Emergency call system within a telecommunication network

• US 7,058,385 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom Mobile AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Lauper, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAMER, TEMICA M
• Application Number:
  US10/082,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• 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

Method for distributing an emergency call message within a mobile telecommunication network. The emergency call message generated by a mobile user is automatically sent first to mobile devices in the vicinity of the mobile user. Only then is it distributed to terminals, predefined by said user, in said telecommunication network.

Advantage: is based on solidarity.

Claims

1. A method for using a mobile communication device used by a mobile user within a telecommunication network for distributing an emergency call message within said telecommunication network, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a first set comprising one or more terminals;

determining a second set comprising one or more terminals;

generating an emergency call message to the terminals of said first set;

wherein, if no terminal of said first set acknowledges said emergency call message, then automatically sending said emergency call message to said terminals of said second set, wherein

said terminals of one of said first set and said second set are mobile devices part of the communication network that are in a vicinity closest to said mobile user, and further wherein

said terminals of the other of said first set and said second set are terminals predefined by said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile user generates an emergency call message by using a single control element of his mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency call message is automatically generated by an emergency call detector.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency call message contains at least a stored characteristic of said mobile user or a pointer to such a characteristic.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic is stored in a memory area of an identification module of the mobile user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic is stored by said mobile user.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic is downloaded by a third party.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one characteristic is downloaded over said telecommunication network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one characteristic is downloaded over a contactless interface at close range.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises the name of said mobile user.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises the blood group of said mobile user.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises the gender of said mobile user.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises the hair color of said mobile user.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises the age of said mobile user.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises the car type of said mobile user.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises the car color of said mobile user.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises the car plate number of said mobile user.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one characteristic comprises a picture of said mobile user.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said emergency call message is sent as SMS message.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said emergency call message is sent as USSD message.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said emergency call message is sent as GPRS packet.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said emergency call message is sent as e-mail.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said emergency call messages are signed electronically.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein part of said emergency call messages is encrypted electronically.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set or said second set includes all mobile devices using the same base station as said mobile user.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of said mobile devices within a cell of the telecommunication network is determined through a location-determining system in said telecommunication network and wherein the emergency call message is distributed first on the basis of this position indication to other mobile devices in the vicinity.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the emergency call message is distributed to mobile devices that are progressively further away from the mobile user.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the emergency call message is distributed any further until a mobile device has dispatched a confirmation.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the emergency call message is forwarded to the terminals predefined by said user only when all active users within a defined area have been reached.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein said terminals predefined by the mobile user are listed hierarchically and wherein the emergency call message is distributed progressively to all levels of this hierarchy.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein said terminals predefined by the mobile user are stored in an identification module of the mobile user.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein said terminals predefined by the mobile user are stored in a memory area accessible from a mobile switching center (MSC) in the telecommunication network.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of said mobile user is also monitored after said emergency call message has been sent, and wherein said emergency call message is forwarded to other mobile devices in a new vicinity of the mobile user if this location changes.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one reached mobile device dispatches a confirmation to an address indicated in said emergency call message.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one reached mobile device dispatches a confirmation to said mobile user.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein said emergency call message is completed by a fixed device in said telecommunication network.

37. An identification module for a mobile terminal for performing the method of claim 1, wherein it has a memory area for at least one characteristic of the mobile user, this characteristic being used only for emergency call messages, as well as a memory area for a list of terminals predefined by the mobile user and to which emergency call messages must be sent.

38. The identification module of claim 37, wherein it contains an electronic certificate with which emergency call messages can be signed.

39. A device in a mobile radio network for performing the method of claim 1 that has a location determining system for determining the position of mobile devices within at least one area of said telecommunication network, wherein it has a memory area loaded with a software program for recognizing an emergency call message from a mobile user in said area, and for distributing this emergency call message first to mobile devices in the vicinity of the mobile user and then to terminals, predefined by said user, in the telecommunication network.

40. A method for using a mobile communication device used by a user within a telecommunication network for distributing an emergency call message within the telecommunication network, said method comprising the steps of:

allowing the user to communicate with other users in non-emergency situations;

generating an emergency call message in an emergency;

automatically sending the emergency call message first to one or more arbitrary mobile devices in a vicinity closest to the mobile user; and

then

distributing the emergency call message to terminals predefined by said user.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein at least one characteristic of the user other than the user'"'"'s identity is stored in a memory area of an identification module included in the mobile communication device.

42. A method for using a mobile communication device used by a user within a telecommunication network for distributing an emergency call message within the telecommunication network, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a user with a means for communicating with other users in non-emergency situations;

generating an emergency call message in an emergency;

sending the emergency call message first to one or more arbitrary mobile devices in a vicinity closest to the mobile user; and

then

optionally sending the emergency call message to one or more arbitrary mobile devices in a vicinity less close to the mobile user than the arbitrary mobile devices in the vicinity closest to the mobile user; and

optionally distributing the emergency call message to terminals predefined by said user.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein at least one characteristic of the user other than the user'"'"'s identity is stored in a memory area of an identification module included in the mobile communication device.

44. A method for using a mobile communication device used by a user within a telecommunication network for distributing an emergency call message within the telecommunication network, said method comprising the steps of:

generating an emergency call message in an emergency;

automatically sending the emergency call message first to one or more arbitrary mobile devices part of the communication network that are geographically closest to the mobile user; and

then

distributing the emergency call message to terminals predefined by said user.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein at least one characteristic of the user other than the user'"'"'s identity is stored in a memory area of an identification module included in the mobile communication device.