U.S. patent application number 12/819548 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-07 for integrated call handler and email systems and methods.
This patent application is currently assigned to POWERPHONE, INC.. Invention is credited to Francois Gerard Koutchouk, Christopher Michael Salafia, Philip M. Salafia, Jeremy Edward Turk.
Application Number | 20100257250 12/819548 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46329127 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100257250 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Salafia; Christopher Michael ;
et al. |
October 7, 2010 |
INTEGRATED CALL HANDLER AND EMAIL SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Abstract
Apparatuses, systems and methods are presented for handling
calls. In one embodiment, an emergency call handling system capable
of receiving visual information from callers and correlating the
visual information to particular incidents is disclosed. To obtain
visual information, a call handler may generate and send an
electronic mail message to the caller. The caller may reply to the
electronic mail message and attach an image captured with, for
example, a camera phone. The visual information may then be
correlated to the call between the caller and call handler. In
addition, unsolicited visual information received by the emergency
call handling system may be prioritized, triaged and delivered to
the call handler. The visual information may be used to assess an
emergency situation. The visual information may be forwarded to
emergency service providers.
Inventors: |
Salafia; Christopher Michael;
(Killingworth, CT) ; Turk; Jeremy Edward;
(Guilford, CT) ; Salafia; Philip M.; (Old Lyme,
CT) ; Koutchouk; Francois Gerard; (Castro Valley,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MAIER & MAIER, PLLC
1000 DUKE STREET
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
POWERPHONE, INC.
Madison
CT
|
Family ID: |
46329127 |
Appl. No.: |
12/819548 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11835208 |
Aug 7, 2007 |
7764769 |
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12819548 |
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11621473 |
Jan 9, 2007 |
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11835208 |
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10913880 |
Aug 6, 2004 |
7515693 |
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11621473 |
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60821915 |
Aug 9, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/206 ;
709/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 76/50 20180201;
H04M 3/42068 20130101; H04L 65/1079 20130101; H04L 65/40 20130101;
H04L 51/00 20130101; H04W 4/90 20180201; H04M 2203/4536 20130101;
H04M 2203/553 20130101; H04M 3/5322 20130101; H04M 2242/04
20130101; H04M 2201/38 20130101; H04W 4/12 20130101; H04M 3/42195
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/206 ;
709/207 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/16 20060101
G06F015/16 |
Claims
1-35. (canceled)
36. A method of contacting potential eyewitnesses to an event, said
method comprising: determining a location and a time period of said
event; obtaining a listing of cellular phones proximate to said
location during said time period; and delivering messages to said
cellular phones proximate to said location during said time
period.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein said obtaining step includes
querying an ANIALI database.
38. The method of claim 36, further including prioritizing said
listing based on information related to said cellular phones.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation-in-part of pending
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/621,473 (filed Jan. 9, 2007),
which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein and
claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
60/821,915 (filed Aug. 9, 2006), which is incorporated by reference
in its entirety herein. This patent application is also a
continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/913,880 (filed Aug. 6, 2004), which is incorporated by reference
in its entirety herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Call handling of either emergency or non-emergency related
situations is a process of interacting with a caller to exchange
information. The caller may have contacted a particular agency or
service provider to gain assistance. A call handling system is the
system used by a call handler to communicate with the caller. For
example, a caller may dial 911 seeking emergency assistance.
Another example is where a caller dials an information service to
obtain driving directions or addresses. In either situation, the
call may be handled by a call handler using a call handling
system.
[0003] A particular caller may contact a particular agency or
service provider to forward information. For example, a caller may
dial 911 to report an emergency situation that the caller has
witnessed, such as a crime, an automobile accident or a building
fire. An example of a non-emergency situation would be where the
caller calls to report local driving or weather conditions or a
crime tip line. Whether the caller is calling to gain assistance or
report information, a call handler, who may be specially trained in
quickly and efficiently exchanging information with a caller, may
handle the call.
[0004] A critical application of call handling is in the provision
of emergency services. In an emergency situation, the call handler
may need to quickly extract information from the caller in order to
assist the caller. Such is typically the case in emergency medical
situations where the call handler must ascertain the type and
extent of injury in order to give relevant instructions. Generally,
in an emergency situation, a caller will dial 911 and be connected
to a local Public Safety Answering Point (P SAP). The PSAP is
generally staffed with a group of specially trained call handlers.
Typically, the call handlers will respond to callers according to
protocols, often dispatching emergency service providers. Call
handling is often employed with Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)
systems that dispatch response units, such as police, fire and/or
medical units, based on received information. For example, call
handling of prior art CAD systems typically involves call handlers
who receive calls describing certain events. The call handlers
subsequently convey this information to a dispatch unit by manually
inputting information into the CAD system, which then recommends
the appropriate dispatch unit(s) for response to the event.
[0005] Typically, a call handler working in a PSAP will receive
textual information, displayed on a computer terminal, regarding
the probable location of a caller. If the caller is calling from a
landline, systems at the PSAP may access an automatic location
information (ALI) database to determine the location of the caller.
Accordingly, errors in the ALI database may result in incorrect
determinations of caller location. Therefore, the call handler may
need to verify the location of the caller. If the caller is calling
from a mobile wireless device (e.g., cell phone), location
information, if available at all, may not be determinable in the
same manner as for landlines. Location information of a caller
using a mobile wireless device presented to a call handler may be
derived from triangulating signals transmitted by the cell phone.
The accuracy of such a location may be dependent on the number of
cell towers and signal strength. Global Positioning System (GPS)
location data may also be available if the caller is using a cell
phone with GPS capabilities. However, GPS systems may be
unreliable, for example, if the caller is indoors. Accordingly, in
the case of mobile wireless devices, the call handler may need to
provide and/or verify the location of the caller.
[0006] Generally, the location of the caller is only one part of
the information that is exchanged between the caller and the call
handler in an emergency situation. For example, at the scene of a
major traffic accident, the caller may need to communicate the
number of people injured, the number of vehicles involved, location
and condition of the vehicles, current conditions (e.g., fog, ice,
etc.), and many other aspects of the situation. In current
emergency call handling systems, all of this information is
communicated verbally between the caller and the call handler and
the call handler may forward this information, either verbally or
textually, to at least one emergency services provider.
SUMMARY
[0007] This invention generally relates to call handling. More
specifically, this invention relates to correlating call
information to visual information received from the caller. The
present inventors have recognized that many aspects of the process
of call handling may be significantly enhanced through the
incorporation of the transfer of visual and/or textual information.
The transfer of visual information may occur between a caller and a
call handler. For example, in an emergency situation, a caller may
dial 911 to contact a call handler at a PSAP. It may then be
beneficial for the caller to transfer visual information regarding
the emergency to the call handler. By reviewing the visual
information, the call handler may gain a better understanding of
the emergency situation. The call handler may forward the
information, including the visual information, to at least one
emergency services provider.
[0008] The visual information may, for example, include information
regarding the exact location of the caller. This may be
particularly valuable where the caller is calling from a mobile
wireless device, such as a cell phone, and an exact location would
otherwise be unavailable or difficult to obtain. The visual
information may include images of a victim, a suspect, an accident
scene or any other emergency or non-emergency subject that may
enhance the effectiveness of the communication between the call
handler and caller. The call handler may also send information to
the caller, such as, for example, visual instruction on how to
handle a particular situation or perform a particular task, images,
forms, or Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).
[0009] Whether in an emergency situation or a non-emergency
situation, the transfer of visual information between the caller
and the call handler may result in faster and more efficient
transfer of information. In emergency situations, this may result
in faster and more appropriate provision of emergency services. A
call handler may also forward the visual information received from
the caller to third parties, such as, for example, an emergency
services provider. The emergency services provider may use the
visual information to determine an appropriate response, for
example, in terms of equipment, personnel and procedures to be used
in response to the emergency.
[0010] The visual information may serve as a recordation of the
events that prompted the caller to contact the call handler. The
visual information may be an image of a suspect and may serve as
evidence in a criminal investigation. The visual information may be
in the form of an image of a vehicle involved in an accident or
crime. The visual information may be of a suspected missing person.
The visual information may be used as evidence in subsequent civil
proceedings. The visual information may be used to help determine a
cause of an emergency situation or be used by investigators to
analyze a particular chain of events.
