Control of a calling party's telephone service features by a call taker at a public safety answering point

A method of administering an emergency call service in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) (60) includes: receiving a call at a switching facility (70) from an end user terminal (EUT) (52) served by the facility (70), the facility (70) providing the EUT (52) access to a telephone service feature; disabling the telephone service feature for the EUT (52) in response to the facility (70) recognizing the received call as an emergency call; routing the emergency call to a public safety answering point (PSAP) (80) serving a geographic region in which the EUT (52) is located; and, providing a call taker (84) at the PSAP (80) control over the telephone service feature, such that the call taker (84) can selectively enable the telephone service feature.

FIELD

The present inventive subject matter relates to the telecommunication arts. One particular application is found in conjunction with emergency 911 telephone services, and the specification makes particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present inventive subject matter are also amenable to other like applications.

BACKGROUND

As is known in the art, in the public switched telephone network (PSTN), emergency 911 telephone service is implemented to connect emergency calls to a public safety answering point (PSAP). In a conventional implementation, e.g., as shown inFIG. 1, when a calling party10makes an emergency call (e.g., dials 911 in the United States of America or another emergency telephone number or code as may be the case in other countries), an end office (EO)12serving the calling party10recognizes the call as an emergency call, and routes the call over the PSTN20to a designated PSAP30serving the geographic area in which the calling party10is located. Traditionally, while the calling party10is engaged in the emergency call, the end office12also automatically blocks or disables a variety of telephone service features that are normally provided or otherwise available to the calling party10. For example, commonly call waiting, three-way calling, B-party hold and/or other known telephone service features are disabled or suspended for the calling party10automatically by the end office12for the duration of the emergency call.

While it is generally desirable to disable selected telephone service features when a caller is engaged in an emergency call so as not to disrupt the emergency call, in some circumstances it may be beneficial or advantageous on a case by case basis to allow the caller to access and/or use one or more particular telephone service features. However, the traditional implementation of an emergency 911 service does not provide the flexibility to permit, on a case by case basis, the selective enabling of particular telephone service features during emergency 911 calls. Rather, in a traditional implementation, the designated features are typically blocked or disabled in every case for the entire duration of the emergency call, i.e., without a suitable mechanism in place to selectively re-enable particular features on a case by case basis as desired.

Accordingly, a new and improved service and/or system is disclosed that overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one embodiment, a method of administering an emergency call service in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) includes: receiving a call at a switching facility from an end user terminal (EUT) served by the facility, the facility providing the EUT access to a telephone service feature; disabling the telephone service feature for the EUT in response to the facility recognizing the received call as an emergency call; routing the emergency call to a public safety answering point (PSAP) serving a geographic region in which the EUT is located; and, providing a call taker at the PSAP control over the telephone service feature, such that the call taker can selectively enable the telephone service feature.

In accordance with another embodiment, a system for administering an emergency call service in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) is provided. The system includes: means for receiving a call at a switching facility from an end user terminal (EUT) served by the facility, the facility providing the EUT access to a telephone service feature; means for disabling the telephone service feature for the EUT in response to the facility recognizing the received call as an emergency call; means for routing the emergency call to a public safety answering point (PSAP) serving a geographic region in which the EUT is located; and, means for providing a call taker handling the emergency call at the PSAP control over the telephone service feature.

In accordance with another embodiment, a system for administering an emergency call service in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) includes: a switching facility operatively connected to the PSTN and an end user terminal (EUT) served by the switching facility, the facility providing the EUT access to a telephone service feature; and, a public safety answering point (PSAP) operatively connected to the PSTN and serving a geographic region in which the EUT is located. Suitably, in response to the facility recognizing a call originating from the EUT as an emergency call, the facility blocks the telephone service feature for the EUT and routes the emergency call to the PSAP where a call taker handling the emergency call is provided control over the telephone service feature.

Numerous advantages and benefits of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For clarity and simplicity, the present specification shall refer to structural and/or functional elements, entities and/or facilities, relevant communication standards, protocols and/or services, and other components and features that are commonly known in the telecommunications art without further detailed explanation as to their configuration or operation except to the extent they have been modified or altered in accordance with and/or to accommodate the embodiment(s) presented herein.

