System, method, device, apparatus, and medium for emergency call processing

Abstract

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, devices, and apparatus for preparing an emergency call are provided. One example includes detecting that a user of a mobile device has initiated an emergency call, obtaining an indication of the current geographic location of the mobile device, and, in response to the detection and based on the obtained indication, selecting an emergency number to be called for the emergency call, and switching the SUB and RAT upon an initial attempt that fails.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to cellular telephones, and more particularly, to systems, methods, devices, apparatus, and media for emergency call handling. Background Art

[0002] A mobile device may be used to place an emergency services call ("emergency call") by dialing a predetermined number (eg, "911") that is recognized by the network as a request to connect to emergency services. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A method for preparing an emergency call on a mobile device according to a general configuration includes detecting that a user of the mobile device has initiated an emergency call, obtaining an indication of a current geographic location of the mobile device, and selecting an emergency number to be called for the emergency call in response to the detection and based on the obtained indication. Also disclosed is a computer-readable storage medium including code that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform the method.

[0004] A device for preparing an emergency call on a mobile device according to a general configuration, the device comprising a memory and a processor, the memory being used to store a correspondence between an indication of a geographic location and an associated emergency number; the processor being coupled to the memory and being used to execute a method comprising: detecting that a user of the mobile device has initiated an emergency call, obtaining an indication of the current geographic location of the mobile device, and selecting an emergency number to be called for the emergency call in response to the above detection and based on the obtained indication and the stored correspondence. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The aspects of the present disclosure are described by way of example. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals represent like elements.

[0006] Figure 1 A flow chart illustrating a method M100 for preparing an emergency call on a mobile device according to a general configuration is shown.

[0007] Figure 2 A flow chart illustrating an implementation M200 of method M100 is shown.

[0008] Figure 3 A flow chart illustrating an implementation M300 of method M100 is shown.

[0009] Figure 4 A flow chart of an implementation M400 of methods M100 , M200 , and M300 is shown.

[0010] Figure 5 An example of a subscription prioritization table is shown.

[0011] Figure 6 Six examples of subscription options for emergency call placement are shown.

[0012] Figures 7 to 10 Examples of several different RAT selection schemes are shown.

[0013] Figure 11 Different schemes for selecting a RAT in each subscription are shown.

[0014] Figure 12 Examples of four different situations in which an emergency call may fail and / or be delayed are shown.

[0015] Figure 13 A block diagram of an apparatus A100 according to a general configuration is shown.

[0016] Figure 14 A block diagram of a computer system 1400 is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] It is desirable to configure a mobile device (also referred to as a "user equipment" or "UE") so that when an emergency call is made using the mobile device, the call is connected as quickly as possible and with as high a probability of success as possible. Systems, methods, apparatus, and devices as disclosed herein can be implemented to increase the probability that emergency calls placed by users of the mobile device will be quickly and successfully connected.

[0018] Several illustrative configurations will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. Although specific configurations are described below in which one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented, other configurations may be used and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure or the spirit of the appended claims. For example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these aspects may be practiced without the specific details of a particular configuration. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid obscuring the described configuration.

[0019] Unless expressly limited by the context, the term "signal" is used herein to mean any of its ordinary meanings, including the state of a memory location (or set of memory locations) represented on a line, bus, or other transmission medium. Unless expressly limited by the context, the term "generate" is used herein to mean any of its ordinary meanings, such as calculating or otherwise generating. Unless expressly limited by the context, the term "calculate" is used herein to mean any of its ordinary meanings, such as calculating, evaluating, estimating, and / or selecting from a plurality of values. Unless expressly limited by the context, the term "obtain" is used herein to mean any of its ordinary meanings, such as calculating, deriving, receiving (e.g., from an external device), and / or retrieving (e.g., from a storage element array). Unless expressly limited by the context, the term "select" is used herein to mean any of its ordinary meanings, such as identifying, indicating, applying, and / or using at least one and less than all of two or more sets. Unless expressly limited by the context, the term "determine" is used herein to mean any of its ordinary meanings, such as deciding, establishing, concluding, calculating, selecting, and / or evaluating. Where the term “comprising” is used in this specification and claims, other elements or operations are not excluded. The term “based on” (e.g., “A is based on B”) is used to indicate any of its ordinary meanings, including (i) “derived from…” (e.g., “B is a predecessor of A”), (ii) “based at least on” (e.g., “A is at least based on B”), and, if appropriate in the particular context, (iii) “equal to” (e.g., “A is equal to B”). Similarly, the term “responsive to” is used to indicate any of its ordinary meanings, including “at least responsive to”. Unless otherwise stated, the terms “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “one or more of A, B, and C” mean “A and / or B and / or C.” Unless otherwise stated, the terms “each of A, B, and C” and “each of A, B, and C” mean “A, B, and C.”

