Short-Code Emergency Communications Testing Without Live PSAP Interference
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Testing emergency communications in wireless networks is challenging without involving actual emergency services and is difficult due to the lack of standardized testing numbers and the proprietary nature of user equipment, which does not include current location information in non-emergency communications to protect privacy.
Innovation Solution
A network component like a Text Control Center (TCC) or Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) enters a testing mode in response to specific short codes, determining the user equipment's location and simulating emergency communications without altering the user equipment, thereby facilitating accurate testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If emergency communications are transmitted to actual emergency services systems for testing, then the testing accuracy and realism are improved, but the operational emergency services are interfered with and additional resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the emergency services system called a test PSAP (Public Safety Access Point) that replicates the functionality of actual emergency services. This test PSAP receives and processes test emergency communications instead of routing them to operational emergency services, thereby maintaining testing accuracy while preventing interference with real emergency operations. The test PSAP is configured to identify and handle test messages differently from actual emergency calls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary component - a test indicator or flag system - that mediates between the emergency communication system and the PSAP. This intermediary allows the system to identify test communications and route them appropriately to the test PSAP rather than operational emergency services. The intermediary mechanism enables differentiation between test and real emergency communications without requiring modification to the core emergency communication infrastructure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If test messages are used that are not truly reflective of emergency messages, then operational emergency services are protected from interference, but the testing realism and accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding test indicators or flags within test emergency messages before they are transmitted to the PSAP. This allows the test messages to maintain the authentic format, structure, and content characteristics of real emergency communications while containing embedded identifiers that enable the PSAP to recognize and handle them appropriately. The test indicator is incorporated in advance, allowing the message to be processed as a genuine emergency communication while still being identifiable as a test case.
3Ease of operation
If location information is included in non-emergency communications to enable testing, then user privacy is compromised, but testing capability is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making location information inclusion conditional based on the communication type. For test emergency communications, location information is included to enable accurate testing of location-based emergency response functionality. For regular non-test communications, location information is excluded to protect user privacy. The system dynamically adjusts the inclusion of location data based on whether the communication is identified as a test emergency message, allowing testing capability while maintaining privacy protection for ordinary users.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for performing emergency communications testing are disclosed. Network components, such as a text control center, may be configured to recognize a short code in a text message and enter an emergency communications testing mode for the user device that transmitted the short code. In testing mode, the network components may process emergency communications by determining the emergency processing data (e.g., routing instructions, appropriate PSAP, etc.) and providing that information to the user device rather than forwarding such communications to an emergency services provider. The network component may revert to normal operation after a period of time or after processing a predetermining number of emergency communications.