With reference toFIG. 2, a calling party50uses an end user terminal (EUT)52to selectively place or otherwise originate telephone calls over a telecommunications network A. Suitably, as shown, the originating EUT52is served by an originating telecommunications switching facility70that is operatively connected to and/or in communication with a public switched telephone network (PSTN)60in the usual manner. For simplicity and clarity herein, only one EUT and one switching facility are illustrated in the present example. However, it is to be appreciated that a single switching facility suitably serves a plurality of EUTs in the usual manner and that a plurality of switching facilities are similarly equipped and/or likewise arranged with respect to the PSTN60.

As shown, the EUT52is optionally a landline telephone or other like end user telecommunication device or landline customer premises equipment (CPE), and the switching facility70serving the EUT50is an end office (EO)72that is operatively connected to the PSTN60in the usual manner. Suitably, the EO72includes a telecommunications switching device74(e.g., a class 5 switch such as the 5ESS or another like hard-switch or soft-switch) to which the served terminal52is operatively connected in the usual manner, e.g., via a twisted-pair landline cable or the like.

Alternately, in a wireless or mobile application, e.g., the switching facility70serving the terminal52is a mobile switching center (MSC) operatively connected to and/or in communication with the PSTN60in the usual manner. Suitably, the MSC is also operatively connected to and/or in communication with a plurality of base stations (not shown) in the usual manner. As is understood in the cellular telecommunication art, each base station (BS) provides an over-the-air radio frequency interface for its respective geographic area or cell. Selectively, the EUT52(which in this case is, e.g., a mobile or wireless telephone or other appropriate mobile station (MS)) is provided telecommunication services and/or otherwise accesses the network via the interface and/or the BS serving the cell in which the MS is located.

Optionally, the facility70includes and/or the switching device74is implemented as a next generation network (NGN) server. Suitably, the EUT52connects to the NGN server via an appropriate network connection, e.g., such as an Internet Protocol (IP) connection or the like.

In a suitable embodiment, the calling party50subscribes or otherwise has access to one or more known telephone service features which are normally provided and/or otherwise made available to the EUT52by the switching facility70in the usual manner. For example, theses features optionally include B-party hold, three-way calling and/or call waiting, which are normally accessed and/or employed in the usual manner. In one suitable embodiment, the switching facility70is also provisioned with an emergency call service or feature. Accordingly, when the EUT52is used to place an emergency call (e.g., by dialing 911 in the United States of America or another emergency telephone number or code as may be the case in other countries), the switching facility70serving the EUT52recognizes the call as an emergency call, and routes the call over the PSTN60to a designated PSAP80serving the geographic area in which the EUT52is located. Upon receiving the call, the PSAP80suitable routes and/or otherwise connects the call to a workstation82of an available PSAP operator or call taker84. For simplicity and clarity herein, only one PSAP and one workstation are illustrated in the present example. However, it is to be appreciated that a single PSAP is suitably provisioned with a plurality of workstations in the usual manner and that a plurality of PSAPs are similarly equipped and/or likewise arranged with respect to the PSTN60.

Optionally, in addition to routing the emergency call to the PSAP80, the switching facility70also initially blocks or otherwise disables designated telephone service features that it normally provides to the calling party50. For example, upon detecting an emergency call originating from the EUT52, optionally, the switching facility70initially blocks or disables one or more of the B-party hold, three-way calling and/or call waiting features for the EUT52. As described herein, control of these features is in turn transferred or otherwise effectively provided to the call taker84that received the emergency call originating from the EUT52. Accordingly, the features can then be actively administered on a case by case basis by the call taker84as they see fit. For example, the call taker84may selectively enable or override the blocking of one or more of the features for the EUT52as deemed appropriate for the particular circumstances of a given emergency call, rather than simply having the complete suite of features disabled for the entire duration of the call. Moreover, for each individual call, the features can be administered and/or actively regulated by the call taker84differently as warranted for different circumstances surrounding the different calls.

Suitably, if the EUT52is engaged in an emergency call when the switching facility70receives and/or detects call processing signals and/or messages that would otherwise result in the accessing and/or triggering of one of the initially blocked or disable features for the EUT52, then the switching facility70does not in fact automatically invoke or trigger that feature. Rather, the facility70in turn signals the PSAP80that an invocation or triggering of the particular feature is being attempted or is pending for the EUT52as recognized by the switching facility70. Meanwhile, the facility70holds-off or delays the invocation or triggering of the feature for the EUT52, e.g., until a response is received from the PSAP80.

