DE102020131555A1 - System and method for locating a telephony device user - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for locating a user of a telephony device is proposed, comprising a beacon, an adapter and a processing unit, the adapter being designed to communicate with a beacon, the beacon having a beacon ID, the adapter being designed to do so Query the beacon ID of the beacon, the adapter being designed to be connected to a telephony device, the adapter being connected to the computing unit, the adapter being designed to forward the beacon ID to the computing unit, the Arithmetic unit comprises a storage unit, wherein in the storage unit the beacon ID is associated with a geographic position of the beacon, the arithmetic unit being configured to match the beacon ID received from the adapter with the beacon ID stored in the storage unit and thereby to the geographic to infer the position of the adapter.

Description

State of the art

In America, some companies are legally obliged, in the event of an incoming call or emergency call to a control center, for example police or fire brigade control centers, to report the exact position of the caller or the telephone from which the emergency call was made to transmit to the control center.

In other regions, such as within Europe, efforts are being made via the EENA (European Emergency Number Association) to enshrine a corresponding provision of information in law.

Previous systems and processes with which information can possibly be collected and provided for locating a telephony device user have a number of disadvantages.

Object and advantages of the invention

The object of the present invention is to improve a system or a method for providing information regarding a telephony device, in particular to enable a user of a telephony device to be localized promptly and comprehensively on the side of a location called by the telephony device.

This object is solved by the independent claims.

The dependent claims address expedient and advantageous developments of the invention.

The invention proposes a system for locating a user of a telephony device, comprising a beacon, an adapter and a processing unit, the adapter being designed to communicate with a beacon, the beacon having a beacon ID, the adapter being designed to do so is to query the beacon ID of a beacon, the adapter being designed to be connected to a telephony device, the adapter being connected to the computing unit, the adapter being designed to forward the beacon ID to the computing unit, wherein the processing unit comprises a storage unit, wherein the beacon ID is assigned to a geographic position of the beacon in the storage unit, the processing unit being designed to compare the beacon ID received from the adapter with the beacon ID stored in the storage unit and thereby to the to infer the geographic position of the adapter.

This provides affected companies with an advantageous automatic location determination of a telephony device via beacon technology, a so-called "device localization". On the hardware side, all you need is an adapter with the appropriate software and a beacon. Management software is also used to position the beacon(s).

Localization means providing information about the spatial or local location of the telephony device and in particular a user of the telephony device and/or providing information about additional properties of the telephony device or about the user or about data belonging to the user or are assignable.

A beacon, for example, is a comparatively small Bluetooth transmitter. A beacon belongs to a class of low-power Bluetooth devices that broadcast their identifier to nearby electronic devices. Beacon technology enables smartphones, tablets and other devices to perform actions in close proximity to a beacon.

The position of the beacon is preferably stationary. The system knows the position of the beacon in the building. The beacon has a stored beacon ID, which can be used to read the location of the beacon from a data record in the storage unit.

The adapter is connected or connectable to the telephony device, such as the telephone or the computer, preferably manually by e.g. B. a detachable cable connector and / or by a wireless connection. It is also conceivable that the adapter is an integral part of the telephony device. The adapter is designed to read out the beacon ID. For example, the adapter is designed to read out the information from the telephone or the computer. A piece of information is, for example, an IP address, a telephone number or information about the user assigned to the telephony device. The computing unit can transmit the information received or read out to an external location, for example to an external so-called “clearing house”. The "Clearing House" serves as a neutral switching center which, in the event of an emergency call, can be accessed by the emergency call center, for example, in order to query and receive additional data about the caller.

A telephony device is to be understood in particular as a telephone device and/or a computer, by means of which an audio connection can be set up in particular with a further user.

The additional properties or the corresponding data relate in particular to user-specific information, which differs from data on another user of a telephony device located adjacent to the user in question, in particular in the same environment, for example in the same building, on the same floor, in the same room, differentiate.

