VoIP Emergency Location Detection via GPS and Cellular Networks

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

VoIP telephony systems face challenges in reliably determining the location of users dialing emergency numbers, as they can be used from various locations, leading to inaccurate dispatch of emergency services without user communication.

Innovation Solution

Integration of GPS or cellular technology within VoIP systems to determine the current location of the phone and transmit it to the Emergency Services 911 Call Center, ensuring accurate location identification and dispatch.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a database of user names and addresses is maintained to provide emergency services, then emergency services can be provided when users are at their registered address, but the current location cannot be determined when users are traveling or using VoIP from other locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency service reliabilityVSAvoidcurrent location information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary location detection using GPS or cellular technology to obtain the user's current location before an emergency call is placed. This pre-acquired location information is stored and ready for immediate transmission to the emergency services center, eliminating the need to rely on pre-registered address databases and ensuring accurate location information is available when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces GPS and cellular network technologies as intermediary systems to bridge the gap between VoIP phones and emergency services location tracking. These intermediary technologies enable location determination independent of the VoIP service itself, allowing the system to overcome the limitation of not knowing the user's physical location when using VoIP from various places.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If VoIP service is used for emergency calls, then flexible location usage is enabled, but service unavailability may occur preventing emergency call completion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation flexibilityVSAvoidemergency call completion

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a backup mechanism by detecting both VoIP and cellular network availability before placing an emergency call. If the VoIP network is unavailable or unreliable, the system has pre-prepared fallback options to route the call through cellular networks, ensuring that emergency calls can still be completed even when VoIP service fails.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the emergency calling system dynamic by enabling automatic switching between different communication networks (VoIP and cellular) based on real-time availability. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain emergency call capability across varying network conditions, preserving both location flexibility and call completion reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7933580B2Emergency services for voice over IP telephony (E-VoIP)

Publication Date: 2011.04.26 E-BEACON LLC

AI summary

A method for determining the physical coordinates of a VoIP phone and transmitting the physical coordinates to an emergency services call center or the like comprises the steps of determining the physical coordinates of the VoIP phone using signals from a GPS or cellular network, placing a call to an emergency services call center using the VoIP phone, and automatically transmitting the physical coordinates of the VoIP phone to the emergency services call center.