United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`6,151,385
`
`Reich et al.
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Nov. 21, 2000
`
`US006151385A
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A system for calling designated addressable notify devices
`in response to a query to a local telephone company’s ALI
`database system. An advertisement of the 9-1-1-call notifi-
`cation service directs the new subscriber to Contact their
`
`local telephone provider to register with the new service.
`The local telephone provider supplies the new system with
`the registered subscriber’s telephone number (ANI) and
`password. The new subscriber them calls the new service
`provider directly to register their addressable communica-
`tion devices to be notified pending a positive reaction to an
`ALI database system query and the service providers sub-
`scriber database. When a registration call is received from a
`new subscriber, the software proceeds with a voice answer-
`back menu to register numbers to be notified. The notify
`numbers are stored in a list in a database memory maintained
`by the notify service. If a call is received from a current
`subscriber, the software proceeds with a voice answerback
`menu to update the previously registered numbers to be
`notified. Subsequently, if a 9-1-1 call is placed from a station
`that has previously been registered with the service which
`initiates an ALI database query, the software automatically
`places a call
`to each addressable notify device on the
`subscriber’s notify list.
`If an answer is confirmed,
`the
`software transmits a notify message over the telephone or
`wireless line. The message at least identifies the subscriber’s
`telephone number, and the time and date of the call. If an
`answer is not confirmed, or the line is busy, the software
`turns on a “call later” tag associated with the notify number
`corresponding to the unconfirmed or uncompleted call.
`Periodically, the software services any tagged, unconfirmed
`notify calls.
`
`[54]
`
`[75]
`
`SYSTEM FOR THE AUTOMATIC
`NOTIFICATION THAT A 9-1-1 CALL HAS
`OCCURRED
`
`Inventors: Don E. Reich, Westlake Village;
`Angelo Salvucci, Santa Barbara; Kurt
`E. Warner, Carpenteria; William C.
`Cook, Van Nuys, all of Calif.
`
`[73] Assignee: 911 N0tify.c0m, L.L.C., Santa Barbara,
`Calif.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 09/467,641
`
`[22]
`
`Filed:
`
`Dec. 20, 1999
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`[63]
`
`[60]
`
`Continuation—in—part of application No. 09/256,152, Nov.
`25, 1998, abandoned.
`Provisional application No. 60/091,883, Jul. 7, 1998.
`
`Int. Cl.7 .................................................. .. H04M 11/04
`[51]
`[52] U.S. CI.
`................ ..
`. 379/49; 379/45; 379/48
`[58] Field of Search
`............ .. 379/37-51, 201,
`379/211
`
`
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,195,126
`5,805,670
`
`3/1993 Carrier et al.
`9/1998 Pons et al.
`
`.......................... .. 379/45
`
`.. 379/45
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3826243
`
`8/1989 Germany ............................... .. 379/45
`
`Primary Examiner—Wing F. Chan
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Owen L. Lamb
`
`22 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
`
`9-1-1 OR SERVICE
`
` SUBSCRIBER
`
`
`S|GN—UP CALL
` IE SUBSCRIBERS
`WWW INTERFACE
`TELEPHONE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`EXISTING TELEPHONE
`I‘/ NETWORK
`
`PERIODIC DOWNLOAD
`
`OF NEW
`
`SUBSCRIBERS
`
`FROM TEL CO.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SUBSCRIBER
`9-1-1 NOTIFY
`NOTTFIED ADDRESSABLE DEVICE
`DATA BASE
`
`SYSTEM
`(TELEPHONE, PAGER, FAX,
`
`I5
`PSC. MOBIL)
`17
`INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE
`OUTGOING NOTTFY MESSAGE
`(NR)
`TO ADDRESSABLE DEVICE 1,2,3, ETC.
