CA2283087A1

CA2283087A1 - Method and system for delivery of wireless user identification and location

Info

Publication number: CA2283087A1
Application number: CA002283087A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Michael J. Guatto; Pramod K. Aryal; Parke Davis
Original assignee: CLEARNET PCS Inc
Current assignee: CLEARNET PCS Inc
Priority date: 1999-09-09
Filing date: 1999-09-09
Publication date: 2001-03-09

Abstract

Discloses a system for providing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data in a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base station radio transceivers to provide radio communications to a plurality of mobile radio telephone handset transceivers. The wireless telephone communications network inter-operates with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an access point (AP), such as a public safety access point (PSAP), telephone of the PSTN. The system has a data network to carry data messages thereover and at least one AP computer with a video display and keyboard that is connected to the data network to communicate data messages thereover. A service control point (SCP) computer system is connected to the data network to communicate data messages with each AP computer means. The SCP
computer system maintains and controls access to a database containing call records to selected dialled numbers, each call record including fields to contain a wireless mobile radio transceiver handset telephone number and real time data locating the wireless handset and fields to contain subscriber data providing information identifying the subscriber associated with the wireless handset.
When a handset telephone number originated at the AP computer is communicated to the SCP over the data network, the video display of the AP computer will display selected fields of a call record corresponding to the handset telephone number. The data network is preferably a TCP/IP network such as the Internet.

Description

-2-METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DELIVERY OF WIRELESS USER IDENTIFICATION
AND LOCATION
Field of the Invention This invention relates to a system for delivering call location information for a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, or wireless handset, the wireless handset call back telephone number and subscriber identification information for calls to a predetermined answering point, such as to a public safety answering point emergency response centre receiving an emergency 911 call from a wireless mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, such as a cellular telephone handset and the like. Similarly, the system can also be used to provide location proximity-based, voice or text information as requested by a wireless caller, specific to his or her current location.
Background of the Invention With government and telecommunications carriers support, the National Emergency Numbering Association (NENA) designates 911 as the number to call to report an emergency and obtain emergency assistance. The 911 number provides for ease of access to emergency response services including ambulance, fire and police services in a rapid manner. 911 service access allows a caller to reach a public safety answering point (PSAP) which then directs the call to the appropriate emergency response agency based on information obtained directly or indirectly from the caller. Information obtained indirectly from the caller includes time of call and caller identification and location information provided by the telephone system without the caller having to state who the caller is or where the call is coming from.
Current enhanced systems are available to provide the call handling and system information to PSAP response centres which are referred to as E911 systems.
The E911 systems have improved features that are provided in a wireline telephone 40097381.8

-3-company environment. In a wireline telephone system, the physical location of the caller is known based on the service address of the telephone that the caller uses to place the 911 call and this information can be delivered to the appropriate PSAP.
However, in the wireless environment, while the call back number and the location of the wireless handset placing the call is known to the wireless service provider, using the current telephone company 911 systems, the call back number and location information can not be delivered. In fact, the current telephone company 911 delivery system cannot even select the appropriate PSAP that should respond to any particular 911 wireless call.
To illustrate the problem, a description of the current handling of wireline and wireless calls will be set out.
When a wireline subscriber calls 911, the telephone company's wireline E911 system automatically looks up and provides a call back number (referred to as Automatic Number Identification information, or ANI information) and service address information (referred to as Automatic Location Identification information, or ALI
information) associated with the telephone making the 911 call. The E911 system has a centrally located switching system, or simply referred to as an E911 switch, with a selective router database to provide selective routing capability.
Utilising the selective router database, the service address of the calling telephone is compared to the territory served by each PSAP which enables a wireline 911 call to be automatically routed to the appropriate PSAP. At the PSAP, the calling telephone data/information will appear on the emergency call taker's screen. The calling telephone data/information appears at the PSAP in addition to a voice connection which is established between the wireline telephone caller and the emergency call taker telephone.
On the other hand, when a call is placed to the E911 system over a wireless telephone system, the wireless caller can be anywhere within the urban area or region served by a wireless common carrier. Moreover, the caller may not even be a 40097381.8