For example, the facility70optionally signals and/or sends an appropriate message to the PSAP80over a signaling network90, thereby providing the PSAP80with the relevant information regarding the pending invocation or triggering of the particular feature. Optionally, the signaling network90may be a signaling system7(SS7) signaling network, an IP network such as the Internet, or another suitable signaling network to which the facility70and the PSAP80are both operatively connected. Upon receiving the signal or message from the facility70that the invocation or triggering of a feature is pending for the EUT52, the PSAP80conveys the pertinent information to the workstation82of the call taker84handling the emergency call. Accordingly, the call taker84is provided the opportunity to selectively administer, regulate and/or control the handling and/or processing of the call feature as they see fit.

Optionally, the call taker84may deny activation of or access to the feature, or alternately, permit activation of or access to the feature on a case by case basis. For example, via their workstation82, the call taker84alternately selects to deny or permit activation of or access to the feature. This selection is in turn communicated by the PSAP80to the facility70, e.g., via suitable signaling and/or messages sent over the signaling network90. Suitably, in accordance with the instructions received from the call taker84, the facility70activates or provides access to the feature or alternately continues blocking the feature for the EUT52.

Of course, there are numerous practical applications for the present inventive subject matter. By way of example, a few circumstances that particularly benefit from the present implementation of the emergency calling service shall now be discussed.

In one example, the calling party50may be placing an emergency call which is routed to the PSAP80to report a missing person. In accordance with conventional implementations of an emergency 911 service, the switching facility70automatically blocks or disables the call waiting feature for the EUT52for the entire duration that the calling party50is engaged in the emergency call. Accordingly, the EUT52is not notified of a waiting call by the switching facility70while the emergency call is ongoing. For many emergency calls (e.g., to report an injury or accident), it is generally undesirable to interrupt the emergency call. Accordingly, blocking the call waiting feature is generally deemed desirable, and hence the switching facility70in a conventional implementation is typically provisioned to automatically do so. However, in this particular instance, the waiting call, e.g., may be from a kidnapper or the missing person, in which case it may be desirable to have the call waiting feature enabled for the EUT52. Nevertheless, with the conventional implementation, there is no way for the switching facility70to appreciate the nature of the emergency call ahead of time and selectively enable or disable the call waiting feature accordingly. On the other hand, with the present implementation described herein, the call taker84handling the emergency call presumably knows the reason for the emergency call insomuch as the calling party50is connected with the call taker84and can communicate the reason for the call to the call taker84. Therefore, the call taker84can opt to instruct the switching facility70to permit access to and/or enable the otherwise normally disabled call waiting feature. That is to say, the call taker84can actively override the switching facility's default practice of blocking the call waiting feature. However, if the nature of the emergency call did not warrant enablement of the call waiting feature, then the call taker84may opt to instruct the switching facility70to continue blocking the call waiting feature and not have the emergency call interrupted. Notably, with the present implementation, control of the feature resides with the call taker84at the PSAP80and it can be selectively enabled on a case by case basis as the call taker84sees fit.

In another example, the calling party50may first place an emergency call which is connected to the PSAP80to report a medical emergency, and then wish to add a third party to the call, such the calling party's physician or other individual that is aware of any medical conditions or special considerations that should be taken in to account. Again, for many emergency calls, it is generally desirable that the call not be interrupted. Accordingly, with conventional implementations of an emergency 911 service, the switching facility70automatically blocks or disables the three-way calling feature for the EUT52for the entire duration that the calling party50is engaged in the emergency call. However, in this particular instance, it may be desirable to have the three-way calling feature enabled for the EUT52. Nevertheless, with the conventional implementation, there is no way for the switching facility70to appreciate the nature of the emergency call ahead of time and selectively enable or disable the three-way calling feature accordingly. On the other hand, with the present implementation described herein, the call taker84handling the emergency call presumably knows the reason for the emergency call insomuch as the calling party50is connected with the call taker84and can communicate the reason for the call to the call taker84. Therefore, the call taker84can opt to instruct the switching facility70to permit access to and/or enable the otherwise normally disabled three-way calling feature. That is to say, the call taker84can actively override the switching facility's default practice of blocking the three-way calling feature. However, if the nature of the emergency call did not warrant enablement of the three-way calling feature, then the call taker84may opt to instruct the switching facility70to continue blocking the three-way calling feature and not have the emergency call interrupted. Notably, with the present implementation, control of the feature resides with the call taker84at the PSAP80and it can be selectively enabled on a case by case basis as the call taker84sees fit.