`
` CUSTOMER DIRECT ACCESS
`FOR NOTIFY DEVICE
`ADDRESS REVISIONS
`
`
`
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 1
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21,2000
`
`Sheet 1 of6
`
`6,151,385
`
`V225222%2
`
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`
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`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 2
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 2
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21,2000
`
`Sheet 2 of6
`
`6,151,385
`
`START REGISTRATION
`MODE
`
`FETCH AND VERIFY
`
`SECURITY CODE
`
`DECODE AUTOMATIC
`
` NUMBER IDENTIFICATION
`
`(AND
`
`SEARCH DATA BASE FOR
`
`ENTRY FOR THIS ANI
`
`CALL VOICE
`
`RESPONSE
`
`RECBTRAHON
`
`MENU SUBROUHNE
`(HGURE 3)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`AND SPECIFIED
`
`LANGUAGES IN DATA
`
`BASE ENTRY FOR THIS
`
`ANI
`
`
`
` INSTRUCT CALLER TO
`ENTER SUBSCRIBER
`
`
`TELEPHONE NUMBER
`
`END REGISTRATION
`
`MODE
`
`
`
`
`INSTRUCT CALLER TO
`
`CONTACT LOCAL
`
`TELEPHONE PROVIDER
`
`FK3. 2
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 3
`
`
`
`STORE NOTIFY NUMBERS
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 3
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21,2000
`
`Sheet 3 of6
`
`6,151,385
`
`START VOICE
`REGIMEFIMJHON
`
`*
`
`wELcoME T0 THE
`WORLD OF 9-I-1
`
`ENGLISH PRESS
`. TO CHOOSE
`# ANOTHER
`LANGUAGE
`pmzss I.
`
`PRE33# T0
`
`,/ENTEEERXNLDOTHEER
`B
`NUM
`N0'|'|F|ED OR ,.
`PLAY MESSAGE 6
`TO GGNTTNUE
`
`Go TO
`
`#
`
`YOU ENTERED NUMBERS
`
`® Q
`(#1, #2.
`..) To BE
`*/NOHFIED IF NUMB)ER
`
`PLAY MESSAGE 7
`
`(—/— ‘-
`CALLS 9-1-1
`
`@ PLAY MESSAGE I
`Go TO
`CHOICE ®
`SUBMENU
`;;
`
`
`
`LANGUAGE
`
`
`
`IF INCORRECT
`4:
`P ENgg§ET';§DA§EA
` TELEPHONE ® * @
`YES
`FOLLOWED BY
`CHAN E
`To
`PRESS
`SECURITY
`THE # KEY
`ANT 8: ENTRY
`CODE OR *
`THE §AME
`TO CONTINUE
`-NO
`
`CORRECT OR
`
`Go To
`
`'
`
`DIGITS OF YOUR
`
`NUMBER
`
`#
`
`PW MESSAGE8
`
`ENTER
`
`SECURITY CODE @
`
`PLAY MESSAGE 3
`
`YES
`
`
`
`
` PRESS It To SPEGIEY
`
`
`COPE
`VERLI‘ D
`YES
`
`PLAY MESSAGE 4
`
`AND 7 DIGHS
`OF A TELEPHONE
`NUMBER YOU
`IMSH TO HAVE
`NGTIEIEU OF
`A 9-1-1 CALL
`FOLLOWED BY
`
`PLAY MESSAGE 5
`
`®
`
`(-1/— ‘————)
`PRESS # IF
`°I?RIIfiE%¥eA"ERcI
`
`*
`
`#
`
`FIG. 3
`
`T“““‘”
`YOU ENTERED ®
`
`A
`
`*°FI‘8%‘颓
`
`LANGUAGES
`
`PLAY MESSAGE 9
`
`EACH “On”
`
`It
`
`P AY
`
`L
`
`SS
`
`EBI‘{‘%'§ILL%”e
`GOODBYE
`ME AGE1O
`RENEE 2°
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 4
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 4
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21,2000
`
`Sheet 4 of6
`
`6,151,385
`
`INCOMI
`ANI FR
`ALI QU
`
`KTICDZ79:9Y
`
`AUTO-TIMER
`
`START
`NOTIFICATION
`MODE
`
`
`FETCH CURRENT
`ACCOUNT
`INFORMATION FOR
`
`THIS ANI
`
`
`ACCOUNT
`VERIFIED
`
`
`
`
`SEBAIEI F[I)I?TA
`°ALTLA(';§”ER
`
`
`
`DEC°D,I3U,j‘gE,§”A"°
`IDENIFICAIION (ANI)
`
`FETCH NOTIFY
`NUMBERS AND
`SPECIFIED
`LANGUAGES IN DATA
`
`BASE ENTRY
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SUBROUIINE
`
`(FIGURE 5)
`
`
`CALL AUTOMATIC
`NOTIFICATION
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
` LOG NUMBERS
`CALLED. COMPLETED
`
`AND RESPONSES.