With the present invention, necessary findings and measures can be better assessed, selected and implemented for a person called by the user or a person called and in their environment, for example a telephone control center that can be reached or contacted by the user by telephone. Appropriate countermeasures, in particular for an emergency situation, can thus be initiated on the user side in a targeted manner. This means that the emergency situation can be resolved more quickly and efficiently, and consequential damage can be minimized or avoided. In particular, an effective countermeasure for containing negative consequences of the emergency situation is possible more quickly and reliably according to the invention.

The present invention is particularly advantageous, for example, in telephone control centers and is of great importance, such as in emergency call control centers that can be reached by telephone, preferably in security or police and fire brigade control centers and in the health system. In particular, all relevant information about the user of the telephony device, who is usually the caller, himself and other information in the environment of the user can be provided reliably and in real time to the addressee or recipient of a telephone call.

In previous systems or processes for collecting information about a user of a telephony or telephone device, the location of the telephony device is manually recorded on the basis of a network or automatically recorded via a network scan, IP port to IP address of the telephony device.

This is disadvantageous, especially since manual data collection is expensive. This procedure is also error-prone, since reliable location determination is based on unchanging cabling, which is not regularly the case. Accordingly, outdated data is disadvantageous when adapting the network or when moving the telephony device.

In addition, data acquisition is often only possible over network regions, with a limitation in existing cabling.

A "free seating" of the users of the telephony devices is also problematic.

In the present invention, on the other hand, all of the further information that is stored and/or linked to the caller in the system, both directly and indirectly, that belongs to the caller is preferably made available to the system and thus to the called unit, e.g. B. the emergency call center more effectively. Such a provision advantageously takes place cyclically, e.g. at a regularly recurring interval. The data provided is preferably updated cyclically.

With the system according to the invention, further information and situational environmental conditions relating to the caller and his/her caller situation are made available in the system in an advantageous manner and are available on the side of the called party and can be further used, in particular, in computer-aided information processing systems.

The telephony device is advantageously in the form of a telephone, a cell phone, a cell phone or smartphone, a tablet and/or a computer.

The adapter is preferably designed to transmit the beacon ID to the computing unit, in particular automatically.

It is also conceivable that the processing unit is designed to send a request for the beacon ID to the adapter.

The adapter is advantageously designed as a network adapter. For example, the adapter includes an interface. The adapter preferably comprises two, three or more interfaces. For example, an interface of the adapter is designed as an RJ45 interface (network/LAN). It is also conceivable that the adapter has computing intelligence, e.g. in the form of a microcontroller. The interface of the adapter can also be designed as a wireless interface. For example, the interface is in the form of a WLAN, Bluetooth and/or NFC interface.

It is advantageous if the system has two or more beacons and/or two or more adapters. The system can thus be expanded and, in particular, adapted to the number of possible users or network sockets or telephony devices senior The system can advantageously be adapted to spatial conditions and/or other conditions, in particular also to non-spatial conditions. The targeted assignment to different users is advantageously possible. A comparatively high spatial resolution can be achieved by using several beacons.

A further advantage can be seen in the fact that the beacon is present in a stationary or positionally fixed manner. Each beacon of the system is preferably stationary. With one or each beacon, in the case of several beacons, a precise local assignment in the spatial environment is possible. The spatial environment is, for example, a room or a room within a building. If there are a number of rooms and/or floors in the building, the caller can preferably be assigned to exactly one relevant one of a number of floors in the building or to exactly one room or room within the building. The beacons of the system are advantageously present at a distance from one another, in particular distributed over a building. For example, at least the adapter or adapters and the beacons of the system are present in the building.

It is also advantageous that a position, such as in particular a geographic position, of a beacon is known. Each position of each individual beacon of the system is advantageously known. This means that all active beacons can be clearly assigned geographically or their position can be precisely determined. This means that the position of the caller can also be identified comparatively precisely.

According to an advantageous variant of the invention, the adapter is designed to communicate with the telephony device by wire and/or wirelessly. All technically proven transmission paths can thus be used to advantage. The system can be flexibly adapted to given conditions and facilities. Advantageously, the system includes multiple adapters. A first adapter can preferably be connected to a telephony device by wire. For example, a second adapter is wireless with another telephony device, e.g. B. can be connected wirelessly or via WLAN. For example, an adapter can be or is connected to a telephony device by means of the interface of the adapter. The connections can preferably be released and set up again manually, preferably by means of a plug-in connection that can be secured by latching.