-4-subscriber to the particular wireless common carrier that received the call since the caller may be roaming from his or her "home" area. The common carrier radio transceiver, known as the Base Transceiver System (BTS), is located at a cell site.
When a call is placed a radio link is established between the handset transceiver of the caller and the cell site of the wireless carrier that receives the call.
The BTS also establishes and handles the call path from the cell site the to the carrier's Mobile Switching Centre. The operation of the BTS is managed by the common carrier Mobile Switching Centre (MSC). The wireless telephone system interconnects and interoperates with the wireline telephone system in a number of respects. For example, the wireless telephone system shares the same numbering plan as the wireline telephone system. Also, a wireless telephone user can place a call either to a wireline telephone or to another wireless telephone. The wireless telephone system MSC routes calls between BTSs or between an BTS and an "external carrier"
such as another wireless telephone system or wireline telephone carrier depending on the number dialled by the wireless caller.
To connect a wireless 911 call to an E911 switching system, using the current arrangement, the call will be connected from the MSC, or other interconnection point depending on the network interconnection architecture of the particular wireless carrier, to a telephone incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) central office (CO) over an interconnecting trunk group. Typically, the interconnecting trunk group will be the same trunk group for all wireless to wireline calls from that BTS. The ILEC
provides the trunk group lines to the wireless carrier's MSC or interconnection point and, consequently, only the ILEC ANI and ALI information for the interconnection points with the wireless carrier is available. Consequently, the ANI that will be associated with the wireless subscriber's 911 call at the telephone company's CO is the wireless carrier's billing telephone number for that interconnection point/trunk group, not the telephone number of the wireless caller making the 911 call.
The billing telephone number is associated with the given interconnection point/trunk group but is useless for identifying or locating the wireless subscriber calling for help.
40097381.8 -S-When the CO passes the call to the E911 switching system, the switching system's selective routing function is not able to associate the incoming ANI with an emergency service number (ESN) that corresponds with the NXX of the central office ("CO") (the first three digits of the 911 caller ANI are known as the NXX and identify the CO to allow the call to be directed to the appropriate PSAP). The selective router will use a default mode instead, selecting a PSAP on the basis of the trunk group used to transfer the call from the CO to the switching system.
Consequently, for wireless 911 calls, only voice information is currently available to the PSAP operators. When a wireless subscriber dials 911 today, while a voice connection is established, only the name of the wireless carrier connecting the call to the switching system is passed to and appears on the 911 PSAP call taker's screen.
Unlike for a wireline caller, for a wireless caller, the PSAP receives no automatic data/information relating to the caller identity or location.
Several options have been considered to provide for delivery of voice and call related data/information to a PSAP where the call originates from a wireless caller. One option is to arrange and fund the refurbishment of the telephone company wireline E911 system and links to enable them to carry the additional caller data such as the full 10-digit wireless ANI plus the cell site and sector location from which the 911 wireless call originates. This is a significant, costly and time-consuming proposition. Also, further refurbishment may be required in future to change the caller data delivered to include other information such as the latitude and longitude co-ordinate information of the wireless handset to the PSAP.
Examples of refurbishment solutions are given in US Patent 5,479,482 to Grimes entitled Cellular Terminal for Providing Public Emergency Call Location Information, issued on December 26, 1995, and US Patent 5,873,040 to Dunn et al. entitled Wireless Emergency Location, issued on February 16, 1999.
Systems to provide selective routing functionality for mobile radio handsets have been proposed. For example, US patent 5,602,901 to Redden et al for Specialized 40097381.8 Call Routing Method and Apparatus For a Cellular Communication System, issued February 11, 1997, provides a method and apparatus for call routing to allow the user of a mobile radio handset, such as a cellular telephone, to make an emergency call request, such as a 911 call. The wireless caller emergency call request is received and evaluated by a gateway, which selects and determines the availability of an emergency response centre to respond to the 911 caller's request. Also, US
patent 5,797,093 to Houde entitled Routing of an Emergency Cellular Telephone Call, issued August 18, 1998, provides for routing of an emergency cellular telephone call to a proper PSAP where the subscriber may place the emergency call from any one of a number of service areas each served by different mobile switching centres.
What is needed is an arrangement for the timely delivery of call related data/information to a PSAP for wireless 911 calls that includes calling number and call origin location information while avoiding the cost and delay incurred by refurbishing existing E911 systems.
Summary of the Invention In one of its aspects the invention provides a system for providing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data in a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base radio transceivers to provide radio communications to a plurality of mobile radio telephone handset transceivers.
The wireless telephone communications network inter-operates with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an answering point (AP) telephone of the PSTN. The system has a data network to carry data messages thereover and at least one AP computer means, including a video display, keyboard and data communication means, located at said AP, said computer means connected to said data network to communicate data messages thereover. The system includes a service control point (SCP) computer system operably connected 40097381.8 to the data network to communicate data messages with each AP computer means.
The SCP computer system controls access to a database containing call records.
Each call record provides a plurality of data fields, including: a field containing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data, a field containing real time data including location information for said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver and a field containing subscriber data providing information identifying the subscriber associated with said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, whereby mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data originated by said AP computer means communicated to said SCP computer means over said data network causes the video display of said AP computer to display selected fields of a call record corresponding to said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data.
In another of its aspects, the invention provides a method for providing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data for a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base radio transceivers that provide radio communications to a plurality mobile radio telephone handset transceivers. The wireless telephone communications network inter-operates with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an access point (AP) telephone of the PSTN. The method has the steps of: forming an enquiry message at an AP
computer containing a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data;
delivering the enquiry message to a data network for transport to an SCP
computer;
receiving said enquiry message at said SCP computer; searching a database of call records. When the search locates a call record corresponding to said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data, the method includes forming a reply message including a field containing real time mobile radio telephone handset transceiver location data, a field containing subscriber data providing information identifying the subscriber associated with the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data and delivering the reply message to the data network 40097381.8 _g_ for transport to said PSAP computer. The reply message is displayed on the AP
computer display.
In yet another of its aspects, the invention provides a system for collecting mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data for a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base radio transceivers that provide radio communications to a plurality of mobile radio telephone handset transceivers.
The wireless communications network inter-operates with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an access point (AP) telephone of the PSTN. The system includes: at least one mobile switching centre (MSC) switch in communication with a plurality of base transceiver systems (BTS).
The MSC switch includes call signalling means to produce a trigger responsive to a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call request received by a BTS for connection to an AP telephone. The system also includes service control point (SCP) means in communication with said MSC switch, said SCP means maintains a database of call records. In response to the trigger, the SCP means communicates with at least one database to translate the call request for connection to an AP
telephone to a corresponding telephone number of an AP telephone associated with the base transceiver system receiving the call request. The SCP means produces a record in said database of call records, each record including data identifying a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver making the call request for connection to an AP telephone and data identifying the BTS receiving said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call request.
In another of its aspects, the invention provides a system for collecting and providing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data for a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base radio transceivers that provide radio communications to a plurality of mobile radio telephone handset transceivers.
The wireless communications network inter-operates with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between 40097381.8 the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an access point (AP) telephone of the PSTN. The system includes at least one mobile switching centre (MSC) switch in communication with a plurality of base transceiver systems (BTS) where each MSC switch includes means to produce a trigger responsive to a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call request received by the BTS for connection to an AP telephone. The system also includes service control point (SCP) means in communication with each said MSC switch. The SCP means responds to the trigger to communicate with at least one database to translate said call request for connection to an AP telephone to a corresponding telephone number of an AP
telephone associated with the base transceiver system receiving the call request. In response the trigger, the SCP means produces a record in a database of call records. Each record includes data identifying the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver making the call request and data identifying the BTS receiving the call request. The system further includes a data network to carry data messages thereover and at least one AP computer means, including a video display, keyboard and data communication means. The AP computer means are connected to the data network to communicate data messages thereover. The system further includes a service control point (SCP) server operably connected to said data network to communicate data messages with each said AP computer means. The SCP server controls access to a database containing call records, each said call record providing a plurality of data fields, including a field containing identifying a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, a field containing real time location data of the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver and a field containing subscriber data providing information identifying the subscriber associated with the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, whereby handset telephone number data originated by said AP computer means communicated to said SCP server over said data network causes the video display of said AP computer to display selected fields of a call record corresponding to said handset telephone number.
Brief Description of the Drawings 40097381.8 The preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a system for handling 911 wireless originated calls.
Figure 1 B is a functional block diagram of another embodiment of an SCP
system for handling 911 wireless originated calls from that shown in Figure 1.
Figure 2 depicts an input screen layout for caller identification made available on a PSAP video display, or computer screen display, used in the system of Figure 1.
Figure 3 depicts a display screen layout of caller information and secondary PSAP
providers made available on a PSAP video display.
Figure 4 depicts a display screen layout of a map representation providing location information relating to a 911 caller made available on a PSAP video display.
Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of an alternate embodiment of the invention adapted to provide non-emergency, geographic-based information services.
Figure 5B is a functional block diagram of another embodiment of an SCP system for handling concierge service wireless originated calls from that shown in Figure

