Location-based telephone calls over a wireless local area network (WLAN)

Abstract

A request to access a location-based service is received via a wireless access point (WAP). A WAP identifier associated with the WAP may be identified based on the request and a particular geographic location associated with the WAP may be determined based on the identifier. For example, a WAP information service (WIS) may store data associating geographic locations and WAP identifiers corresponding to a plurality of WAPs that include the WAP, and the particular geographic location may be determined by querying the WIS, based on the particular WAP identifier, to identify the particular geographic location. A communication may be established between the user device and location-based service based on the particular geographic location associated with the WAP.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, a request from a user device to access a location-based service via a wireless access point (WAP); 
 determining whether the user device is static or mobile, wherein determining whether the user device is static or mobile includes:
 determining a length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP; 
 determining that the user device is mobile when the length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP is less than a threshold amount; and 
 determining that the user device is static when the length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP satisfies the threshold amount; 
 
 identifying, by the processor, a particular WAP identifier associated with the WAP based on the request; 
 determining, by the processor, a particular geographic location based on the identifier and based on determining whether the user device is static or mobile, wherein a first WAP information service (WIS) stores data associating first geographic locations and WAP identifiers corresponding to a plurality of WAPs that include the WAP, wherein a second WIS stores data associating the WAP identifiers and second geographic locations corresponding to other access points, wherein the first geographic locations differ from the second geographic locations, and wherein determining the particular geographic location includes:
 querying, based on determining that the user device is static, the first WIS based on the particular WAP identifier to identify, as the particular geographic location, one of the first geographic locations corresponding to the WAP, and 
 querying, based on determining that the user device is mobile, the second WIS based on the particular WAP identifier to identify, as the particular geographic location, one of the second geographic locations; and 
 
 establishing, by the processor, a communication between the user device and the location-based service based on the particular geographic location. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is associated with a call session control function (CSCF) or a telephony application servicer (TAS). 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location-based service is associated with handling an emergency call. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is associated with an emergency call service (ECS), and wherein establishing the communication includes:
 selecting a particular public safety answering point (PSAP) from a plurality of PSAPs based on the particular geographic location, and 
 establishing the communication between the user device and the particular PSAP. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing the communication includes forwarding a session initiation protocol (SIP) message that includes header data identifying the particular geographic location. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein querying the first WIS based on the particular WAP identifier includes identifying at least one of a tracking area code (TAC) associated with the WAP or an enhanced global cell identity (ECGI) associated with the WAP. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the WAP is a first WAP, and wherein establishing the communication between the user device and the location-based service based on the particular geographic location includes:
 when the user device is mobile, establishing, via the first WAP, a first connection between the user device and the location-based service; 
 detecting, during communications via the first connection, that the user device connects to a second WAP; 
 establishing, via the second WAP and based on detecting that the user device connects to the second WAP, a second connection between the user device and the location-based service via the second WAP; and 
 releasing the first connection based on establishing the second connection, wherein releasing the first connection causes the user device to be handed over to the second WAP. 
 
     
     
       8. A device comprising:
 a memory configured to store instructions; and 
 a processor configured to execute one or more of the instructions to:
 receive a request from a user device to access a location-based service via a wireless access point (WAP); 
 determine whether the user device is static or mobile, wherein the processor, when determining whether the user device is static or mobile, is further configured to:
 determine a length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP; 
 determine that the user device is mobile when the length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP is less than a threshold amount; and 
 determine that the user device is static when the length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP satisfies the threshold amount; 
 
 identify a particular WAP identifier associated with the WAP based on the request; 
 determine a particular geographic location based on the identifier and based on determining whether the user device is static or mobile, wherein a first WAP information service (WIS) stores data associating first geographic locations and WAP identifiers corresponding to a plurality of WAPs that include the WAP, wherein a second WIS stores data associating the WAP identifiers and second geographic locations corresponding to other access points, wherein the first geographic locations differ from the second geographic locations, and wherein the processor, when determining the particular geographic location, is further configured to:
 query, when the user device is static, the first WIS based on the particular WAP identifier to identify, as the particular geographic location, one of the first geographic locations corresponding to the WAP, and 
 query, when the user device is mobile, the second WIS based on the particular WAP identifier to identify, as the particular geographic location, one of the second geographic locations; and 
 
