REAL-TIME UPDATE OF LOCATION INFORMATION REGARDING A COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE

Abstract

An automatic location update system receives location information regarding an identified communications device and stores an identification of the communications device, advantageously its telephone number, and the location information, advantageously X/Y coordinates. Weighting factors associated with the coordinates are also stored. The coordinates and weighting factors thus stored are compared and the coordinates that appear to be the most accurate are selected. The selected coordinates are delivered to a positioning server used to route special number calls.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of this invention may be obtained from a consideration of this specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a communications network in which an auto locate embodiment of the present invention operates;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the VoIP positioning server of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a call flow diagram of a special number call from a communications device to its local answering point in the context of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of the provisioning system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of the auto locate system of FIG. 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 6 is an exemplary flow diagram of operation of the auto locate system of FIG. 5.

Claims

1. A method for automatically updating routing information for routing of special number calls comprising: receiving a routing parameter relating to a communications device;determining a differential related to the routing parameter;comparing the determined differential to other previously determined differentials related to previously received routing parameters associated with the communications device;selecting one of the routing parameters relating to a communications device based on said comparison; andproviding the selected routing parameter for routing of special number calls received from the communications device.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of receiving comprises receiving a plurality of routing parameters relating to a communications device from a plurality of sources.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said routing parameter comprises a location of said communications device.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said routing parameter comprises X/Y coordinates of the location of said communications device.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said differential comprises a time stamp.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said differential comprises a certainty factor.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said differential comprises a reliability factor.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said special number call comprises an emergency services call.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said emergency services call is routed to a public safety answering point that serves the location of the communications device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said communications device comprises a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device.