`TRANSMIT T0 CARRIER
`
` END
`
`NOTIFICATION
`MODE
`
`FIG. 4
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 5
`
`SEARCH DATA BASE
`FOR ENTRY FOR
`THIS AN]
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 5
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 21,2000
`
`Sheet 5 of6
`
`6,151,385
`
`
`
`@ III"a!ELE%'IN°TI%
`
`WBYHWER
`
`MBM“
`
` PLAY MESSAGE
`INFORMED THAT")
`
`(YOU ARE HEREBY
`
`NO
`
`RETURN TO
`
`FIGURE 4
`
`YES
`
`ADD 1 TO POINTER
`
`
`
`
`
`TURN ON " CALL
`LATER" TAG FOR
`
`THIS NOTIFY
`NUMBER
`
`
`TO SELECT NEXT
`
`NOTIFY NUMBER
`
`
`
`FIG. 5
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 6
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 6
`
`

`
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`
`583,151,6
`
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`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 7
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 7
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`6,151,385
`
`1
`SYSTEM FOR THE AUTOMATIC
`NOTIFICATION THAT A 9-1-1 CALL HAS
`OCCURRED
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part of application
`Ser. No. 09/256,152 filed Nov. 25, 1998, now abandoned, of
`Don E. Reich, et al.
`titled “System For The Automatic
`Notification That A 9-1-1 Call Has Occurred” which is a
`
`continuation-in-part of provisional application Ser. No.
`60/091,883 filed Jul. 7, 1998, of Don E. Reich, et al. which
`applications are incorporated herein by reference.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`This invention relates to telecommunication networks and
`
`more particularly, to an automated notification feature which
`responds whenever a query is made to an Automatic Loca-
`tion Identification (ALI) database by placing a outbound
`notification call to a list of predetermined telephone num-
`bers.
`
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`Nationwide, a non-toll telephone number 9-1-1 has been
`designated for calls relating to emergencies that threaten
`human life or property. The calls are directed by the tele-
`phone company’s End Office/Central Office (CO) and 9-1-1
`Tandem to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) where
`the calling number Automatic Number Identification (ANI)
`is displayed on a viewing screen. Most areas now have
`“Enhanced 9-1-1” which allows selective routing and
`through which both the calling number and address of the
`caller are displayed on a viewing screen at the PSAP, thus
`enabling the emergency agency to locate the caller if the call
`is interrupted. The address of the caller is obtained from the
`telephone company’s customer records Automatic Location
`Identification (ALI) database system. Personnel at the PSAP
`talk to the caller and route the call to the appropriate agency
`equipped to handle the emergency, such as ambulance; fire
`and rescue; police, sheriff and highway patrol; or Coast
`Guard, Search and Rescue. The call may be routed through
`several CO’s and/or to several destinations.