5.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 1, in a wireless telephone system, referred to generally by reference numeral 100, a wireless telephone subscriber uses a radio frequency mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, or mobile station, 130 to communicate with a radio transceiver or cell site 132 provided by a wireless telephone system 40097381.8 operator. Typically, the wireless telephone system operator provides a plurality of transceivers/cell sites 132 to allow subscribers to communicate over an extended geographic area or over multiple geographic areas, such as different cities.
The wireless telephone system operator is a telecommunications common carrier operating the wireless telephone system to provide mobile radio communications 136 within a geographic area. The wireless telecommunications system operator, or wireless telephone carrier, will carry calls of its own subscribers. In addition, wireless telephone carriers generally provide inter-operating capabilities allowing subscribers of one wireless telephone carrier to communicate using the transceivers of another wireless telephone carrier when they are away, "roaming" from the operating territory of their own carrier to further extend the geographic area over which wireless communications can occur. There are numerous forms of wireless telephone systems including cellular (analogue) telephone systems and personal communications service (PCS) (digital) telephone systems.
Heretofore, the current E911 switch platform provided by incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) telephone companies is not able to pass the full 10-digit telephone number (area code + 7 digit number) wireless automatic number identification (ANI) information through the network to the recipient public service answering point (PSAP). The current E911 switch platform is limited to carrying only a seven digit telephone number, plus one information digit which is supplied to eliminate ambiguity in cities and geographic areas served by more than one telephone area code, such as Toronto where soon, two telephone area codes 416 and 647 will both be used for the same geographic area. Furthermore, the automatic location identification (ALI) database maintained by each ILEC is set up to retrieve and send only the relatively static information associated with wireline subscriber's name, address and telephone number data to the PSAP. Currently, the name of the wireless carrier is the only data provided to and displayed on an emergency call taker's screen 104 when a wireless caller dials 911. The displayed wireless carrier data is based on the wireless carrier mobile switching centre (MSC) 140 point of interconnection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 144 ILEC central office switch or CO.
40097381.8 With no caller or location identifying data delivered electronically, the only source of call back or location information available to the PSAP operator receiving the call is that provided verbally by the caller, which may not be accurate or, in some cases, even available, depending on the physical and emotional state of the caller in an S emergency situation.
The E911 method and system described herein provide significant improvements to the current E911 platform heretofore provided for wireless 911 calls. In accordance with the invention, when a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, or wireless handset, 130 initiates a 911 call, the full 10 digit call back number, also known as the handset telephone number or the mobile identification number (MIN) or the International Mobile Station Identifier (IMSI) of the handset, the cell site 132 and sector (being a portion of the region surrounding the cell site) of the cell site 132 receiving the call 136 is known and available at the Base Transceiver System (BTS) 134. Each cell site 132 typically has three sectors, each providing polar coverage of 120° of the geographic surface area surrounding the cell site when considered in plan view. As set out further below, this data is used to determine caller identification information and an estimate of caller location for delivery to a PSAP
when it requests same after receiving the voice transmission of a 911 call.
Without refurbishment, the ILEC telephone companies' E911 systems cannot deliver this information to a PSAP 135 when a 911 voice call is switched to the PSAP 135.
Depending on the nature of the emergency, the primary PSAP emergency operator using the present system of the invention will forward the 911 call to secondary service providers, or secondary PSAPs 106 such as police, fire and ambulance, passing on the ALI information verbally or electronically.
When a 911 call is placed from a wireless handset 130, the caller establishes radio communication 136 with the wireless company's cell site 132 from a particular sector of the cell site. The handset phone number, cell site identification and sector information, if available, together referred to as CSI 138 in the Figure, relating to the call received at the Base Transceiver System (BTS) 134, is communicated to a 40097381.8 mobile switching centre MSC 140 in an existing and known manner. Such information is customarily available today at the MSC.
The MSC 140 receives the CSI information identifying the cell site and sector where the call originated. The MSC uses the CSI data of the incoming 911 call to access the wireless carrier location database 142 via the E911 SCP 156. The location database 142 associates each cell site and sector, included in the CSI
information 138, with a corresponding assigned emergency service number (ESN) 146 being a ten digit telephone number of the PSAP responsible for responding to an emergency call in the geographic area of the caller.
The MSC 140 has a trigger defined for 911 calls (for example Dialled Digit Trigger or Call Origination Trigger). Triggers are common to telecommunications protocols see, for example the publications TIA/EIA/IS-41-C Cellular Radiotelecommunications Intersystem Operations and GR-1298-CORE Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) Switching Systems Generic Requirements). Triggering is the process of identifying calls that need Intelligent Network (e.g. Wireless Intelligent Network, Intelligent Network or Advanced Intelligent Network) handling. Upon encountering a trigger, the switch at MSC 140 temporarily suspends normal call processing and assembles and launches a query to SCP 156. The subsequent SCP reply gives the MSC 140 information on how to continue processing the call.
The MSC 140 receives the 911 call, temporarily suspends call processing and assembles and launches a query containing the call CSI information to the 911 SCP
156. As previously described, the SCP 156 query includes the dialled digits (i.e.
911 ), the wireless handset telephone number, or mobile number (i.e. the Mobile Identification Number or MIN, or the International Mobile Station Identifier or IMSI) of the handset 130 and the location of the mobile handset 130, for example the cell site and sector of the cell site 132 that the call was originated from. The SCP
query containing the CSI data is sent from MSC 140 through the signalling system 7 (SS7) network 126 to the 911 SCP 156.
40097381.8 The 911 SCP 156, upon receiving the query containing the CSI information from the MSC 140 uses the MIN/IMSI of the mobile handset 130 contained in the CSI
