US20040096042A1 - Emergency telephone call notification service system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for emergency telephone call notification. The system includes an AIN capable switch, a service control point (SCP) having a database of designated contact numbers associated with a service subscriber telephone number, and an intelligent peripheral (IP) in communication with the SCP for contacting the designated contact numbers. The method includes the steps of recognizing an N11 trigger and the SCP initiating telephone calls, via the IP, to each of the contact numbers corresponding to the telephone number of the subscriber making the emergency telephone call.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• In an emergency situation, people need to quickly contact the appropriate agency (police, fire department, ambulance, poison control, etc.). Many communities provide a single telephone number, such as 911, which connects a caller to a central dispatcher to gather information and relay the call to the appropriate destination. In addition to locating and contacting the appropriate agency, the caller may also wish to notify other parties that an emergency situation exists.[0001]
• Several systems and methods for providing auxiliary notification have been proposed. One system discloses a transmitting device with a panic button that is worn by a user that, when activated, transmits a signal to a base unit attached to a telephone. The base unit automatically calls a predetermined list of telephone numbers and plays a prerecorded message. Another system discloses attaching an emergency call monitor to a user's telephone. When an emergency call is made, the monitor waits until the call is complete and then automatically dials out to a messaging service that calls predetermined numbers and plays a prerecorded message. In yet another system, emergency call detection equipment is attached to a telephone switch and reacts to 911 telephone calls by activating a calling service to contact a predetermined list of telephone numbers.[0002]
• One drawback of these emergency telephone call notification systems is the need for specialized equipment in addition to the standard telephone system equipment. Also, many existing notification systems have limited flexibility and only a few basic features.[0003]
• Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system and method of communicating emergency telephone call notices to designated parties that provides flexible and efficient use of existing infrastructure.[0004]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 illustrates an emergency telephone call notification system according to a presently preferred embodiment.[0005]
• FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a contact list stored at the SCP show in FIG. 1.[0006]
• FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method of providing an emergency telephone call notification service on the system of FIG. 1 according to a presently preferred embodiment.[0007]
• FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a preferred method of contacting designated contact numbers, the method for use in the system of FIG. 1.[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• As described in greater detail below, a preferred system and method for providing an emergency telephone call notification service utilizes advanced intelligent network infrastructure to avoid the need to add or maintain additional hardware to support the service. FIG. 1 illustrates a[0009]telecommunications system10 according to a preferred embodiment. The system preferably includes asubscriber telephone12 in communication with a first advanced intelligent network (AIN) capable service switching point (SSP)14 over a voice/information line16. Thefirst SSP14 is in communication over a voice/information line with a public safety access point (PSAP)18. The PSAP18 is preferably an emergency call receiving station having one or more emergency dispatchers to handle and route emergency telephone calls to the appropriate agency. In one embodiment, the PSAP18 is accessible from thesubscriber telephone12 by dialing a predetermined telephone number such as 911.
• The[0010]first SSP14 includes an AIN emergency telephone number trigger recognition capability for recognizing dialed digits of any of a number of emergency telephone numbers. In a preferred embodiment, thefirst SSP14 is configured to recognize an N11 trigger when a 911 telephone number is dialed.
• The[0011]system10 also includes one or more service control points (SCP)20. AnSCP20 is an AIN network element containing logic and data necessary to provide functionality required for the execution of a desired communication service. AnSCP20 generally permits separation of service logic from switching functionality such that additional services maybe developed without the need to provision software in each individual SSP. Asuitable SCP20 is the Advantage SCP manufactured by Lucent Technologies. In a preferred embodiment, theSCP20 includes a designated contact number list21 (FIG. 2) stored in memory corresponding to each subscriber telephone number that subscribes to the emergency telephone number notification service described below. Thecontact list21 includes a list ofsubscriber telephone numbers23 and a list of thecontact telephone numbers25 associated with each subscriber telephone number.
• Other than specific system memory limitations and telephone company policy, there may be any number of contact numbers per subscriber. In one embodiment, each subscriber is permitted four contact numbers. In another embodiment, a subscriber may be represented by a range of telephone numbers so that each telephone number in the range of numbers is associated with the same set of contact numbers. For example, a subscriber may be a company having a range of consecutive telephone numbers where the same contact numbers are desired for all of the numbers in the range. Additionally, the contact numbers may also be for communication devices or services other than a standard plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone. For example, the contact numbers may be for cellular telephones, paging services, or other communication devices and services.[0012]
