Next generation emergency call routing over diverse networks

Abstract

Methods and systems for routing calls include determining media types within a received call for emergency services from a caller. Emergency service providers for the call are determined based on the determined media types. The call is routed to the emergency service providers, with different subsets of data within the call, corresponding to respective determined media types, being routed to different emergency service providers from the determined emergency service providers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for routing calls, comprising:
 determining a plurality of media types within a received call for emergency services from a caller;   determining a plurality of emergency service providers for the call based on the determined plurality of media types; and   routing the receive call for emergency services to the emergency service providers, with different subsets of data within the call corresponding to respective determined media types being routed to different emergency service providers from the determined plurality of emergency service providers.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising routing the call to a fallback emergency service dispatcher responsive to a determination that there is no emergency service provider that has a geographic service area that includes the location of the caller. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein routing the call to the emergency service providers comprises routing call contents and the location information to the emergency service providers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein routing the call to the emergency service providers comprises routing the call over an emergency services IP network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of media types include audio information and biometric information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the audio information is routed to an emergency service dispatcher and the biometric information is routed to a doctor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the biometric information includes at least one type of biometric data selected from the group consisting of heart rate data, blood sugar data, and blood oxygen level data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a plurality of emergency service providers for the received call based on the determined plurality of media types further comprises determining emergency service providers that are prepared to handle each media type. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for routing calls, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of:
 determining a plurality of media types within a received call for emergency services from a caller;   determining a plurality of emergency service providers for the call based on the determined plurality of media types; and   routing the call to the emergency service providers, with different subsets of data within the call, corresponding to respective determined media types, being routed to different emergency service providers from the determined plurality of emergency service providers.   
     
     
         10 . A call routing system, comprising:
 a hardware processor;   an incoming interface configured to receive a call for emergency services from a caller through a communication service provider;   an outgoing interface configured to send the call to a network having one or more call destinations; and   a memory configured to store one or more modules that, when executed by the hardware processor, perform an associated function, including a routing module configured to identify a plurality of media types within the call, to determine a plurality of emergency service providers for the call based on the identified plurality of media types, and to route the call to the emergency service providers using the outgoing interface, with different subsets of data within the call, corresponding to respective determined media types, being routed to different emergency service providers from the determined plurality of emergency providers.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the routing module is further configured to route the call to a fallback destination responsive to a determination that there is no destination that has a geographic service area that includes the location of the caller. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the routing module is further configured to route the call over an emergency services IP network. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the incoming interface is configured to receive calls from a plurality of communication service providers and wherein the outgoing interface module is configured to send calls to one or more of a plurality of networks. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of media types include audio information and biometric information. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the audio information is routed to an emergency service dispatcher and the biometric information is routed to a doctor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the biometric information includes one or more types of biometric data selected from the group consisting of heart rate data, blood sugar data, and blood oxygen level data. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the routing module is further configured to determine the plurality of emergency service providers for a call from the caller by determining emergency service providers that are prepared to handle each media type.