[0011] Accordingly, systems and methods are presented herein to
enable the efficient transfer of visual information between a
caller and a call handler. These systems and methods provide the
aforementioned benefits. It will be appreciated that other benefits
of the ability to quickly and efficiently transfer visual
information between a caller and call handler will be apparent to
those skilled in the art and are intended to be within the scope of
the present invention.
[0012] In an aspect of the present invention, an information
processing system is provided that includes a network interface, a
telephonic interface, a call handler interface, a storage unit, and
a processing module. The network interface may be operable to
receive and transmit packetized information over a computer
network. In one embodiment, the computer network may be the
Internet. The packetized information may be in the form of
electronic mail messages consisting of text, visual information in
the form of image files, or a combination thereof.
[0013] The telephonic interface may be used for audio communication
between at least one call handler and at least one caller over a
telephone network. In one embodiment, the telephone network may be
the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a cellular network,
or a combination thereof. The telephonic interface may be a
standard telephone headset or handset. The telephone network may
include a PSAP. The audio communication may be an emergency
related, non-emergency related, or a combination thereof. In one
embodiment, the audio communication between the caller and the call
handler may be emergency related. To initiate the audio
communication, the caller may dial 911.
[0014] The call handler interface may be operable to generate at
least one outgoing message. The call handler interface may be
operable to send the outgoing message to the caller. The outgoing
message may include a unique identifying component. In one
embodiment, the call handler interface may be in the form of a
personal computer or computer terminal accessible by the call
handler. The outgoing message may be an electronic message, for
example, an electronic mail message. The call handler interface may
be operable to present to the call handler a plurality of outgoing
message templates. The call handler may then select a particular
outgoing message template that is appropriate for the circumstances
of the call. The selecting of the outgoing message template may be
in the form of selecting a particular outgoing message template
identified by a menu item or an item in a pull-down menu presented
to the operator by a display screen of the call handler interface.
The call handler may then use the selected outgoing message
template to generate an outgoing message to be sent to the caller.
The outgoing message may be sent over the computer network.
[0015] The unique identifying component of the outgoing message
may, for example, be located in a message header of the outgoing
message. In one embodiment, the unique identifying component may be
a string of alphanumeric characters. For example, the unique
identifying component may include alphanumeric characters
representing the date on which the outgoing message was first
generated concatenated with a sequential serial number.
[0016] The storage unit may be configured to store information
related to the caller, the particular call between the caller and
the call handler, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment,
the storage unit may, for example, be a hard drive such as those
commonly used to store information in digital form.
[0017] The processing module may be coupled to the storage unit,
the call handler interface, and the network interface. The unique
identifying component of a particular outgoing message may be
stored in the storage unit in relation to information pertaining to
the particular call that resulted in the generation of the outgoing
message. The processing module may be operable to correlate an
incoming message received over the computer network to the
information pertaining to the particular call that resulted in the
generation of the outgoing message and the subsequent reception of
the incoming message. In one embodiment, the processing module may
be operable to present to the call handler the incoming message
along with information related to the particular call that resulted
in the reception of the incoming message.
[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, an emergency
call handling system is provided that includes a network interface
module, a communication interface, a call handler interface, a
storage unit, and a processor module. The network interface may be
operable to receive and transmit packetized information over a
computer network, such as the Internet. The communication interface
may be interconnected with a PSAP. The call handler interface may
generate an outgoing message that includes a unique identifying
component. The storage unit may store the unique identifying
component in relation to a record of a call. The processing module
may correlate incoming messages received over the computer network
to the record, stored in the storage unit, of a particular call.
The call handler interface may display at least part of an incoming
message along with a record of the specific call with which the
incoming message was correlated.
[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, a call handling
system is provided that includes a database, a call handler
interface, and an electronic message processing module. The
database may be configured to store a plurality of electronic
message templates, information regarding a call from a caller, and
a unique identifying component for the call. The call handler
interface may be operable to enable a call handler to select an
electronic message template from the plurality of electronic
message templates stored in the database. The call handler
interface may be operable to initiate the sending of an electronic
message to the caller, where the electronic message contains the
unique identifying component for that call. The call handler
interface may be operable to display information regarding the call
and an image contained in a response to the electronic message sent
by the call handler. The electronic message processing module may
be operable to correlate the information regarding a particular
call to the image contained in a response from the caller to the
electronic message received by the caller. In one embodiment, the
call may be emergency related.
[0020] In still another aspect, a method of communicating with a
caller is provided that includes receiving a call, making a
decision, based on the call, to obtain visual information from the
caller, assigning a unique identifying component to a first
message, including that unique identifying component in the first
message, sending the first message, receiving a second message in
response to the first message, and correlating the second message
to the call. The call may be received over a telephone network,
such as the PSTN, and may be emergency related. The decision to
obtain visual information may be made as a result of the
interaction between a call handler and a caller. The first message
may be generated by selecting a message template from a plurality
of available message templates. The first and second messages may
be electronic mail messages. The unique identifying component
assigned to the first message may be located in a header of the
first message.
[0021] The first message may be sent to the caller over a computer
network, such as the Internet. In one embodiment, the first message
may contain an instruction regarding how to reply to the first
message. For example, the instruction may direct the caller to
reply to the first message by creating a second message and
attaching visual information to the second message. This may be
accomplished by the caller by, for example, attaching an image
captured with a camera phone to a reply to the first image and
sending that reply message (i.e., the second message) to a call
handler. In one embodiment, the electronic mail message address of
the caller may be determined and inserted into the first message
prior to sending. The electronic mail message address of the caller
may be determined by concatenating the phone number of the caller
with a domain name of the caller. The domain name may be obtained
by looking up the domain name in a database for the particular
service provider of the caller.
[0022] The second message may contain visual information. The
second message may contain the unique identifying component that
was inserted into the first message. The visual information
contained in the second message may be correlated to the call based
on the unique identifying component. In one embodiment, the method
of communicating with the caller may include displaying information
about the call along with the visual information provided in the
second message.
[0023] The method may include forwarding the visual information
received in the second message. The visual information may be
forwarded to an emergency services provider.
[0024] In a yet another aspect, a method of correlating visual
information to a call is provided. The method includes receiving a
call from a caller, sending an electronic mail message to the
caller where the message includes a unique identifying component,
receiving a reply message from the caller where the reply message
includes the unique identifying component and visual information,
and correlating the reply message to the call at least partially
based on the unique identifying component.
[0025] In an additional aspect, an information processing system is
provided that includes a message priority module, a triage
interface, and an integration module. The message priority module
may be operable to assign priority scores to electronic messages
received by the information processing system. The triage interface
may be operable to display at least a portion of the electronic
messages along with corresponding priority scores assigned by the
message priority module. The triage interface may be operable to
display a single message based on that message's corresponding
priority score (e.g., the triage interface may display the
electronic message with the highest priority score). The
integration module may be operable to present "triaged" electronic
messages to a communications system. Such an information processing
system may be operable to process and prioritize unsolicited
incoming messages.
[0026] In an embodiment, the information processing system may
further include a communications module operable to receive
electronic messages over a computer network, such as the Internet.
Such messages may be packetized for delivery over the computer
network. The messages may be in the form of electronic mail
messages. The messages may include text, audio, images, video
clips, or any combination thereof. The communications module may be
operable to selectively forward the received electronic messages to
the message priority module. This selective forwarding may be based
at least in part on the source of the received electronic messages.
The messages may be emergency related. In the latter regard, the
information processing system may, for example, be configured to
process solicited and unsolicited messages received by a PSAP or
other emergency response system.
[0027] In an embodiment, the information processing system may
include an information database. The database may include data
relating to unique identifying components correlated to
communications events. Incoming messages containing such unique
identifying components may be forwarded directly from the message
priority module to the integration module. The database may also
include data relating to phone numbers correlated to
predeterminable sources, phone numbers correlated to communications
events, locations of communications events, or any combination
thereof. The information processing system may be operable to
communicate with a database (e.g., an Automatic Number
Identification (ANI) database and/or an ALI database) containing
location information for cellular phone users. The message priority
engine may determine a particular priority score based, at least in
part, on a source of that particular message.
[0028] The triage interface may allow an operator, such as a triage
interface operator, to process the messages in an order at least
partially based on the assigned priority score. In this regard, the
triage interface may be operable to order the electronic messages
based on the assigned priority scores. This ordered list may allow
a triage interface operator to select and forward at least one of
the received and triaged messages to the communications system. The
communications system may, for example, be an electronic messaging
system, a call handling system, or a combination thereof. In
embodiments where the communications system includes a call
handling system, the call handling system may, for example, be a
CAD system, a Records Management System (RMS), or any other system
designed to handle communications between a caller and a call
handler.