message to query the appropriate carrier location database 142 and carrier subscriber database 149. The appropriate carrier location database 142 (or 142b) uses the location of the mobile handset 130 (i.e. the cell site and sector) to determine the 10 digit ESN or the routing number to the appropriate PSAP for that location. The appropriate carrier subscriber database 149 (or 149b) uses the mobile number to get the subscriber profile information (for example, subscriber's name, address, or other like information).
The 911 SCP 156, upon receiving a reply from the appropriate carrier location database 142 (or 142b) assembles and launches a response to the MSC 140 query.
The SCP response is sent through the SS7 network 126 and includes the PSAP
ESN which is the 10 digit routing number that MSC 140 uses to resume call processing to route the call over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to the appropriate PSAP 135.
The ESN data contained in location database 142 is maintained by the wireless company operating the cell site 132 associated with the BTS 134 from which the call from handset 130 originated. The ESN information in location database 142 is updated as the wireless company adds new cell sites 132 or sectors to its wireless network. The ESN data of the location database 142 identifies the primary PSAP
135 responsible for serving the geographic coverage area of the cell site 132 and sector where the wireless 911 call originates. The E911 SCP 156 is in communication with location database 142 of each carrier over communication links represented as a group 143 in Figure 1. As will be understood, there are multiple wireless carriers that can be served by SCP 156, and each carrier makes a location information database available to provide information in response to requests received by E911 SCP 156. One particular carrier provides location database 142;
another carrier provides location database 142b and other like location databases for 40097381.8 other carriers as depicted by the partial dotted line included in communication link 143.
The location database 142 (or 142b and so on) for each particular carrier may be physically located in different locations depending on the inter-operating arrangements made for the carrier's participation in the wireless 911 system.
For example, the location database may be physically located at the carrier premises, for example at the MSC 140. Alternately, the location database may be copied locally to the premises provided to house E911 SCP 156, or it may be contained within the E911 SCP 156 computer system itself. Irrespective of the physical location of the location database 142 (or 142b and so on), the location database 142 is in communication with E911 SCP 156 over a communications link of group 143.
When E911 SCP 156 responds to receipt of CSI data from MSC 140 to provide ESN
data to MSC 140, the CSI data 138, which includes the 10 digit handset telephone number data, or the MIN/IMSI, for the 911 wireless call is entered into the emergency 911 database 148. The emergency 911 database 148 will then contain a CSI data record that includes the 10-digit handset number, or the MIN/IMSI, corresponding to handset 130 and the cell site and sector from which the 911 call 136 originated. The SCP 156 will use the wireless handset number of the CSI
data to query the subscriber database 149 of the carrier assigned to that 10 digit handset number to obtain the subscriber name and address information (identified as TNA
information in the diagram) corresponding to the 10 digit handset number from that carrier's subscriber information database 149. (Other carrier subscriber information databases 149b and so on are maintained by the responsible wireless company operating the service under which handset 130 was activated). The emergency database record of the call ensures that a record of the 911 call is kept and made available to the responding PSAP 135 even if the radio communication is interrupted or dropped unexpectedly.
40097381.8 The SCP 156 receives the CSI data from the MSC 140 that is processing a 911 call.
The SCP 156 uses the received CSI data to perform an information look up in the location database 142 of the ESN 146 of the PSAP serving the area defined by the CSI data. The ESN result obtained from the lookup is forwarded by the SCP 156 over the network 126 to the inquiring MSC 140. On receiving the query response containing the ESN information from the SCP 156, the MSC 140 resumes call processing of the wireless caller's 911 dialled digits to route the call over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 144 to the phone number corresponding to the ESN of the PSAP 135. Each PSAP 135 has available PSTN lines) for such emergency purposes including the ability to receive calls forwarded by telephone operators as well as calls originating from alarm and security companies. The MSC
140 conventional telephone call to PSAP 135 establishes voice communications between wireless handset 130 and a telephone 103 at the PSAP 135.
The subscriber information database 149 (or 149b and so on) is updated as the wireless company adds new subscribers and their associated handsets 130 to its wireless network. The E911 SCP 156 is in communication with the subscriber information database 149 of each carrier over a communications link of the group 147. As will be understood, there may be multiple wireless carriers that are served by E911 SCP 156, and preferably each carrier makes a subscriber information database 149 available to provide subscriber information in response to requests received by the E911 SCP 156. One particular carrier provides subscriber information database 149, another subscriber information database 149b and other like subscriber information databases for other carriers as depicted by the partial dotted line included in communication link group 147. The subscriber information database 149 (or 149b and so on) for each particular carrier may be physically located at the carrier premises, for example at the MSC 140, or may be copied locally to the premises provided to house E911 SCP 156. Irrespective of the physical location of the subscriber information database 149 (or 149b and so on), the subscriber information database 149 is in communication with E911 SCP 156.
40097381.8 The subscriber information database 149 is available only for actual subscribers of carriers participating in the 911 wireless carrier service. No name and address information can be made available for subscribers of a handset 130 from a non-participating carrier, that is a carrier that does not make its subscriber information database 149 available to 911 SCP 156. When a handset 130 from a non-participating carrier, for example, enters into the geographic coverage area of a participating carrier, sometimes referred to as a roaming subscriber, and places a 911 call 136 to a participating carrier cell site 132, the 911 call will be routed to the PSAP 135 based on the PSAP assigned to field 911 calls from the location served by cell site 132, however, the name and address information of the subscriber registered to the handset 130 cannot be made available since the carrier that the subscriber registered the handset 130 with is not a participating carrier.
The call location information from the CSI data 138, the full 10 digit call back number, or MIN/IMSI, of the handset 130 and the corresponding subscriber identification information obtained from the subscriber database 149 query is recorded in the wireless carrier emergency 911 database 148.
