Reverse 911 using multicast session internet protocol (SIP) conferencing of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) users
A reverse 911 system uses voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)/Session Internet Protocol (SIP) conferencing. An emergency alert message may be a text, video, MMS, hyperlink and/or image communicated simultaneously to multiple VoIP users via a SIP conference. Multiple SIP conferences may be cascaded to communicate with a larger number of users in a relevant group of users to be communicated with.
1. A reverse 911 emergency alert system, comprising:
a SIP conference focus server to establish a SIP conference triggered by an appropriate reverse 911 trigger event; and
a Session Internet Protocol (SIP) conference bridge, initiated by said SIP conference focus server, to establish a listen-only SIP conference with said SIP conference focus server as host;
wherein said SIP conference focus server is adapted to issue a SIP INVITE to each of a plurality of user agent devices designated in a user agent database for listen-only participation in said listen-only SIP conference;
wherein said SIP conference focus server further establishes at least one other listen-only SIP conference triggered by said appropriate reverse 911 trigger event, and issues a SIP INVITE to each of a said plurality of user agent devices designated in said user agent database for listen-only participation in said listen-only SIP conference or said at least one other listen-only SIP conference;
wherein said SIP conference focus server cascades said listen-only SIP conference with said at least one other listen-only SIP conference until a total of all said plurality of user agent devices designated in said user agent database; and
wherein said plurality of user agent devices are provided listen-only access to said SIP conference bridge.
2. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides an emergency text message through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
3. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides an emergency voice message through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
4. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides an emergency digital file through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
5. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides an emergency video message through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
6. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides an emergency message by way of a hyperlink to an Internet web page through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
7. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides an image file through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
8. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides a static emergency message through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
9. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides a dynamic emergency message through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
10. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server provides a live emergency message through said SIP conference bridge to each of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge.
11. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of said plurality of user agent devices having listen-only participation in said SIP conference bridge is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) client.
12. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said plurality of user agent devices receive a reverse 911 emergency message from said SIP conference focus server using any of a plurality of different modes of communication through said SIP conference bridge.
13. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference bridge pushes said SIP INVITE to each of said plurality of user agent devices.
14. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said SIP conference focus server initiates limited broadcast capability in said listen-only SIP conference.
15. The reverse 911 emergency alert system according to claim 14 , wherein:
said limited broadcast capability is SIP multicast.
16. A method of providing a reverse 911 service, comprising:
receiving a reverse 911 trigger event at a SIP conference focus server;
establishing a Session Internet Protocol (SIP) conference bridge, initiated by said SIP conference focus server, to establish a listen-only SIP conference with said SIP conference focus server as host;
issuing a SIP INVITE to each of a plurality of user agent devices designated in a user agent database for listen-only participation in said listen-only SIP conference, each of said plurality of user agent devices being provided listen-only access to said SIP conference bridge;
establishing at least one other listen-only SIP conference, by said SIP conference focus server also in response to said reverse 911 trigger event;
issuing a SIP INVITE to each of a plurality of user agent devices designated in said user agent database for listen-only participation in said listen-only SIP conference or said at least one other listen-only SIP conference;
wherein said SIP conference focus server cascades said listen-only SIP conference with said at least one other listen-only SIP conference until a total of all said plurality of user agent devices designated in said user agent database are provided listen-only access to said SIP conference bridge; and
inputting a reverse 911 emergency message into said SIP conference bridge.
17. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 16 , wherein:
said reverse 911 emergency message is a text message.
18. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 16 , wherein:
said reverse 911 emergency message is a voice message.
19. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 16 , wherein:
said reverse 911 emergency message includes an image.
20. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 16 , wherein:
said reverse 911 emergency message is a video message.
21. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 16 , wherein said reverse 911 emergency message comprises:
a hyperlink to an Internet web page.
22. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 16 , wherein:
said reverse 911 emergency message is live.
23. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 16 , wherein:
at least one of said plurality of user agent devices is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) client.
24. The method of providing a reverse 911 service according to claim 16 , wherein:
said plurality of user agent devices receive said reverse 911 emergency message from said SIP conference focus server using any of a plurality of different modes of communication through said SIP conference.