Record-Based Device Location Signaling for Emergency Calls

Abstract

A software platform includes emergency event processing functionality for detecting and mapping emergency event occurrences. The emergency event processing includes device location registration functionality for allowing operators of the software platform to register locations of their devices. Information associated with the operator-entered location information is stored alongside network device information. When an emergency call is placed by a device registered with the software platform, the software platform identifies network device information for the device placing the emergency call and searches records generated based on the operator-indicated device locations. A location determined thereby is then signaled to a public safety answering point. This automated signaling can improve an emergency response by directing dispatched responders to a specific location verified by the operator of the device, rather than an assumed location specified by an administrator which may not actually be accurate.

Description

Claims

1. A method, comprising: detecting, at a first time, a first network device through which a device registered with a software platform connects to access a network at a premises associated with a software platform;prompting an operator of the software platform to identify, as a first location, a location of the device within the premises;generating, for the device, a first record indicating the first location and information associated with the first network device;detecting, at a second time, a second network device through which the device connects to access a network at a location external to the premises;prompting the operator to identify, as a second location, the location external to the premises;generating, for the device, a second record indicating the second location and information associated with the second network device;detecting, at a third time after the first time and the second time, that an emergency call is placed from the device;determining, based on the detection of the emergency call, a current location of the device using the first record or the second record; andsignaling information associated with the current location of the device to a public safety answering point to which the emergency call is routed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the operator to identify the location of the device within the premises comprises: accessing map information for the premises to identify a defined name for the location within the premises; andprompting the operator to verify that the defined name corresponds to the location of the device within the premises.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the operator to identify the location external to the premises comprises: determining one or both of a street address or a business name associated with the second location using the information associated with the second network device; andprompting the operator to verify the one or both of the street address or the business name.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the operator to identify the location of the device within the premises or the location external to the premises comprises: presenting, to the operator, a user interface including one or more fields for collecting input usable to identify the location of the device within the premises or the location external to the premises.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising: generating a visual representation of the first location within a digital map of the premises, wherein, responsive to the emergency call, the digital map including the visual representation of the first location is output to a digital signage display to indicate the first location as a location of an emergency event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the first network device includes a BSSID of the first network device and the information associated with the second network device includes a BSSID of the second network device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the software platform concurrently signals the information associated with the current location of the device to the public safety answering point and to a monitoring device registered with the software platform to enable an operator of the monitoring device to participate in the emergency call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the software platform is a unified communications as a service platform.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising: detecting, at a first time, a first network device through which a device registered with a software platform connects to access a network at a premises associated with a software platform;prompting an operator of the software platform to identify, as a first location, a location of the device within the premises;generating, for the device, a first record indicating the first location and information associated with the first network device;detecting, at a second time, a second network device through which the device connects to access a network at a location external to the premises;prompting the operator to identify, as a second location, the location external to the premises;generating, for the device, a second record indicating the second location and information associated with the second network device;detecting, at a third time after the first time and the second time, that an emergency call is placed from the device;determining, based on the detection of the emergency call, a current location of the device using the first record or the second record; andsignaling information associated with the current location of the device to a public safety answering point to which the emergency call is routed.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein a user interface presented to the operator to collect input usable to identify the location of the device within the premises includes fields for an IP address of the device, a BSSID of a wireless access point, and one or more of a MAC address, port label, or port range of a network switch.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein a user interface presented to the operator to verify the location of the device within the premises indicates an IP address of the device, a BSSID of a wireless access point, and one or more of a MAC address, port label, or port range of a network switch.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein prompting the operator to identify the location of the device within the premises comprises one of: prompting the operator to identify a defined name that corresponds to the location of the device within the premises; orprompting the operator to verify that the defined name corresponds to the location of the device within the premises.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein prompting the operator to identify the location external to the premises comprises one of: prompting the operator for one or both of a street address or a business name associated with the second location; orprompting the operator to verify the street address or the business name.

14. A system, comprising: one or more memories; andone or more processors configured to execute instructions stored in the one or more memories to: detect, at a first time, a first network device through which a device registered with a software platform connects to access a network at a premises associated with a software platform;prompt an operator of the software platform to identify, as a first location, a location of the device within the premises;generate, for the device, a first record indicating the first location and information associated with the first network device;detect, at a second time, a second network device through which the device connects to access a network at a location external to the premises;prompt the operator to identify, as a second location, the location external to the premises;generate, for the device, a second record indicating the second location and information associated with the second network device;detect, at a third time after the first time and the second time, that an emergency call is placed from the device;determine, based on the detection of the emergency call, a current location of the device using the first record or the second record; andsignal information associated with the current location of the device to a public safety answering point to which the emergency call is routed.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the current location of the device is indicated within a digital signage display at or otherwise associated with the premises.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first network device is detected using a link layer discovery protocol.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein, to determine the current location of the device using the first record or the second record, the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to: search through records of device locations based on information associated with the device.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein, to signal the information associated with the current location of the device to the public safety answering point to which the emergency call is routed, the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to: append or embed the information associated with the current location to or within a bitstream of the emergency call.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein a map of the premises is accessed in connection with the prompt to identify the location of the device within the premises.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the first network device is one of a wireless access point or a network switch.