When the wireless 911 call routed from the MSC 140 reaches a telephone set 103 of the emergency operator at the PSAP 135, the full 10 digit wireless handset number corresponding to the calling wireless handset 130 is available, for example displayed, on a Caller IQ screen 105 of the telephone set 103 provided for the PSAP
operator.
A video display 104 of a computer operating suitable communication software, for example, Internet browser software such as Internet Explorer available from Microsoft, enables messages to be exchanged with the E911 SCP 156 over a data network 154, which is preferably a transmission control protocol/internet protocol TCP/IP network such as the Internet. In an Internet context, the browser is set to the Internet address corresponding to an Internet gateway for the E911 SCP 156 to make available pages hosted by the E911 SCP 156 which are displayed on video 40097381.8 display 104. An operator at PSAP 135 can interact with the displayed pages by using input devices 157, such as a keyboard or mouse or microphone and voice command software, to provide commands, instructions and data to the E911 SCP
156 over the data network 154, which is preferably a TCP/IP network such as the I nternet.
Figure 1 B provides an alternate embodiment of the SCP system of Figure 1 which provides a separate E911 SCP server 154 that an operator at PSAP 135 can interact with over the data network 154 to provide commands, instructions and data to the E911 SCP server. In the embodiment of Figure 1 B the E911 SCP 156 equipment is not accessible over the data network 154. Where data network 154 is a public data network, such as the Internet, there are security and reliability benefits to providing a separate E911 database server to respond to messages arriving at it over the data network 154. In the configuration of the embodiment of Figure 1 B, the Internet browser is set to the Internet address corresponding to the E911 database server 155 to make available pages hosted by the E911 database server 155 which are displayed on video display 104 at PSAP 135.
Referring to Figure 2, a screen layout is made available on PSAP video display 104, such as a monitor attached to a PC. The screen provides fields 151, labelled NPA, NXX and Line, which contain a number corresponding to the 10 digit telephone number of the calling mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, or wireless handset, 130. The telephone number in fields 151 may be input by a PSAP
operator from the 10 digit telephone number displayed on the operator's caller ID
screen 105 (of Figure 1 ). Or, if available at the PSAP site 135, suitable caller ID
modem equipment (not shown) at the workstation computer 125 can be coupled to the PSAP operator's telephone line 109 to obtain automatically the calling telephone number for display in fields 151.
40097381.8 When the PSAP operator uses input devices 157 to activate the "Submit" icon 152, the 10 digit telephone number input into fields 151 is transmitted over the data network 154 to a wireless E911 SCP for call details. The call details can be provide by the E911 SCP 156 in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 or the call details can be provided by the E911 database server 155 as shown in Figure 1 B depending on the implementation configuration desired.
In the configuration shown in Figure 1, upon receiving the 10 digit telephone number message, the E911 SCP 156 performs a query 170 against its 911 data base 148 using the received 10 digit telephone number TN to obtain the CSITNA
information which includes the location information corresponding to the location where the handset 130 is in radio communication 136 with a cell site 132 and the name and address of the subscriber to which handset 130 is registered. This information was obtained by SCP 156 from the wireless carrier location databases 142 and the wireless carrier subscriber information databases 149 when the MSC 140 initiated the call over the PSTN 144 to establish voice communications between handset and PSAP telephone 103. Upon receiving the CSITNA data, SCP 156, in turn, forms a message which is communicated over the data network 154 for display on the PSAP video display 104.
In the configuration shown in Figure 1 B, upon receiving the 10 digit telephone number message, the E911 database server 155 performs a query 170 against the 911 data base 148 using the received 10 digit telephone number TN to obtain the CSITNA information which includes the location information corresponding to the location where the handset 130 is in radio communication 136 with a cell site and the name and address of the subscriber to which handset 130 is registered.
This information was obtained by SCP 156 from the wireless carrier location databases 142 and the wireless carrier subscriber information databases 149 when the MSC 140 initiated the call over the PSTN 144 to establish voice communications between handset 130 and PSAP telephone 103. Upon receiving the CSITNA data, 40097381.8 the E911 database server 155, in turn, forms a message which is communicated over the data network 154 for display on the PSAP video display 104.
Referring to Figure 3, a screen layout of caller information and secondary PSAP
providers as provided to the PSAP for display on the video display 104 is shown.
The information includes the call location data 166, provided in the table labelled Cell Site Info. The Cell Site Info information provides location details specific to the location of the call which are provided in the cell frames next to those labelled Site ID:, Location:, City: and Sector:. Also included in the screen layout of Figure 3 are the secondary PSAP contact information 164 corresponding to the secondary PSAP
sites 106 (of Figures 1 or 1 B) responsible to respond in the area where the 911 call 136 (of Figures 1 or 1 B) occurred. The secondary PSAP sites are responsible to respond to requests for Fire, Police or emergency medical services (EMS). When available, particulars of the subscriber registered to the 10 digit handset number of the originating handset 130 (of Figures 1 or 1 B) are included in the display in the table 168 labelled Subscriber Information. Naturally, when the particulars of the subscriber registered to the 10 digit handset number are not available, table 168 will not show any data. The lower portion of the display of Figure 3 provides an icon 162 labelled "Click here for MAP". A PSAP operator may manipulate input devices to activate the "Click here for MAP" icon 162 to cause further information to be displayed as further described with reference to Figure 4.
Referring to Figure 4, a screen layout of a map providing location information relating to the location of the call 136 (of Figures 1 or 1 B) that may be produced on the PSAP
video display 104 (of Figures 1 or 1 B) after clicking icon 162 (of Figure 3).
Such maps are selected to correspond to the cell site and sector referenced when the icon 162 is depressed. The map of Figure 4 provides a pictorial representation of the area surrounding the particular cell site 132 that received the 911 call, for ease in directing responding emergency authorities. The map information is stored in the location database 142.
40097381.8 The US Federal Communications Commission has expressed a requirement to have the latitude and longitude of the wireless handset be provided to the PSAP