`
`Third parties, other than the agency responding to the
`emergency, may also be notified that a 9-1-1- call has been
`received. Prior approaches to call notification and/or routing
`are represented by the following prior art patents:
`Carrier, et. Al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,126, granted Mar. 16,
`1993, for “Emergency Alert and Security Apparatus and
`Method” discloses a telecommunications system which
`includes a 9-1-1 and voice message service platform for
`providing such services as telephone answering, voice mail
`and call completion. An emergency/safety notification sys-
`tem is incorporated and includes a monitor/router device
`passively connected to the 9-1-1 Tandem to detect number
`identification signals. In the event of a 9-1-1 telephone call,
`the service initiates a voice mail call, which plays a custom
`message from the calling party to designated third parties.
`The Carrier patent does not provide for the automatic
`insertion of the calling party’s ANI, the date or the time of
`the 9-1-1 call, or the name or location or address of the
`telephone customer. The service is driven from a passive
`monitor/router at every 9-1-1 Tandem. The service provides
`only voice mail in the event of a 9-1-1 call. If no voice mail
`message is provided by the subscriber, no message is played
`in the event of a 9-1-1 call.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`It is desirable to provide a system for 9-1-1 call notifica-
`tion that does not require a passive monitor/router at every
`9-1-1 Tandem. It is also desirable to provide a system for
`9-1-1 call notification that does not rely on providing a voice
`mail service, but provides accurate notification, not messag-
`mg.
`
`Pons, et. Al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,670, granted Sep. 8,
`1998, for “Private Notification System for Communicating
`9-1-1 Information” discloses an advanced personal safety
`service that is connected directly to 9-1-1 call centers. To
`activate the service, subscribers complete a questionnaire
`providing personal
`information about
`their location and
`household and pay a monthly fee. When a subscriber dials
`9-1-1 for help and the call is answered, their data is routed
`from a database at
`the PSAP to the 9-1-1-call
`taker/
`dispatcher. Personnel at the PSAP notify designated emer-
`gency contacts that a 9-1-1 call has been placed from the
`subscriber’s location. Police, fire and emergency medical
`services are provided with critical personal
`information
`about subscribers, such as medical history and pre-existing
`conditions, as well as the location of children, elderly or
`infirm persons within a dwelling. Thus, the service provides
`emergency services with critical personal information about
`subscribers and prompts said emergency service personnel
`to notify designated third parties that 9-1-1 was dialed.
`
`It is desirable to provide a system for 9-1-1 call notifica-
`tion that does not rely on human intervention to place a
`notification call but does provide for the immediate, auto-
`matic calling of telephone numbers to notify parties that an
`emergency call was initiated. In catastrophic situations such
`as natural or manmade disasters, PSAP personnel could be
`overwhelmed by the number of calls and placing notify calls
`could be delayed for considerable periods of time or quite
`possibly abandoned entirely.
`
`It is desirable to provide a 9-1-1-call notification service
`for new and existing telephone equipment that automatically
`notifies third parties that a 9-1-1 call was made from the
`subscriber’s telephone at a specific date and time at which an
`ALI database system query was initiated.
`
`It is desirable to provide a system wherein a telephone
`customer can subscribe to a service in which said customer
`
`(hereinafter “subscriber”) can directly and personally regis-
`ter a phone number(s) to be automatically notified in the
`event a 9-1-1 call is initiated to a Public Safety Answering
`Point (PSAP), originating from the subscriber’s telephone at
`a specific date and time.
`
`It is desirable to provide said system such that a subscriber
`can easily reassign numbers to be notified without
`the
`necessity of additional human intervention.
`
`It is desirable to provide a 9-1-1 call notification feature
`on existing telephone lines that automatically notifies third
`parties that a 9-1-1 call, originating at
`the subscribers
`telephone, was placed to a Public Safety Answering Point
`(PSAP), without the need for human intervention.
`
`It is desirable to provide said system based on a query to
`a telephone company’s ALI database system to thereby
`reduce system complexity by having fewer points of
`connection, and allow additional information, such as the
`subscriber’s name and location and/or address,
`to be
`obtained and included in the notification.