[0029] In an embodiment, the information processing system may
include a reporting interface. The reporting interface may be
operable to report on the status of various components of the
information processing system. For example, the reporting interface
may be operable to present statistics pertaining to the performance
and status of the communications module, the message priority
module, the triage interface, the integration module, or any
combination thereof.
[0030] In still another aspect, an emergency call handling system
is provided that includes a communications module, a message
priority module, a triage interface, a call handler workstation,
and an integration module. The communications module may be
operable to receive packetized messages over a computer network,
such as the Internet. The message priority module may be operable
to assign emergency-related priority scores to the received
messages. The triage interface may be operable to display at least
a portion of the received messages along with corresponding
emergency-related priority scores assigned by the message priority
module. The call handler workstation may include an audio interface
and a computer terminal. The integration module may be operable to
present triaged, received messages to the call handler through the
call handler workstation.
[0031] In another aspect, a method is provided for processing a
message for display at a communications workstation. The method
includes receiving a message over a computer network, verifying the
message is from an approved source (e.g., a cellular phone),
assigning a priority score to the received message, forwarding the
received message to the communications workstation based on the
assigned priority score, and displaying the forwarded received
message at the communications workstation. In an embodiment, the
communications workstation may be a call handler workstation.
[0032] In yet another aspect, a method is provided for performing
triage on a plurality of received messages. The method includes
receiving a plurality of messages over a computer network,
assigning an emergency related priority score to each of the
received messages, and ordering the received messages based on the
assigned emergency related priority scores. The emergency related
priority score may, for example, be based on the source of the
message, the origination location of the message, or a combination
thereof. In particular, the priority score may reflect messages
where the message originated from an emergency responder, a known
emergency information provider, a source related to previously
received calls, a source related to a call previously placed, a
source related to a currently active emergency situation, or a
combination thereof.
[0033] In another aspect, a call handling system is provided that
includes a message priority module. The message priority module may
be operable to assign priority scores to electronic messages
received by the call handling system. In an embodiment, a triage
interface may be included. The triage interface may be operable to
display at least a portion of the electronic messages along with
corresponding priority scores assigned by the message priority
module. In an embodiment, the call handling system may include an
integration module. The integration module may be operable to
present triaged electronic messages to a call handler. The call
handling system may further include a telephonic interface for
audio communication between a call handler and a caller over a
telephone network.
[0034] In yet another aspect, a method is provided for contacting
potential eyewitnesses to an event. The method may include
determining a location and a time period of an event, obtaining a
listing of cellular phones proximate to the location during the
time period of the event, and delivering messages to the cellular
phones proximate to the location during the time period. In an
embodiment, the obtaining step may include querying an ANIALI
database. The listing of cellular phones may be prioritized based
on information related to the cellular phones.
[0035] Various embodiments and aspect described herein may be
combined. Embodiments, features and steps described in conjunction
with a particular aspect may be combined with other aspects
described herein. Additional aspects and corresponding advantages
of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the
art upon consideration of the further description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of communication flow between a
caller, a call handler and an emergency services provider.
[0037] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication network.
[0038] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process for handling an emergency
call and gathering visual information.
[0039] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a graphical user interface
usable to generate an electronic mail message.
[0040] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a graphical user interface for
communicating textual and visual information to a call handler.
[0041] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of communicating with a
caller.
[0042] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method of correlating visual
information to a call.
[0043] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a system operable to process
certain types of communications.
[0044] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the system of
FIG. 8 integrated with the system of FIG. 2.
[0045] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method of displaying a message
at a call handler workstation.
[0046] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method of performing triage on a
plurality of received messages.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0047] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown
by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in
detail. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features
described below can be combined in various ways to form multiple
variations of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not
limited to the specific examples described below.
[0048] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of communication flow between a
caller 102, a call handler 104, and an emergency services provider
106. Generally, the caller 102 may initiate communication with the
call handler 104. In the case of an emergency call, the caller 102
may dial 911 and be routed to an appropriate emergency services
call handler 104. The caller 102 and the call handler 104 may
exchange information regarding an emergency situation. The call
handler 104 may also contact the emergency services provider 106.
The emergency services provider of block 106, as used herein, may
represent a single emergency services provider such as an ambulance
service, or the emergency services provider of block 106 may
represent multiple emergency services providers that may be engaged
during any particular emergency situation. For example, in a
large-scale emergency, multiple firefighting, law-enforcement, and
medical units may be dispatched.
[0049] The call handler 104 may exchange information with the
emergency services provider 106 regarding the emergency and the
status of the caller 102. Generally, in prior art systems, the
information exchanged between the caller 102 and call handler 104
is in the form of oral communications over a telephone network.
Other information, such as location data of the caller 102, is also
provided to the call handler 104, generally by equipment and
databases interconnected to the telephone network. This information
may also be provided to the emergency services provider 106.
[0050] Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods,
which supplement the above information with visual information.
This visual information may be captured by the caller 102, for
example, with a camera phone, and forwarded to the call handler 104
using the apparatuses, systems and methods described herein. The
call handler 104 may use the visual information in a variety of
ways such as, for example, to determine a location of an emergency
situation and/or to determine a course of action. The call handler
104 may forward the visual information to at least one emergency
services provider 106 using the apparatuses, systems and methods
described herein. The emergency services provider 106 may use the
visual information, for example, to assess an emergency situation
prior to arrival, to determine a location of the emergency
situation, and/or otherwise assist in the provision of emergency
services. The visual information may also be used in later
investigations of, for example, the emergency situation and/or the
performance of the call handler 104 and/or the emergency services
provider 106 in their response to the emergency situation and
provision of emergency services.
[0051] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment interconnected
to various communication networks to enable communication,
including the transfer of visual information, between the call
handler 104, the caller 102, and the emergency services provider
106. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the caller 102 is
communicating using a cell phone. Although generally described
herein in terms of a caller 102 communicating using a cell phone,
the caller 102 may be interconnected through other means such as,
for example, land lines and satellite links. A caller 102 with the
ability to receive and send electronic messages may communicate
with the call handler 104 using the apparatuses, systems and
methods described herein.
[0052] The caller 102 may be interconnected to one or more
proximate cell towers 220 through wireless communication links. The
cell towers 220 may be interconnected to a cellular network 222.
The cell phone of the caller 102 may have the capability to
generate, send, and receive electronic messages. The cell phone of
the caller 102 may also have the capability to capture visual
information which may be in the form of digital images which may be
still images and/or video clips. The cell phone of the caller 102
may also have the capability to capture audio information. The
electronic messages may be in the form of text messages and/or
messages including visual and/or audio information.
[0053] The cellular network 222 may in turn be interconnected to
the PSTN 224 and the Internet 226. A PSAP 212 may be interconnected
to the PSTN 224. The PSAP 212 is typically a local facility
responsible for answering 911 calls and forwarding related
information to emergency service providers 106. The PSAP 212 may
contain multiple call handler workstations such as call handler
workstation 202. The call handler workstation 202 may contain a
phone 204 for audio communications with the call handler 104 and a
terminal 206. The terminal 206 may be in the form of a computer
interface including, for example, a video display device, keyboard
and mouse. The PSAP 212 may be interconnected to the emergency
services provider 106 in a variety of ways. For example, the PSAP
212 may be directly connected to the emergency services provider
106 via a dedicated communication line or wireless communication
link. Alternatively or additionally, the PSAP 212 may be connected
to the emergency services provider 106 via the PSTN 224.
[0054] A typical prior art 911 call from a cell phone user will now
be described with reference to the aforementioned features of FIG.
2. The caller 102 dials 911 on his or her cell phone and presses
send to connect the call. The cell phone communicates with one or
more proximate cell towers 220 and interconnects with the cellular
network 222. The cellular network 222 in turn interconnects with
the PSTN 224 and the call is routed to a PSAP 212. Textual
information about the call may appear on the terminal 206 of a call
handler workstation 202 and an audio communication link between the
caller 102 and the call handler 104 may be established. The textual
information may include location data forwarded to the PSAP 212 by
the cellular network 222. The location data may, for example, be
based on cell tower 220 location and cell phone signal attributes
or on GPS information obtained from the cell phone, the cellular
services provider or some other source. The textual information may
include a phone number of the caller 102. The call handler 104 and
the caller 102, via the established audio communication link,
discuss the emergency situation and the call handler 104 determines
the appropriate emergency services provider 106 to respond to the
emergency situation. The call handler 104 may then communicate
details of the emergency situation to the emergency services
provider 106. The call handler 104 may maintain communication with
the caller 102 and the emergency services provider 106 as
needed.