personnel receiving an emergency 911 call in addition to the approximate location data provided by knowing the cell site and sector of the radio communication 136 in use by the calling handset 130. The system of the present invention is capable of providing data to fulfil that requirement. The location database 142 can further include latitude and longitude information corresponding to the 911 radio communication 136. In turn, the latitude and longitude data can be included in the data record in the emergency 911 database 148 and sent to the PSAP video display 104 via the data network 154 along with the other data shown in Figure 3 once the wireless service provider implements technology capable of specifying latitude and longitude data for a handset 130 when radio communication 136 is established.
Because cell sites and sector coverage information is commercial, confidential information and is closely held by each of the wireless carriers, the present system can use a centralised hub or Service Control Point (SCP) 156 which queries the databases 142 of each of the participating carriers. In this way, proprietary data can be retained in the databases 142, 142b, and so on, stored on each wireless telephone carrier's computer system until required to meet an emergency request.
Furthermore, the cell site and sector coverage information is not shared with another wireless carrier and it is not required to be retained or stored by the receiving PSAP
135.
The system described herein provides an alternate delivery path for emergency calls from mobile switching centres to the geographically appropriate PSAP 135 corresponding to the calling handset 130 location without the need for the costly refurbishment of the existing ILEC E911 networks. The present system is capable of carrying both cell site and sector information as well as latitude and longitude co-ordinate information and can relate this call location data to PSAP locations while protecting proprietary cell site and sector coverage information for each participating wireless carrier.
40097381.8 Concierge Service Figure 5 depicts in functional block diagram form an alternate embodiment of the invention for providing non-emergency, geographic-based, information services.
For example, a geographic-based information service to provide a "concierge"
service. To access the "concierge" service, a wireless caller uses handset 130 to call a specific number chosen by the wireless carrier, such as 310-INFO (the dial number 310-4636), to obtain any number of geographic based services including:
the closest Petro CanadaT"" gas station;
the closest McDonald'sT"" restaurant;
the closest florist shop;
the closest Italian restaurant; or other service providers selected in geographic proximity to the caller.
When a wireless user calls the concierge service, for example by dialing 310-4636, from a handset 130, the full 10-digit call back number and the sector and cell site 132 where the call 136 originated from is known and available at the Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) 140. This information constitutes the data required (cell site and sector) to provide geographically-specific information and services to that caller.
This delivery system uses the conventional telephone network to deliver the voice component of a concierge service call from the wireless handset 130 to a call taker of an access point of a Concierge Service Provider (CSAP) 200. The data network 154, which is preferably a TCP/IP data network such as the Internet, provides a transport mechanism to carry a query entered on the CSAP workstation computer 125 which is input preferably in the manner previously described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
In the concierge service, when a wireless call is placed to request information, the caller dials a predetermined number, for example a carrier-specific information number. One such number may be 310-INFO (310-4636). The call enters the 40097381.8 wireless company's cell site from a particular sector and is passed along via the base transceiver system (BTS) 134, to the mobile switching centre (MSC) 140.
The BTS passes this data to MSC 140. MSC 140 responds to the dialled information number by providing a message to SCP 202 which then translates the wireless caller's dialled information number digits into the correct 10 digit phone number for the CSAP call centre of the information service provider used by the carrier in the area of the call. The MSC 140 receives the correct 10 digit phone number from SCP
202 and resumes call processing of a conventional (voice) telephone call to the call centre corresponding to the 10 digit phone number received from SCP 202. As will be understood, there may be several concierge service providers 200 each individually identified by the particular predetermined concierge service number called by the operator of handset 130. Each particular predetermined concierge service number may be translated into a 10 digit phone number of a CSAP 200 that responds to the concierge service call for all callers from all locations.
Alternately, the particular predetermined concierge service number may be translated into a digit phone number of a location specific CSAP 200 that responds to a concierge service call for callers from a particular location or area.
At the same time the data from the call to a predetermined concierge service number, such as 310-INFO, is sent to Service Control Point (SCP) 202, SCP 202 enters a record in the CSP database 206. The record entered into CSP database 206 includes fields to contains the 10-digit handset number of the handset 130 originating the call and the cell site and sector of the cell site 132 from which the call originated. Using the 10 digit telephone number of the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, or wireless handset 130, the SCP 202 can also make a query to the wireless carrier's subscriber database 149, or 149b depending on the carrier that handset 130 is a subscriber of, to retrieve and associate the subscriber data for the handset number for billing or other purposes.
In the embodiment of Figure 5, when the wireless call reaches a telephone set of the CSAP call centre 200, the operator receiving the call, is provided with the full 40097381.8 digit wireless handset number corresponding to the calling handset 130. For example, the wireless handset number may be displayed on the telephone 103 Caller ID screen 105. Information call takers are equipped with personal computers (PCs) 125 operating Internet browser software, for example Internet Explorer 5 (trademark) available from Microsoft Corporation, the "home page" of which is set to the "Wireless Location Data Centre" SCP 202. The call taker will interact with computer 125 to send a query via the data network 154, such as the Internet, to the "Wireless Location Data Centre" SCP 202 which includes the full 10 digit wireless handset number. SCP 202 will use the provided 10 digit telephone number, shown 10 as TN in the figure, to query 170 the CSP database 206 to obtain the call location information for the call, for example the cell site and sector shown as CSITNA
in the Figure.
SCP 202 delivers the query results call location information, for example the cell site and sector, for the TN to CSAP 200 via network 154 for display on the video display 104 at the CSAP 200. On the basis of the wireless caller's location, the CSAP

