Patent ID: 8718595

Claim:
A method for routing a call from a communications device to a public safety answering point (PSAP), the method comprising: receiving the call at an emergency data message router; determining a location of the communications device; determining an emergency data message type associated with the call; determining, using a processor, a plurality of public safety answering points (PSAPs) appropriate to receive the call; selecting a closest, by location, public safety answering point from the plurality of public safety answering points appropriate to receive the emergency call, based on data message format capabilities of the public safety answering points, wherein the data message format capabilities include one or more of text message capability, instant message capability, email capability, photo message capability or video message capability; recognizing that the selected closest public safety answering point can only accept certain types of data messages; translating the call from a first data message format to a second data message format, the second data message format being a type of data message the selected closest public safety answering point can accept, wherein the first and second data message format is one of text message, instant message, email, photo message, or video message; and routing the translated call to the selected public safety answering point.