[0020] Unless otherwise indicated, any disclosure of the operation of a device having particular features is also expressly intended to disclose a method having similar features (and vice versa), and any disclosure of the operation of a device according to a particular configuration is also expressly intended to disclose a method according to a similar configuration (and vice versa). The term "configuration" may be used to refer to a method, device, and / or system as indicated by its specific context. Unless the specific context indicates otherwise, the terms "method," "process," "procedure," and "technique" are general and interchangeable. A "task" with multiple subtasks is also a method. Unless the specific context indicates otherwise, the terms "device" and "equipment" may also be general and interchangeable. The terms "element" and "module" are generally used to refer to a portion of a larger configuration. Unless expressly limited by the context, the term "system" is used herein to mean any of its ordinary meanings, including "a group of elements that interact for a common purpose."

[0021] Unless initially introduced by a definite article, ordinal terms (e.g., "first," "second," "third," etc.) used to modify claim elements do not, by themselves, denote any priority or order of the claim elements relative to another claim element, but merely distinguish the claim element from another claim element having the same name (but using an ordinal term). Unless clearly limited by the context, each of the terms "plurality" and "set" is used herein to denote an integer quantity greater than one.

[0022] In some countries, the phone number "911" is recognized as an emergency number. The telephone network in those countries is designed to route calls placed with the dialed number "911" to local emergency services. However, the phone number "911" is not a recognized emergency number, and other countries may use different numbers to represent emergency calls. For example, some countries use the number "999," some countries have the emergency number "112," some countries use the number "000," some countries use the number "108," and some countries use the number "100."

[0023] The telephone network can be used to identify emergency numbers originating from another country and map calls to such numbers to local emergency numbers. For example, in some countries, some carriers map the called number "112" to the emergency number "911." In other countries, the local network can be used to map calls to the called number "112" to the local emergency number "000." However, this mapping is not universal, and the telephone network may respond to calls to unrecognized emergency numbers with a recorded message indicating an error, such as "The number you dialed does not exist." If the user does not understand the error message (for example, because the recorded message is in a language the user does not understand), the user may not be able to determine what the error is and how to avoid it.

[0024] Figure 1 A flowchart of a method M100 for preparing an emergency call on a mobile device (e.g., a cellular phone, such as a smartphone) according to a general configuration is shown. Method M100 includes tasks T100, T200, and T300. Task T100 detects that a user of the mobile device has initiated an emergency call. Task T200 obtains an indication of the current geographic location of the mobile device. In response to the detection and based on the obtained indication, task T300 selects an emergency number to be dialed for the emergency call.

[0025] Task T100 detects that a user of a mobile device has initiated an emergency call. In one example, task T100 detects that the user has dialed an emergency number. For example, task T100 can be used to detect that a user has entered the numbers 9-1-1 via a keypad and then entered a "call" command (e.g., selected a "call" icon on a touch screen of the mobile device). In another example, task T100 detects that a user has entered a command to dial an emergency number. For example, task T100 can be used to detect that a user has selected a "call emergency" icon or otherwise triggered such a command (e.g., by pressing an emergency button connected to the mobile device via Bluetooth™ or other short-range communication protocols).

[0026] Task T200 obtains an indication of a current geographic location of a mobile device. In one example, task T200 obtains the indication of a location from a positioning subsystem of the mobile device, which can be used to calculate the location of the mobile device based on received GNSS (e.g., GPS) and / or Wi-Fi signals. Alternatively or additionally, the indication of the current geographic location can be based on an identification of a cell in which the mobile device is currently camped (i.e., a cell that the mobile device has selected and from which the device intends to receive service) and / or a location area code, mobile network code, and / or mobile country code associated with the cell.