[0055] Additional features of FIG. 2 that facilitate textual and
visual communication between the call handler 104 and the caller
102 will now be described. Currently, many cell phones and cellular
networks possess the ability to generate, send, and receive
electronic messages, such as electronic mail (e.g., e-mail),
through interconnection to the Internet 226. Many cell phones
possess the ability to capture visual information in the form of
digital images, including still images and digital video. The PSAP
212 may contain or be interconnected to an electronic message
processing module 228. The electronic message processing module 228
may facilitate the sending and receiving of electronic messages
between the PSAP 212 and the Internet 226 and therefore to any
other user or users connected to the Internet 226. This may be
accomplished through one or more network interfaces of the
electronic message processing module 228. In this regard,
electronic messages may be communicated between the PSAP 212 and
the caller 102.
[0056] The electronic message processing module 228 may include a
single electronic message processing unit capable of processing
incoming and outgoing electronic messages or the electronic message
processing module 228 may, as shown in FIG. 2, include an outgoing
electronic message processor 214 and an incoming electronic message
processor 216. The incoming electronic message processor 216 may be
linked to a database 208. The database 208 may contain information
pertaining to outgoing electronic messages (i.e., outgoing from the
PSAP 212) and telephone communications between various callers and
the PSAP 212. The database 208 may also contain other various sets
of information such as templates used in the generation of
electronic messages and information related to domain names used by
various cellular communication providers. The database 208 may be
located within or remote from the PSAP 212. The database 208 may be
an information storage unit such as, for example, a computer hard
drive. An administration module 210 may also be interconnected to
the database 208 and the PSAP 212. The administration module 210
may facilitate the maintenance and updating of various components
within the PSAP 212. As with the database 208, the administration
module 210 may be located within or remote from the PSAP 212. The
PSAP 212 may also be directly interconnected to the Internet 226.
Similarly, the electronic message processing module 228 may be
located within the PSAP 212. The electronic message processing
module 228 may be located within the call handler workstation
202.
[0057] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for handling
an emergency call and gathering visual information. The steps of
FIG. 3 will now be described in detail in conjunction with the
features illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0058] The first step 302 is the caller initiating an emergency
call. This may be in response to a perceived emergency such as a
medical emergency, a crime, an accident, or other situation
requiring the presence of an emergency services provider 106. The
initiation of the call may take the form of a caller 102 dialing
911 on his or her cell phone. This will initiate communication
between the cell phone and one or more local cell towers 220 which
will enable the caller 102 to communicate with the cellular network
222 of the caller's 102 cellular service provider. In the next step
304, the call may be routed through the cellular network 222 to the
PSTN 224 and to the PSAP 212. The routing of cellular calls to
appropriate PSAPs may be accomplished in a variety of ways known to
those skilled in the art.
[0059] In the next step 306, the call may be presented to the call
handler 104 at the PSAP 212. This may be in the form of a visual
display of data associated with the call displayed on the terminal
206 of the call handler workstation 202 and a telephonic connection
between the call handler 104 (via a phone 204) and the caller 102.
The visual display of data on the terminal 206 may include
information such as, for example, the telephone number of the
caller 102, the cellular service provider of the caller 102, and
approximate location of the caller 102, the name of the person or
entity associated with the cell phone, and the time and date of the
call. The visual display of data on the terminal 206 may be
received from an ANI/ALI database. Other information may also be
presented to the call handler 104 to assist the call handler 104 in
the handling of the call. This may include blank fields for
information to be determined by the call handler 104 during the
course of the call.
[0060] The next step 307 may be for the call handler 104 and caller
102 to discuss the emergency situation. The discussion may be
guided by emergency call protocols followed by the call handler
104. The discussion may include a determination by the call handler
104 that the caller 102 has the capability to send and receive
electronic messages and that additional information in the form of
a textual message or visual message from the caller 102 would be of
value. The value may be immediate in that the information contained
in the electronic message may, for example, aid in the response to
the emergency situation. The value may be less immediate in that,
for example, the information may serve as evidence for a later
criminal investigation or forensic evidence for an investigation
into the causes of the emergency situation.
[0061] Once it has been determined that an electronic message from
the caller 102 would be beneficial, the next step 308 may be for
the call handler 104 to initiate an image acquisition protocol.
This initiation may take any of a variety of forms, such as
entering a command using a keyboard or clicking on a button on the
display of the terminal 206 using a mouse. Once the image
acquisition protocol has been initiated, the call handler
workstation 202 or a computer system within the PSAP 212 may
generate a unique identifying component, which may be used to
identify an outgoing message from the call handler 104 to the
caller 102 and a possible future incoming message or messages from
the caller 102 to the PSAP 212. The unique identifying component
may be a unique string of alphanumeric characters. The unique
string may be generated based on the time of the request for the
unique string, the previously generated unique string (e.g., the
unique strings may be sequential), or on any other suitable
methodology. In an implementation, the unique string may be a
numeric string representing the date of the call along with a
sequential number where the sequential number is reset to 1 at the
beginning of each day. The unique identifying component may be
stored in a database 208 along with or in relation to information
that identifies a particular call between the caller 102 at the
call handler 104.
[0062] A pop-up window 400, such as that illustrated in FIG. 4, may
be displayed on the terminal 206 in response to the initiation of
the image acquisition protocol by the call handler 104. The pop-up
window 400 may present multiple electronic mail templates to the
call handler 104 in the form of a pull down list of electronic mail
templates accessed by activating the pull-down menu button 401
adjacent to the electronic mail template window 402 and selecting
an appropriate electronic mail template. For example, and as
illustrated in FIG. 4, an electronic mail template may be titled
"Request for Caller Location Picture." The electronic mail template
"request for caller location picture" 402 may be one of several
electronic mail templates available. Other electronic mail
templates may, for example, include templates to instruct the
caller 102 to provide images of: a location of an incident, a
particular item such as a suspicious package, suspected hazardous
material, a victim, a vehicle involved in an accident, and a
suspect. Through the administration module 210, electronic mail
templates may be added, removed or modified by administrative
personnel.
[0063] Once an electronic mail template has been selected by the
call handler 104 in step 310, pre-determined fields of the
electronic mail may be automatically populated. For example as
shown in the pop-up window 400 when the "request for caller
location picture" electronic mail template is selected, the system
may automatically populate the electronic mail with a subject 408
titled "caller location picture 1" and predetermined text in the
body 410 of the message. The predetermined text, as illustrated in
FIG. 4, may include instruction on how to reply to the electronic
mail. Not shown in FIG. 4, but nonetheless a part of the electronic
mail message, is the unique identifying component which may be
attached to the electronic mail message. For example, the unique
identifying component may be located within a message header that
is generally not displayed for a user. The header containing the
unique identifying component may be a custom header. In one
implementation, the outgoing email may include a custom header
named "Call-ID."
[0064] The next step 312 may be for the call handler 104 to acquire
a domain name for the caller 102. This step may include the call
handler 104 determining the service provider of the caller 102 and
selecting an appropriate domain name from a pull-down menu of
domain names 404 located in the pop-up window 400. For example, and
as illustrated in FIG. 4, the call handler 104 may determine that
the caller's 102 service provider is Service Provider X. The call
handler 104 may then select Service Provider X from the pull-down
menu of domain names 404. The system may then automatically
populate the "send to" field 406 with the domain name used by
Service Provider X, which may be "@mail.ServProX.com". The call
handler 104 may manually enter a domain name for the caller 102.
The call handler 104 may then determine a phone number from which
the caller 102 is calling and enter that information as the
specific address in the "send to" field 406. The call handler 104
may obtain the caller's 102 domain name and/or phone number from
the display of caller information presented to the call handler 104
on the terminal 206 of the call handler workstation 202. The call
handler 104 may obtain the caller's 102 domain name and/or phone
number by other methods such as, for example, asking the caller
102. Alternatively, the call handler workstation 202 may
automatically populate the "send to" field 406 with the caller's
102 phone number and domain name. This may then be verified by the
call handler 104 during the course of the call. Information
correlating particular service providers to particular domain names
used by users of that service may be present in the database 208.