Another advantage is that the system includes a telephony device and the adapter is part of the telephony device. The system is thus designed to be particularly safe, compact and user-friendly.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the microcontroller is preferably part of the telephony device.

According to a modification of the invention, the adapter is designed to query and/or receive information from the telephony device. This enables an effective and flexibly adaptable exchange of information. The telephony device advantageously includes a memory module. It is conceivable that information about a user or information about the user of the telephony device is stored in the memory module. The adapter is preferably designed to query and/or receive the user's information from the telephony device. For example, the user's information is the user's name and/or an identifier uniquely associated with the user. The identifier is, for example, the user's telephone number and/or the user's login data, e.g., a login identifier, e.g., a login name. Personal data about the person can also be stored as information and can therefore be called up. The information can e.g. B. be automatically updated regularly. It is also conceivable that the adapter is designed to request information from the telephony device, e.g. MAC address, IP address or other digital process data.

It is also conceivable that the adapter is designed to communicate via Bluetooth or WLAN or radio-bound with any device that is within range of the adapter. The adapter is advantageously designed to query and/or receive information from a device to which the adapter can be connected.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the system is designed to provide a geographic position and/or the information of the telephony device in the event of an emergency call, in particular to the "clearing house" such as a higher-level "clearing house" z. B. an emergency technology company or a RapidSOS company and / or to an emergency call center.

Advantageously, the information from the telephony device includes user information or a plurality of items of information belonging to the user, in particular a current user of the telephony device. This enables effective identification of the user or caller, particularly in real time. This allows follow-up actions to be selected and carried out effectively, which in a Emergency situation is particularly important and, if necessary, human lives can be saved, which would not be possible or only possible with difficulty without the system designed according to the invention.

The system is advantageously designed to draw conclusions about the geographical information or the spatial position of the telephony device to which the adapter in question or the same adapter is connected, based on the geographical information of the beacon to which the adapter is connected.

The arithmetic unit of the system is preferably designed to be connected to a further arithmetic unit. The additional processing unit can be present, for example, as a telephone system and/or as an identity management system and/or as an active directory. The computing unit of the system is advantageously designed to query and receive information from the further computing unit. The arithmetic unit of the system is advantageously designed to compare data from the storage unit with data from the other arithmetic unit and thereby to enrich the data record of the storage unit with further information regarding the telephony device and/or the user of the telephony device. For example, the arithmetic unit of the system is designed to update and/or verify data stored on the storage unit by comparing data with the other arithmetic unit.

• - Abfragen oder Empfangen einer Beacon-ID durch den Adapter,
• - Abfragen oder Empfangen einer Information des Telefoniegeräts durch den Adapter,
• - Übermittlung der Beacon-ID und der Information des Telefoniegeräts an die Recheneinheit,
• - Anreichung, Abgleich oder Anpassung eines Datensatzes der Recheneinheit durch die Recheneinheit auf Basis der übermittelten Beacon-ID und der dazugehörigen Information des Telefoniegeräts.

A method for locating a user of a telephony device is also proposed, the method having the following method steps, in particular using a system according to one of the configurations described above:

• - querying or receiving a beacon ID by the adapter,
• - querying or receiving information from the telephony device through the adapter,
• - transmission of the beacon ID and the information of the telephony device to the processing unit,
• - Enrichment, comparison or adjustment of a data record of the processing unit by the processing unit on the basis of the transmitted beacon ID and the associated information of the telephony device.

Advantageously, the method steps run automatically, in particular automatically. Preferably, an action by a person after installation of the beacons, the adapters and the computing unit of the system is not required for the system to function. The system, in particular the adapter and the processing unit, is advantageously designed in such a way that the individual method steps are carried out automatically.

