Patent Publication Number: US-2007115930-A1

Title: Method and system for advanced voice over internet protocol (VoIP) emergency notification

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Disclosure  
      The present disclosure generally relates to emergency alarm systems and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications networks.  
      2. Background Art  
      Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications is replacing circuit switch-based communications. A characteristic associated with VoIP communications is its simplicity with routing calls and information. VoIP communications enables flexibility that is not readily available to individuals and businesses using circuit switch-based communications. As such, it is desirable to adapt useful features to VoIP communications networks. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present disclosure is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent and the present disclosure will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of an emergency system in accordance with the present disclosure;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a flowchart describing operation of the emergency system in accordance with the present disclosure; and  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a diagrammatical representation of a machine in the form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, causes the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies in accordance with the present disclosure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      The present disclosure discloses a system for advanced Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) notification of an emergency in a building having a VoIP network and further having an alarm system for detecting emergencies in the building. The system includes a VoIP call management device in communication with the alarm system for being alerted to an emergency detected by the alarm system. In response to being alerted by the alarm system to an emergency in the building the VoIP call management device places a VoIP emergency call via the VoIP network to a VoIP telephone of an emergency authority user located outside of the building and the VoIP call management device places another VoIP emergency call via the VoIP network to a VoIP telephone of a non-emergency authority user located outside of the building who is to be notified of the emergency. In response to being alerted by the alarm system to an emergency in the building the VoIP call management device may further communicate a notification via the VoIP network to VoIP telephones located inside the building in order to alert users of the building to the emergency.  
      The present disclosure discloses a system for advanced VoIP notification of an emergency. This system includes a VoIP network associated with a building. The VoIP network has a VoIP call management device. The VoIP network further has VoIP telephones for use by building users located within the building. The VoIP network is connected to an Internet Protocol (IP) network connected to VoIP telephones for use by users located outside of the building such that the VoIP telephones for use by the building users and the users located outside of the building are connected in order for these users to communicate VoIP telephone calls to one another. This system further includes an alarm system for detecting an emergency in the building. The alarm system is in communication with the VoIP call management device. In response to detecting an emergency in the building, the alarm system directs the VoIP call management device to have the VoIP network place a VoIP emergency call to the VoIP telephone of an emergency authority user located outside of the building. In response to the VoIP network placing the VoIP emergency call to the VoIP telephone of the emergency authority user, the VoIP call management device has the VoIP network place another VoIP emergency call to the VoIP telephones of non-emergency authority users located outside of the building who are to be notified of the emergency. In response to detecting an emergency in the building, the alarm system may further direct the VoIP call management device to communicate a notification to the VoIP telephones for use by the building users in order to alert the building users of the emergency.  
      The present disclosure discloses a method for advanced VoIP notification of an emergency. The method includes using an alarm system to detect for emergencies in a building. In response to the alarm system detecting an emergency in the building, a VoIP emergency call is placed from a VoIP telephone of a VoIP network associated with the building to a VoIP telephone of an emergency authority located outside of the building. In response to the VoIP emergency call being placed to the VoIP telephone of the emergency authority user, another VoIP emergency call is placed to the VoIP telephones of non-emergency authority users located outside of the building who are to be notified of the emergency. In response to the alarm system detecting an emergency in the building, a notification may be communicated to VoIP telephones of the VoIP network associated with the building for alerting users of the building to the emergency.  
      The present disclosure discloses a computer-readable medium for advanced VoIP notification of an emergency. The medium includes instructions for using an alarm system to detect for emergencies in a building. The medium further includes instructions for placing a VoIP emergency call from a VoIP telephone of a VoIP network associated with the building to a VoIP telephone of an emergency authority located outside of the building in response to an emergency in the building being detected. The medium further includes instructions for placing another VoIP emergency call to the VoIP telephones of non-emergency authority users located outside of the building who are to be notified of the emergency in response to the VoIP emergency call being placed to the VoIP telephone of the emergency authority user. The medium may further include instructions for communicating a notification to VoIP telephones of the VoIP network associated with the building for alerting users of the building to the emergency in response to the emergency being detected.  
      In general, the present disclosure provides a method and system for advanced Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) emergency notification. The method and system provide useful features to VoIP communications networks by readily aiding both emergency authorities and those in need during an emergency situation within a locale such as a building or a campus of buildings.  
      The method and system facilitate action and reaction during an emergency situation in a building(s) having a standard building alarm system and a VoIP telephone network by combining the utility of the alarm system with the flexibility of the VoIP network. The method and system enable the alarm system and/or building security personnel to take control of and use the VoIP network in order to provide emergency notification to the building users in the event of an emergency in the building.  
