System and method for providing multi-carrier tracking of wireless devices during an emergency

1. A method for tracking a wireless communications device of a user, comprising:

in response to receiving a location request from an authorized requestor to track the wireless communications device, notifying a plurality of wireless networks of different communications carriers to collect geographic coordinates at which the wireless communications device is located;

collecting, from at least one of the wireless networks, geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device; and

communicating the geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device to the requestor for tracking the wireless communications device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a current location of the wireless communications device; and

notifying at least one communications carrier to which the user is not a subscriber that operates a wireless network in an area of the current location of the wireless communications device.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising identifying the at least one communications carrier to which the user is not a subscriber that operates a wireless network in the area of the current location of the wireless communications device.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving a request to track the wireless communications device includes receiving a request from a governmental agency to track the wireless communications device.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein receiving the request includes receiving a request from a public safety answering point.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, prior to notifying the plurality of different communications carriers, determining that the received request is indicative of a particular event type.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving the request includes receiving a security code, and further comprising validating the security code prior to notifying the wireless networks to collect geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

repeatedly collecting and communicating the geographic coordinates; and

stopping, collecting and communicating the geographic coordinates in response to receiving a request to stop collecting the geographic coordinates.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving multiple sets of geographic coordinates; and

generating an average set of geographic coordinates.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving the request includes receiving an identifier associated with the wireless communications device.

11. A system for tracking a wireless communications device of a user, comprising:

a memory;

an input/output (I/O) unit;

a processing unit in communication with said memory and I/O unit, said processing unit configured to:

in response to receiving a location request from an authorized requestor to track the wireless communications device, notify a plurality of wireless networks of different communications carriers to collect geographic coordinates at which the wireless communications device is located in response to receiving a request to track the wireless communications device;

collect, from at least one of the wireless networks, geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device; and

communicate the geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device to the requestor for tracking the wireless communications device.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

determine a current location of the wireless communications device; and

notify at least one communications carrier to which the user is not a subscriber that operates a wireless network in an area of the current location of the wireless communications device.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to identify the at least one communications carrier to which the user is not a subscriber that operates a wireless network in the area of the current location of the wireless communications device.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the request is from a governmental agency to track the wireless communications device.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the request is from a public safety answering point.

16. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to determine that the received request is indicative of a particular event type prior to notifying the plurality of different communications carriers.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the request includes a security code, and wherein said processing unit is further configured to validate the security code prior to notifying the wireless network.

18. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

repeatedly collect and communicate the geographic coordinates; and

stop collecting and communicating the geographic coordinates in response to receiving a request to stop collecting the geographic coordinates.

19. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

receive multiple sets of geographic coordinates; and

generate an average set of geographic coordinates.

20. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the request includes an identifier associated with the wireless communications device.