[0027] In response to the above detection and based on the obtained indication of the current geographic location of the mobile device, task T300 selects an emergency number to be dialed for the emergency call. In the event that the user has already dialed an emergency number for the initiated emergency call, the selected emergency number may be different from the dialed emergency number. For example, if the user dials "911" but the instructions obtained indicate a location in another country, task T300 may select "000" instead of "911" as the emergency number to be called. Task T300 may be configured to select the emergency number by accessing a stored data structure (e.g., a lookup table) that stores a correspondence between indications of geographic location (e.g., country and / or telephone network) and emergency numbers. In one example, the data structure is provided by a network (e.g., the user's home network) and stored in memory of the mobile device during a provisioning operation. Method M100 may also include a task of calling the selected emergency number: for example, by sending a call request to the network on which the device resides, the call request including the emergency number as the called number.

[0028] Mobile devices are typically able to communicate with the telephone network using different radio access technologies (RATs). Examples of RATs include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA); Wideband CDMA (WCDMA); Time Division Synchronous CDMA (TD-SCDMA); Long Term Evolution (LTE), Fifth Generation (5G), and Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax). For example, differences between RATs can include different uplink and / or downlink radio frequency bands; different multiple access schemes (e.g., time division, frequency division, code division); whether the RAT is circuit-switched (CS) or packet-switched (PS), etc.

[0029] Examples of CS RATs include GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, and TDSCDMA. Examples of PS RATs include LTE and 5G. While telephone networks should accept emergency calls regardless of the specific RAT used to make the call, there may be technical difficulties that prevent emergency calls from being completed. For example, while CS RATs have been in use for decades, PS RATs and related services such as voice over LTE (VoLTE) are relatively new, so in some countries or regions, PS RATs may not fully support emergency call services. For this reason, the overall probability of successfully connecting an emergency call using a CS RAT may be higher than using a PSRAT. Therefore, if a user initiates an emergency call while their mobile device is currently using a PS RAT, they may need to switch their mobile device to a CS RAT before making the emergency call.

[0030] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrates implementation M200 of method M100, which includes tasks T400 and T500. In response to detecting that a user has initiated an emergency call, task T400 switches the mobile device from a first radio access technology (RAT) to a second RAT, where the second RAT is a circuit-switched type. Task T500 places the emergency call using the second RAT and the emergency number selected in task T300.

[0031] Mobile devices store an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number that uniquely identifies the user. The IMSI is typically stored on a subscriber identity module (SIM), which can be implemented as, for example, a removable card or an embedded SIM (eSIM). A mobile device can be configured to support multiple SIMs, each associated with a corresponding contract (also called a subscription or SUB) between the user and a specific network provider, so that the device can be used for different services of different network providers, depending on which SUB is active.

[0032] An example of a mobile device that supports multiple SIMs is a dual SIM dual active (DSDA) phone. A DSDA phone supports two SIMs and has two transceivers for cellular service, so the phone can receive calls on both SIMs simultaneously. In contrast, a dual SIM dual standby (DSDS) phone has only one transceiver for cellular service. A DSDS phone may allow access to both SIMs through time multiplexing, but when making or receiving a call, only the active channel is available, and the other SIM cannot be used during a call. Mobile devices that support more than two SIMs are also available.

[0033] A SUB has a service status that can change over time. A service status of "Normal" means that the SUB has been used to register the mobile device with the network of the cell where the mobile device resides, so that the mobile device can make and receive calls using the SUB. A service status of "Limited" means that the SUB has not been used to register the mobile device with the network, and the mobile device cannot make calls normally using the SUB. Reasons for a limited service status may include: the user's network provider rejected the registration attempt (for example, because the user's account is unpaid), the user's network provider does not have a roaming agreement with the network of the cell where the mobile device currently resides, or the cell where the mobile device currently resides is not fully functional.

[0034] A service status of "Out of Service" ("OOS") indicates that the mobile device is not camped on any network. If the mobile device is within the coverage area of ​​the service provider associated with the active subscription, placing the device into service may only take approximately ten seconds or less for the device to acquire network time. However, if the mobile device is out of range, a band scan may be required, which is typically longer and may take from thirty seconds to a minute or more.