call taker consults location-specific information databases or services which are available electronically, represented as information service database (ISD) 204, to locate the requested information. The call taker of the CSAP 200 provides the information located in ISD 204 to the wireless caller by voice or by sending the information to his handset as a text message.
In the configuration shown in Figure 5B, the Internet browser software operating on PC 125 is set to the "Wireless Location Data Centre" address of SCP server 201.
The call taker will interact with PC 125 to send a query via the data network 154, such as the Internet, to the "Wireless Location Data Centre" SCP server 201.
The query includes the full 10 digit wireless handset number of the received call.
Upon receiving the 10 digit telephone number message, the Wireless Location Data Centre SCP server 201 performs a query 170 against the concierge service provider (CSP) data base 206 using the received 10 digit telephone number TN to obtain the CSITNA information which includes the location information corresponding to the 40097381.8 location information corresponding to the location where the handset 130 is in radio communication 136 with a cell site 132 and the name and address of the subscriber to which handset 130 is registered. This information was obtained by the SCP

from the wireless carrier location databases 142 and the wireless carrier subscriber information databases 149 when the MSC 140 initiated the call over the PSTN

to establish voice communications between handset 130 and CSAP telephone 103.
Upon receiving the CSITNA data, CSP database server 201, in turn, forms a message which is communicated over the data network 154 for display on the CSAP
video display 104.
The call location information obtained from the CSP 206 database is provided for display on the video display 104 of the CSAP computer 125. This information and the caller dialogue is used by the CSAP 200 call taker to consult various databases that are available over the Internet or other network available information, generally shown as ISD 204, that are available by geographic area, (for example, the Electronic Yellow PagesTM). Once the information requested by the wireless caller, pertinent to his current location, has been identified, it is then conveyed to him, orally by the CSAP 200 call taker or sent as a text message to be displayed on the screen of the wireless handset. Obviously, both oral information and a back up text message could be given.
Because cell sites and sector coverage information is commercial confidential information and closely held by each of the wireless carriers, the present system uses a centralized hub or Service Control Point (SCP) 202 which queries the location databases 142, 142b and the subscriber information databases 149 and 149b of each of the participating carriers. The physical location of databases 149, 149b, 142 and 142b can be at the SCP premises or available to SCP 202 over a communications network. The proprietary data of databases 149, 149b, 142 and 142b can remain proprietary and confidential to the respective carrier yet the data can be available as required to meet an information request.
40097381.8 The system as described thus provides a geographic-based, "concierge" service by which a wireless caller can dial a standard predetermined number across the coverage area of any wireless carrier to obtain any number of geographic based, data services such as: the closest gas station; the closest florist shop; the closest bank automated teller machine; or any other similar information service based on the geographic location of the caller.
Using the principles described above, the 10 digit telephone number can be passed through to the concierge service. To field a "concierge" service request, the call processing system which answers the call will obtain the handset phone number and provide it to a PC with an Internet browser to locate the cell site and sector from which the call originated and then using proprietary or commercially available databases of services by geographic area, (such as the Electronic Yellow PagesT"") provide the caller with the requested information. The subscriber's handset phone number would be available for any applicable charges, if desired. Such information could be provided back to the handset by audio communication from the concierge service or it could be sent as a text message to appear on the handset screen.
Now that the preferred embodiment has been described herein, numerous substitutions and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art which are within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.
40097381.8

