Enhanced E911 location information using voice over internet protocol (VoIP)
View Patent ↗An E-9-1-1 voice-over-IP (VoIP) solution is provided wherein a 911 call from a wireless VoIP device is routed directly to the correct Public Safety Answer Point (PSAP) via dedicated trunks, together with correct location information and call-back number. VoIP gateways are implemented locally, at least one per LATA, and accept VoIP packetized data inbound, and convert it to standard wireline voice calls. Calls are routed to an IP address at the VoIP gateway, which then egresses the call to a voice port at a selective router. Dedicated voice trunks (CAMA, SS7, FG-D) are installed between each local VoIP gateway and appropriate selective routers. An Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database is provisioned with ESRKs dedicated for VoIP use. TCP/IP circuits may be established between some or all of the various local VoIP gateways.
1. A method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device, comprising:
provisioning a local voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway to convert a VoIP E911 call to a circuit switched 911 voice call;
establishing a plurality of dedicated trunk lines between said provisioned local VoIP gateway and a plurality of selective routers associated with a plurality of specific PSAPs to communicate said converted VoIP E911 call-to-circuit switched 911 voice call with a specific PSAP;
selecting, based on a received Emergency Services Routing Key (ESRK), a particular dedicated trunk line from said plurality of dedicated trunk lines; and
routing, from said provisioned local VoIP gateway to said selected particular dedicated trunk line, said converted VoIP E911 call to circuit switched 911 voice call to said specific PSAP responsible for receiving a given E911 call from a location from which said given E911 call originates on said VoIP device.
2. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 1 , wherein:
said identifier is an emergency services key.
3. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
querying a positioning center for routing information.
4. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 3 , wherein said routing information comprises:
an emergency services key.
5. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
sending said routing information to said VoIP gateway from said positioning center.
6. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
after a query from said PSAP, sending payload data including a callback number and said location information to an automatic location identifier (ALI) database from said positioning center.
7. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
responding to a query from said VoIP gateway with an emergency services key.
8. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
responding to a query from said PSAP with said location information and a callback number.
9. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 8 , wherein:
said Emergency Services Routing Key (ESRK) is a 10-digit number compatible with the selective router that serves said specific PSAP.
10. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 1 , wherein:
said routing information is internet protocol (IP) routing instructions identifying an IP address of a correct local VoIP gateway serving said specific PSAP.
11. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
querying an Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database for said location of said caller, and for callback information.
12. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 11 , wherein:
said querying is performed from said specific PSAP.
13. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 11 , wherein:
said querying of said ALI database uses an emergency services key.
14. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
steering said emergency services key to said positioning center; and
responding to said ALI query with location and callback information of said caller.
15. The method of providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
initiating a Geo-Position Request (GPOSREQ) to position determining equipment.
16. Apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device, comprising:
means for provisioning a local voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway to convert a VoIP E911 call to a circuit switched 911 voice call;
means for establishing a plurality of dedicated trunk lines between said provisioned local VoIP gateway and a plurality of selective routers associated with a plurality of specific PSAPs to communicate said converted VoIP E911 call-to-circuit switched 911 voice call with a specific PSAP;
means for selecting, based on a received Emergency Services Routing Key (ESRK), a particular dedicated trunk line from said plurality of dedicated trunk lines; and
means for routing, from said provisioned local VoIP gateway to said selected particular dedicated trunk line, said converted VoIP E911 call to circuit switched 911 voice call to said specific PSAP responsible for receiving a given E911 call from a location from which said given E911 call originates on said VoIP device.
17. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 16 , wherein:
said identifier is an emergency services key.
18. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 16 , further comprising:
means for querying a positioning center for routing information.
19. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 18 , wherein said routing information comprises:
an emergency services key.
20. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 18 , further comprising:
means for sending said routing information to said VoIP gateway from said positioning center.
21. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 20 , further comprising:
means for sending, after a query from said PSAP, payload payload data including a callback number and said location information, to an automatic location identifier (ALI) database from said positioning center.
22. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 16 , further comprising:
means for responding to a query from said VoIP gateway with an emergency services key.
23. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 16 , further comprising:
means for responding to a query from said PSAP with said location information and a callback number.
24. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 23 , wherein:
said Emergency Services Routing Key (ESRK) is a 10-digit number compatible with the selective router that serves said specific PSAP.
25. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 16 , wherein:
said routing information is internet protocol (IP) routing instructions identifying an IP address of a correct local VoIP gateway serving said specific PSAP.
26. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 16 , further comprising:
means for querying an Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database for said location of said caller, and for callback information.
27. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 26 , wherein:
said querying is performed from said specific PSAP.
28. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 26 , wherein:
said querying of said ALI database uses an emergency services key.
29. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 28 , further comprising:
means for steering said emergency services key to said positioning center; and
means for responding to said ALI query with location and callback information of said caller.
30. The apparatus for providing location information to a public safety answer point (PSAP) relating to a call from a VoIP device according to claim 16 , further comprising:
means for initiating a Geo-Position Request (GPOSREQ) to position determining equipment.