`
`It is desirable to provide a system that will detect and
`respond to a call to an emergency service that is compatible
`with call diversion systems, operator handled calls and
`private branch exchange (PBX) systems.
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 8
`
`Intrado Ex. 1032 - 8
`
`

`
`6,151,385
`
`3
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Description of the Invention
`The invention is a computer driven telecommunications
`system that automatically reacts to all emergency 9-1-1 calls
`that result in a query to the local
`telephone company’s
`Automatic Location Identification (ALI) system. This query
`may come from a tandem selective router, a 9-1-1 controller,
`a signal control point, or other source of an Automatic
`Number Identification
`Reaction is based on the
`Automatic Number Identification (ANI) as provided to the
`new system by the local
`telephone company through a
`connection from the ALI database. Reaction to said input
`includes evaluation of all ANI’s to determine if said ANI is
`
`for a customer that has subscribed to the system and,
`pending positive evaluation, reacting through existing tele-
`phone networks by notifying addressable communication
`devices that a 9-1-1 call has been placed from said subscrib-
`er’s telephone.
`There are three main components to the system:
`Registration, Data Acquisition and Notification.
`Registration may be through the local telephone company,
`or directly to the new system, or a combination of both.
`During the registration mode, a telephone customer registers
`their telephone number and telephone number(s) to be
`notified upon the occurrence of 9-1-1 call originating at the
`subscriber’s telephone. The cost of the service appears on
`the subscriber’s telephone bill or by direct mailing by the
`notify service. Thus, only those telephone customers that
`have subscribed to the service will have information trans-
`
`mitted to designated notify telephone numbers. Registration
`via the local telephone company requires scheduled down-
`loading of a data packets for each registrant to the system’s
`master subscriber database.
`
`Data acquisition comprises reception of all ANIs used to
`retrieve information from a local telephone company’s ALI
`database system. All ANIs that are used to query the ALI
`database system are evaluated against the master subscriber
`data base to verify account status and if positive evaluation
`is confirmed, notification commences relative to that par-
`ticular ANI.
`
`Notification is comprised of placing an outgoing connec-
`tion to each subscriber’s list of addressable communication
`
`devices to be notified under the terms of the system and
`placing either a computer generated voice or text message
`on said connection, informing said communication device
`that said subscriber has initiated a 9-1-1 call.
`
`Other components of the system include typical computer
`generated options such as modification of addressable com-
`munication devices to be automatically connected, auto-
`matic testing of the notification process by the subscriber,
`help notifications and pricing information responses.
`The invention has the advantage that it enables the rapid
`notification of third parties that a 9-1-1 call has occurred
`without human intervention using one point of connection,
`the ALI database. Telephone companies typically have pri-
`mary and secondary ALI database locations. The system
`herein is designed to mirror this redundancy by connecting
`to all ALIs operated by a telephone company for a given
`geographic location in which the invention is implemented.
`One example would be an elderly individual, who could
`have their child, neighbor and/or friend automatically noti-
`fied via numerous communication devices if the elderly
`individual had a medical emergency and placed a call to
`9-1-1 and which a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in
`responding initiated a query to the telephone company’sALI
`database. This would allow the child, neighbor and/or friend
`to have an early warning that an emergency had occurred.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4
`An important advantage of the present invention is that
`designated parties are notified that a 9-1-1 call has been
`placed, even though it may not have been answered or
`responded to. This is a very useful and unique feature
`because even when personnel are too busy to answer a 9-1-1
`call a notified party is informed that the call was placed.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The invention will be described in greater detail with
`reference to the drawings in which:
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an existing inter-exchange
`network that provides 9-1-1 call services in which the
`present invention is embodied by receiving data from the
`local telephone company’s ALI data base, receiving data
`from a local
`telephone company’s order taking system;
`allowing subscriber’s to access the system and transmitting
`notification in the event of trigger.
