Location evaluation for callers that place emergency telephone calls over packet networks

Abstract

In a communication system, a packet telephone obtains an internet address from an internet service provider and discovers a location of the packet telephone. The packet telephone transfers a message indicating the internet address and the location. A service node receives the message and stores the internet address and the location of the packet telephone in a location database. The packet telephone initiates an emergency call using the internet address. The packet network service node processes the emergency call by processing the internet address of the packet telephone in the location database to obtain the location of the packet telephone and by transferring the emergency call to an emergency service along with the location of the packet telephone.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 757,080; that is entitled “Location Evaluation for Callers That Place Emergency Telephone Calls Over Packet Networks;” that was filed Jan. 14, 2004; and that is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,707,888; that was filed May 6, 2002; that is entitled “Location Evaluation for Callers That Place Emergency Telephone Calls Over Packet Networks,” and that is hereby incorporated by reference into this patent application.FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable MICROFICHE APPENDIX [0003] Not applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field of the Invention [0005] The invention is related to the field of communications, and in particular, to technologies for handling emergency telephone calls placed over packet networks. [0006] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0007] The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) provides emergency telephone calling services...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a communication system and method that allows a packet phone to get an internet address from a service provider and use it to send a message with its location. This information is then stored in a database. When the phone makes an emergency call using the internet address, the system uses the location information to send the call to an emergency service. The technical effect is that this system allows for better location tracking and faster emergency response times."

Problems solved by technology

Since the telephone number of the mobile telephone does not indicate a caller location like a home telephone number, the emergency service is unable to consistently translate the mobile telephone number into a geographic address for the caller's current location.

Unfortunately, if a caller places an emergency telephone call from a packet telephone over a packet network, the service node may not be able to effectively determine the caller's location.

If the caller uses a packet telephone to place an emergency telephone call from their hotel room, the service node cannot effectively determine the caller's location.

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