• The[0013]SCP20 communicates with SSP's, such as thefirst SSP14, over a data channel via at least one service transfer point (STP). Thesystem10 may include local STP's (LSTP)22 and a regional STP (RSTP)24. The LSTP's22 andRSTP24 are connected via data channels and also connect the SCP to the SSP's via data channels. A suitable data signal extended for use with the STPs is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) signalling system No.7 (SS7). A suitable SCP/SSP communication protocol is the AIN0.1 SCP/SSP protocol set forth in Bellcore Technical Reference TR-NWT-001285, entitled AIN Switch-Service Control Point Application Protocol Interface Generic Requirements, Issue 1, August 1992.
• The[0014]SCP20 also communicates with one or more compact service nodes (CSN)26 or other type of service node/intelligent peripheral. In one embodiment, theSCP20 communicates directly with each CSN26 over a wide area network (WAN)28 such as CONet using transfer control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP). Other networks capable of running TCP/IP are also suitable for facilitating communication between each CSN and an SCP. In other embodiments, the SCP may communicate with the CSN26 via one or more STPs and an SSP.
• Each CSN[0015]26 is a network element of the AIN that contains resources to exchange information with an end user and perform other functions such as call origination and tone generation. The CSN26 provides special resources for interactions between the end user and the network such as dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) recognition, playing pre-recorded announcements and tone generation. A service node/intelligent peripheral platform suitable for use as a CSN is manufactured by Lucent Technologies. Although thesystem10 illustrated in FIG. 1 shows a certain number of network elements (SCPs, CSNS, STPs, and SSPs), those of ordinary skill in the art understand that the presently preferred system and method may include more complex networks having a plurality of the interconnected network elements. Preferably, each CSN26 is configured to communicate emergency call notices to numbers stored in theSCP database21 and transmitted to the CSN26 over theWAN28 or other communication link. In one embodiment, the CSN26 includes acaller ID generator31 utilizing standard caller ID logic and containing a caller ID message to send to thecontact telephones36 associated with a particular subscriber number. In another embodiment, the CSN26 contains a plurality of emergencynotification message templates33 stored in memory. Each of thetemplates33 may have a general voice or text message for transmission to thecontact telephones36. Information regarding the particular emergency telephone call made by the subscriber is insertable into the appropriate message template. The CSN26 is in communication with asecond SSP30 viadata32 andvoice34 lines. Although the CSN's26 in FIG. 1 are connected to a different SSP than thesubscriber12, the CSN's may also be connected to the same SSP as the subscriber.
• The[0016]system10 further includes one ormore contact telephones36 connected to athird SSP38. Each contact telephone is associated with a designated contact telephone number in the designatedcontact list21 stored at the SCP20. Again, although thecontact telephones36 are shown as communicating with an SSP separate from the SSPs connected to the subscriber and the CSN's, different configurations are contemplated wherein thesubscriber telephone12, contacttelephones36 and CSN's26 are all connected to the same SSP or other combinations of SSPs. In order to implement the emergency telephone call notification service, the CSN preferably contains a port identity transfer control protocol/user defined protocol (TCP/UDP) address along with an internet protocol (IP) address identified by a socket. This virtual port (socket) number is identified and assigned on the CSN26. Preferably, a CSN26 is in communication with aSSP30 over both data and voice lines utilizing ISDN-BRI connectivity. SS7 TCAP messaging is utilized between the SSP's and the SCP.
• Referring now to FIG. 3, a preferred embodiment of the method of implementing an emergency telephone number notification service is described below with relation to the system show in FIG. 1. When a[0017]subscriber12 goes off-hook (picks up the telephone receiver), theSSP14 presents a dial tone to the subscriber and subscriber dials a telephone number (atsteps38,40 and42). Thefirst SSP14 receives these dialed digits and examines the dialed digits to see if they correspond with an AIN trigger. If the dialed digits are an emergency telephone number, such as 911, the SSP recognizes an N11 trigger and contacts theSCP20 for instructions (at step44). If no N11 trigger is recognized, the telephone call is processed and sent off to the designated destination. When an N11 trigger is encountered and theSSP14 contacts theSCP20, an info_analyze query is sent to theSCP20 containing the calling party ID as well as standard SS7 call information (at step26). TheSCP20 receives the info_analyze query and determines whether or not the calling party ID is associated with an emergency telephone notification service subscriber (at step48). The SCP preferably performs this step by comparing the calling party ID with the information stored in thesubscriber list21 at theSCP20.
• If the calling party ID is not recognized by the SCP as a subscriber to the emergency telephone call notification service, the SCP sends an analyzed_route message back to the SSP and the SSP routes the call based on standard 911 routing data to the appropriate 911 operator at a PSAP[0018]18 (atsteps50,52). The analyzed_route message includes a called party ID, a calling party ID and a primary trunk group. If the SCP does recognize the calling party ID as a subscriber to the emergency telephone call notification service, theSCP20 calls on enhanced 911 (E911) logic residing in memory at theSCP20 and establishes a communication link, such as a TCP/IP link over theWAN28, to a CSN26 (at step54). Preferably, the TCP/IP message sent by the SCP includes the subscriber's telephone number, a time when the subscriber called 911, a list of contact numbers associated with that subscriber number, and dialing instructions. In one alternative embodiment, the dialing instructions may already reside on the CSN and the SCP simply forwards the contact numbers and emergency telephone call information.
