A network controller node according to any of the claims 10-14, wherein the emergency message comprises the emergency notification.

16. A network controller node according to any of the claims 10-15, wherein the emergency notification comprises an Earthquake Tsunami Warning System, ETWS, notification.

17. A network controller node according to any of the claims 10-16, wherein network interface (209) is further arranged to receive an indication from the mobile station indicating that the mobile station supports reception of an emergency message.

18. A network controller node according to any of the claims 10-17, wherein the cell comprises a micro/pico/Generic Access Network/Femto cell, and/or the like.

19. A network controller node according to any of the claims 10-18, wherein the network controller node comprises a Generic Access Node Controller, a Femto Base Station Controller, and/or the like.