Implementing an emergency services solution
View Patent ↗A system, method, and apparatus for redirecting an emergency communication include initiating emergency communication from an endpoint. Unavailability of a softswitch is determined, and an emergency server is identified that handles call control for emergency communication from the endpoint if the softswitch is unavailable. Emergency communication is initiated with the emergency server.
1. A method for redirecting an emergency communication, comprising:
initiating emergency communication from an endpoint;
determining unavailability of a softswitch;
identifying an emergency server that handles call control for emergency communication from the endpoint if the softswitch is unavailable, wherein identifying an emergency server comprises determining an address of the emergency server, wherein the emergency server is configured to provide call control for endpoints connected to a network via different access devices; and
initiating emergency communication with the emergency server.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining unavailability of a softswitch comprises transmitting a keep-alive message to the softswitch.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining availability of the softswitch; and
redirecting call control of emergency communication from the emergency server to the softswitch.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining availability of the softswitch comprises receiving a response to a keep-alive message.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the softswitch is unavailable according to at least one of a softswitch failure and a network failure.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining an address of the emergency server comprises retrieving an emergency address associated with the emergency server.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining an address of the emergency server comprises retrieving a primary address associated with the softswitch.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating emergency communication comprises redirecting emergency communication from the softswitch to the emergency server.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emergency server is transparent to the softswitch.
10. An apparatus, comprising:
an interface operable to receive an input to initiate emergency communication;
a processor coupled to the interface, the processor operable to process the input to facilitate initiation of emergency communication;
a network interface coupled to the processor, the network interface operable to transmit emergency communication to a communications network; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory operable to store at least three addresses, comprising:
a first address identifying a primary softswitch for call control;
a second address identifying a backup softswitch for call control if the primary softswitch is unavailable; and
a third address identifying an emergency server for emergency communication if the primary and backup softswitches are unavailable, wherein the emergency server is configured to provide call control for endpoints connected to a network via different access devices.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third addresses is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third addresses is a domain name.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the input is an emergency telephone number.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the processor is further operable to determine that the primary and backup softswitches are unavailable; and
the network interface is further operable to transmit emergency communication to the emergency server.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the network interface is further operable to transmit a keep-alive message to monitor availability of the primary and backup softswitches.
16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the network interface is further operable to transmit emergency communication to the emergency server.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the network interface is further operable to redirect emergency communication from the primary and backup softswitches to the emergency server.
18. An emergency module, comprising:
an emergency server operable to facilitate call processing of emergency communication if a softswitch is unavailable, wherein the emergency server is configured to provide call control for endpoints connected to a network via different access devices, the emergency server comprising:
a network interface operable to receive emergency communication from an endpoint;
a physical processor coupled to the network interface, the processor operable to implement call processing of emergency communication; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory operable to store an address identifying the emergency server for emergency communication if a softswitch is unavailable.
19. The emergency module of claim 18 , further comprising a media gateway operable to communicate emergency communication to an emergency service.
20. The emergency module of claim 18 , wherein the emergency server is operable to:
communicate a keep-alive message to a softswitch implementing call processing for the endpoint;
determine whether the network interface receives a response to the keep-alive message;
if the network interface does not receive a response, communicate an update of emergency communication call processing to the endpoint;
receive emergency communication from the endpoint; and
process emergency communication of the endpoint.
21. The emergency module of claim 18 , wherein the emergency server is operable to:
receive emergency communication from the endpoint, if the endpoint determines unavailability of a softswitch for call processing; and
process emergency communication of the endpoint.
22. The emergency module of claim 18 , wherein the emergency server is operable to associate the identifier with a domain name of a softswitch.
23. The emergency module of claim 18 , wherein the emergency server is operable to mask the identifier as an identifier of a softswitch.
24. The emergency module of claim 18 , wherein the identifier is an Internet Protocol address.
25. Logic for redirecting an emergency communication, the logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and operable to:
initiate emergency communication from an endpoint;
determine unavailability of a softswitch;
identify an emergency server that handles call control for emergency communication from the endpoint if the softswitch is unavailable, wherein identifying an emergency server comprises determining an address of the emergency server, wherein the emergency server is configured to provide call control for endpoints connected to a network via different access devices; and
initiate emergency communication with the emergency server.
26. The logic of claim 25 , wherein determining unavailability of a softswitch comprises transmitting a keep-alive message to the softswitch.
27. The logic of claim 25 , the logic further operable to:
determine availability of the softswitch; and redirect call control of emergency communication from the emergency server to the softswitch.
28. The logic of claim 27 , wherein determining availability of the softswitch comprises receiving a response to a keep-alive message.
29. The logic of claim 25 , wherein the softswitch is unavailable according to at least one of a softswitch failure and a network failure.
30. The logic of claim 25 , wherein determining an address of the emergency server comprises retrieving an emergency address associated with the emergency server.
31. The logic of claim 25 , wherein determining an address of the emergency server comprises retrieving a primary address associated with the softswitch.
32. The logic of claim 25 , wherein initiating emergency communication comprises redirecting emergency communication from the softswitch to the emergency server.
33. The logic of claim 25 , wherein the emergency server is transparent to the softswitch.
34. A system for redirecting an emergency communication, comprising:
means for initiating emergency communication from an endpoint;
means for determining unavailability of a softswitch;
means for identifying an emergency server that handles call control for emergency communication from the endpoint if the softswitch is unavailable, wherein identifying an emergency server comprises determining an address of the emergency server, wherein the emergency server is configured to provide call control for endpoints connected to a network via different access devices; and
means for initiating emergency communication with the emergency server.