[0035] A "limited" or "out-of-service" service status may be temporary. For example, a SUB's service status may change when a mobile device moves from one network coverage area to another, or even from one cell to another. Most emergency calls will be successful even when a mobile device is using a SUB in a limited service state. However, in some locations, the network will not allow a mobile device to make an emergency call if the account associated with the active SUB is unpaid.

[0036] Issues with the active SIM handling emergency calls may also arise when the active SIM is designated for data services only (e.g., internet service) and does not support voice services. While it is possible to use data services (e.g., via Skype or FaceTime™) for voice or video communication with other users, in this case, the data-only SIM does not support emergency calls or any other phone calls over the network. Before attempting an emergency call over the network, it may be necessary to disable such a SIM (e.g., by detaching it from the network) or switch to another SIM, if available.

[0037] Figure 3 A flowchart of an implementation M300 of method M100 is shown, and implementation M300 includes tasks T600 and T700. In response to detecting that a user has initiated an emergency call, task T600 switches the active SIM of the mobile phone from the first SIM to the second SIM. In one example, the current service status of the second SIM is higher than the current service status of the first SIM, wherein the "normal" service status is higher than the "limited" service status and the "out of service" service status, and the "out of service" service status is lower than the "normal" or "limited" service status. For another example, the first SIM only provides data services and does not support voice services, and the second SIM provides voice services. Task T700 uses the selected emergency number and the subscription associated with the second SIM to make an emergency call. Figure 4 A flow chart of an implementation M400 of methods M100 , M200 , and M300 is shown. Implementation M400 includes tasks T400 and T600 , and an implementation T800 of tasks T500 and T700 .

[0038] Figure 5 An example of a subscription prioritization table is shown that may be used to assign relative priorities of "1" (highest) to "6" (lowest) among voice-capable SUBs based on current service status and serving RAT type as described herein.

[0039] Figure 6 Six examples of subscription selection for emergency call placement are shown (e.g., applying an implementation of subscription switching task T600 as described herein), including adding a NO_SIM case as a subscription selection option, excluding data-only subscriptions from selection for emergency call handling, and providing one or more alternatives (if available) in the event of an emergency call failure.

[0040] In case 6A, Subscriber SUB1 is selected (even though its serving RAT is PS) because it is the only subscription currently in service. If an emergency call failure is detected, the active Subscriber SUB is changed to SUB2 and the emergency call is retried. If the call fails again, the active SIM is detached and the emergency call is retried without the active SIM.

[0041] In case 6B, Subscriber SUB2 is selected because its service status is higher than OOS. If the emergency call fails, the active Subscriber SUB is changed to OOS Subscriber SUB1 and the emergency call is retried. If the call fails again, the active SIM is detached and the emergency call is retried without the active SIM.

[0042] In case 6C, the current service status of both SUBs is normal, so the priority between subscriptions is determined by their respective serving RATs. In this case, subscription SUB2 is selected because its serving RAT is CS, not PS. If an emergency call failure is detected, the active subscription is changed to SUB1, whose serving RAT is PS, and the emergency call is retried. If the call fails again, the active SIM is detached from the network (e.g., via the mobile device's modem), and the emergency call is retried without the active SIM.

[0043] In case 6D, only one subscription (SUB2) is available and the emergency call is first attempted using the currently active subscription. If the emergency call fails, the SIM is detached and the emergency call is retried without an active SIM.

[0044] In case 6E, there is no subscription available, so the emergency call is attempted without an active SIM.

[0045] In case 6F, subscription SUB1 does not support voice services, so it is not used for emergency call processing. The emergency call is first attempted using subscription SUB2, which is currently in service. If the emergency call fails, the active SIM is detached and the emergency call is retried without an active SIM.

[0046] Once the order of selection between subscriptions is determined, the order of selection of RATs within each subscription may need to be determined. The various RATs can be categorized into three groups: CS cellular RATs, PS cellular RATs, and non-cellular RATs (e.g., WiFi). For the NO_SIM case, only cellular RATs are considered.

