Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) location based 911 conferencing

Abstract

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) emergency calls to an Emergency Response Center (ERC) are handled through a VoIP conference bridge on a VoIP service provider's soft switch. The soft switch works with a VoIP positioning center (VPC) to obtain location information, which is compared against a PSAP database to find an initial best-appropriate PSAP for the location of the emergency caller. The PSAP is issued an Invite message to join the conference, establishing an emergency call. Third parties such as police, ambulance may be issued Invite messages to join the conference. Cold transfers are avoided by Inviting participants to join a single emergency conference rather than passing an emergency call from party to party (e.g., from PSAP to police to ambulance, etc.) The PSAP, other emergency responders, and even the initial VoIP emergency caller may leave and rejoin the VoIP conference without dropping the conference between the others.

1 . A method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center, comprising:
 establishing an emergency call conference;   adding said emergency caller to said established emergency call conference; and   adding said emergency response center to said emergency call conference;   wherein said emergency call is established after said emergency caller and said emergency response center are both added to said emergency call conference.   
     
     
         2 . The method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 adding a third party to said emergency call conference;   
     
     
         3 . The method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least three parties are present in said emergency call conference at least at a beginning of said emergency call.   
     
     
         4 . The method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 1 , wherein said emergency response center comprises:
 a public safety access point (PSAP).   
     
     
         5 . The method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 2 , wherein said third party comprises:
 a police dispatcher.   
     
     
         6 . The method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 2 , wherein said third party comprises:
 a fire department.   
     
     
         7 . The method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 2 , wherein said third party comprises:
 an ambulance company.   
     
     
         8 . The method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said emergency caller is added to said emergency call conference after said emergency response center is added to said emergency call conference.   
     
     
         9 . The method of connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said emergency response center is added to said emergency call conference after said emergency caller is added to said emergency call conference.   
     
     
         10 . Apparatus for connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center, comprising:
 means for establishing an emergency call conference;   means for adding said emergency caller to said established emergency call conference; and   means for adding said emergency response center to said emergency call conference;   wherein said emergency call is established after said emergency caller and said emergency response center are both added to said emergency call conference.   
     
     
         11 . Apparatus for connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 means for adding a third party to said emergency call conference;   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 at least three parties are present in said emergency call conference at least at a beginning of said emergency call.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 10 , wherein said emergency response center comprises:
 a public safety access point (PSAP).   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus for connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 11 , wherein said third party comprises:
 a police dispatcher.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus for connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 11 , wherein said third party comprises:
 a fire department.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus for connecting an emergency caller with an emergency response center according to  claim 11 , wherein said third party comprises:
 an ambulance company.