Method and system for managing communication based on location

• US 7,031,714 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Rayburn, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US09/991,159
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041-4042, 455/403, 455/417, 455/445, 455/446, 455/447, 455/448, 455/449, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/453, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/458, 455/459, 455/550.1, 455/422.1, 455/560, 455/561, 455/567, 455/569.2, 379/35, 379/37, 379/112.04, 379/112.05, 379 45- 46, 379/142.07, 379/142.1, 379/142.11, 379/211.1, 379/211.02, 340/902, 340/7.46, 340/7.47
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for managing communications based on originating location. A network entity maintains or has access to a log of the originating locations of calls placed to a given destination. In turn, when another call is placed to the given destination, the network entity refers to the log to determine whether more than a threshold number of calls have been placed to that destination in the past predetermined time period. If so, then the network entity causes the call to be routed to an alternate destination for alternate handling. The invention is particularly useful to help reduce the possibility of overloading emergency call centers when many mobile callers call from a common location to report an emergency.

Claims

1. A method of managing call traffic comprising:

maintaining records of calls to a destination, wherein each of the records includes a respective caller location;

receiving a request to connect a subsequent call from an originating station to the destination;

referring to the records to make a determination that at least a threshold number of the calls to the destination have originated from an area where the originating station is located; and

in response to the determination, routing the subsequent call to a service platform for alternative treatment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the originating station comprises a mobile station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination comprises an emergency services network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an announcement from the service platform to the originating station, advising that calls have been received from the area.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending from the service platform to the originating station a query asking whether the subsequent call should still be connected to the destination;

receiving at the service platform from the originating station a response indicating that the subsequent call should still be connected to the destination; and

responsive to the response, connecting the subsequent call to the destination.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein connecting the subsequent call to the destination comprises:

placing an additional call from the service platform to the destination; and

bridging the subsequent call with the additional call.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein connecting the subsequent call to the destination comprises:

releasing the subsequent call from the service platform; and

reconnecting the subsequent call to the destination.

8. A communication system comprising:

a record of originating locations of calls connected to a primary destination;

trigger logic executable by a processor to detect a request to connect a subsequent call from an originating terminal to the primary destination, the originating terminal being at a location;

call-density logic executable by a processor to refer to the record to determine whether a threshold number of the calls have been placed to the primary destination from the location; and

re-direction logic executable by a processor to re-direct the subsequent call to a secondary destination in response to a determination that a threshold number of the calls have been placed to the primary destination from the location.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the trigger-logic provides a signal in response to detection of the request, the system further comprising:

location-logic executable by a processor, in response to the signal, to determine the location of the originating terminal.

10. The communication system of claim 8, wherein:

the trigger-logic is executed in a switch.

11. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the call-density logic and re-direction logic are both executed in a service control point.

12. The communication system of claim 8, wherein a user operates the originating terminal to make the request to connect the subsequent call from the originating terminal to the primary destination, the system further comprising:

alternate-handling logic executable by a processor, upon connection of the subsequent call to the secondary destination, to report to the user that calls to the primary destination have already been received from the location.

13. The communication system of claim 8, wherein a user operates the originating terminal to place the request to connect the subsequent call from the originating terminal to the primary destination, the system further comprising:

alternate-handling logic executable by a processor, upon connection of the subsequent call to the secondary destination, to ask the user whether the user still wants the subsequent call to be connected to the primary destination.

14. The communication system of claim 13, further comprising:

connection-logic executable by a processor, in response to an indication by the user that the user still wants the subsequent call to be connected to the primary destination, to cause the subsequent call to be connected to the primary destination.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein:

the connection-logic places an additional call to the primary destination; and

the connection-logic bridges the subsequent call with the additional call.

16. A method of managing emergency service calls, the method comprising:

maintaining records of emergency service calls, wherein each of the records includes a respective caller location;

receiving a request to connect a subsequent call from a mobile station to an emergency service center;

referring to the records to make a determination that at least a threshold number of the emergency service calls have originated from an area where the mobile station is located; and

in response to the determination, routing the subsequent call to a service node for alternate treatment.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving the subsequent call at the service node;

operating the service node to notify a user of the mobile station that emergency service calls have already been placed from the area.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

after notifying the user that emergency service calls have already been placed from the area, operating the service node to prompt the user for an indication that the user still wants to be connected to the emergency service center;

detecting the indication; and

in response to the indication, connecting the subsequent call to the emergency service center.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the indication comprises a DTMF signal established at the mobile station.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein making a determination that at least a threshold number of the emergency service calls have originated from an area where the mobile station is located comprises:

determining a location of the mobile station;

determining a number of the emergency service calls that have been placed from an area encompassing the location with a past predetermined time period; and

determining that the number exceeds a predetermined threshold.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the area is defined by a predefined radius distance from the location of the mobile station.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein determining the location of the mobile station comprises:

applying position determining equipment.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

applying a service control point to make the determination that at least a threshold rate of emergency service calls have originated from an area where the mobile station is located.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the records includes a respective call time.

25. A communication system comprising:

a record of originating locations and times of calls connected to a primary destination;

trigger logic executable by a processor to detect a request to connect a subsequent call from an originating terminal to the primary destination, the originating terminal being at a location;

call-density logic executable by a processor to refer to the record to determine whether a threshold number of the calls have been placed to the primary destination from the location within a predetermined time period; and

re-direction logic executable by a processor to re-direct the subsequent call to a secondary destination in response to a determination that a threshold number of the calls have been placed to the primary destination from the location within the predetermined time period.

26. A method of managing emergency service calls, the method comprising:

maintaining records of emergency service calls, wherein each of the records includes a respective caller location and a respective call time;

receiving a request to connect a subsequent call from a mobile station to an emergency service center;

referring to the records to make a determination that at least a threshold number of the emergency service calls have originated from an area where the mobile station is located within a predetermined time period; and

in response to the determination, routing the subsequent call to a service node for alternate treatment.