`FIGS. 2 through 5 illustrate in flow chart form the
`principles of the computer programs that implement the
`present invention; and,
`FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a subscriber record,
`which is stored as an entry in a database.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`Overview of the Invention
`
`The invention pertains to an automatic system for noti-
`fying designated communication devices that a 9-1-1 call
`has been placed. Advertisement of the 9-1-1-call notification
`service directs the future subscriber to call their local tele-
`
`phone provider to sign up for the service. During sign-up,
`the local telephone company may either obtain the addres-
`sable communication devices to be notified and supply the
`new subscriber a password for accessing the system’s Inter-
`active Voice Response (IVR) for future editing of said
`addresses or provide the new subscriber with only a pass-
`word to access the systems IVR directly, thus allowing said
`new subscriber to input the notify addresses directly. In
`either event, the telephone company provides a download of
`the subscriber’s ANI and the associated notify numbers
`and/or the provided password to the new system’s main
`subscriber database by means of data packets periodically
`scheduled for downloading.
`Access to the system’s IVR is established via a voice
`telephony connection (toll free 800 or other) and/or an
`Internet address Web page. When a voice telephony call is
`received from a subscriber and the password is confirmed,
`the software proceeds with a voice answer-back menu
`allowing the subscriber to register new notify device
`addresses, edit/change existing notify device addresses, test
`the system without calling 9-1-1, etc. Subscribers sign up
`over the Internet by accessing the system’s Internet Web
`page directly. Similar options offered through the IVR
`system are offered via the Internet- addressed on-line menu.
`Subsequently, if a 9-1-1 call is placed from a station that
`has previously been registered with the service, the software
`automatically notifies each device on the subscriber’s notify
`list. If a telephone or other two-way communication device
`answer is confirmed, the software transmits the notify infor-
`mation to the device. The information at least identifies the
`
`calling phone number, and the time and date of the call. If
`an answer is not confirmed, or the line is busy, the software
`turns on a “call later” tag associated with the notify number
`corresponding to the unconfirmed or uncompleted call.
`Periodically, the software services any tagged unconfirmed
`notify calls. For Internet or other one-way text or other
`devices, the notify information is sent.
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`5
`The following details the preferred method for the imple-
`mentation of the invention. It shall be understood by those
`familiar with the telecommunications field that actual imple-
`mentation shall be predicated on the state of the relevant
`telephony/communication technology at the time of imple-
`mentation of the current invention and the level of involve-
`
`ment of the network telephony/communication service pro-
`vider in the implementation of the current invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`Refer to FIG. 1 in which an existing telephone network is
`shown. A typical network includes a number of intercon-
`nected toll switches and other telecommunication devices.
`
`Each toll switch may be any one of well-known types of
`switching equipment, such as, for example, the No. 4 ESS
`(Electronic Switching System) of AT&T. In a typical case, a
`toll switch is associated with a local Central Office (not
`depicted), which may include any number of toll switches.
`The Central Office (CO) connects a calling station (1) that
`has dialed a particular telephone number to an associated toll
`switch
`In doing so, the CO sends to the toll switch
`calling information including the dialed (called) telephone
`number and telephone number of the calling station. A CO
`will also advance a telephone call received from its associ-
`ated toll switch to an intended telephone station associated
`with that CO.
`
`Asubscriber (1) to the new service shall contact their local
`telephone provider (4) with the intent of registering for the
`service. The local telephone provider shall register the new
`subscriber and provide said subscriber with a security code
`password for accessing the new system (either by telephone
`or Internet). This is accomplished by an existing process.
`The local telephone provider shall supply the new system
`(10) with “data packets” at regular intervals via modem or
`Internet connection (11). Each data packet shall include the
`ANI of the new subscriber, the password assigned to said
`new subscriber and accounting protocols as required. The
`data packets shall be disseminated and organized by the new
`system into the System Subscriber Database (12). The
`method of transferring data packets exists.
