Enhanced E911 Network Access for Call Centers

Abstract

An emergency call (e.g., a 911 call, an alarm company call) forwarded by a telematics call center is routed over the switched PSTN to a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call server, where the switched call is converted to a session initiating protocol (SIP) packetized IP call for presentation to an emergency services gateway, which reconverts the call to TDM and connects to a selective router via dedicated circuits, gaining full access to the Enhanced 911 network. This provides a PSAP receiving a call from a telematics call center or other call center with all features available in an Enhanced 911 network, e.g., callback number of the 911 caller, and location of the 911 caller. Location of the caller is provided using a VoIP positioning center (VPC).

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP), comprising:
 receiving a forwarded phone call, initiated by an initiating wireless device, from a telematics call center;   routing said forwarded phone call as an Internet Protocol (IP) based packetized phone call;   querying a VoIP positioning center for call routing information to route said IP based packetized phone call to a particular PSAP, said VoIP positioning center query comprising a phone number of said initiating wireless device initiating said forwarded phone call;   receiving said call routing information from said VoIP positioning center; and   further forwarding said IP based packetized phone call both to said particular PSAP based on said call routing information.   
     
     
         14 . The method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 13 , wherein said further forwarding comprises:
 forwarding a Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) phone call via a dedicated trunk line to a selective router serving said particular PSAP.   
     
     
         15 . The method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said Internet Protocol (IP) based packetized phone call is a session initiating protocol (SIP) packetized phone call.   
     
     
         16 . The method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said telematics call center is ONSTAR™.   
     
     
         17 . The method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said telematics call center is ATX.   
     
     
         18 . The method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said telematics call center is Cross Country.   
     
     
         19 . The method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said telematics call center is ADT.   
     
     
         20 . The method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said telematics call center is an alarm monitoring center.   
     
     
         21 . The method of providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said forwarded phone call is received via a public switched telephone network (PSTN).   
     
     
         22 . Apparatus for providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP), comprising:
 means for receiving a forwarded phone call, initiated by an initiating wireless device, from a telematics call center;   means for routing said forwarded phone call as an Internet Protocol (IP) based packetized phone call;   means for querying a VoIP positioning center for call routing information to route said IP based packetized phone call to a particular PSAP, said VoIP positioning center query comprising a phone number of said initiating wireless device initiating said forwarded phone call;   means for receiving said call routing information from said VoIP positioning center; and   means for further forwarding said IP based packetized phone call both to said particular PSAP based on said call routing information.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus for providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 22 , wherein said means for further forwarding comprises:
 means for forwarding a Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) phone call via a dedicated trunk line to a selective router serving said particular PSAP.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus for providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 said Internet Protocol (IP) based packetized phone call is a session initiating protocol (SIP) packetized phone call.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus for providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 said telematics call center is an alarm monitoring center.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus for providing a telematics call center with access to an Enhanced 911 network supporting a public safety answering point (PSAP) according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 said forwarded phone call is received via a public switched telephone network (PSTN).