Abstract:
A system and method automatically routes in-vehicle emergency calls to an automatic crash notification (ACN) call center using information provided by the calling mobile device in the call set up message. An operator at the ACN call center is presented with an identification of a public safety answering point (PSAP) that serves the location of the vehicle. The ACN operator may then conference in the PSAP if needed. The provided information is displayed at both the ACN operator&#39;s position and at the PSAP. Alternatively, the call is routed to the PSAP first or to both the PSAP and the ACN call center simultaneously.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent application is related to and claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/804,454 entitled “Automatic Routing of In-Vehicle Emergency Calls to Automatic Crash Notification Services and to Public Safety Answering Points,” which was filed on Jun. 12, 2006 by Kuen-Yih Hwang, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to routing of in-vehicle emergency calls, both manual and automatic, to both an automatic crash notification service and a public safety answering point. More specifically, this invention relates to a system and method that routes in-vehicle emergency calls to an automatic crash notification service and a public safety answering point that are both proximal to the origin of the call. 
         [0003]    Efforts are being made, particularly in Europe, to improve in-vehicle emergency call service. Specifically, European Telecommunications Standard Institute/OCG EMTEL #9 (27.10.2004) provides for defined information to be delivered in an in-vehicle emergency call setup message. Such information includes:
       Header   Time stamp   Precise location   eCall qualifier   Vehicle identification   Service provider identifier       
 
         [0010]    This information is herein referred to as the “eCall information.” The header of the eCall information indicates whether the call is placed manually, automatically or is a “Good Samaritan” call. The time stamp gives the approximate time the call is placed. The “precise location” field gives the X/Y coordinates of the vehicle, which is derived from an in-vehicle Global Positioning System (GPS). The “eCall qualifier” indicates which of the one or more vehicle sensors is or are active (e.g., front impact, side impact, etc.). “Vehicle identification” is self-explanatory. “Service provider identifier” identifies the notification service subscribed to for this vehicle (telephone number or IP address). 
         [0011]    The object of this effort is to deliver the above-defined information to a public safety answering point (PSAP) than handles the call and thus enhance the information available to the PSAP operator. However, the in-vehicle emergency call is first routed to a public telephone operator who manually selects a PSAP or an automatic crash notification service, even if the operator cannot verbally communicate with the vehicle occupants. The operator then causes the call to be routed to the selected PSAP. The eCall information is then delivered via a separate channel to the PSAP and displayed on the PSAP operator&#39;s terminal. 
         [0012]    Such manual operator intervention, however, slows the delivery of the call to both the PSAP and the automatic crash notification system. As is known in the art, emergency calls need to be routed as quickly as possible to the answering point or answering points in order to provide aid as quickly as possible. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    This problem is solved and a technical advance is achieved in the art by a system and method that automatically routes in-vehicle emergency calls to an automatic crash notification (ACN) call center using the eCall information. An operator at the ACN call center is presented with an identification of a public safety answering point (PSAP) that serves the location of the vehicle. The ACN operator may then conference in the PSAP if needed. The eCall information is displayed at both the ACN operator&#39;s position and at the PSAP. Alternatively, the call is routed to the PSAP first or to both the PSAP and the ACN call center simultaneously. 
         [0014]    In accordance with a method embodiment of this invention, a serving mobile switching center (MSC) recognizes an emergency call from the dialed digits (e.g., 9-1-1, 1-1-2, 1-1-0, etc., or by identifying one of a limited number of telephone numbers of ACN service providers). Contrary to the prior art, however, the MSC queries an emergency location center in accordance with this invention by forwarding the eCall information. The emergency location center decodes the eCall information from the call setup message. The emergency location center determines which PSAP serves the location of the vehicle that made the call using the location field (X/Y) of the eCall information. Further, the emergency location center determines whether there is an ACN center that serves the location of the vehicle. The emergency location center stores the eCall information relative to, for example, the calling party number for further use. 
         [0015]    The emergency location center directs the MSC to deliver the call to selected ACN center via, for example, the public switched telephone network (PSTN). When the ACN center receives the call, it queries the emergency location center for the identification of the PSAP that serves the location of the vehicle that made the call. If necessary, the operator at the ACN center can then initiate a multi-way call among the PSAP, the ACN and the in-vehicle mobile device. The PSAP may also query the emergency location center for the eCall information. 
         [0016]    Alternatively, the emergency location center may set up a multi-way call among the PSAP, the ACN center and the in-vehicle telephone automatically, in order to further reduce call set up time. 
         [0017]    In this manner, automatic and manual in-vehicle emergency calls are routed accurately and quickly to the answering points most proximal to the location of the vehicle from which the call was received. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    A more complete understanding of this invention may be obtained from a consideration of this specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  depicts a communications network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  depicts a call flow through the communications network of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an emergency location center of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an aspect of this invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of operations of an emergency location center of  FIG. 3  in accordance with another aspect of this invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    The specific embodiments of this invention are described in reference to the eCall information described in European Telecommunications Standard Institute/OCG EMTEL #9 (27.10.2004), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One skilled in the art will realize after studying this specification that any information that a mobile device can provide will expedite special number calls in general, and emergency calls specifically. For example, if GPS information cannot be provided by the mobile device, other information, previously used in the art (e.g., cell and sector) is used to route the call. However, an emergency location center may override a selected call center based on other information delivered from the mobile device. Such information may include the use or purpose of the vehicle (e.g., military, police, hazardous waste transport, etc.), which may require processing by a specific call center or PSAP. Further, the emergency location center may use the dialed number or information provided by the mobile unit as an indication of language requirement. The emergency location center overrides the usual routing with special routing to an operator that understands that language. 
         [0024]    With reference now to  FIG. 1 , a communications network  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In general, communications network  100  comprises the publicly switched telephone network (PSTN)  102 . PSTN  102  generally comprises a plurality of circuit-switched voice paths  104  and a signaling network  106 . In this exemplary embodiment, solid lines represent voice paths and dashed lines represent data paths. Other components, such as signal transfer points, tandem switching systems, local switching systems, selective routers, etc. are not illustrated in the communications network  100  of  FIG. 1 , are well known in the art, do not form part of this invention and are therefore not further discussed. 
         [0025]    A mobile switching center (MSC)  108  is connected to PSTN  102  via both circuit-switched voice paths  104  and signaling network  106 . As is known in the art, MSC  108  is part of public land mobile network (PLMN). PLMN is well known in the art, does not form a part of this invention and is thus not further illustrated or described. MSC  108  is connected to a plurality of cell sites, represented herein by cell site  110 , either directly or via base station controllers (not shown, but well known in the art). Each cell site  110  supports telephony functions for a plurality of mobile communications devices, represented by in-vehicle mobile device  112 . 
         [0026]    The goal of an in-vehicle automatic crash notification (ACN) system is to provide assistance as quickly as possible in the event of an accident (such as hitting tree  114 ) or other triggering event, either manual or automatic. In such an ACN system, an ACN call center  116  is contacted via communications network  100 . ACN call center may be a privately operated call center, a commercial call center or a public call center. There may be a plurality of call centers strategically located within a jurisdiction or there may be one call center that takes calls from a plurality of jurisdictions. 
         [0027]    An emergency location center (ELC)  120  in accordance with an aspect of this invention is illustrated herein as connected to signaling network  106  in PSTN  102  and it may be also connected to circuit-switched voice paths  104  in PSTN  102 . ELC  120  is discussed in more detail, below, in connection with  FIGS. 3 and 4 . ELC  120  may be part of PSTN  102  or may be connected to a data network (not shown but well known in the art) that is in communication with signaling network  106 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that ELC  120  may be a stand-alone unit or may be a function operating on another network element, such as a network control point. 
         [0028]    Finally, communications network  100  includes a plurality of public safety answering points, represented by public safety answering point (PSAP)  118 . PSAP  118  is connected to PSTN  102  via a selective router (not shown but well known in the art) to both circuit-switched voice paths  104  and signaling network  106 . Each PSAP  118  serves a predefined geographical area. Each PSAP  118  also has a predefined emergency services number (ESN) and some have a direct dial telephone number. The ESN identifies the PSAP to PSTN  102  for routing purposes. The direct dial telephone number is known as a “back door” into the PSAP for calls that are difficult or impossible to route to the proper PSAP via the ESN. 
         [0029]    In accordance with one aspect of this exemplary embodiment, PSAP  118  is directly connected to ELC  120  via data line  130 . In this manner, PSAP  118  may obtain location information, call-back telephone number, etc. directly from ELC  120 . Further, PSAP  118  may be connected to ACN call center  116 , which is represented by line  132 , via a private network or data network using, for example, VoIP. PSAP  118  communicates with ACN call center  116  via circuit-switched voice paths  104  in PSTN  102 . Alternatively, PSAP  118  and ACN call center  116  may be directly connected via voice paths  134 . 
         [0030]    A method in accordance with this invention is now described by the call flow of  FIG. 2  taken in conjunction with the communications network of  FIG. 1 . Processing starts at  202  when a call is made from in-vehicle mobile device  112 . This call may be a manual call (i.e., placed by the driver or a passenger) or may be an automatic call (i.e., one or more sensors were triggered). The in-vehicle mobile device  112  sends information with the set up message in accordance with the eCall specification, cited above. 
         [0031]    MSC  108  receives the call and determines that the call is an emergency call by comparing the dialed (also known as “called” and “destination”) number with a list of emergency numbers. In accordance with one aspect of this invention, the list of emergency numbers includes not only the emergency number of the local jurisdiction (e.g., 9-1-1, 1-1-2, 1-1-0, etc.) but also may include the directory number of one or more ACN call centers  116 . 