Advantageously, the computing unit is coupled to another computing unit, e.g. an IDM (Identity Management) and/or AD (Active Directory). This enables a comparison with regard to information from the user of the telephony device, such as the name and/or the identification number for dialing in or logging on to the telephony device.

For example, the information on the telephone number can be matched with the IDM and/or the AD to link the information from the telephony device to a name and other non-personal and/or personal data of a user. This information is preferably available in real time and in full for further processing. Subsequent steps, which can be determined on the basis of the information, can be selected and implemented quickly and effectively.

In addition, it is advantageously possible with the method and the system to develop further useful fields and functions, which is done on the basis of the information provided. For example, an inventory function may be implemented in terms of items and/or records. This is done, for example, by the adapter trying to connect to every device that is within its interface range and querying information about the device and the user.

A read-in or scanning function is also advantageously possible with the system-based method according to the invention.

• - das Anmelden eines Benutzers am Telefoniegerät,
• - Anreichung, Abgleich oder Anpassung des Datensatzes der Recheneinheit des Systems mit der IDM / AD-Einheit,
• - die Übermittlung des Datensatzes an ein Clearing-House.

The process may include additional or alternative process steps such as:

• - the registration of a user on the telephony device,
• - Enrichment, comparison or adjustment of the data set of the system's computing unit with the IDM / AD unit,
• - the transmission of the data set to a clearing house.

• - Positionierung der Beacons und Aufnahme der jeweiligen Beaconposition in einen Datensatz der Recheneinheit, insbesondere in der Speichereinheit,
• - Positionierung eines Adapters und Verbinden des Adapters mit der Recheneinheit des System, sowie mit einem Telefoniegerät oder mit mehreren Telefoniegeräten.

It is also advantageous if the process has the following additional process steps:

• - Positioning of the beacons and recording of the respective beacon position in a data record of the processing unit, in particular in the storage unit,
• - Positioning an adapter and connecting the adapter to the processing unit of the system and to a telephony device or to several telephony devices.

• - Positionierung eines Adapters und Verbinden des Adapters mit einem Netzwerk,
• - Verbinden der Recheneinheit mit einem Netzwerk

It is also advantageous if the method has one or each of the following method steps:

• - positioning an adapter and connecting the adapter to a network,
• - Connecting the computing unit to a network

An advantage can also be seen in the fact that all or at least some of the method steps are repeated cyclically. In this way, changes over time with regard to the information situation are reliably taken into account. This leads to a minimization of errors in terms of the correct assignment and recognition of situations relating to the user or caller.

character list

• 1 einzelne Komponenten eines Systems zur Lokalisierung eines Benutzers eines Telefoniegeräts,
• 2 einzelne gegenüber den in 1 gezeigten Komponenten erweiterte Komponenten für ein System zur Lokalisierung eines Benutzers eines Telefoniegeräts,
• 3 ein Grundriss eines Gebäudestockwerks mit mehreren Räumen, von denen einzelne Räume vorbereitete, vorhandene ortsfeste Komponenten eines Systems zur Lokalisierung eines Benutzers eines Telefoniegeräts aufweisen und
• 4 ein Ablaufdiagramm zu Anwendungen eines Systems zur Lokalisierung eines Benutzers eines Telefoniegeräts.

Further features and advantages of the present invention are explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments shown schematically. In detail shows:

• 1 individual components of a system for locating a user of a telephony device,
• 2 single compared to the in 1 components shown extended components for a system for locating a user of a telephony device,
• 3 a floor plan of a building floor with several rooms, of which individual rooms have prepared, existing stationary components of a system for locating a user of a telephony device and
• 4 a flowchart of applications of a system for locating a user of a telephony device.

Individual reference symbols are used together below for corresponding elements of different exemplary embodiments.

