US 2009/0264094 A1 · Method and System for Providing a Deployable Emergency Call Service for Wireless Handsets

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods are presented to provide local citizenry with the ability to initiate emergency calls on their mobile device through a deployable cellular communication resource, such as a switch on wheels. The mobile device may be provisioned with a primary preferred roaming list (PRL) and a secondary PRL. The secondary PRL is accessed only when a switch-to-secondary-PRL flag is set in the primary PRL. Upon detection of the switch-to-secondary-PRL flag, the mobile device may enter an emergency call mode which only allows the mobile device to initiate an emergency call. If no network listed in the primary PRL and no emergency network listed in the secondary PRL is available, the mobile device may pause for a predetermined time before repeating attempts to access a network in order to conserver battery power until cellular communication networks are repaired or temporary networks implemented.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for providing emergency call service access to a deployable wireless network resource, comprising:

provisioning a mobile device with a primary preferred roaming list (PRL) and a secondary PRL, wherein the primary PRL lists communication networks to which the mobile device is permitted full access and wherein the secondary PRL lists communication networks to which the mobile device is permitted limited emergency call access;
detecting a switch-to-secondary-PRL flag included within the primary PRL while attempting to access communication networks listed in the primary PRL;
switch-to-secondary-PRL flag selecting an emergency communication network from the secondary PRL upon detection of the switch-to-secondary-PRL flag;
scanning a frequency listed in the secondary PRL for the selected emergency communication network;
receiving a system identification number (SID) on the scanned frequency;
comparing the received SID to an SID of the selected emergency communication network listed in the secondary PRL;
and
allowing emergency call initiation on the mobile device if the received SID matches the SID of the selected emergency communication network.

5 more elements

A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;
a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor;
and
a memory coupled to the processor,
wherein the memory has stored therein provisioning information including a primary preferred roaming list (PRL) and a secondary PRL, the primary PRL listing communication networks to which the mobile device is permitted full access and the secondary PRL listing communication networks to which the mobile device is permitted limited emergency call access, and
wherein the processor is configured with executable software instructions to perform steps comprising:
detecting a switch-to-secondary-PRL flag included within the primary PRL while attempting to access communication networks listed in the primary PRL;
selecting an emergency communication network from the secondary PRL upon detection of the switch-to-secondary-PRL flag;
attempting to access the selected emergency communication network using a frequency listed in the secondary PRL;
receiving a system identification number (SID) on the frequency listed in the secondary PRL;
comparing the received SID to an SID of the selected emergency communication network listed in the secondary PRL;
and
allowing emergency call initiation on the mobile device if the received SID matches the SID of the selected emergency communication network.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and System for Providing a Deployable Emergency Call Service for Wireless Handsets

Life of this patent

Method and System for Providing a Deployable Emergency Call Service for Wireless Handsets

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23