Unique global identifier header for minimizing prank emergency 911 calls

• US 8,831,556 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Goswami, Bhavesh, Burton, Victor, Geldenbott, Gerhard, Ali, Salman, Saha, Arpita, Chua, Yi-Min Flora, Hazzard, Andy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Binh
• Application Number:
  US13/632,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20130083902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37, 379/45, 379/133, 379/143, 379/144.03, 379/145, 379/154, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/38 Telephone uniform resource identifier [URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6027 Fraud preventions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6081 Service authorization mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A prank call server that performs 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system, prior to routing a 911 call to a PSAP. The inventive prank call server identifies prank calling devices, regardless of current service subscription, by retrieving and analyzing emergency call data pertaining to detected prank 911 calls. The prank call server assigns a unique global identifier to each 911 call detected on the 911 emergency call system. Unique global identifiers enable a PSAP to uniquely identify prank 911 calls that are identified thereon. A PSAP transmits a prank call signal and a relevant unique global identifier to the prank call server, for each prank 911 call that is detected. A prank call signal/unique global identifier combination triggers the prank call server to store all available call data for a referenced prank 911 call in to a prank call database, for subsequent prank call filtering analysis.

Claims

1. A method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system, comprising:

receiving at a physical prank call server, a prank call signal associated with a unique global identifier assigned to a given 911 call, when said given 911 call is detected at a PSAP to be a prank 911 calling device;

obtaining a location of said detected prank 911 calling device;

querying a prank call database for correlation between a location and unique global identifier of a calling device of said given 911 call with a pre-identified prank calling device; and

dropping said detected prank 911 call from said prank 911 calling device when information maintained within said prank call database correlates said given 911 call with an identified prank calling device.

2. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to said prank call signal, triggering retrieval of emergency call data pertaining to said prank 911 call.

3. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, further comprising:

logging prank call data in a prank call database for subsequent prank emergency call filtering.

4. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, further comprising:

assigning said unique global identifier to said given 911 call at a 911 call server.

5. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, wherein:

said 911 call is a voice call.

6. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, further comprising:

filtering said prank call data via a corresponding identification number.

7. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, wherein:

said corresponding identification number is at least one of an MSIN or IMSI.

8. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, wherein:

said prank call server identifies a prank 911 calling device regardless of a particular device'"'"'s current service subscription.

9. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a given 911 call as a prank 911 call based on a correlation to a known prank call trend.

10. The method of providing 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a given 911 call as a prank 911 call based on a correlation to an aggregate prank call history.

11. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system, comprising:

means for receiving at a physical prank call server, a prank call signal associated with a unique global identifier assigned to a given 911 call, when said given 911 call is detected at a PSAP to be a prank 911 calling device;

means for obtaining a location of said detected prank 911 calling device;

means for querying a prank call database for correlation between a location and unique global identifier of a calling device of said given 911 call with a pre-identified prank calling device; and

means for dropping said detected prank 911 call when information maintained within said prank call database correlates said detected prank 911 call with an identified prank 911 calling device.

12. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for triggering, in response to said prank call signal, retrieval of emergency call data pertaining to said prank 911 call.

13. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for logging prank call data in a prank call database for subsequent prank emergency call filtering.

14. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for assigning said unique global identifier to said given 911 call at a 911 call server.

15. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, wherein:

said 911 call is a voice call.

16. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for filtering said prank call data via a corresponding identification number.

17. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, wherein:

said corresponding identification number is at least one of an MSIN or IMSI.

18. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, wherein:

said prank call server identifies a prank 911 calling device regardless of a particular device'"'"'s current service subscription.

19. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for identifying a given 911 call as a prank 911 call based on a correlation to a known prank call trend.

20. Apparatus to provide 911 prank call filtering over a 911 emergency call system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for identifying a given 911 call as a prank 911 call based on a correlation to an aggregate prank call history.