 establish a communication between the user device and the location-based service based on the particular geographic location. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 8 , wherein device is associated with a call session control function (CSCF) or a telephony application servicer (TAS). 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the location-based service is associated with handling an emergency call. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the device is associated with an emergency call service (ECS), and wherein the processor, when establishing the communication, is further configured to execute one or more of the instructions to:
 select a particular public safety answering point (PSAP) from a plurality of PSAPs based on the particular geographic location, and 
 establish the communication between the user device and the particular PSAP. 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the processor, when establishing the communication, is further configured to execute one or more of the instructions to:
 forward a session initiation protocol (SIP) message that includes header data identifying the particular geographic location. 
 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the processor, when querying the first WIS based on the particular WAP identifier, is further configured to execute one or more of the instructions to:
 identify at least one of a tracking area code (TAC) associated with the WAP or an enhanced global cell identity (ECGI) associated with the WAP. 
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the WAP is a first WAP, and wherein the processor, when establishing the communication between the user device and the location-based service based on the particular geographic location, is further configured to:
 establish, via the first WAP and when the user device is mobile, a first connection between the user device and the location-based service; 
 detect, during communications via the first connection, that the user device connects to a second WAP; 
 establish, via the second WAP and based on detecting that the user device connects to the second WAP, a second connection between the user device and the location-based service via the second WAP; and 
 release the first connection based on establishing the second connection, wherein releasing the first connection causes the user device to be handed over to the second WAP. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer readable medium to store instructions, the instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor associated with a device, cause the processor to:
 receive a request from a user device to access a location-based service via a wireless access point (WAP); 
 determine whether the user device is static or mobile, wherein the one or more instructions further cause the processor, when determining whether the user device is static or mobile, to:
 determine a length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP; 
 determine that the user device is mobile when the length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP is less than a threshold amount; and 
 determine that the user device is static when the length of time that the user device has accessed the WAP satisfies the threshold amount; 
 
 identify a particular WAP identifier associated with the WAP based on the request; 
 determine a particular geographic location based on the identifier and based on determining whether the user device is static or mobile, wherein a first WAP information service (WIS) stores data associating first geographic locations and WAP identifiers corresponding to a plurality of WAPs that include the WAP, wherein a second WIS stores data associating the WAP identifiers and second geographic locations corresponding to other access points, wherein the first geographic locations differ from the second geographic locations, and wherein the one or more instructions further cause the processor, when determining the particular geographic location, to:
 query, when the user device is static, the first WIS based on the particular WAP identifier to identify, as the particular geographic location, one of the first geographic locations corresponding to the WAP, and 
 query, when the user device is mobile, the second WIS based on the particular WAP identifier to identify, as the particular geographic location, one of the second geographic locations; and 
 
 establish a communication between the user device and the location-based service based on the particular geographic location. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein device is associated with a call session control function (CSCF) or a telephony application servicer (TAS). 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the location-based service is associated with handling an emergency call. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the device is associated with an emergency call service (ECS), and wherein the one or more instructions further cause the processor, when establishing the communication, to:
 select a particular public safety answering point (PSAP) from a plurality of PSAPs based on the particular geographic location of the WAP, and 
 establish the communication between the user device and the particular PSAP. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the processor, when establishing the communication, to:
 forward a session initiation protocol (SIP) message that includes header data identifying the particular geographic location. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the WAP is a first WAP, and wherein the one or more instructions further cause the processor, when establishing the communication between the user device and the location-based service based on the particular geographic location, to:
 establish, via the first WAP and when the user device is mobile, a first connection between the user device and the location-based service; 
 detect, during communications via the first connection, that the user device connects to a second WAP; 
 establish, via the second WAP and based on detecting that the user device connects to the second WAP, a second connection between the user device and the location-based service via the second WAP; and 
 release the first connection based on establishing the second connection, wherein releasing the first connection causes the user device to be handed over to the second WAP.