Ip based emergency services solution in wimax

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing access to the emergency services over a network, particularly a WiMAX network. The method comprises the steps of identifying when a user device ( 51 ) sends a signal to the WiMAX network ( 52, 53, 54 ) requesting access to an emergency service; detecting a network address of the nearest emergency service communication device to the user device; relaying a signal (ES-SERV-RSP) via the WiMAX network to the user device containing the network address of the nearest emergency service communication device; and establishing at least one Service Flow between the WiMAX network and the user device to allow data to be exchanged between the user device and the emergency service communication device.

1 . A method for providing access to the emergency services over a WiMAX network, comprising the steps of:
 identifying when a user device sends a signal to the WiMAX network requesting access to an emergency service;   detecting a network address of the nearest emergency service communication device to the user device;   relaying a management message via the WiMAX network to the user device, the management message containing the network address of the nearest emergency service communication device; and   establishing at least one Service Flow between the WiMAX network and the user device to allow data to be exchanged between the user device and the emergency service communication device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the emergency service communication device is located on a second network which is linked to the WiMAX network via a gateway. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  also comprising the step of:
 sending the signal from the user device to the WiMAX network on a connection identified by a management CID. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  also comprising the step of:
 sending the management message via the WiMAX network to the user device on a connection identified by a management CID. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the user device is provided a network address on a management connection. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the signal from the user device to the WiMAX network is sent on a Basic connection. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the management message from the WiMAX network to the user device is sent on a Secondary connection. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the network address is sent on a Secondary management connection. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the signal sent by the user device to the WiMAX network is a management message containing a parameter to identify it as an emergency service request. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the management message sent by the user device to the WiMAX network contains one or more parameters indicating the type of emergency service required. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the management message sent by the user device to the WiMAX network contains one or more parameters indicating the management connection over which it is to be transferred. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a Service Flow parameter indicates whether a Service Flow context should be associated with the emergency service communication device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the steps of;
 the user device detecting when the Service Flow is no longer required; 
 releasing the connection between the user device and the emergency service communication device; and 
 deleting the Service Flow context. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of;
 a device on the WiMAX network detecting when the Service Flow is no longer required; 
 releasing the connection between the user device and the emergency service communication device; and 
 deleting the Service Flow context. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the communication device is a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for contacting the emergency services. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the second network is IP based. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the WiMAX network and the second network are connected via one or more IP networks. 
     
     
         18 . A method of establishing an emergency service call over a WiMAX network when the user device is not authorised to access the network comprising the steps of;
 identifying when a user device requests access to an emergency service communication device;   checking that the category of call is allowed by the network;   detecting the network address of the nearest emergency service communication device;   relaying a signal via the WiMAX network to the user device containing the network address of the nearest emergency service communication device; and   establishing at least one Service Flow between the WiMAX network and the user device to allow data to be exchanged between the user device and the emergency service communication device over the WiMAX network.   
     
     
         19 . A system for providing access to the emergency services over a WiMAX network comprising;
 a user device,   a second network connected to the WiMAX network via a gateway and having a plurality of emergency service communication devices located on it,   a Service Module the Service Module being a logical component arranged to detect a network address of the nearest emergency service communication device to the user device,   wherein the user device is provided with the network address by a management message containing said network address.   
     
     
         20 . An emergency service module located within a predetermined network;
 the emergency service module comprising:
 a portion which detects an emergency service communication device which is nearest to a user device requesting access to an emergency service; and 
 a portion which detects a network address of the emergency service communication device to transmit the network address to a base station. 
   
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled)