Automated Emergency Call Location Testing With GPS Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for testing the accuracy of emergency call location determination for 911 calls from wireless phones are inefficient, requiring specialized training, consuming dispatcher time, and prone to inaccuracies due to verbal transmission of calculated locations.
Innovation Solution
A software facility installed on a smartphone automatically collects GPS location data during a 911 call, routes the call to a simulator instead of a public safety access point, and uses SMS to transmit testing data for storage and analysis, reducing the need for human intervention and improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a specialized testing technician manually places a 911 call and verbally records the calculated location from the dispatcher, then the testing can be performed, but the process is time-consuming, requires specialized training, and is prone to transcription errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an automated testing system that copies the functionality of manual testing by using a testing smartphone to automatically place 911 calls, capture calculated locations via SMS from the dispatcher, and store the data. This digital copying eliminates the need for manual verbal transcription while maintaining testing accuracy and significantly reducing the time required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical process of manual testing with an automated electronic system. The testing smartphone automatically dials 911, receives SMS messages containing calculated locations, and stores data in a spreadsheet, substituting the mechanical actions of manually placing calls, verbally recording locations, and transcribing data.
2Measurement precision
If a specialized testing technician manually places a 911 call and verbally records the calculated location from the dispatcher, then the testing can be performed, but the process requires specialized training and dispatcher time
Solution Approach 1:
The automated testing system performs self-service by automatically executing the entire testing process without requiring specialized technician intervention. The testing smartphone autonomously places 911 calls, receives SMS responses, and stores data, eliminating the need for specialized training while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary automated system between the testing objective and the dispatcher. The testing smartphone acts as an intermediary that automatically interacts with the dispatcher through standardized SMS messages, simplifying the operation while preserving the accuracy of location measurements.
3Measurement precision
If the technician transcribes the calculated location verbally from the dispatcher, then the location data is captured, but transcription errors may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system creates a digital copy of the calculated location data directly from the dispatcher's SMS message to the testing smartphone's spreadsheet, eliminating the manual transcription process that causes errors. This digital copying ensures data accuracy is maintained while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical transcription process with an automated electronic data capture system. The testing smartphone automatically receives SMS messages containing calculated locations and stores them digitally, substituting the error-prone manual transcription mechanism with a reliable automated process.
Data Source
AI summary
A facility for testing location determination for emergency calls is described. Software on a mobile device collects a GPS location from the mobile device, and places an emergency call that encloses information usable by the emergency call processing system to calculate mobile device location. After the system performs this calculation, the call is detected to be a testing call and routed to a computer rather than an emergency dispatcher. The computer sends an SMS or other non-telephony message to the mobile device containing the calculated location. The mobile device stores the collected GPS location and the calculated location received in the non-telephony message together for comparison.