The database 208 may be accessible by the call handler 104. The
database 208 may also be used to lookup domain names by the system
when the call handler workstation 202 automatically populates the
"send to" field 406. The database 208 may be updated through use of
the administration module 210.
[0065] The next step 314 may be for the call handler 104 to enter
any required custom instructions into the electronic mail message.
The custom instructions may be generated as a result of the
discussion between the call handler 104 and the caller 102. The
next step 316 may be for the call handler 104 to send the
electronic mail message to the caller 102. The call handler 104 may
perform this function by clicking on or activating a send button
412 in the pop-up window 400.
[0066] The electronic mail message may then be transferred from the
call handler workstation 202 to an outgoing electronic message
processor 214. The outgoing electronic message processor 214 may
send the electronic mail to the caller 102 over the Internet 226
and the caller's 102 cellular network 222. Accordingly, the next
step 318 may be for the caller 102 to receive the electronic mail
from the call handler 104. The outgoing electronic message
processor 214 may packetize the outgoing message for delivery over
the Internet 226 to the caller 102.
[0067] The caller 102 may generate a reply to the electronic
message from the call handler 104 in the next step 320. This may be
followed by the step 322 of the caller 102 attaching an image to
the reply message. The image may have been previously captured or
it may be captured after the caller 102 receives the electronic
message from the call handler 104. As previously stated, the image
may be a still image or a video image (e.g., a sequential series of
still images with or without accompanying audio). The next step 324
may be for the caller 102 to send the reply message to the PSAP
212. By generating the reply message as a response to the
electronic message from the call handler 104, the reply message may
contain the unique identifying component that was part of the
electronic message sent from the call handler 104 to the caller
102.
[0068] During typical operation, the incoming electronic message
processor 216 may periodically pull incoming electronic messages
(e.g., electronic mail messages) from a configured inbox by, for
example, using POP3 protocol. Other protocols, however, may be
used, such as the IMAP protocol. The inbox may be configured to
receive and reassemble packetized messages. The incoming electronic
message processor 216 may perform this function periodically at a
predeterminable interval. The incoming electronic message processor
216 may perform this function in response to a specific request
such as, for example, a request from the call handler 104 or a
supervisor. The incoming electronic message processor 216 may be
separate from the outgoing electronic message processor 214.
Alternatively, the incoming electronic message processor 216 and
the outgoing electronic message processor 214 may both be part of
an electronic message processing module 228. For example, the
functions described herein of the outgoing electronic message
processor 214 and incoming electronic message processor 216 may
both be performed by the same computer or electronic device.
[0069] Returning to the process illustrated in FIG. 3, the next
step 326 may be for the incoming electronic message processor 216
to pull the incoming electronic mail from the caller 102 from the
configured inbox. The next step 328 may be for the incoming
electronic message processor 216 to correlate the unique
identifying component contained within the reply electronic mail to
the call between the caller 102 in the call handler 104. This may
be followed by step 330 where the incoming electronic message
processor 216 sends the reply message from the caller 102 to the
call handler workstation 202 of the particular call handler 104 who
is handling the call for the caller 102. The entire reply message
may be sent to the call handler 104 or only the image contained
within the message may be sent to the call handler 104.
[0070] The next step 332 may be for the call handler workstation
202 to display the visual information sent by the caller 102 along
with information pertaining to the call between the caller 102 and
the call handler 104. The display may be automatic in that it
pops-up on the terminal 206 without any call handler 104 action.
Alternatively, an alert may appear somewhere on the display screen
of the call handler workstation 202 and/or an audible signal may be
produced to alert the call handler 104 that an image is available.
The call handler 104 may then activate a button or other feature to
view the visual information.
[0071] An example of a display including visual information
according to step 332 is illustrated in FIG. 5. Call display window
500 is an exemplary window that may display call information on the
terminal 206 of the call handler workstation 202. The call display
window 500 may include a listing section 508 where recent calls to
the PSAP 212 or to the particular call handler workstation 202
within the PSAP 212 may be displayed. This display, for example,
may be in the form of a list as illustrated in FIG. 5. The main
window 502 may display details of an in-process call between the
call handler 104 and the caller 102. The main window 502 may
display details of a particular call by selecting a call in the
listing section 508. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the main window 502
is displaying details of an in-process call between the call
handler 104 and the caller 102. As illustrated, such information
may include caller 102 name, a phone number, and location.
[0072] Other information may also be displayed. Some of the
information contained in the fields within the main window 502 may
be populated automatically by the call handler workstation 202 with
information derived from the original call. For example, known
methods of transferring information between a caller and a receiver
of that call such as caller ID and the aforementioned accessing of
the ANIALI database may be used to populate fields within the main
window 502. During the call between the call handler 104 and the
caller 102, the call handler 104 may also manually populate fields
within the main window 502 with information regarding the call as
it is discovered by the call handler 104. Such information may
include details about the situation that prompted the caller 102 to
call the call handler 104 (e.g., by dialing 911).
[0073] Returning to the process illustrated in FIG. 3 and step 332
in particular, the display of the visual information sent by the
caller 102 may take the form of a pop-up window 506 which may
appear on the terminal 206 of the call handler workstation 202. The
pop-up window 506 may appear or pop-up when the call to which the
pop-up window 506 has been correlated is displayed in the main
window 502. In this regard the visual information within the pop-up
window 506 and the textual information within the main window 502
are linked and are configured to appear together on the terminal
206 of the call handler workstation 202.
[0074] The sequence of events with respect to the sending and
receiving electronic messages between the caller 102 and the call
handler 104 may vary, for example, depending on PSAP 212 protocols
and capabilities and on equipment capabilities of the caller 102.
For example, the caller 102 may place an emergency call that is
routed to the PSAP 212 and during that call, receive and reply to
the electronic mail sent by the call handler 104. In such a
scenario, the pop-up window 506 may appear in front of the call
handler 104 while the call handler 104 is still a direct audio
communication with the caller 102. In another scenario, the caller
102 may disconnect from the call handler 104, then proceed to
receive and reply to the electronic message of the call handler
104, and then reconnect with the call handler 104. This
reconnection may be through the caller 102 initiating the call or
through the call handler 104 initiating the call. In yet another
scenario, the caller 102 may disconnect from the call handler 104,
then proceed to receive and reply to the electronic mail message
without ever reestablishing an audio connection with the call
handler 104. As can be readily appreciated, other scenarios or
sequences of audio communication and information transfer between
the caller 102 any call handler 104 may take place.
[0075] Returning to the process illustrated in FIG. 3, in the next
step 334, the call handler 104 may discuss the image within a
pop-up window 506 with the caller 102. This discussion may, for
example, relate to details of the image, the current situation of
the caller 102, or any other topic regarding the situation that
prompted the original call from the caller 102.
[0076] The next step 336 may be for the call handler 104 to forward
the image (or images) to one or more in emergency services
providers 106. Such a transfer of visual information between the
call handler 104 located within the PSAP 212 and the emergency
services provider 106 may be accomplished in a variety of ways. For
example, the transfer of information may include transferring
information over the Internet 226. Alternatively, the visual
information may be transferred from the PSAP 212 to the emergency
services provider 106 over the PSTN 224 (e.g., via facsimile
transmission). The visual information may be transferred between
the PSAP 212 and the emergency services provider 106 via a direct
link such as a direct wireless link or a hardwired link between the
emergency services provider 106 and the PSAP 212 (e.g., local area
network or wireless network connection). Other methods known to
those skilled in the art may also be used to transfer the visual
information (e.g., hand deliver a print out of the visual
information to the emergency services provider 106 in instances
where the physical location of the PSAP 212 is close enough to the
emergency services provider 106 to make such a delivery method
reasonable).
[0077] The audio communication link between the caller 102, the
call handler 104 and the emergency services provider 106 may
continue to be active. In such a scenario, the emergency services
provider 106 may request additional information of the caller 102,
and the caller 102 may provide additional information in the form
of additional verbal information or additional visual information.
The various communication links may, for example, remain in place
until (and after) the emergency services provider personnel arrive
at the location of the caller 102.
[0078] After communication between the caller 102 and the call
handler 104 has ended, information regarding that communication may
be archived in step 338. The archived information may include
details regarding the call, call handler 104 notes on the call, the
original electronic mail message or electronic mail messages sent
from the call handler 104 to the caller 102, and any replies,
including any visual information, sent from the caller 102 to the
PSAP 212. The archived information may be in the form of a CAD
incident record. This archived information may be used later for
various purposes including, for example, PSAP 212 performance
review, law enforcement investigations, and general emergency
situation forensic investigations. The information may be archived
in the database 208.
