US 5,235,630 AGranted

Emergency call station identification system and method

AssigneeTelident, Incorporated

InventorsMartin Moody, Donald Madson, Gordan Osgood

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Abstract

A device for identifying a specific station, among a plurality of geographically-dispersed stations represented by a common phone number and serviced by a common PBX, which has initiated an emergency "9-1-1" telephone call. The specific station having initiated the call is identified to the appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP) which is connected in an enhanced "9-1-1" emergency call network. Typically, the PSAP and PBX have different protocols. The device functions to convert the protocol of the PBX to the protocol of the emergency call network. Further, it assigns an arbitrary designation representing the specific station identified as having initiated the emergency call. Further, the invention transmits the arbitrary designation to the appropriate PSAP for responding to the call.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method for harmonizing the protocol of a private branch exchange (PBX), servicing a plurality of stations, with the protocol of an enhanced "9-1-1" emergency call network, wherein the PBX is provided with a plurality of connections, and wherein a switching tandem of the emergency call network is also provided with a plurality of connections, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a harmonization module having a first plurality of connections corresponding in type and number to the connections of the PBX, and a second plurality of connections, corresponding in type and number to the connections of the switching tandem;
(b) interconnecting the connections of the PBX with the corresponding first plurality of connections of said harmonization module by employment of a plurality of tie-line interconnections;
(c) interconnecting the connections of the switching tandem with the corresponding second plurality of connections of said harmonization module by employment of a plurality of trunk interconnections;
(d) exercising a connection of the PBX in response to transmission of a signal indicative of initiating of an emergency call by a specific station serviced by the PBX;
(e) sensing the exercise of the PBX connection at the corresponding connection of the harmonization module;
(f) seizing a trunk interconnecting a connection of said harmonization module and a corresponding connection of the switching tandem;
(g) causing the switching tandem to respond to said harmonization module;
(h) sensing the response of the switching tandem at the harmonization module;
and
(i) relaying existence of the response of the switching tandem to the PBX.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.