Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-04
2003-08-05
Urban, Edward F. (Department: 2685)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S521000, C379S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06603977
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to location information systems, and more particularly to a location information system for a wireless communication device and a method therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Federal Communications Commission Authority Over 911 Service.
In the United States of America, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates wireless telecommunications companies that provide wireless telecommunications services. Wireless telecommunications is a group of telecommunications services under the heading of commercial mobile radio service (CMRS), as defined by the FCC. CMRS includes cellular, personal communications services (PCS), mobile satellite services (MSS) and enhanced specialized mobile radio (ESMR). Presently, CMRS does not include other forms of “wireless” communications such as paging and traditional dispatch. The FCC's authority over the wireless industry includes licensing, certain technical aspects of wireless service, timeframes in which service must be made available in given areas, and the provision of the 911 emergency answering service (i.e., 911 service), including basic 911 and enhanced 911 (i.e., E911).
The Department of Revenue of Washington State, USA provides an excellent summary of wireline and wireless 911 service in their document entitled: “Enhanced 911 Funding Study.” This study is presently located at the Internet web site: http://dor.wa.gov/index.asp?/pub/e911. The most relevant sections, including the executive summary, the introduction, chapter 1, chapter 2 text and drawings, and chapter 3 text and chart, have been printed out and provided with an information disclosure statement for the present patent application as a permanent reference to the present patent application. Chapter 1 describes the background of E911 wireless in Washington State. Chapter 2 describes E911 wireless technology with drawings. Chapter 3 describes the technical components of Phase I and II of E911 wireless with a chart. This entire study, including, but not limited to chapters 1, 2 and 3 along with the referenced drawings and charts, is herein incorporated into the present patent application by reference not only as a description for the background of the present invention, but also as a description for the detailed description of the present invention. Further, anything disclosed in this study, such as any term, concept, feature, service, drawing, chart, method, apparatus, system, etc. or portion thereof, may be used in combination with anything disclosed in the present patent application for support of any claims in the present or related patent applications. Highlights of this funding study are included in sections A through L, as follows.
A. General description of the 911 service.
To the public, 911 is an emergency telephone number that a caller dials for fire, medical, and/or police emergency assistance. Callers use both wireline and wireless phones to dial 911. Technically, 911 is an emergency answering service. When a caller dials the digits 9-1-1, a call travels over the public telephone network to a telecommunications company's switch. The switch recognizes the 911 digits and sends the call to a 911 emergency answering center, commonly known as a public safety answering point (PSAP).
B. Types of 911 service.
There are two types of 911 service—basic (basic 911) and enhanced (E911). With the basic 911 service, all 911 calls go to the same PSAP in a particular area even if the caller does not live in the area served by the PSAP. When the call taker answers the call, only the voice of the caller is provided. Therefore, the call taker must request the address information from the caller, and then determine which police, fire, and emergency medical agencies need to respond to the caller's address. In addition, if the caller is unable to speak due to a medical circumstance such as a heart attack or choking, or does not know their phone number or location, the call taker may not be able to provide assistance to the caller.
With the E911 service, the telephone company switch routes the 911 call to the PSAP that serves the address of the location of the caller making the call. The telephone subscriber's name (personal or business), the location of the telephone used by a caller, the telephone number, and associated emergency response information is sent to a computer display at a call taker's answering position at the PSAP. The call taker has the information needed to send help to callers who are unable to speak or do not know their telephone number or location. The display of the telephone subscriber's phone number is known as Automatic Number Identification (ANI). The display of the telephone subscriber's location is known as Automatic Location Identification (ALI).
C. Current wireline and wireless 911 service.
Wireline 911 calls travel via a wireline E911 system from the caller to the PSAP. Wireless 911 calls travel via the wireless network to the wireline E911 system and then to the PSAP. The major components of the E911 wireline system are: a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a wireless telecommunications network, a dedicated E911 system, a E911 selective router, a E911 database, and the PSAPs. The PSTN is a wireline network of equipment, lines and controls assembled to establish communications paths between calling and called parties in North America. The wireless telecommunications network includes the radio frequencies, cell sites, equipment and controls that are assembled to transport a wireless call from a wireless phone to the PSTN. The dedicated E911 system includes network, database, and the specialized E911 equipment at the PSAP that is required to display the E911 caller's phone number and location. The dedicated E911 system includes communication paths, known as telephone trunks, between wireline central office switches, or between a 911 control office and the PSAP that are used only for 911 calls. The E911 selective router is a piece of equipment located at the wireline telephone company's regional switch. The selective router sends the E911 call to the proper PSAP based on the telephone number of the calling party, the location of the caller, and a routing code called an emergency service number (ESN). The ESN is a number representing emergency services agencies, such as law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical service, that serve a specific range of addresses within a particular geographic area known as an emergency service zone (ESZ). The ESN facilitates selective routing to the appropriate PSAP and the dispatching of the proper service agency(ies). It controls delivery of the voice call with the ANI to the PSAP and provides selective routing, speed calling, selective transfer, fixed transfer and certain maintenance functions for each PSAP. The E911 database is a database which houses the ANI and ALI records of telephone subscribers. The information includes a database of street names and house number ranges, and the telephone customer's names, addresses, phone numbers and emergency response information. The 911 database is maintained by the telephone company. The PSAPs, also known as 911 call answering points, are facilities that are equipped and staffed to handle 911 calls twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. A primary PSAP receives the calls directly. A secondary PSAP only receives calls that have been transferred to them by the primary PSAP.
D. Operation Of The Present Wireline Enhanced 911 Service.
When a caller dials 9-1-1 from a wireline phone, the call travels over the PSTN just like any other call to the telephone company's central office (CO). At the CO, the switching equipment recognizes the digits 9-1-1 and immediately transfers the call from the public switched network to dedicated 911 trunks that carry the call to the 911 selective router. At the 911 selective router, specialized software recognizes the 911 routing number associated with the caller's telephone number and routes the call along de
Kaschke Kevin Daniel
Walsh Patrick J.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
SBC Properties LP
Urban Edward F.
Ward Ronald J.
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