         [0032]    Once MSC  108  has determined that the call is an emergency call, in step  204  MSC  108  queries ELC  120  for routing instructions. In one exemplary embodiment, MSC  108  sends ELC  120  a call setup message or a query message. For example, a call setup message may comprise an ISUP loop-back message populated with the eCall information and a query message may comprise a GSM MAP or ANSI 41 MAP message. Any message transmitted includes the X/Y coordinates of in-vehicle mobile device  112 . As will be described below, in connection with  FIG. 3 , ELC  120  queries a database to determine which ACN call center to direct the call to and which PSAP serves the location of in-vehicle mobile device  112 . In step  206 , ELC  120  returns the directory number of the selected ACN call center, the ESN (or directory number) of the serving PSAP or both, to MSC  108 . 
         [0033]    In this exemplary embodiment of this invention, MSC  108  routes the call to ACN call center  116  first. To this end, MSC  108  routes the call through PTSN  102  in step  208 . PSTN  102  delivers the call to ACN call center  116  in step  210 . A voice path is established at step  212 . 
         [0034]    Advantageously, as the call is being set up, a call setup message, such as an IAM message or a SETUP message, is delivered through signaling network  106  to ACN call center  116  that contains the eCall information, including the location of in-vehicle mobile device  112 . Further advantageously, the ESN or directory number of the PSAP  118  is also delivered to ACN call center  116  in the origination message. Alternatively, ACN call center  116  queries ELC  120  for the location information, PSAP  118  number or other information in step  214 . This step is necessary in some communications networks that do not have signaling networks or limited signaling networks. The query is sent over signaling network  106 , a private data network or a public data network, such as the Internet (not shown but well known in the art). 
         [0035]    ELC  120  responds, in step  216 , with the requested information. In step  218 , ACN call center  116  requests PSTN  102  to set up a three-way or conference call among MS  112 , ACN call center  116  and PSAP  118 . In step  220 , PSTN  102  sets up a call to PSAP  118 . In step  222 , PSAP  118  requests information regarding calling in-vehicle mobile device  112  from ELC  120 . This request may also be over signaling network  106 , a dedicated link  130 , a public data network or a private data network. In step  224 , ELC  120  responds with the requested information. Finally, in step  226 , a three-way call is established among in-vehicle mobile device  112 , ACN call center  116  and PSAP  118 . 
         [0036]    Turning now to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram of an exemplary emergency location center (ELC)  112  is shown. At the heart of ELC  120  is a processor  302  that controls the various components using programs and data stored in memory  306 . A trunk signaling interface unit  308  sends and receives signaling messages from MSC  108 , signaling network  106  or both. Trunk signaling interface unit  308  delivers queries and data to processor  302 . Processor  302  performs the translation of X/Y into ACN call center number and PSAP number by applying X/Y into coordinate routing database  310 . The resulting telephone numbers, ESN or both are returned by processor  302  to trunk signaling inter face unit  308  for delivery. Optionally, a data network interface  312  may also be connected to processor and serves the same function as trunk signaling interface unit  308  for data messages. 
         [0037]    Turning now to  FIG. 4 , a flow chart of control of processor  302  in ELC  120  is illustrated. Processing starts in circle  400  and proceeds to action box  402 . In action box  402 , eCall information is received by processor  302  from trunk signaling interface unit  308  or data interface unit  312 . In database process  404 , the X/Y coordinates received in the eCall information are applied to coordinate routing database  310  to obtain an ESN or telephone number of the PSAP that serves the area in which the X/Y coordinates are located. 
         [0038]    Processing continues to database process  406 . In database process  406 , the X/Y coordinates are applied to coordinate routing database  310  to obtain the telephone number of the ACN call center that serves the location of the calling in-vehicle communications device. Next, processing continues to decision diamond  408 . In decision diamond  408 , a determination is made whether there are further parameters to apply to a database. For example, if there is an indication of ACN call center different from the one obtained in step  406 , then processing proceeds to database process  410  to obtain the telephone number. Alternatively, there may be an indication that the call originated from a government or other special vehicle. In this case, a special PSAP, ACN call center, or both may be required. Database process  410  obtains the required numbers. 
         [0039]    Additionally, there may be parameters that indicate language spoken by the owner or driver of the vehicle. Database process  410  obtains the required numbers of an operator, a PSAP, an ACN call center, or all of these for specific languages. The dialed number may also be used as an override parameter related to language spoken. For example, if 9-1-1 is the dialed number, the caller probably speaks English, Spanish or French. If 1-1-0 is the dialed number, it is likely that the caller speaks Chinese. Thus, database process  410  may obtain a plurality of destination numbers before one is selected, based on a hierarchy of the further parameters. 
         [0040]    When, in decision diamond  408 , there are no other parameters to process, processing proceeds to action box  412 . In action box  412 , the PSAP data and ACN call center telephone number are returned to trunk signaling interface unit  308  or data interface unit  312 . Processing ends in circle  414 . 
         [0041]    It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the present invention and that may variations can be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that such variations be included within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.