[0079] FIG. 6 illustrates, in flowchart form, a method of
communicating with a caller. The first step 602 in the method is to
receive a call from a caller. The call may be received over the
PSTN, over the Internet (e.g., VOIP), over any other type of
network, or over a combination thereof. The call may be emergency
related. The next step 604 may be to determine if visual
information is available and would be valuable to aid in the
communication with the caller and/or the provision of emergency
services.
[0080] The next step 606 may be to assign a unique identifying
component to a first message to be sent to the caller. The first
message may be an electronic mail message. The unique identifying
component may be an alphanumeric sequence. The first message may be
generated, in part, by selecting a message template from a
plurality of message templates. The next step 608 may be to include
the unique identifying component in the first message to the
caller. The unique identifying component may be located within a
header of the first message.
[0081] The next step 610 may be to send the first message to the
caller. The first message may be sent to the caller over a computer
network. The computer network may be the Internet. The first
message may include instruction for replying to the first message.
The instruction may direct the caller to attach visual information
to a second reply message. A domain name used in addressing the
first message may be determined based on the service provider of
the caller. This determination may include interrogating a database
where domain names are cross-referenced to service providers.
[0082] The next step 612 may be to receive a second message in
response to the first message. The second message may include
visual information. The second message may include the unique
identifying component that was included in the first message. The
unique identifying component may be located in a header of the
second message. The second message may be generated by the caller
attaching visual information to the second message. The visual
information may be in the form of a digital image or digital video.
The next step 614 may be to correlate the second message to the
received call. The correlation may at least partially be based on
the unique identifying component. The correlation step may include
populating data fields within the database 208 with information
regarding the correlation process. In an implementation, the
populated fields include fields for the date and time the second
message is received along with information on when and how the
second message was correlated or matched to a call. The method may
further include displaying the visual information along with
information regarding the call. The method may further include
forwarding information regarding the call and/or the visual
information. This forwarding may be to an emergency services
provider.
[0083] FIG. 7 illustrates, in flowchart form, a method of
correlating visual information to a call. The first step 702 in a
method may be to receive a call from a caller. The call may be
emergency related. The following step 704 may be to send an
electronic mail message to the caller, where the electronic mail
message includes a unique identifying component. This may be
followed by the step 706 of receiving a reply message from the
caller that includes the unique identifying component. The next
step 708 may be to correlate the reply message to the call, where
the correlation is at least partially based on the unique
identifying component. The visual information and information about
the call may be displayed. The information regarding the call and
the visual information may be forwarded to an emergency services
provider. The electronic mail message may be generated by selecting
a message template from a plurality of message templates.
[0084] When the aforementioned incoming electronic message
processor 216 receives an electronic message and is unable to
correlate that electronic message to a particular call, the
uncorrelated electronic message may be forwarded to or stored in a
unique location. This information may then be manually reviewed
(e.g., by PSAP 212 personnel) to determine if the information
(e.g., visual information attached to the message) contained within
the message is pertinent to a current call, a recent call, or other
emergency or significant event.
[0085] It will be appreciated that, although FIG. 2 illustrates a
single call handler workstation 202 within the PSAP 212, typically
a PSAP 212 will contain multiple call handler workstations 202
which may be manned by multiple call handlers 104 and that the
systems described herein may be operable to forward the relevant
electronic messages from the caller 102 to the particular call
handler 104 in the P SAP 212 that is handling that particular call.
It should also be appreciated that although a single database 208
is illustrated in FIG. 2, each database function described herein
may be handled by a separate database. This database (or databases)
may be accessed directly as illustrated in FIG. 2 or may be
accessed through a connection through other means, such as through
the Internet 226 or over the PSTN 224. The databases accessed by
the call handler workstation 202 may include ALI and WALI (wireless
automatic location information) databases.
[0086] Due to the popularity of cell phones and other portable
communication devices that possess the ability to capture and
transfer visual images, the above descriptions have generally
focused on communications between a caller 102 using a cell phone
and a PSAP 212. However, the described apparatuses, systems and
methods may also be used by callers using different types of
equipment. For example, a caller who does not possess a camera
phone may still be able to capture digital images and transfer them
to the PSAP 212 if they, for example, have a digital camera, the
means to download images to a computer, and Internet access from
the computer. In such a circumstance, the call handler 104 may
direct the outgoing electronic message to an electronic mail
address of the user that the user may be able to receive at the
computer.
[0087] Additionally, the apparatuses systems and methods described
herein may be used to deliver non-visual information from the
caller 102 to the call handler 104. For example, if the caller 102
perceives an emergency situation as a result of receiving a
threatening electronic mail message, the apparatuses, systems and
methods described herein may be used to forward the threatening
electronic mail message to the call handler 104 and emergency
services providers 106. In another example, the caller 102 may have
made an audio recording relating to an emergency situation, such as
a verbal threat or comment about criminal activity. The audio
recording may have been made on the caller's 102 cell phone. In
such a situation, the apparatuses, systems and methods described
herein may be used to send the audio file to the call handler 104
and emergency services providers 106.
[0088] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an incident linked multimedia
system 800 (labeled "ILMS 800" in FIG. 8) operable to process
communications received over a computer network. The received
communications may or may not contain a unique identifying
component. Such communications may be emergency related, but are
not necessarily made in response to a request from a call handler.
For example, an emergency situation, such as an automobile
accident, may be witnessed by a cell phone user who captures an
image of the accident scene with his or her cell phone and
immediately sends it to an address set up to receive emergency
messages. As will be appreciated, such an address set up to receive
emergency messages may receive a significant amount of messages
during any particular time period; both emergency and nonemergency
related. Accordingly, the incident linked multimedia system 800 may
be operable to receive messages, pass messages containing a unique
identifying component to a call handler, assign a priority score to
received messages that do not contain a unique identifying
component, triage the received messages that do not contain a
unique identifying component, and forward the prioritized and
triaged messages that do not contain a unique identifying component
to personnel designated to review such messages. The personnel
designated to review such messages may include individuals who are
specifically charged with reviewing prioritized and triaged
messages. The personnel designated to review such messages may, for
example, include dispatchers, operators, call handlers, or any
combination thereof.
[0089] The incident linked multimedia system 800 may include a
portable communications module 801. The portable communications
module 801 may be operable to send and receive communications over
a computer network, such as the Internet 226. The portable
communications module 801 may provide a Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol (SMTP) service that is capable of filtering inbound
message traffic. The filtered messages may be forwarded to a
message priority engine 802, described below. As noted above, a
mail address set up to receive emergency related communications may
also receive a significant volume of nonemergency related
communications. Accordingly, the portable communications module 801
may be configured to filter incoming traffic based on specific
criteria.
[0090] For example, the portable communications module 801 may be a
secure gateway that may restrict inbound traffic to that received
from authorized cell phone company servers and other authorized
sources. Outbound traffic may also be similarly restricted. In this
regard, the portable communications module 801 may filter out
communications not originating from cell phone users. The other
authorized sources may, for example, include communications
addressed to specific unpublished email addresses. For example,
emergency messages incorrectly sent to other government entities
may be forwarded to a specific unpublished email address. The
portable communications module 801 may process such messages
similarly to messages received from the authorized cell phone
company servers.
[0091] The portable communications module 801 may be capable of
secure communications (e.g., may employ encryption techniques).
Furthermore, the portable communications module 801 may perform
self-testing to ensure availability. Such testing may be performed
continuously. The portable communications module 801 may be
designed to be the fault tolerant and feature redundant components
to further ensure availability. Typically, the portable
communications module 801 will not store any messages. However, the
portable communications module 801 may store messages under certain
circumstances, such as, for example, when messages are
undeliverable.
[0092] The portable communications module 801 may be configured
such that messages sent to an emergency mail address are not mixed
with regular local government messages. For example, an emergency
related domain address could be created such as report911.com (this
address is used herein for exemplary purposes only). Messages sent
to this domain could be forwarded to appropriate emergency centers.
For example, messages sent to Boston@report911.com could be
forwarded to a Boston area emergency center whereas messages sent
to Philadelphia@report911.com could be forwarded to a Philadelphia
area emergency center.