[0047] Figures 7 to 10 Several different RAT selection schemes are shown (eg, applying the implementation of the RAT switching task T400 described herein), each of which is described in detail in FIG. Figure 6 Subscription selection scenario 6A is shown. Figure 7 and Figure 8 An example of selecting the serving RAT first is shown. Selecting the serving RAT first avoids delays associated with inter-RAT handovers, at least in cases where the initial attempt to initiate an emergency call using a subscription is successful. Figure 7 In the example, a RAT is selected from other groups for fallback, where non-cellular RATs (such as WiFi voice or "VoWiFi") have the lowest priority. The selection priority order within each RAT group can be as follows: for the CS RAT group, WCDMA>TDSCDMA>GSM>CDMA, and for the PS RAT group, LTE>5G. Figure 8 In the example of , if the initial attempt to place an emergency call using the serving RAT fails, the call is retried using all other supported RATs in the active subscription before changing to a different subscription.

[0048] Figure 9 and Figure 10 An example is shown where the highest priority RAT is selected first in each subscription rather than the corresponding serving RAT.The definition of priority between RATs may depend on the network operator and may be predefined. Figure 9 An example of a GSM operator is shown, Figure 10 An example of a CDMA operator is shown.

[0049] exist Figures 7 to 10 In the

[15] , the Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) option is shown as the lowest priority option (if supported and available). Alternatively, it may be necessary to assign a higher priority—even the highest priority—to the VoWiFi option. In locations with strong WiFi coverage, such as a home or office, a mobile device may connect to the network more reliably via this RAT than via the cellular RAT.

[0050] Figure 11 Different schemes for selecting RAT in each subscription are shown, as applied to Figure 6 Cases 6A to 6E (shown here as Cases 11A to 11E, respectively) are described. In this scenario, the initial RAT selection is automatic, not predetermined. For example, the initial RAT selection may be performed by the mobile device's modem, and the serving RAT may or may not be the initial selection. In this example, if an emergency call using the initial RAT selection fails, and the initial RAT is not a CS RAT, the call is retried using the CS RAT before switching to a different subscription. Therefore, since the "SUB2 (CS)" option has already been tried as the initial RAT selection for the SUB2 subscription in each case, it is removed from Cases 11A to 11D.

[0051] Figure 12 Examples of four different scenarios in which emergency calls may fail and / or be delayed are shown. In scenario 12A, the network needs to place the emergency call like a normal phone call, which requires the active SUB to have a normal service status. Because subscription SUB2 has only a restricted service status, selecting this SUB to place the emergency call will result in a failure. Selecting a subscription with a current service status for the initial emergency call attempt, as described herein, can avoid this failure.

[0052] In case 12B, the selected subscription SUB1 is out of service. Before making an emergency call, the mobile device needs to perform a scan to camp on the network before making the call, which introduces additional delays. Switching to a subscription with limited service status for the initial emergency call attempt as described herein can avoid this delay.

[0053] In case 12C, the LTE network rejects the emergency call request (e.g., because the network does not support emergency call delivery over the PS RAT). Because repeated attempts to place the emergency call in the same manner will also fail, the emergency call may not succeed unless the RAT and / or active subscription are switched as described herein. In this case, it may be necessary to detect the failure and switch the RAT and / or SUB before retrying the call.

[0054] When an emergency call failure is detected, it may be necessary to distinguish between temporary causes of failure (e.g., network congestion), subscription-based failure causes (e.g., network rejection of registration subscription), and RAT-based failure causes (e.g., defective cell, lack of support for emergency calls on PS RAT). In the case of temporary causes, the call can be retried using the same SUB and RAT. In the case of RAT-based failure causes, a switch to a different RAT (e.g., switch to CS RAT) can be performed before retrying the emergency call.

[0055] In the case of a subscription-based failure reason, the active subscription may be switched or the active SIM may be detached from the network before retrying the emergency call. In case 12D, for example, if the network does not authorize subscription to SUB2 and the emergency call is therefore rejected, a retry under the same subscription is unlikely to succeed and the SIM may need to be detached from the network before retrying the emergency call (e.g. as a NO_SIM case).