1 shows individual components of a system 1 (s. 4 ) for locating a user 2 of a telephony device 3. The system 1 comprises a beacon 27-29 (s. 3 ) or a beacon 30 each with a specific beacon ID stored in the beacon 26-30. The telephony device 3 is in accordance with 1 a telephone device as an example. The components include an adapter 4 belonging to the system 1, which is designed as a network adapter and is plugged in between the other components of the system 1. The adapter 4 is designed to use the beacon ID of the z. B. Beacons 30 query. The adapter 4, which is a few centimeters long and high in its basic form, has a protective housing 4a on the outside, which encloses a semiconductor chip housed inside the adapter 4, which is designed as a microcontroller 5, here an ESP32 microcontroller by way of example. The adapter 4 has two inputs 6 and 7, which are designed as sockets for network connectors, for example of the RJ45 type or as an RJ45 input, and are present on both sides of the adapter 4.

The adapter 4 is connected to the first input 6 with a network socket 8 with a socket or with an input 9 such as an RJ45 input, via a twisted pair cable or via a so-called CAT cable 10 . The adapter 4 is also connected to the telephony device 3 via a twisted pair cable or a CAT cable 11 via the other input 7 of the adapter 4 .

Such a system 1 with the beacon 30 is in 4 illustrated in a system application.

Components of an alternative or extended system according to the invention 12 shows 2 , wherein the system 12 compared to the system 1 has an extended functionality.

The system 12 includes an adapter 13, which is connected to a network socket 8 via a twisted pair cable or CAT cable 10 and via a further CAT cable 11 to a plurality of LAN devices 14, 15 and/or 16 is connected, ie with local network devices of a local network 21. The LAN devices 14-16 are, for example, a telephone device, a PC or computer and a printer device.

The adapter 13 also communicates z. B. via a local radio network or via a wireless connection 17 with WLAN devices 18, 19 and 20 of the network 21.

For an additional functionality of the system 13, this can be used, for example, for an inventory of telephone devices or of all IP devices or network protocol devices.

For this purpose, the devices 14-16, 18-20 are detected, for example, by scanning the adapter 13 and are thus inventoried.

An internal or network 21-related emergency call signaling or an alarm function or alerting is also possible as an additional functionality of the system 12.

3 shows a floor plan 22 of a building storey 23 with a multiplicity of mutually separate rooms of the storey. Individual rooms for the use of telephony devices and for the implementation of a system for locating a user of a telephony device according to the system 1 and/or the system 12 are designed in an exemplary and highly schematic manner.

Accordingly, there are three adjacent rooms 24, 25 and 26 on the building floor 23, which can be used, for example, as offices with a telephony device.

The rooms 24-26 each have prepared stationary components of a system for locating a telephony device according to the system 1 or 12. The stationary components of the system 1 or 12 each include at least one network interface in the rooms 24-26, e.g . For example, in room 24 the beacon 27 is installed in a fixed position, in room 25 the beacon 28 is installed in a fixed position and in room 26 the beacon 29 is installed in a fixed position. For system implementation, an adapter 4 and a telephony device 3 must be plugged into a network socket 8 on the hardware side.

4 shows a schematic flowchart for applications of the system 1 for locating the user 2 of the telephony device 3. The system 1 includes the z. B. in a room permanently installed Beacon 30 and additionally the components according to 1 , i.e. the network socket 8 connected via the CAT cables 10 and 11, the adapter 4 and the telephony device 3.

In 4 a system state is explained, which relates to the setup and use of the system 1. The system 1 includes in addition to the 1 described components telephony device 3, adapter 4, network socket 8 and CAT cable 10 and 11 also a processing unit 31, a directory service 32 eg AD or IDM system, a telephone system 33 and an external clearing house 34. The processing unit 31 is advantageously as a computer with a storage unit available. Management software for the system, for example, runs on the processing unit 31 .

The telephone set 3 is connected to the adapter 4 via the CAT cable 11, which is done by respective plug connections between the CAT cable 11 and the telephone set 3 and the adapter 4.

The adapter 4 determines, for example, the IP address of the telephone device 3 using the LLDP protocol 35. The adapter 4 determines the beacon 30. The beacon 30 sends a beacon ID 36 and/or a position signal with a beacon ID, for example. If there are several active beacons in the relevant environment of the adapter 4, the adapter 4 determines the closest beacon. The adapter 4 connects to the beacon 30 and/or receives the beacon ID 36 of the beacon 30. LLDP is a manufacturer-independent layer 2 protocol that is defined according to the IEEE 802.1AB standard and offers the possibility of information between exchange neighboring devices.