      The VoIP network includes VoIP telephones for the building users to place and receive VoIP telephone calls. The VoIP network is part of a larger VoIP communications network which enables VoIP telephone calls to be placed between the VoIP telephones within the building and VoIP telephones located outside of the building.  
      The method and system include two functional aspects. A first functional aspect is the building alarm system and/or building security personnel being able to take control of the VoIP network of the building in the event of an emergency in the building in order to provide emergency notification to the building users via their VoIP telephones. A second functional aspect is a VoIP call management device of the VoIP network recognizing that a VoIP emergency call (such as a “911” call) has been placed to offsite emergency authorities (either by the alarm system or the building security personnel) and then routing a duplication of the emergency call to onsite security/emergency personnel and/or other affected parties (e.g., family members of a building user affected by the emergency, the building&#39;s owner, etc.). The VoIP call management device routes the duplicate emergency call to any of these recipients in either interactive or audio-only mode. The duplicate emergency call serves as a notification for its recipients to prepare for the arrival of the emergency authorities. As such, the duplicate emergency call further serves for coordinating activities between the duplicate emergency call recipients and the emergency authorities depending on the nature of the emergency.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram of an emergency system  10  in accordance with the present disclosure is shown. Emergency system  10  is generally for use with a locale such as a building  12  or a campus of buildings. Emergency system  10  includes an alarm system  14  and a VoIP telephone network  18 . Alarm system  14  and VoIP network  18  are located in and are associated with building  12 .  
      Alarm system  14  provides typical alarm functions to monitor for emergency situations in building  12 . Emergency situations monitored by alarm system  14  include unauthorized building intrusions, fires in the building, distress calls placed by building users, etc. Alarm system  14  is operable for providing relief in response to an emergency situation. For example, alarm system  14  triggers a building sprinkler system to sprinkle water in building  12  in response to detecting a fire. As another example, alarm system  14  triggers visual/audible alerts to notify the building users of an emergency in building  12  in response to detecting the emergency. As a further example, alarm system  14  notifies emergency authorities in response to detecting an emergency. To this end, as will be described in greater detail below, alarm system  14  is operable with VoIP network  18  to place a VoIP “911” emergency telephone call to outside emergency authorities such as a ”911” operator. Security personnel  16  of building  12  are in communication with alarm system  14  to be apprised of any emergency situation detected by the alarm system in order to be aware of and respond to the emergency.  
      VoIP network  18  includes a VoIP call management device  20  and a plurality of VoIP telephones  22 . Building users  24  use VoIP telephones  22  to make VoIP telephone calls with other building users and with VoIP telephone users located outside of building  12 . To this end, VoIP call management device  20  connects with an Internet Protocol (IP) network  26 . IP network  26  is located outside of building  12  and connects with the VoIP telephones of VoIP telephone users outside of the building. As shown in  FIG. 1 , VoIP telephones outside of building  12  include VoIP telephones  28  of ordinary VoIP telephone users located outside of building  12 , VoIP telephones  30  of emergency authorities including a “911” operator, and VoIP telephones  32  of individuals outside of the building that are to be notified of emergencies in the building (e.g., the owner of the building, physicians of building users, family members of building users, etc.).  
      VoIP network  18  further includes a VoIP telephone  34  for use by security personnel  16 . In the same manner that building users  24  use their VoIP telephones  22  to make VoIP telephone calls with other VoIP telephone users inside and outside of building  12 , security personnel  16  use VoIP telephone  34  to make VoIP telephone calls to other VoIP telephone users. For instance, security personnel  16  use VoIP telephone  34  to make VoIP telephone calls via VoIP network  18  to VoIP telephones  22  of building users  24 . In response to detecting an emergency in building  12  and/or in response to being apprised of an emergency by alarm system  14 , security personnel  16  use VoIP telephone  34  to place a VoIP “911” emergency telephone call via VoIP network  18  to VoIP telephone  30  of a “911” operator for receipt by emergency authorities (such as the fire and police departments). Similarly, alarm system  14  is in communication with VoIP call management device  20  to automatically place a VoIP “911” emergency telephone call via VoIP network  18  to VoIP telephone  30  of the “911” operator in response to detecting an emergency situation.  
