Emergency Number Selection for VoIP Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile communications devices often lack the correct emergency call number when roaming outside their home network or country, especially in wireless local area networks (WLANs) where emergency numbers vary geographically and may not be accurately provided.
Innovation Solution
A method for a mobile communications device to automatically select an emergency number by receiving a geographic indicator from a WLAN access point or a wireless wide area network, using a lookup table to determine the appropriate emergency number based on country codes, ensuring accurate emergency calling in both VoIP and traditional cellular environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mobile device uses pre-programmed emergency numbers, then the device can make emergency calls, but the correct emergency number cannot be determined when roaming outside the home country
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the network about the device's current location to automatically determine the correct emergency number. The network provides location information (such as MCC codes) that feeds back to the device, which then uses this information to select the appropriate emergency number from its lookup table, ensuring accuracy regardless of whether the device is at home or roaming.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device automatically determines its own location and selects the correct emergency number without user intervention. The device uses its built-in lookup table and network-provided location data to autonomously identify the correct emergency number, eliminating the need for users to manually enter or select emergency numbers based on their location.
2Measurement precision
If a mobile device relies on pre-programmed emergency number information, then the device structure remains simple, but the device cannot accurately provide emergency numbers in different geographical areas
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device's existing network communication capabilities are made multi-functional by enabling them to serve both standard voice calls and location determination for emergency number selection. The same network interface used for regular communication also receives and processes location information (MCC codes) to automatically determine the correct emergency number, eliminating the need for separate dedicated location tracking hardware.
3Reliability
If emergency number selection is manual, then the device complexity is reduced, but the risk of incorrect emergency number dialing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device automatically performs the entire emergency number selection process without requiring user input. When the user initiates an emergency call, the device autonomously queries its lookup table using network-provided location data and selects the correct emergency number, ensuring both ease of operation (single action) and reliability (automated correct selection).
Data Source
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AI summary
Automatically selecting an emergency number for use by a mobile communications device (10) enabled for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications, including: receiving at the mobile communications device (10) a geographic indicator in a beacon frame transmitted from a wireless access point (116) of a wireless local area network (112) that is connected to an Internet Protocol network; and determining from a plurality of emergency numbers stored in a storage element (24, 26) of the mobile communications device (10) a selected emergency number in dependence on the received geographic indicator.