[0056] Figure 13A block diagram of an apparatus A100 for preparing an emergency call on a mobile device (e.g., a cellular telephone, such as a smartphone) according to a general configuration is shown, the apparatus A100 including an emergency call detector CD100, a location indicator LI100, and an emergency number selector NS100. The emergency call detector CD100 is used to detect that a user of the mobile device has initiated an emergency call (e.g., as described herein with reference to task T100). The location indicator LI100 is used to obtain an indication of the current geographic location of the mobile device (e.g., as described herein with reference to task T200). The emergency number selector NS100 is used to select an emergency number to be called for the emergency call in response to the above detection and based on the obtained indication (e.g., as described herein with reference to task T300).

[0057] Figure 14 1400. Examples of components of a computer system 1400 are shown, which may be used to perform embodiments of methods (e.g., methods M100, M200, M300, or M400) as described herein. Although these components are shown as belonging to the same computer system 1400 (e.g., a smartphone), the computer system 1400 may also be implemented such that the components are distributed (e.g., distributed among different servers, between the smartphone and one or more network entities, etc.).

[0058] Computer system 1400 includes at least a processor 1402, memory 1404, storage devices 1406, input / output peripherals (I / O) 1408, communication peripherals 1410, and an interface bus 1412. Interface bus 1412 is used to communicate, send, and transfer data, control, and commands between the various components of computer system 1400. Memory 1404 and storage devices 1406 include computer-readable storage media such as RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), hard drives, CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, electronic non-volatile computer storage devices (e.g., flash memory), and other tangible storage media. Any such computer-readable storage media can be used to store instructions or program code embodying aspects of the present disclosure. Memory 1404 and storage devices 1406 also include computer-readable signal media. Computer-readable signal media include propagated data signals embodying computer-readable program code. Such propagated signals can take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electromagnetic, optical, or any combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media include any computer-readable medium that is not a computer-readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use in connection with computer system 1400 .

[0059] In addition, memory 1404 includes an operating system, programs, and applications. Processor 1402 is used to execute stored instructions and includes, for example, a logic processing unit, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, and other processors. Memory 1404 and / or processor 1402 may be virtualized and hosted in another computer system, such as a cloud network or a data center. I / O peripherals 1408 include user interfaces (e.g., keyboards, screens (e.g., touchscreens)), microphones, speakers, other input / output devices (e.g., cameras for capturing images to be indexed), and computing components (e.g., graphics processing units, serial ports, parallel ports, universal serial buses, and other input / output peripherals). I / O peripherals 1408 connect to processor 1402 via any port coupled to interface bus 1412. Communication peripherals 1410 facilitate communication between computer system 1400 and other computing devices (e.g., cloud computing entities used to perform portions of the indexing and / or query search methods described herein) over a communication network and include, for example, network interface controllers, modems, wireless and wired interface cards, antennas, and other communication peripherals.

[0060] Although the present subject matter has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that changes, modifications, and equivalents to such embodiments may be readily made by those skilled in the art upon obtaining an understanding of the foregoing. It will therefore be understood that the present disclosure is presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation, and does not exclude the inclusion of such modifications, modifications, and / or additions to the present subject matter, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. The appended claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0061] Unless expressly stated otherwise, it should be understood that throughout this specification, discussions utilizing terms such as "process," "compute," "calculate," "determine," and "identify" refer to the actions or processes of a computing device (e.g., one or more computers or similar electronic computing devices or devices) that manipulate or transform data represented as physical electronic or magnetic quantities in a computing platform's memory, registers, or other information storage, transmission, or display device.

[0062] The one or more systems discussed herein are not limited to any particular hardware architecture or configuration. A computing device may include any suitable arrangement of components that provides a result conditioned on one or more inputs. Suitable computing devices include multi-function microprocessor-based computer systems that access stored software that programs or configures the computer system from a general-purpose computing device to a special-purpose computing device that implements one or more embodiments of the present subject matter. The teachings contained herein may be implemented in software used to program or configure a computing device using any suitable programming language, scripting language, or other type of language or combination of languages.

[0063] Embodiments of the methods disclosed herein may be performed in the operation of such a computing device. The order of the blocks presented in the above examples may be changed—for example, the blocks may be reordered, combined, and / or divided into sub-blocks. Certain blocks or processes may be performed in parallel.

