Temporary Number Assignment for VoIP Emergency Location Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Emergency Services systems, such as E9-1-1, face challenges in identifying and assigning correct location information for callers using new communication services like VoIP, which lack registered telephone numbers or sufficient identity information, making it difficult to route emergency calls accurately and handle return calls.
Innovation Solution
A system where a communications service provider assigns a temporary, geographically correct telephone number to users based on their location, enabling accurate location identification and routing of emergency calls, and allowing return calls to be connected to the user's device even if it lacks a registered number.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a user device uses a non-traditional communication service (VoIP, IP system) without a registered telephone number, then the user can access emergency services, but the system cannot accurately identify the user's location or handle return calls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temporary telephone number as an intermediary element between the user device and the emergency services system. This temporary number serves as a mediator that carries location information and enables return calls, resolving the information loss problem while allowing users of non-traditional communication services to access emergency services
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by determining the user's location and assigning a temporary telephone number before the emergency call is placed. This preliminary location determination and number assignment ensures that accurate location information is available when the call is made, preventing information loss
2Measurement precision
If the service provider determines user location and assigns a temporary telephone number, then accurate location-based routing is enabled, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the location determination and temporary number assignment functions from the core call routing process. By separating these functions into distinct preliminary steps, the system achieves accurate location-based routing while managing complexity through functional decomposition
Solution Approach 2:
The temporary telephone number serves multiple functions simultaneously: it identifies the user's location, enables accurate call routing, and provides a number for return calls. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate complex systems for each function
3Reliability
If a temporary telephone number is assigned to the user, then return calls can be connected to the user, but the temporary number must be maintained and managed
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically manages the temporary telephone number by maintaining the association between the number and the user device only during the active communication session. The association is established when needed and automatically terminated when the session ends, providing reliable return call connectivity without permanent number management complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Identifying a caller includes establishing, by a service provider, a connection over a computer network with a user device and accessing information enabling determination of a location of the user. A request to place a call to a call recipient is received from the user and a pool of temporary telephone numbers is accessed. Based on the location of the user, a temporary telephone number from the pool of temporary telephone numbers is selected. The temporary telephone number is associated with the call, the call is initiated to the call recipient, and information sufficient to identify the temporary telephone number is provided in call information sent to the call recipient.