[0093] The portable communications module 801 may be a managed
service remotely located relative to a PSAP (e.g., PSAP 212 of FIG.
2). Furthermore, a single portable communications module 801 may
serve a plurality of incident linked multimedia systems 800 located
at various locations. For example, a single portable communications
module 801 may handle emergency related Internet-based
communications for several PSAPs.
[0094] The aforementioned emergency related messages may be
forwarded from the portable communications module 801 to the
message priority engine 802 associated with the appropriate PSAP.
The message priority engine 802 may first determine if an incoming
message contains a unique identifying component. If the message
does contain a unique identifying component, it may be forwarded
directly to an integration module 807, which may present the
message to the call handler 104 handling the communications related
to the unique identifying component.
[0095] For messages that do not contain a unique identifying
component, the message priority engine 802 may be operable to
assign a priority score to each message. The priority score may
represent a determination of the potential relevance of the
particular message. The priority score may be at least partially
based on attributes of the message and/or attributes of the source
of the message.
[0096] A priority score assigned by the message priority engine 802
may be related to the cell phone number from which the message
originated. For example, a message may be received from a cell
phone number recognized to be that of an emergency services
provider or other emergency related person or entity. Accordingly,
a database 803 may be maintained that contains a list of emergency
personnel cell phone numbers. The database 803 may be a part of the
incident linked multimedia system 800, as shown in FIG. 8, or it
may be external to the incident linked multimedia system 800.
[0097] When the message priority engine 802 receives a message from
the portable communications module 801, the message priority engine
802 may compare the source of the message to known cell phone
numbers contained within the database 803 to determine the priority
score for that message. Other cell phone numbers may be present
within the database 803 and may be used to assign priority scores.
For example, the cell phone numbers of private parties known to
provide emergency information may be stored within the database
803. Such private parties may, for example, include private
security personnel and private parties known to be participating in
neighborhood watch programs.
[0098] The status of a particular cell phone number as belonging to
an emergency related person or entity may be stored in an external
database 804. The external database 804 may, for example, be a
database maintained by the PSAP. The external database 804 may, for
example, be a database maintained by a telephone service provider
or other entity. For example, telephone service providers typically
maintain ANIALI databases. These databases may contain
identification and location numbers for the subscribers to the
telephone service provider. Special codes may be added to these
databases to identify particular cell phone numbers as those
related to emergency personnel or entities. Accordingly, the
message priority engine 802 may query such databases to determine
if a received message is from an emergency related source. Such a
query may be accomplished through the integration module 807. It
will be appreciated that the message priority engine 802 may query
(e.g., through the integration module 807) the local database 803
and/or a remote database 804 (e.g., ANIALI) to determine if a
particular call is from an emergency related source.
[0099] The database 803 may also contain a list of cell phone
numbers that have been involved with previous emergency events. For
example, a specific cell phone number may be known to have provided
valuable information during past emergency incidents. Accordingly,
the message priority engine 802 may assign a priority score at
least partially based on this positive history. Similarly, specific
cell phone numbers that have in the past provided false or
nonuseful information may also be stored in the database 803 and
the message priority engine 802 may assign a priority score at
least partially based on this negative history. Other cell phone
numbers that have been involved with previous emergency events may
also be stored in the database 803. These may include cell phone
numbers that exist in the log of outbound calls and/or messages
made by an emergency call center.
[0100] The database 803 may be updated frequently (e.g.,
continuously) with information related to the currently active
emergency calls being handled by the PSAP. This may include active
call caller ID information, queued calls, and any cell phone
numbers referenced by a call handler. Cell phone numbers may be
referenced by a call handler, for example, where a cell phone
number of a third-party has been collected by emergency responders
during an incident in progress and/or where a caller mentions a
cell phone number during the call. Accordingly, the message
priority engine 802 may assign a priority score at least partially
based on the relationship between the message source and any
currently active calls.
[0101] The priority score determined by the message priority engine
802 may also be based on attributes of the source of the message.
For example, the message priority engine 802 may query a database
such as external database 804 that contains current positions of
cell phone users. A cell phone carrier may maintain such a
database. Alternatively once queried, the cell phone carrier may
determine the position of a particular cell phone. The cell phone
carrier may determine the approximate position of a cell phone user
by which tower the cell phone user is using to access the cell
phone system. The cell phone carrier may be able to obtain a more
accurate location by triangulating the cell phone signal between
multiple towers. Moreover, cell phones with GPS capabilities may be
operable to provide accurate location information. The message
priority engine 802 may also query a database that contains the
billing addresses of cell phone users. Consequently, the message
priority engine 802 may be able to determine the approximate
position from which a received message originated or may have
originated. The current position and cell phone billing address
databases may be accessed through a direct connection or through
the Internet 226.
[0102] The database 803 may also contain information regarding the
location of currently active events being handled by the PSAP.
Accordingly, the message priority engine 802 may be capable of
querying the database 803 to determine if the location of the
source of a received message is proximate to any active
communications and assign an appropriate priority score based on
such proximity.
[0103] A particular user (e.g., a PSAP) may customize the priority
score determined by the message priority engine 802 based on
factors such as those described above. For example, a particular
local government may wish to assign a higher priority score to
certain local government employees. Other factors, such as the
total time a particular message has been residing in the queue, may
also contribute to the priority score assigned to a particular
message. The message priority engine 802 may also maintain a
listing of all of the current messages that have not been responded
to and their corresponding priority score.
[0104] After the message priority engine 802 has determined a
priority score for a particular message, that message, along with
its priority score, may be forwarded to a triage interface 806. The
triage interface 806 may allow a call handler 104 or other triage
interface 806 operator to process inbound messages that have had a
priority score determination. For example, a triage interface 806
operator may view a list of incoming messages along with their
priority scores and select the message with the highest priority
score for processing. For example, the triage interface may display
for the triage interface operator, the message with the highest
current priority (e.g., the message with the highest priority
score) so that the triage interface operator may process the
message.
[0105] Once a message is selected or the highest priority message
is presented to the triage interface operator, the triage interface
operator may use the triage interface 806 to process the message.
Several processing options may be available. The selected message
may be associated with an existing active call. Once associated,
the message may be forwarded to the integration module 807 and the
call handler handling the existing active call. As noted, the
triage interface operator may be a call handler and accordingly,
the triage interface operator may select a message from the triage
interface and handle the call himself or herself as the call
handler.
[0106] The selected message may be associated with an existing
closed call. The message may then be reviewed during a post-call
investigation or review. The triage interface operator may change
the priority level of the selected message. For example, the
priority level may be lowered and other higher priority messages
may be processed. The triage interface operator may view an
explanation of the priority score prior to further processing. The
triage interface operator may annotate or add information to the
message prior to further processing.
[0107] The triage interface operator may respond to the message.
The response may be to the sender of the original message, or it
may be to another interested party, such as, for example, an
individual or location (e.g., a business) described in the original
message, or to an individual or location that could use or benefit
from the information contained in the original message. Such a
response may then be transferred to the portable communications
module 801, which in turn may send the response message via the
Internet 226.
[0108] The triage interface operator may open a new call based on
the message and pass the message to the communications system 808
via the integration module 807. The new call may be to the sender
of the original message, or it may be to another interested party.
The communications system 808 may be CAD system, an RMS, or any
other type of call handling system. The communications system 808
may handle emergency and/or non-emergency related calls.
[0109] The triage interface operator may forward the message to
other types of personnel. For example, the triage operator may
forward the message directly to an emergency services provider for
an immediate response. For example, the triage interface operator
may forward the message to law enforcement authorities for further
investigation. Indeed, the triage interface operator may forward
the message to any appropriate recipient for any appropriate
reason, such as response, investigation, recordation of evidence,
and statistics gathering.
[0110] The triage interface 806 may support multiple simultaneous
users. In this regard, multiple triage interface operators may be
simultaneously processing the same priority queue. The triage
interface 806 may be accessed by call handlers or other designated
personnel at their call handler workstations (e.g., a call handler
workstation located within the communications system 808) or other
designated workstations. This integration of the triage interface
806 into the call handler workstations or other designated
workstations may be accomplished by the integration module 807.
