Systems, methods, devices and arrangements for emergency call services and emergency broadcasts
A variety of methods, systems, devices and arrangements are implemented for emergency call centers. According to one such method, a location database is populated from a plurality of endpoint devices. The location database determines locations for nodes in a data transmission route from information received from the endpoint devices. Emergency calls using these nodes are located using the populated database.
1. A system comprising:
one or more servers configured to provide data communications services, including Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications and at least one other type of Internet Protocol (IP) based communications; and
computer-processor circuitry integrated with or coupled to the one or more servers and to process location-information data received from user-operable VoIP-capable endpoint devices (“endpoint devices”) via communications circuits forming part of the respective endpoint devices, wherein the endpoint devices include a first endpoint device that communicates via the data communications services by way of a transmission path that includes multiple nodes, each of the multiple nodes being an identifiable data transmission circuit to convey data between the first endpoint device and the one or more servers along the transmission path, wherein the computer-processor circuitry is to:
determine, for each of the multiple nodes in the transmission path, a corresponding physical location as a function of respective identification data for the multiple nodes in the transmission path and as a function of a logical distance between said each of the multiple nodes and the first endpoint device;
obtain, for each of the multiple nodes and in response to the determined corresponding physical location, a weight that corresponds to a confidence level that the respective determined physical location is likely correct as being an actual physical location of the first endpoint device; and
adjust, in response to subsequently-obtained location information indicative of the actual physical location of the first endpoint device, a determined physical location for at least one of the multiple nodes being associated with a confidence level below a threshold confidence level.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry is configured to determine the confidence levels for each of the determined physical locations based upon the logical distance between each of the nodes and the first endpoint device.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the confidence level is further indicative of whether the respective determined physical location of the node is susceptible to change.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry is configured to prevent adjustment of a determined physical location for one of the nodes as a function of a confidence level threshold.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determined physical locations for each node represent a geographic area that is associated with or based upon a probability that an endpoint device using the node is within the geographic area.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry is to send a broadcast communication, in response a determination that the confidence level for one of the nodes is below a threshold confidence level, a request to the remaining nodes for additional location information.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry is to receive additional location information from at least one of the remaining nodes, and in response determine a corresponding physical location based on the received additional location information.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry is to determine a physical location for a VoIP call by identifying nodes in a transmission path used by the VoIP call.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry is to identify the nodes in the transmission path using random and/or pseudorandom numbers.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry is to communicate an indication of the determined confidence level to an emergency operator along with the determined location for a VoIP call.
11. A method comprising:
via one or more servers, providing data communications services, including Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications and at least one other type of Internet Protocol (IP) based communications to user-operable endpoint devices (“endpoint devices”) via communications circuits forming part of the respective endpoint devices, wherein the endpoint devices include a first endpoint device that communicates via the data communications services by way of a transmission path that includes multiple nodes, each of the multiple nodes being an identifiable data transmission circuit to convey data between the first endpoint device and the one or more servers along the transmission path; and
via computer-processor circuitry integrated with or coupled to the one or more servers:
processing location-information data received from the endpoint devices;
determining, for each of the multiple nodes in the transmission path, a corresponding physical location as a function of respective identification data for the multiple nodes in the transmission path and as a function of a logical distance between said each of the multiple nodes and the first endpoint device;
obtaining, for each of the multiple nodes and in response to the determined corresponding physical location, a weight that corresponds to a confidence level that the respective determined physical location is likely correct as being an actual physical location of the first endpoint device; and
adjusting, in response to subsequent location information, a determined physical location for at least one of the multiple nodes being associated with a confidence level below a threshold confidence level.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the determined physical locations for each node represent a geographic area that is associated with or based upon a probability that an endpoint device using the node is within the geographic area.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry sends a broadcast communication, in response a determination that the confidence level for one of the nodes is below a threshold confidence level, a request to the remaining nodes for additional location information.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry receives additional location information from at least one of the remaining nodes.
15. An apparatus for use in a system having a set of one or more servers to provide different types of data communications services including sending and receiving packets to user-operable endpoint devices (“endpoint devices”), the apparatus comprising:
computer-processor circuitry integrated with or coupled to the set of one or more servers and to process location-information data received from the user-operable endpoint devices via communications circuits forming part of the respective endpoint devices, wherein the endpoint devices include a first endpoint device that communicates via the data communications services by way of a transmission path that includes multiple nodes, each of the multiple nodes being an identifiable data transmission circuit to convey data between the first endpoint device and the one or more servers along the transmission path, wherein the computer-processor circuitry is to:
determine, for each of the multiple nodes in the transmission path, a corresponding physical location as a function of respective identification data for the multiple nodes in the transmission path and as a function of a logical distance between said each of the multiple nodes and the first endpoint device;
obtain or determine, for each of the multiple nodes and in response to the determined corresponding physical location, a weight that corresponds to a confidence level that the respective determined physical location is likely correct as being an actual physical location of the first endpoint device; and
adjust, in response to subsequent location information, a determined physical location for at least one of the multiple nodes being associated with a confidence level below a threshold confidence level.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry determines the multiple nodes in the transmission path used in communications between the endpoint devices and the set of one or more servers.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein each of the nodes includes a communications circuit enabled to communicate over a network.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the computer-processor circuitry and one of the endpoint devices is communicatively coupled with a Public Safety Answering Point call center.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the computer-processor circuitry is to consider at least one factor, other than the logical distance, in obtaining or determining the weight.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the nodes includes a communications circuit enabled to communicate over a network, and at least one of the endpoint devices is a personal communications device in the form of: a smart phone, a GPS-enabled device, or a portable computer.