`Once the data packets are received and organized by the
`new system, the new subscriber may access the system with
`the previously mentioned password via direct telephony IVR
`(15) or Internet access (16). Once accessed to the new
`system, the new subscriber shall have the option of defining
`the addressable telephony communication devices
`(telephone, pager, PCS, email, fax, etc.), editing/deleting
`addressable devices, testing the system, etc.
`When a 9-1-1 call is placed from a subscriber’s telephone
`(1),
`the CO for the calling station routes the 9-1-1 call
`through any number of toll switches (2) to a 9-1-1 tandem
`selective router (3) which ascertains to which PSAP (5) the
`call should be routed. The call may go directly to the
`selective router from toll switch #1 or may be required to go
`through any number of toll switches (hence CO’s) depend-
`ing on the location of the calling station. The exact routing
`of the 9-1-1 call to the selective router is by an existing
`process. The 9-1-1 tandem selective router (3) may query the
`providing telephone company’s Automatic Location Identi-
`fication (ALI) system
`At the PSAP, the call is received by a local controller
`module and routed to the next available answering station.
`Simultaneously, if ALI information is not received from the
`9-1-1 tandem,
`the local controller module in the PSAP
`initiates a query (6) to the providing telephone company’s
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`The query, based on the original calling
`ALI system
`station’s ANI, retrieves the address of the original calling
`station from the ALI database system. Said address is routed
`back (7) to the PSAP and displayed on a monitor screen at
`the answering station.
`The response of the new notify system is triggered from
`the ALI database system query. The query may come from
`the 9-1-1 tandem or from the local controller module in the
`PSAP. In either case,
`the ALI database system software
`transmits, in response to the ANI query, all of the ANIs
`querying said ALI system, and other information, to the new
`system via dedicated telephony line
`The incoming
`information packets from the ALI database system shall
`include at least the time and date of the query and the ANI
`used to initiate said query. Other information may be trans-
`mitted as well such as the name and address of the
`
`the physical location of the subscriber if that
`subscriber,
`information is available (such as from a global positioning
`system) and the number of an information line associated
`with the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) servicing
`the subscriber’s telephone number.
`All incoming ANI’s (9) querying the ALI database system
`are compared to the new system’s “System Subscriber
`Database” (12). Reaction to negative matches results in
`“routing to ground” (i.e., deletion) of the particular ANI to
`which no match was found. Positive reaction (i.e., incoming
`ANI matched to existing ANI in the new system’s “System
`Subscriber Database”) results in the system accessing the
`matched subscriber’s registration data record using a trans-
`lation of the calling ANI as an index to a table. The new
`system then initiates the notification mode.
`In the notification mode, the new system contacts each
`addressable communication device identified in the sub-
`
`scriber record stored in the system subscriber database (12)
`and announces (17) that an emergency call was placed from
`the subscriber’s telephone
`The remote system computer includes one or more inter-
`active voice response systems (15) based on the level of
`traffic that it processes. It also includes a network computer
`(13) connected to a local area network, which interfaces the
`interactive voice response systems and the system subscriber
`database (12). The system subscriber data-base is used for
`the storage of subscriber records, such as billing information
`and records forming the subscriber’s subscription. An
`example of a subscriber record is shown in FIG. 7, in which
`a subscriber record includes the subscriber’s telephone
`number, account status, a list of subscriber-supplied notify
`number(s), optional subscriber-supplied internet addresses,
`an information line associated with each notify number
`supplied by the emergency call notify service, a language
`choice, a call-later tag and a security code.
`Overview of the Operation
`Refer to FIG. 2, which illustrates the basic principles of
`the registration portion of the system in flow chart form. A
`new subscriber contacts their local telephone provider and
`registers for the new notification system. The new subscriber
`is provided with a password by the local telephone provider
`and instructed to contact the service provider’s registration
`line to access the system and register the new subscriber’s
`notify number(s). This portion is not depicted as the local
`telephone provider shall dictate this process.
