Method and system for locating a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) device connected to a network

• US 9,036,626 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Livingood, Jason D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US14/224,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20140293996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 370/259, 370/352, 379/88.19, 455/412.2, 455/456, 455/507, 455/417, 455/456.3, 709/206, 709/220, 709/228, 709/238, 709/245, 709/224, 345/557
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• 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 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A method and system for locating a device connected to a network by determining a current network address for the device and comparing the current network address to a network address in a user profile. If the network addresses match, the device is located based on a physical address associated with the network address in the user profile.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining that a device has access to a network from a first network address of a plurality of network addresses;

accessing a database that associates the plurality of network addresses with a plurality of physical addresses; and

determining that the first network address is associated with a first physical address of the plurality of physical addresses.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the device with the first physical address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the device is making an emergency call.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing the first physical address to a public safety answering point (PSAP) in association with the emergency call.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a voice communication from a user of the device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

converting the voice communication to text.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

responding to the voice communication via an interactive voice response (IVR) unit.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

recording the voice communication from the user.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a confirmation that the device is located at the first physical address.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, via a network, a message from a device;

determining that the device is connected to the network from a first network address;

determining that a first street address is associated with the first network address;

receiving a user confirmation of the first street address from the device; and

using the first street address as a location for a voice communication involving the device and the network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising creating a profile for a user, wherein the profile associates a plurality of street addresses with a plurality of network addresses for the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the creating the profile comprises receiving input from a user associated with the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving the input from the user comprises receiving information about the plurality of network addresses and the plurality of street addresses.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining intermediate network hops to the device connected to the network from the first network address.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining that the device is connected to the network from the first network address comprises accessing a profile that comprises the first network address.

17. A method comprising:

determining that a device has access to a network from a first network address;

accessing a profile associated with the device, wherein the profile comprises associations between a plurality of network addresses and corresponding geographic addresses;

determining, based on the profile, that the first network address is associated with a first geographic address; and

associating the device with the first geographic address for a voice communication involving the device and the network.

18. The method of claim 17,wherein the voice communication is an emergency call received from the device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

routing the emergency call to a public safety answering point (PSAP) that services the first geographic address.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

confirming, via user input received from the device, that a street address of the first geographic address in the profile is accurate.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the profile comprises a plurality of nicknames respectively corresponding to the geographic addresses.