[0111] The integration module 807 may be operable to integrate the
above noted incident linked multimedia system 800 features into an
existing communications system 808, thereby enabling call handlers
and other call center personnel to access the incident linked
multimedia system 800 features. The integration module 807 may
reside outside of the communications system 808 to which it is
linked. In this regard, the integration module 807 may be
accessible through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) at a call
handler workstation 202 or other designated workstation. Such an
arrangement may allow a call handler 104 or other designated
personnel to access the functionality of the incident linked
multimedia system 800 through the integration module 807. Such an
arrangement enables the incident linked multimedia system 800 to
provide valuable information to call handlers, other designated
personnel, responders and callers while minimizing overhead to the
communications system 808. Accordingly, the integration module 807
may include program interfaces able to communicate with and be
integrated into existing communications 808. The integration module
807 may utilize standards-based XML Web Services to enhance
compatibility. In this regard, the integration module 807 may be
remotely located from the communications system 808 and communicate
with the communications system 808 over an Internet connection. The
integration module 807 may include web hosting capabilities and an
authentication module to authenticate communications between the
integration module 807 and the various communications systems 808
that may be serviced by the incident linked multimedia system
800.
[0112] The integration module 807 may also generate outgoing
messages to callers that contain unique identifying components as
described herein. For example, the call handler 104 may determine
that visual information supplied by a caller 102 may be beneficial.
Using a GUI at the call handler workstation 202, the call handler
104 may generate an outgoing message containing a unique
identifying component. Once generated the message may be
transferred to the portable communications module 801 and sent to
the caller 102 via the Internet 226. In general, the integration
module 807 may serve as an interface between existing
communications systems 808 and the message handling and
communication systems discussed herein.
[0113] The integration module 807 may also generate outgoing
messages to callers that contain other types of information. For
example, the call handler 104 may send a message to the caller 102
that includes instructions and/or information. The instructions
and/or information may, for example, contain text, images, video,
audio, forms, URLs, or any combination thereof.
[0114] A reporting interface 809 may also be included in the
incident linked multimedia system 800. The reporting interface may
provide a means to assess the performance of the incident linked
multimedia system 800 and its various individual modules and
components. This performance assessment may be performed without
revealing any confidential information contained within specific
communications.
[0115] For example, the reporting interface 809 may be operable to
report performance statistics related to message delivery times,
dropped messages, noncompliant messages, message traffic volume,
and message sizes. Such statistics may be sortable in a variety of
ways such as by cell phone carrier or by time or date received. The
reporting interface 809 may also be operable to generate real-time
information regarding the queue of inbound and outbound messages,
including routing path, source and target mail servers, and
messages awaiting delivery to the message priority engine 802. The
reporting interface 809 may also be operable to report on the
status and performance of the message priority engine 802. For
example, priority score determination processing times may be
reported. Also, statistics related to priority score determination,
such as the frequency that various criteria are present in a
message and used to determine a priority score, may be reported.
Furthermore detailed explanations for each determined priority
score may be available for review through the reporting interface
809. The reporting interface 809 may also maintain an exceptions
list and a log of manual message processing such as message
reprioritization.
[0116] The reporting interface 809 may also contain information
relating to the configuration of the incident linked multimedia
system 800. Such information may include current message
prioritization parameters, message handling parameters, and
communications system 808 access settings.
[0117] The reporting interface 809 may also include administrative
capabilities or system administration functions may be performed
through a separate administration module (not shown) situated
similarly to the reporting interface 809. For example, the
reporting interface 809 or administration module may allow a user
to alter the configuration of the incident linked multimedia system
800. For example, current message prioritization parameters,
message handling parameters, and communications system 808 access
settings may be changeable through the reporting interface 809 or
administration module.
[0118] As noted, the incident linked multimedia system 800 may be
capable of querying an ANIALI database to determine a potential
location of a caller. Similarly, the incident linked multimedia
system 800 may be capable of querying a database (e.g., an ANIALI
database) to determine all cellular phones that may have been in
the area of an incident during a particular time period. For
example, if an emergency situation is occurring at a particular
location, the incident linked multimedia system 800 may be operable
to interrogate an ANIALI database and determine cellular phones in
the incident area. Once a listing of cellular phones in the area of
an incident during a particular time period is obtained, each
cellular phone may be assigned a priority score in a manner similar
to as described hereinabove. The listing may then be triaged and
messages may be sent to, or call handlers or other designated
personnel may call, those cellular phones that, based on their
priority scores, are most likely to be able to provide valuable
information regarding the incident.
[0119] FIG. 9 is an exemplary embodiment of the incident linked
multimedia system 800 integrated into a known communications system
similar to that of FIG. 2. The incident linked multimedia system
800 provides communication services, such as Internet-based
communications including text, images, and video, to call handlers
104 or other designated personnel working at call handler
workstations 202 or other designated workstations within PSAPs 212.
The incident linked multimedia system 800 may also be operable to
communicate with external databases 804 such as ANIALI
databases.
[0120] The incident linked multimedia system 800 may integrate any
of the call handling features and capabilities discussed herein
with existing call handling systems (e.g., existing PSTN 224 based
PSAPs 212) including those discussed with reference to FIGS. 1
through 7. As a system separate from the PSAP 212, the incident
linked multimedia system 800 may be scaled and configured
independent of the PSAP 212 systems. Furthermore, a portion of the
incident linked multimedia system 800 may interact with multiple
PSAPs, leading to homogenization and economies of scale. FIG. 9
illustrates the incident linked multimedia system 800 as a
stand-alone program (e.g., middleware) that interfaces with the
external database 804, the Internet 226, and the software running
at the PSAP 212. In another embodiment, the incident linked
multimedia system 800 may be fully integrated with software running
at the PSAP 212. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method of processing a
message for display at a call handler workstation 202. The first
step 1001 in the method may be to receive a message over a computer
network. The message may be emergency related. The computer network
may be the Internet 226. It may then be determined if the message
is from an approved source. This may be accomplished, for example,
by verifying that the domain from which the message was sent is an
approved domain (e.g., white listed). For example, if the message
originated from a cellular phone user associated with a particular
cellular phone company, the source of the message may be the user's
cellular phone number followed by the @ symbol, followed by the
cellular phone carrier's domain, followed by .com. If the message
is from an approved source, the next step 1002 may be to verify the
message as such. The following step 1003 may be to assign a
priority score to the message. The message priority engine 802 may
perform the assignment of the priority score. The priority score
may be related to a potential level of emergency associated with
the message. After a priority score has been assigned to the
message, the message may be forwarded in the following step 1004 to
a call handler workstation 202 based on the priority score. The
next step 1005 may be display the message at the call handler
workstation 202 on the terminal 206. The display of the message may
be immediate or an indicator may be displayed at the call handler
workstation 202 and the message may be displayed once a call
handler 104 initiates the display of the message (e.g., by
selecting the message on the call handler workstation 202 terminal
206). The call handler 104 may then respond to the message in an
appropriate manner (e.g., through contact with the message sender
or alerting an emergency services provider 106). Although the
method of FIG. 10 has been described as forwarding a message to a
call handler 104 at a call handler workstation 202, in embodiments
where incoming messages are handled by operators, dispatchers or
other personnel aside from call handlers 104, the message may be
forwarded to that individual at that individual's workstation.
[0121] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method of performing triage on a
plurality of received messages. The first step 1001 of the method
may be to receive a plurality of messages over a computer network
(e.g., the Internet 226). The next step 1102 illustrated in the
flowchart is to assign an emergency related priority score to each
of the received messages. The emergency related priority score may
be based on, among other things, the source of the message, and/or
the origination location of the message. In the next step 1103, the
messages that have been assigned an emergency related priority
score may be ordered based on those scores. Accordingly, the
plurality of messages ordered in terms of emergency related
priority score may then be reviewed and responded to based on their
priority scores. The messages may, for example, have come from one
or more of: a phone number of an emergency responder; a phone
number of a known emergency information provider; a phone number
related to previously received calls; a phone number related to a
call previously placed; and a phone number related to a currently
active emergency situation.
[0122] It will be appreciated that the apparatuses, systems and
methods described herein have many uses outside the context of
emergency situations and may be used by non-emergency call handling
systems. For example, information services that may be enhanced
through visual communication, such as services providing driving
directions, may also utilize various aspects of the embodiments
described herein.
[0123] While the invention has been illustrated and described in
the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and
description is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in
character. Embodiments of the invention and minor variants thereof
have been shown and described. Those skilled in the art will
appreciate variations of the above-described embodiments that fall
within the scope of the invention. Protection is desired for all
changes and modifications that come within the scope and spirit of
the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the
specific examples and illustrations discussed above.
* * * * *