      Emergency system  10  generally includes two functional aspects. A first functional aspect is the ability of alarm system  14  and/or security personnel  16  to take control of VoIP network  18  based on the nature of an emergency in building  12 . A second functional aspect is the ability of VoIP call management device  20  to recognize that a VoIP “911” emergency telephone call has been placed to outside emergency authorities (either by alarm system  14  or security personnel  16 ) and then route a duplication of the emergency call to VoIP telephone  34  of security personnel  16  and/or to VoIP telephones  32  of parties having an interest in the emergency (e.g., family members of building users affected by the emergency, the building&#39;s owner, etc.).  
      With respect to the first functional aspect, alarm system  14  and/or security personnel  16  take control of the entire (or a subset of the entire) VoIP network  18  based on the nature of an emergency in building  12  in order to communicate with VoIP telephones  22  to provide an emergency notification to building users  24 . More particularly, alarm system  14  and/or security personnel  16  interact with VoIP call management device  20  in order to have the VoIP call management device provide an emergency notification to building users  24  via VoIP telephones  22 .  
      Several manifestations of the emergency notification exist. For example, VoIP call management device  20  rings VoIP telephones  22  of building users  24  in order to provide the emergency notification to the building users. As another example, VoIP call management device  20  places VoIP telephones  22  not currently involved in calls in a speaker phone mode to announce an emergency and give instructions (i.e., forming a public address system). As another example, VoIP call management device  20  breaks into ongoing calls being made by VoIP telephones  22  to provide the emergency notification to building users  24 .  
      Alarm system  14  connects to VoIP call management device  20  in order to take control of VoIP network  18  and have the VoIP call management device provide an emergency notification to building users  24  via their VoIP telephones  22  in response to the alarm system detecting an emergency. Security personnel  16  have access to an emergency interface of VoIP network  18  in order to take control of the VoIP network and have VoIP call management device  20  provide an emergency notification to building users  24  via their VoIP telephones  22  in response to an emergency. For instance, VoIP telephone  34  of security personnel  16  includes an emergency interface  36 . Emergency interface  36  is in communication with VoIP call management device  20  in order to enable security personnel  16  to interact with the VoIP call management device and take control of VoIP network  18  for providing the emergency notification to building users  24  via VoIP telephones  22 . VoIP telephones  22  of building users  24  may also be configured with the emergency interface. The emergency interface may also be embodied as a web-based or standalone application on a computer  38  that is communicable with VoIP call management device  20 .  
      As such, via an emergency interface of VoIP network  18 , security personnel  16  notify affected building users  24  via their VoIP telephones  22  of an emergency and are able to give warnings/emergency instructions to affected building users in response to being apprised of the emergency. Likewise, alarm system  14  notifies affected building users  24  via their VoIP telephones  22  of an emergency and is able to give warnings/emergency instructions to affected building users in response to detecting the emergency. In the latter case, emergency system  10  is automated by a direct emergency interface between alarm system  14  and VoIP call management device  20  in order to reduce the load on security personnel  16  as well as to handle after-hours conditions where security personnel may not be present at building  12 .  
      The type of warnings/emergency instructions provided by alarm system  14  and security personnel  16  may be predetermined based on different types of emergencies. As such, the emergency interface allows customized broadcasting ability based on either predefined emergency scenarios or scenarios chosen by security personnel  16  in order for quicker and more effective notification to building users  24 .  
      With respect to the second functional aspect, VoIP call management device  20  recognizes that a VoIP “911” emergency telephone call has been placed to VoIP telephone  30  of emergency authorities (either by alarm system  14  or security personnel  16 ) and then routes a VoIP duplication of the emergency call to VoIP telephone  34  of security personnel  16  and/or to VoIP telephones  32  of parties interested in the emergency (e. g., family members of building users affected by the emergency, the building&#39;s owner, etc.). VoIP call management device  20  routes the duplicate VoIP emergency call to VoIP telephones  32 ,  34  in either interactive or audio-only mode. The duplicate emergency call serves as a notification for its recipients to prepare for the emergency authorities. As such, the duplicate emergency call further serves for coordinating activities between the duplicate emergency call recipients and the emergency authorities (such as fire and police authorities) depending on the nature of the emergency.  
