Emergency Call Routing Interface for PSAP Dispatcher Awareness

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Public-safety dispatchers at emergency call centers often lack awareness of re-routed calls, leading to incomplete information and improper resource allocation due to unawareness of call re-routing status or reasons.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that display information about re-routed calls to PSAPs, including call status and reasons for re-routing, using an interface that provides visual and textual representations of PSAP availability and call routing, enabling dispatchers to receive comprehensive information about calls they would not normally handle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If calls are re-routed to alternative PSAPs based on caller location and PSAP availability, then call routing reliability is improved, but information completeness for dispatchers deteriorates as they become unaware of re-routed calls and routing reasons

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall routing reliabilityVSAvoidinformation completeness for dispatchers
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by notifying the original PSAP's dispatcher when a call is re-routed to an alternative PSAP. The notification includes details about the re-routing reason and status, allowing the dispatcher to remain informed about calls that were originally assigned to their PSAP but were redirected elsewhere due to PSAP unavailability or overload conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses an intermediary notification mechanism that bridges the original PSAP and the alternative PSAP. When re-routing occurs, the system generates and transmits a notification message containing call information, routing status, and reasons for re-routing, ensuring that information flows through the intermediary system to keep all relevant parties informed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If re-routing notifications are implemented to maintain information completeness, then dispatcher awareness is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional notification and tracking mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedispatcher awareness of re-routed callsVSAvoidsystem complexity for notification mechanisms
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The notification system is designed to be universal and multi-functional, serving multiple purposes: it notifies dispatchers of re-routed calls, provides routing status information, communicates reasons for re-routing, and maintains a log of re-routing events. This consolidation of multiple functions into a single system reduces overall complexity compared to implementing separate mechanisms for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by automatically generating and transmitting re-routing notifications without requiring manual intervention. The notification system automatically detects when re-routing occurs, formats the appropriate information, and sends notifications to the relevant PSAP dispatchers, eliminating the need for manual tracking and notification processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4490904B1Method and apparatus for providing information on an emergency call
Publication Date: 2025.03.26 MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC
  • EP4490904B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4490904B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4490904B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and apparatus for displaying information regarding calls to a plurality of PSAPs is provided herein. During operation, an interface will display information as to whether a PSAP is receiving calls it normally would not be receiving, information as to whether or not a PSAP is not working correctly, and information on a status of any rerouted calls to a PSAP In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a reason for a PSAP call re-route is also provided.