The data determined are sent from the adapter 4 to the arithmetic unit 31 . The data record of the processing unit is enriched with the information from the adapter 4 .

The user 2 of the telephone device 3, ie a calling person, logs on to the telephone device 3. A session that can be assigned to the application is registered in the telephone system 33, including in particular the telephone number and the IP address of the telephone device 3.

The session is transmitted to the processing unit 31 . The data record of the arithmetic unit 31 is enriched.

The processing unit 31 compares itself with the directory service or AD (Active Directory) or IDM (Identity Management). The data record of the arithmetic unit 31 is enriched.

The enriched data record from the processing unit 31 is sent to the clearing house 34 .

Reference List

1

system

2

user

3

telephony device

4

adapter

4a

Housing

5

microcontroller

6

Entry

7

Entry

8th

network socket

9

Entry

10

CAT cable

11

CAT cable

12

system

13

adapter

14

LAN device

15

LAN device

16

LAN device

17

connection

18

WiFi device

19

WiFi device

20

WiFi device

21

network

22

Layout

23

building floor

24

Space

25

Space

26

Space

27

beacon

28

beacon

29

beacon

30

beacon

31

unit of account

32

directory service

33

telephone system

34

clearinghouse

35

LLDP protocol

36

Beacon ID

Claims (11)

System (1, 12) for locating a user (2) of a telephony device (3, 14-16) comprising a beacon (27-30), an adapter (4) and a processing unit, the adapter (4) being designed to to communicate with a beacon (27-30), wherein the beacon (27-30) has a beacon ID, wherein the adapter (4) is designed to query the beacon ID of a beacon (27-30), wherein the adapter (4) is designed to be connected to a telephony device (3, 14-16), wherein the adapter (4) is connected to the computing unit (31), wherein the adapter (4) is designed to forward the beacon ID to the computing unit (31), wherein the computing unit (31) comprises a memory unit, wherein the beacon ID is assigned to a geographic position of the beacon (27-30) in the memory unit, wherein the computing unit (31) is designed to match the beacon ID received from the adapter (4) with the beacon ID stored in the storage unit and thereby infer the geographic position of the adapter (4). System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system has two or more beacons (27-29) and/or two or more adapters (4). System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the beacon (27-30) is present in a stationary/fixed position. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a particular geographic position of a beacon (27-30) is known. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter (4) is designed to communicate with the telephony device (3, 14-16) by wire and/or wirelessly System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system comprises a telephony device (3, 14-16) and the adapter (4) is part of the telephony device (3, 14-16). System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter (4) is designed to query and/or receive information from the telephony device (3, 14-16). System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system is designed to forward a geographic position and/or the information from the telephony device (3, 14-16) to an emergency call control center in the event of an emergency call. Method for locating a user of a telephony device (3, 14-16), characterized in that the method includes the following method steps, in particular using a system (1, 12) according to one of Claims 1 until 8th has: - querying or receiving a beacon ID by the adapter (4) - querying or receiving information from the telephony device (3, 14-16) by the adapter (4) - transmission of the beacon ID and information from the telephony device (3 , 14-16) to the processing unit (31) - enrichment, comparison or adjustment of a data record of the processing unit (31) by the processing unit (31) on the basis of the transmitted Bea con-ID and the associated information of the telephony device (3, 14-16). Method for locating a user of a telephony device (3, 14-16) according to the previous one claim 9 , characterized in that the method has the following further method steps: - Positioning the beacons (27-30) and recording the respective beacon position in a data record of the computing unit (31) - Positioning an adapter (4) and connecting the adapter (4) to a Network, as well as with a telephony device (3, 14-16) or several telephony devices (3, 14-16). Method for locating a user (2) of a telephony device (3, 14-16) according to one of the preceding ones claims 9 or 10 , characterized in that the process steps are repeated cyclically.

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