[0064] The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and the like are synonymous and are used in an open-ended manner to be inclusive and do not exclude other elements, features, actions, operations, and the like. Furthermore, the term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (rather than its exclusive sense) such that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term "or" means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. As used herein, "suitable for" or "for" are open and inclusive language that does not exclude devices that are suitable for or used to perform additional tasks or steps. The headings, lists, and numbers included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting.

[0065] The various features and processes described above can be used independently of each other, or can be used in combination in various ways. All possible combinations and sub-combinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. In addition, in some embodiments, certain method or process blocks can be omitted. The methods and processes described herein are not limited to any particular order, and the blocks or states associated therewith can be performed in other appropriate orders. For example, the blocks or states described can be performed in an order different from that specifically disclosed, or multiple blocks or states can be combined in a single block or state. The example blocks or states can be performed serially, in parallel, or in some other manner. Blocks or states can be added to or removed from the disclosed examples. Similarly, the example systems and components described herein can be configured differently from what is described. For example, elements can be added, removed, or rearranged compared to the disclosed examples.

[0066] The various elements of an implementation of an apparatus or system (e.g., apparatus A100) as disclosed herein may be embodied in any combination of hardware and software and / or firmware deemed appropriate for the intended application. For example, such elements may be fabricated as electronic and / or optical devices residing, for example, on the same chip or between two or more chips in a chipset. An example of such a device is a fixed or programmable array of logic elements such as transistors or logic gates, and any one of these elements may be implemented as one or more such arrays. Any two or more, or even all, of these elements may be implemented in the same array or arrays. Such one or more arrays may be implemented within one or more chips (e.g., within a chipset comprising two or more chips).

[0067] A processor or other device for processing as disclosed herein can be manufactured as one or more electronic and / or optical devices, for example, residing on the same chip or between two or more chips in a chipset. An example of such a device is a fixed or programmable array of logic elements such as transistors or logic gates, and any of these elements can be implemented as one or more such arrays. Such one or more arrays can be implemented within one or more chips (e.g., within a chipset comprising two or more chips). Examples of such arrays include fixed or programmable arrays of logic elements, such as microprocessors, embedded processors, IP cores, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). A processor or other device for processing as disclosed herein can also be implemented as one or more computers (e.g., machines comprising one or more arrays programmed to execute one or more instruction sets or sequences) or other processors. A processor as described herein may be used to perform tasks or execute other instruction sets not directly related to the implementation of methods M100, M200, M300, or M400 (or another method disclosed with reference to the operation of an apparatus or system described herein), such as tasks related to another operation of a device or system in which the processor is embedded (e.g., a voice communication device such as a smartphone or smart speaker). Portions of the methods disclosed herein may also be executed under the control of one or more other processors.

[0068] Each task of the methods disclosed herein (e.g., methods M100, M200, M300, and / or M400) can be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. In a typical application of embodiments of the methods disclosed herein, an array of logic elements (e.g., logic gates) is used to perform one, multiple, or even all of the various tasks of the method. One or more (and possibly all) of the tasks can also be implemented as code (e.g., one or more instruction sets) embodied in a computer program product (e.g., one or more data storage media, such as disks, flash memory or other non-volatile memory cards, semiconductor memory chips, etc.), which can be read and / or executed by a machine (e.g., a computer) comprising an array of logic elements (e.g., a processor, microprocessor, microcontroller, or other finite state machine). The tasks of embodiments of the methods disclosed herein can also be performed by multiple such arrays or machines. In these or other embodiments, the tasks can be performed within a device for wireless communication, such as a cellular phone or other device with such communication capabilities. Such a device can be used to communicate with circuit-switched and / or packet-switched networks (e.g., using one or more protocols such as VoIP). For example, such a device may include RF circuitry for receiving and / or transmitting encoded frames.