`When a call is received to the new system’s registration
`line, the software decodes the automatic number identifica-
`tion
`Next, the software searches the database for an
`entry for this ANI. If an entry is found, then the caller is
`calling from a number that is previously registered with their
`local telephone provider. The system continues with verifi-
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`6,151,385
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`7
`cation of the subscriber’s password. If an entry is not found
`the system informs the user to enter a registered phone
`number and password or contact their local telephone pro-
`vider to register with the service.
`For confirmed subscribers, the software continues with
`the voice response registration menu subroutine (FIG. 3).
`After return from the voice response registration menu
`subroutine,
`the software stores the notify numbers and
`specified languages in the System Subscriber Database for
`this ANI (subscriber). Thereafter,
`the registration mode
`ends.
`
`Registration Menu Flow
`Refer to FIG. 3, which is a flow chart of the registration
`process. Interactive Voice Response systems are widely used
`and are well known to those skilled in the art. The flow
`
`charts depict probable scenarios for information purposes of
`example.
`Notification Mode
`Refer to FIG. 4, which is a flow chart of the notification
`software. The start notification mode waits for the ANI of a
`
`9-1-1 query to the local telephone provider’s ALI via the
`dedicated connection (FIG. 1, Item 9). When received, the
`software searches the System Subscriber Database for a
`matching ANI. If an entry is found, then the software fetches
`the database entry for this ANI.
`Next, the software fetches the notify numbers and speci-
`fied languages in the database entry for this ANI. The
`software calls the automatic notification subroutine (FIG. 5).
`Upon return from the automatic notification subroutine, the
`software assembles a log of numbers called, calls completed
`and responses received. The notification mode ends.
`Notification Menu Flow
`Refer to FIG. 5, which is a flow chart of the automatic
`notification software. When the automatic notification sub-
`
`it dials the telephone number(s) as
`routine is invoked,
`predetermined by the subscriber. If the dialed number is
`answered, and it is not a fax tone, an answering machine, an
`E-mail address, etc., the software invokes a notification such
`as: “(Local telephone company) hereby informs you that
`9-1-1 was dialed from telephone number (subscriber’s tele-
`phone number) at (time) on (day)(date). The subscriber is
`(subscriber ’first name) (subscriber’s last name), whose
`location is (subscriber’s location)” or a similar message.
`If a fax tone is detected, the software branches to send a
`fax and sends text
`that
`reads “telephone number
`(subscriber’s telephone number) dialed 9-1-1 at (time) on
`(day) (date). The subscriber is (subscriber’s first name)
`(subscriber ’s last name), whose location is (subscriber’s
`location)” or a similar message. Similarly, the software may
`send an E-mail or post a text message to an Internet site.
`If the system detects a busy signal it automatically “tags”
`the particular notify number and attempts to contact said
`notify number at a predetermined intervals. This process
`continues until a number of retries is reached that coincides
`
`with the providers setting to “time-out” the attempt.
`A check is made for more notify number entries in the
`database. If no, then the flow ends. If yes, the system repeats
`the above procedure until all notify numbers are acted on.
`Once all the subscriber’s notify numbers are acted on the
`process ends. As shown in FIG. 4, the software routinely
`searches the database via an auto-timer for “call-later” tags
`that are set to ON and tries again to successfully complete
`the notification process.
`Refer to FIG. 6 which illustrates an example of a sub-
`scriber record, which is stored as an entry in a database
`stored in the system subsrciber database (12) shown in FIG.
`1. The subscriber record includes the subscriber’s telephone
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`number, a list of subscriber-supplied notify number(s), and
`one or more of the subscriber’s name and address, an
`account status, subscriber-supplied Internet addresses, an
`information line associated with a Public Safety Answering
`Point (PSAP) servicing the subscrib