In one suitable embodiment, control of the particular telephone service features is not only provided to the caller taker84, but the PSAP80is also utilized as a call bridging control point and/or hub.

For example, in a call waiting situation, if a call is received by the switching facility70for the EUT52while the calling party50is engaged in an emergency call connected to the PSAP80, then the switching facility70does not provide a call waiting indication or tone to the EUT52. Rather, the received call is forwarded or rerouted to the PSAP80, and the workstation82of the call taker84handling the emergency call is notified of the incoming call. Accordingly, the call taker84is provided the option of joining or bridging the waiting call with or to the emergency call session already in progress between the call taker84and the calling party50. Suitably, so as to not disrupt the emergency call, the calling party50is not placed on hold while the waiting call is answered by the call taker84. Rather, upon the call taker84accepting the waiting call, it is immediately bridged or joined to the emergency call.

In another example, if the calling party50desired to add a third party to an emergency call already connected to the PSAP80, then they would employ the EUT52to signal the switching facility70in the normal manner to utilize the three-way calling feature, e.g., by performing a hook flash or the like and dialing or otherwise entering a desired telephone number or other address. However, rather than merely blocking the request as is done in a convention implementation, the switching facility70captures the request and sends it to the PSAP80, e.g., over the signaling network90. This is then decoded at the PSAP80and provided to the workstation82of the call taker84handling the emergency call for the calling party50. Accordingly, the call taker84is provided the option to permit or block the third party call. Suitably, the request for the three-way call is first accepted or denied, then if the request is accepted, the calling party50dials or enters the third party's telephone number or address in the normal way, e.g., by dialing individual digits, selecting a programmed speed dial button, etc. The entered telephone number or address is likewise captured by the facility70. However, rather than establishing a new leg to the entered telephone number or address, the facility70sends the captured telephone number or address to the PSAP80, e.g., over the signaling network90. This is then decoded at the PSAP80and provided to the workstation82of the call taker84handling the emergency call for the calling party50. If the call taker84opts to permit the three-way call, a third call leg is established between the PSAP80and the third party, and this third leg is joined or bridged at the PSAP80to the emergency call already in progress between the calling party50and the call taker84. Suitably, so as to not disrupt the emergency call, the calling party50is not placed on hold while the third party call is being placed. Rather, upon the call taker84permitting the three-way call, the third leg is established and immediately bridged or joined to the emergency call. Optionally, the PSAP80is provisioned to allow the call taker84to directly dial the third party leg for the call, or alternately, to extend dial tone to the calling party50and allow them to dial through the PSAP80.

It is to be appreciated that in connection with the particular exemplary embodiments presented herein certain structural and/or function features are described as being incorporated in defined elements and/or components. However, it is contemplated that these features may, to the same or similar benefit, also likewise be incorporated in other elements and/or components where appropriate. It is also to be appreciated that different aspects of the exemplary embodiments may be selectively employed as appropriate to achieve other alternate embodiments suited for desired applications, the other alternate embodiments thereby realizing the respective advantages of the aspects incorporated therein.

It is also to be appreciated that particular elements or components described herein may have their functionality suitably implemented via hardware, software, firmware or a combination thereof. Additionally, it is to be appreciated that certain elements described herein as incorporated together may under suitable circumstances be stand-alone elements or otherwise divided. Similarly, a plurality of particular functions described as being carried out by one particular element may be carried out by a plurality of distinct elements acting independently to carry out individual functions, or certain individual functions may be split-up and carried out by a plurality of distinct elements acting in concert. Alternately, some elements or components otherwise described and/or shown herein as distinct from one another may be physically or functionally combined where appropriate.

In short, the present specification has been set forth with reference to preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the present specification. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.