VoIP Emergency Routing via Location Coordinates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Internet telephony systems face challenges in routing and dispatching emergency services effectively from VoIP communications devices, particularly wireless ones, as they often lack reliable geographic location information for accurate emergency response.
Innovation Solution
Equipping VoIP communication devices with a location positioning system and an emergency communications module that detects emergency addresses, determines location coordinates, and associates them with emergency communications signals for routing and processing through telecommunications or data networks to the appropriate public safety answering points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If billing address is used for routing emergency calls from VoIP devices, then routing can be simplified, but accuracy deteriorates when users are mobile
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by obtaining location coordinates before the emergency call is placed. The VoIP device determines its current location using positioning systems (GPS, network-based, or hybrid) and stores these coordinates along with call detail information. This preliminary location capture ensures accurate routing even when users are mobile, resolving the contradiction between routing simplicity and location accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If VoIP devices are equipped with positioning systems, then location accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the positioning capability optional and multi-functional. The VoIP device can use multiple positioning methods (GPS, network-based positioning, hybrid approaches) depending on availability and requirements. This allows the device to maintain positioning capability without mandating complex hardware in all cases, resolving the contradiction between location accuracy and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The network infrastructure acts as an intermediary that can provide positioning assistance. Instead of requiring full positioning capability in every VoIP device, the network can supply location information through triangulation, tower identification, or collaboration with location services. This intermediary approach reduces device complexity while maintaining location accuracy.
3Productivity
If real-time location tracking is implemented, then emergency response efficiency improves, but information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential location information needed for emergency routing - specifically the coordinates and sufficient data to identify the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Rather than transmitting continuous location streams or excessive metadata, the system extracts and transmits only the critical location coordinates and call detail information required for immediate emergency response, reducing data volume while maintaining response efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided to locate, route, and/or otherwise process an emergency communications signal from a VoIP communication device equipped with a location positioning system and an emergency communications computer software product. The software identifies an emergency communications address, activates the location positioning system, and communicates location coordinates and other emergency information with the emergency communications signal to a communications network.