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A system for providing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data in a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base radio transceivers to provide radio communications to a plurality of mobile radio telephone handset transceivers, the wireless telephone communications network interoperating with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an answering point (AP) telephone of the PSTN, the system comprising:
i. a data network to carry data messages thereover;
ii. at least one AP computer means, including a video display, keyboard and data communication means, located at said AP, said computer means connected to said data network to communicate data messages thereover;
iii. a service control point (SCP) computer system operably connected to said data network to communicate data messages with each said AP computer means, said SCP computer system controlling access to a database containing call records, each said call record providing a plurality of data fields, including a field containing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data, a field containing real time data including location information for said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver and a field containing subscriber data providing information identifying the subscriber associated with said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver;
whereby mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data originated by said AP computer means communicated to said SCP computer means over said data network causes the video display of said AP computer to display selected fields of a call record corresponding to said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said answering point is a public safety access point (PSAP).

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said answering point is a concierge service answering point (CSAP).

4. The system of claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein said data network is a TCP/IP
network.

5. A method for providing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data for a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base radio transceivers to provide radio communications to a plurality mobile radio telephone handset transceivers, the wireless telephone communications network inter-operating with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an access point (AP) telephone of the PSTN, the method comprising the steps of:
i. forming an enquiry message at an AP computer containing a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data;
ii. delivering the enquiry message to a data network for transport to an SCP computer;
iii. receiving said enquiry message at said SCP computer;
iv. searching a database of call records;
v for a call record corresponding to said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data:
v1. forming a reply message including a field containing real time mobile radio telephone handset transceiver location data, a field containing subscriber data providing information identifying the subscriber associated with the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver identification data;
v2. delivering said reply message to the data network for transport to said PSAP computer; and vi. displaying said reply message on said AP computer display.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said answering point is a public safety access point (PSAP).

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said answering point is a concierge service answering point (CSAP).

8 A system for collecting mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data for a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base radio transceivers to provide radio communications to a plurality of mobile radio telephone handset transceivers, the wireless communications network inter operating with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an access point (AP) telephone of the PSTN, the system comprising:
i. at least one mobile switching centre (MSC) switch in communication with a plurality of base transceiver systems (BTS);
ii. said MSC switch including call signalling means to produce a trigger responsive to a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call request received by a BTS for connection to an AP telephone;
iii. service control point (SCP) means in communication with said MSC
switch, said SCP means maintaining a database of call records;
iv. said SCP means including means responsive to said trigger to:
iv1. communicate with at least one database to translate said call request for connection to an AP telephone to a corresponding telephone number of an AP telephone associated with the base transceiver system receiving said call request for connection to an AP telephone; and iv2. to produce a record in said database of call records, said record including data identifying a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver making the call request for connection to an AP telephone and data identifying the BTS
receiving said mobile radio telephone transceiver call request.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said SCP further includes:
i. means for communication with a database to obtain location data corresponding to said data identifying said BTS receiving said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call request, and ii. said record produced by said SCP further includes said location data corresponding to said data identifying said BTS receiving said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call request.

10. The system of claim 8 or 9 wherein said answering point is a public safety access point (PSAP).

11. The system of claim 8 or 9 wherein said answering point is a concierge service answering point (CSAP).

12 A system for collecting and providing mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call data for a wireless telephone communications network having a plurality of base radio transceivers to provide radio communications to a plurality of mobile radio telephone handset transceivers, the wireless communications network inter-operating with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish telephone communications paths between the mobile radio telephone handset transceivers and an access point (AP) telephone of the PSTN, the system comprising:
i. at least one mobile switching centre (MSC) switch in communication with a plurality of base transceiver systems (BTS);

ii. each said MSC switch including means to produce a trigger responsive to a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call request received by a BTS
for connection to an AP telephone;
iii. service control point (SCP) means in communication with each said MSC switch, said SCP means including means responsive to said trigger to:
iii1. communicate with at least one database to translate said call request for connection to an AP telephone to a corresponding telephone number of an AP telephone associated with the base transceiver system receiving said call request for connection to an AP telephone; and iii2. produce a record in said database of call records, said record including data identifying the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver making the call request for connection to an AP telephone and data identifying the BTS
receiving said mobile radio telephone handset transceiver call request.
iv. a data network to carry data messages thereover;
v. at least one AP computer means, including a video display, keyboard and data communication means, said AP computer means connected to said data network to communicate data messages thereover; and vi. a service control point (SCP) server operably connected to said data network to communicate data messages with each said AP computer means, said SCP server controlling access to a database containing call records, each said call record providing a plurality of data fields, including a field containing identifying a mobile radio telephone handset transceiver, a field containing real time location data of the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver and a field containing subscriber data providing information identifying the subscriber associated with the mobile radio telephone handset transceiver;
whereby handset telephone number data originated by said AP computer means communicated to said SCP server over said data network causes the video display of said AP computer to display selected fields of a call record corresponding to said handset telephone number.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said answering point is a public safety access point (PSAP)

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said answering point is a concierge service answering point (CSAP).

15. The system of claims 12,13 and 14 wherein said data network is the TCP/IP
network.