• As soon as the CSN responds and confirms receipt of the instructions, the SCP returns a message to the[0019]first SSP14 allowing the 911 call to terminate at thePSAP18. Finally, theCSN26, pursuant to the instructions received from theSCP20, begins making telephone calls via thesecond SSP30 to the designated contact numbers on the list (at step56). As shown in FIG. 1, thecontact telephones36 are connected to athird SSP38 that is in communication with thesecond SSP30 overinteroffice trunk lines39. In other embodiments, thecontact telephones36 may be connected to any switch or may be connected to an intermediary communications device, such as a PBX, that is in communication with a switch.
• As shown in FIG. 4, one preferred method of contacting telephone numbers listed on the contact list associated with a subscriber number is shown. The[0020]CSN26 dials the first number on the contact list received from the SCP20 (at step58). In dialing each number, the CSN also transmits a caller ID message from thecaller ID generator31 indicating that the call is an emergency notification call. Preferably, the CSN invokes standard caller ID logic and uses a pseudo caller ID message such as “911 Notify” rather than the number of the 911 caller. If there is no answer at the first contact number, the CSN proceeds to dial the next contact number (at step60) if there is an answer at any particular contact number, the CSN invokes answer verification logic which, in a preferred embodiment, consists of playing an announcement in response to detecting an answer (at step62). Preferably, the announcement is a pre-recorded message assembled from the appropriate one of themessage templates33 stored at theCSN26 stating that the call is a message from the 911 Notification Service. In one embodiment, the answer verification logic at the CSN may include a live answer detector where the answering party is requested to either press a key on the telephone pad or orally respond. In this way, the CSN can determine whether a person or answering device answers the call. The CSN then waits for a response and checks to see if there is a touch-tone or voice response (at step64).
• If the[0021]CSN26 receives no response and an answering machine or voice mail system is detected then an announcement is played for recordal on the answering machine or voice mail and a timer in the answer verification logic at the CSN will keep track of the number of calls made to a given contact number and the time interval between each repeated call. In one embodiment, the CSN will place subsequent telephone calls to the contact number every five minutes (atsteps66,68). The announcement left on the answering machine preferably includes information related to the subscriber telephone number and of time and day when the emergency telephone call was made from that number. Additionally, the message left on the answering machine or voice mail is preferably only left one time. Subsequent answers by answering machine or voice mail system will not trigger the announcement again. Additionally, if an answering machine or voice mail system is encountered after the first hour of attempting to place the emergency notification call, the CSN will continue placing calls at a greater interval of time for up to 24 hours after the original emergency telephone call was made by the subscriber. In one embodiment the interval of contacting the telephone number on the contact list would be increased to every 15 minutes. In another embodiment, the CSN may be instructed to leave an announcement every hour that the notification system is trying to reach the person at the number and repeating the information that an emergency call was placed from a particular number at a given time and day (at step70).
• If a response (touch tone or voice) is received from a person answering at the contact number dialed by the CSN, the[0022]CSN26 may play an announcement indicating that the emergency call was placed from thesubscriber telephone12 at a particular time/day and will automatically attempt to connect the person answering the notification call to the subscriber telephone (atsteps72,74). Additional messages indicating the system is attempting to connect the call may be played while the contact person is waiting on hold. If thesubscriber telephone12 from which the emergency telephone call was originally placed is busy, or no answer is received, theCSN26 may simply play an announcement indicating that the line is busy and that the contact person should try later or may repeat the attempt to connect the contact person to the subscriber telephone number a predetermined number of times (atsteps76,78). In another embodiment, the SCP may instruct the CSN to dial all of the contact numbers simultaneously to reach as many of the subscriber's chosen contact group as quickly as possible.
• The system and method described above provides the advantage of an automated emergency telephone notification implemented on existing hardware such as AIN network elements. No additional hardware is required. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment AIN communication protocols may be implemented to easily adapt and configure AIN network elements to allow for expeditious contact of designated parties while not interfering with the emergency telephone call placed by the subscriber. Preferably, the system and method described above may be used with emergency telephone call systems such standard 911, enhanced 911, or other custom emergency telephone call systems.[0023]
• It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that the following claims, including all equivalents, are intended to define the scope of this invention.[0024]