      Accordingly, the second functional aspect allows for automatic recognition of a VoIP emergency telephone call placed by either alarm system  14  or security personnel  16  to VoIP call management device  20  for receipt by VoIP telephones  30  of emergency authorities (i.e., the “911” operator) via VoIP network  18 . Upon recognition, VoIP call management device  20  routes the VoIP emergency call normally to VoIP telephone  30  of emergency authorities, but also routes. a duplication of the emergency call (i.e., a second VoIP emergency call) to a VoIP telephone  32  of each party having an interest in the emergency (as well as to VoIP telephone  34  of other security personnel in building  12  if desired). To this end, VoIP call management device  20  has a list of parties to be notified of emergencies in building  12  and the telephone numbers of their associated VoIP telephones  32 ,  34 . VoIP call management device accesses this list and routes the second emergency call to VoIP telephone  32 ,  34  of each party to be notified of an emergency.  
      The list of interested parties may be correlated with different emergency types. As such, VoIP call management device  20  routes the second emergency call to only a subset of the interested parties on the list depending on the type of emergency. In addition to other security personnel of building  12 , such interested parties include offsite security personnel, personal physicians, the building owner and operator, family members of building users, etc.  
      The duplicate emergency call to each interested party conferences the interested parties into the original VoIP emergency call placed to VoIP telephone  30  of emergency authorities. This conference call can either be audio-only to serve as notification or can be a live conference to allow for coordination and facilitation with emergency authorities.  
      A benefit of emergency system  10  includes increasing the utility of current emergency systems and adding improved ability for coordination among building security personnel, emergency authorities, and other interested parties.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2 , with continual reference to  FIG. 1 , a flowchart  40  describing operation of emergency system  10  is shown. The operation of emergency system  10  begins with alarm system  14  and/or security personnel  16  detecting an emergency in building  12  as shown in block  42 . In response to the emergency, alarm system  14  (automatically) and/or security personnel  16  (manually) place a VoIP “911” emergency telephone call to VoIP telephone  30  of emergency authorities via VoIP network  18  as shown in block  44 . In response to the emergency, alarm system  14  (automatically) and/or security personnel  16  (manually) take control of VoIP network  18  in order to provide emergency notification and instructions to building users  24  via VoIP telephones  22  as shown in block  46 . VoIP call management device  20  recognizes that a VoIP “911” emergency telephone call has been placed to emergency authorities via VoIP network  18  and then routes a duplicate VoIP emergency call to VoIP telephones  32 ,  34  of other parties to be notified of the emergency as shown in block  48 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system  600  is shown within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. In some embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device. In some embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., using a network) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client user machine in server-client user network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may include a server computer, a client user computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a land-line telephone, a control system, a camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a printer, a pager, a personal trusted device, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. It will be understood that a device of the present disclosure includes broadly any electronic device that provides voice, video or data communication. Further, while a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.  
      Computer system  600  may include a processor  602  (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both), a main memory  604  and a static memory  606 , which communicate with each other via a bus  608 . Computer system  600  may further include a video display unit  610  (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flat panel, a solid state display, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). Computer system  600  may include an input device  612  (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device  614  (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit  616 , a signal generation device  618  (e.g., a speaker or remote control) and a network interface device  620 .  
      Disk drive unit  616  may include a machine-readable medium  622  on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software  624 ) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein, including those methods illustrated in herein above. Instructions  624  may also reside, completely or at least partially, within main memory  604 , static memory  606 , and/or within processor  602  during execution thereof by computer system  600 . Main memory  604  and processor  602  also may constitute machine-readable media. Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the methods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. Some embodiments implement functions in two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Thus, the example system is applicable to software, firmware, and hardware implementations.  
      In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein are intended for operation as software programs running on a computer processor. Furthermore, software implementations can include, but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be constructed to implement the methods described herein.  
      The present disclosure contemplates a machine readable medium containing instructions  624 , or that which receives and executes instructions  624  from a propagated signal so that a device connected to a network environment  626  can send or receive voice, video or data, and to communicate over the network  626  using instructions  624 . Instructions  624  may further be transmitted or received over a network  626  via network interface device  620 .  
      While machine-readable medium  622  is shown in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure. The term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to: solid-state memories such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable (volatile) memories; magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk or tape; and carrier wave signals such as a signal embodying computer instructions in a transmission medium; and/or a digital file attachment to e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives is considered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the present disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a machine-readable medium or a distribution medium, as listed herein and including art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations herein are stored.  
      Although the present specification describes components and functions implemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the present disclosure is not limited to such standards and protocols. Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) represent examples of the state of the art. Such standards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions. Accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same functions are considered equivalents.  
      The illustrations of embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments, and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all the elements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use of the structures described herein. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The Figures are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions thereof may be exaggerated, while others may be minimized. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.  
      Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept if more than one is in fact disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.  
      The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C. F. R. §1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.