[0069] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the operations described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, such operations may be stored on or transmitted via a computer-readable medium as one or more instructions or code. The term "computer-readable medium" encompasses both computer-readable storage media and communication (e.g., transmission) media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable storage media may include arrays of memory elements, such as semiconductor memories (which may include, but are not limited to, dynamic or static RAM, ROM, EEPROM, and / or flash RAM) or ferroelectric, magnetoresistive, AC-controlled semiconductor elements, polymer, or phase-change memory; CD-ROMs or other optical disk storage; and / or magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. Such storage media may store information in the form of instructions or data structures accessible by a computer. Communication media may include any medium that can be used to carry desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer, including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one location to another. Furthermore, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technology (e.g., infrared, radio, and / or microwave), then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technology such as infrared, radio, and / or microwave are included within the definition of medium. As used herein, disk and disc include compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and Blu-ray Disc (Blu-ray Disc Association, Universal City, California), where disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0070] In one example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes code that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method for preparing an emergency call on a mobile device as described herein (e.g., method M100, M200, M300, or M400). Other examples of such storage media include media further including code that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method for preparing an emergency call on a mobile device as described herein.

[0071] The foregoing description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make or use the disclosed embodiments. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest possible scope consistent with the principles and novel features defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for preparing an emergency call on a mobile device, the method comprising: detecting that a user of the mobile device has initiated an emergency call; obtaining an indication of a current geographic location of the mobile device; In response to the detecting and based on the obtained indication, selecting an emergency number to be called for the emergency call; In response to the detecting, handing over the mobile device from a first radio access technology (RAT) to a second RAT, wherein the second RAT is a circuit-switched type; In response to the detecting, switching an active subscriber identity module (SIM) of the mobile device from a first SIM to a second SIM; and placing the emergency call using the selected emergency number, the subscription associated with the second SIM, and the second RAT; The method further comprises: If an emergency call failure is detected, the active SIM is detached and the emergency call is retried without the active SIM.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The detecting that the user initiates an emergency call includes: It is detected that the user dialed an emergency number, wherein the selected emergency number is different from the dialed emergency number.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein The current service status of the second SIM is higher than the current service status of the first SIM.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The switching is based on an indication that the first SIM does not support voice services.

5. A mobile device for preparing an emergency call, the mobile device comprising: a memory for storing a correspondence between an indication of a geographic location and an associated emergency number; as well as a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute: detecting that a user of the mobile device has initiated an emergency call; obtaining an indication of a current geographic location of the mobile device; and In response to the detection and based on the obtained indication and the stored correspondence, selecting an emergency number to be called for the emergency call; The processor is further configured to execute: In response to the detecting, handing over the mobile device from a first radio access technology (RAT) to a second RAT, wherein the second RAT is a circuit-switched type; In response to the detecting, switching an active subscriber identity module (SIM) of the mobile device from a first SIM to a second SIM; and placing the emergency call using the selected emergency number, the subscription associated with the second SIM, and the second RAT; The processor is further configured to execute: If an emergency call failure is detected, the active SIM is detached and the emergency call is retried without the active SIM. The mobile device according to claim 5 , wherein: The processor configured to detect that the user initiates an emergency call is configured to execute: It is detected that the user dialed an emergency number, wherein the selected emergency number is different from the dialed emergency number.

7. The mobile device according to claim 5, wherein: The current service status of the second SIM is higher than the current service status of the first SIM.

8. The mobile device according to claim 5, wherein: The switching is based on an indication that the first SIM does not support voice services.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: detecting that a user of a mobile device has initiated an emergency call; obtaining an indication of a current geographic location of the mobile device; as well as In response to the detecting and based on the obtained indication, selecting an emergency number to be called for the emergency call; In response to the detecting, handing over the mobile device from a first radio access technology (RAT) to a second RAT, wherein the second RAT is a circuit-switched type; In response to the detecting, switching an active subscriber identity module (SIM) of the mobile device from a first SIM to a second SIM; and placing the emergency call using the selected emergency number, the subscription associated with the second SIM, and the second RAT; The computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to execute: If an emergency call failure is detected, the active SIM is detached and the emergency call is retried without the active SIM.

10. The medium according to claim 9, wherein The computer executable instructions causing the one or more processors to execute detecting that the user has initiated an emergency call further cause the one or more processors to execute: It is detected that the user dialed an emergency number, wherein the selected emergency number is different from the dialed emergency number.

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