Claims (21)

We claim:

1. In a telecommunications system having at least one subscriber telephone in communication with an advanced intelligent network (AIN) capable switch, at least one intelligent peripheral (IP) in communication with the AIN capable switch, at least one service control point (SCP) in communication with the switch, and a public safety answering point (PSAP) in communication with the SCP and the switch, a method of notifying at least one designated telephone number that an emergency telephone call has been made from the subscriber telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

recognizing an emergency telephone call at the switch;

the switch informing the SCP of the emergency telephone call;

the SCP instructing the IP to dial the at least one designated telephone number; and

the IP informing the at least one designated telephone number of the emergency telephone call from the subscriber telephone.

2. The method of claim, wherein the emergency telephone call is a 911 telephone call.

3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the step of recognizing an emergency telephone call trigger further comprises recognizing an N11 trigger.

4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the SCP further comprises a database having a list of subscriber telephones and a list of at least one designated telephone number associated with each of the subscriber telephones in the list of subscriber telephones, and wherein the step of the SCP instructing the IP to dial the at least one designated telephone number comprises the SCP retrieving a first of the at least one telephone number associated with the subscriber telephone number and instructing the IP to contact the first of the at least one telephone numbers that an emergency telephone call has been placed from the subscriber telephone.

5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the SCP further comprises a database having a list of subscriber telephone numbers and a list of at least one designated telephone number associated with each of the subscriber telephone numbers, and wherein the step of the SCP instructing the IP to dial the at least one designated telephone number comprises the SCP retrieving all of the telephone numbers associated with the subscriber telephone number and instructing the IP to contact all of the designated telephone numbers simultaneously.

6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the step of the IP informing the at least one designated telephone number further comprises the step of the IP supplying a caller ID message to the at least one designated telephone number indicating an incoming call from an emergency call notification service.

7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the step of the IP informing at least one designated telephone number further comprises playing a prerecorded message if a person answers the emergency call notification call.

8. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising a step of automatically placing a call from the at least one designated telephone number to the subscriber telephone if a person answers the at least one designated telephone number.

9. An emergency call notification system comprising:

a subscriber telephone;

an AIN capable switch in communication with a public service access point (PSAP) and the subscriber telephone, the AIN switch configured to recognize an emergency telephone call;

a service control point (SCP) in communication with the switch, the SCP comprising a database having a list of emergency call notification service subscribers, the SCP configured to determine if an emergency telephone call was made by an emergency call notification service subscriber and correlate the emergency call notification service subscriber number with a list of at least one designated contact number for the emergency call notification service subscriber; and

an intelligent peripheral (IP) in communication with the SCP, the IP responsive to an instruction from the SCP to contact the at least one designated contact number.

10. The system ofclaim 9 further comprising means for automatically connecting a designated contact number answered by a person to the emergency call notification service subscriber number.

11. The system ofclaim 10 further comprising a caller ID generator comprising a predesignated message stored in memory.

12. The system ofclaim 10 wherein the IP comprises answer verification logic.

13. The system ofclaim 11 wherein the answer verification logic comprises a call repetition timer.

14. The system ofclaim 11 wherein the answer verification logic further comprises a live answer detector.

15. The system ofclaim 11 wherein the answer verification logic comprises a prerecorded message for transmission to an answering machine.

16. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the IP is in communication with the SCP via a wide area network.

17. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the step of the SCP instructing the IP comprises sending a message via a wide area network connection to the IP.

18. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the message comprises a TCP/IP message.

19. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the step of the IP informing the at least one designated number comprises the IP dialing a first of the at least one designated numbers and waiting a predetermined number of rings before trying to contact a next one of the at least one designated numbers.

20. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the IP further comprises a plurality of prerecorded message templates.

21. In a telecommunications system having at least one subscriber telephone in communication with an advanced intelligent network (AIN) capable switch, at least one intelligent peripheral (IP) in communication with the AIN capable switch, at least one service control point (SCP) in communication with the switch, and a public safety answering point (PSAP) in communication with the SCP and the switch, a method of notifying at least one designated telephone number that an emergency telephone call has been made from the subscriber telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

recognizing an emergency telephone call trigger corresponding to an emergency telephone call at the switch;

notifying the SCP of the emergency telephone call;

instructing the IP to dial the at least one designated telephone number;

informing the at least one designated telephone number of the emergency telephone call from the subscriber telephone; and

automatically placing a call from the at least one designated telephone number to the subscriber telephone if a person answers the at least one designated telephone number.

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