Testing emergency text services

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11089156-B1
Application number	US-202016918296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2020
Priority date	Jul 1, 2020
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for testing a text-to-911 system of a public safety answering point (PSAP) are described herein. The systems and methods provide for an administrative line that the PSAP, whereby a user can test the PSAP and determine if information that would be used by the PSAP in the case of an emergency is correct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of testing a public safety answering point (PSAP), the method comprising:
receiving from a device, at a network, a text-to-911 message directed to a test number of a PSAP of an emergency call center;
determining that the text-to-911 message is directed to the test number of the PSAP;
routing the text-to-911 message to an administrative line of the PSAP, wherein the administrative line connects to an emergency automated test response function at the emergency call center rather than a live 9-1-1 telecommunicator;
receiving an acknowledgement from the emergency automated test response function, wherein the acknowledgement includes a determined location of the device;
providing the acknowledgement to the device;
receiving a correction message providing a user determined location of the device to correct the determined location of the device; and
initiating a device-specific troubleshooting operation to determine a cause of a discrepancy between the user determined location and the determined location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acknowledgement further includes instructions on how to further test the PSAP using the test number.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acknowledgement includes an indication of a successful connection to the emergency automated test response function.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising initiating an area-wide troubleshooting operation to determine if locations of one or more second devices are incorrect.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acknowledgement includes a connection option to allow the device to connect to the emergency automated test response function using a voice connection to provide for receipt of additional queries to the PSAP.

6. A system comprising:
a memory storing computer-executable instructions; and
a processor in communication with the memory, the computer-executable instructions causing the processor to perform acts comprising:
receiving from a device, at a network, a text-to-911 message directed to a test number of a PSAP of an emergency call center;
determining that the text-to-911 message is directed to the test number of the PSAP;
routing the text-to-911 message to an administrative line of the PSAP, wherein the administrative line connects to an emergency automated test response function at the emergency call center rather than a live 9-1-1 telecommunicator;
receiving an acknowledgement from the emergency automated test response function, wherein the acknowledgement includes a determined location of the device;
providing the acknowledgement to the device;
receiving a correction message providing a user determined location of the device to correct the determined location of the device; and
initiating a device-specific troubleshooting operation to determine a cause of a discrepancy between the user determined location and the determined location.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the acknowledgement further includes instructions on how to further test the PSAP using the test number.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the acknowledgement includes an indication of a successful connection to the emergency automated test response function.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising computer-executable instructions for initiating an area-wide troubleshooting operation to determine if locations of one or more second devices are incorrect.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the acknowledgement includes a connection option to allow the device to connect to the emergency automated test response function using a voice connection to provide for receipt of additional queries to the PSAP.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform acts comprising:
receiving from a device, at a network, a text-to-911 message directed to a test number of a PSAP of an emergency call center;
determining that the text-to-911 message is directed to the test number of the PSAP;
routing the text-to-911 message to an administrative line of the PSAP, wherein the administrative line connects to an emergency automated test response function at the emergency call center rather than a live 9-1-1 telecommunicator;
receiving an acknowledgement from the emergency automated test response function, wherein the acknowledgement includes a determined location of the device;
providing the acknowledgement to the device;
receiving a correction message providing a user determined location of the device to correct the determined location of the device; and
initiating a device-specific troubleshooting operation to determine a cause of a discrepancy between the user determined location and the determined location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the acknowledgement further includes instructions on how to further test the PSAP using the test number.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the acknowledgement includes an indication of a successful connection to the emergency automated test response function.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , the computer-executable instructions further causing the computer to perform acts comprising:
initiating an area-wide troubleshooting operation to determine if locations of one or more second devices are incorrect.

Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Luo Tong
• Hooker William Michael

Classifications

• H04M3/5116 Primary

  for emergency applications · CPC title

• H04M3/42382

  Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks · CPC title

• H04M3/24

  with provision for checking the normal operation · CPC title

• H04W76/50

  for emergency connections · CPC title

• H04M11/04

  with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems · CPC title