Wireless communications system and method with improved safety feature for preventing calls to mobile unit when traveling

• US 20020168981A1
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Meda, Rajasekhar
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/441
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A wireless communications system includes at least one base station for communicating with a mobile unit. A mobile switching center is responsive to the base station and operative for switching calls with a calling party and a mobile unit via the base station. One of at least a mobile switching center or base station includes a processor that is operative for determining the speed of the mobile unit. In response to a call from a calling party to the mobile unit, when the calculated speed is above a threshold, the call is switched to a voice message indicating that a mobile unit operator is traveling and not receiving any calls.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system comprising:

at least one base station in communication with a mobile unit; and

a mobile switching center responsive to the base station and operative for switching calls with a calling party and the mobile unit via the base station, wherein one of at least said mobile switching center or base station includes a processor that is operative for determining the speed of the mobile unit, and responsive to a call from a calling party to the mobile unit, when the calculated speed is above a threshold, switching the call to a voice message indicating that a mobile unit operator is traveling and not receiving any calls.

2. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein said call is switched to the voice message only when a service for switching the call to such voice message is selected by a mobile unit operator.

3. A wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein said mobile unit operator selects a service for switching the call to a voice message based upon keypad activation within a handset of the mobile unit.

4. A wireless communications system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile switching center and base station are operative to forward a call from a calling party to the mobile unit after a predetermined number of calls and after initially playing the voice message indicating that a mobile unit operator is traveling and not receiving any calls.

5. A wireless communications system according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined number of calls is one call.

6. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein one of at least said mobile switching center or base station is operative for recording a voice message from a mobile unit operator in the voice of the mobile unit operator.

7. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein said processor in one of at least said mobile switching center or base station is operative for calculating the speed of a mobile unit by measuring the rate of change of the timing advance.

8. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein said processor in one of at least said mobile switching center or base station is operative for calculating the speed of a mobile unit by calculating handover measurements between a plurality of base stations.

9. A wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein said processor in one of at least said mobile switching center or base station is operative for calculating the speed of a mobile unit by measuring Time Difference of Arrival.

10. A wireless communications system according to claim 1, wherein said processor in of at least said mobile switching center or base station is operative for calculating the speed of a mobile unit by calculating Doppler frequency.

11. A wireless communications system according to claim 1, and further comprising a location register operatively connected to the mobile switching center for maintaining a record of when any calls be switched to the voice recording.

13. A wireless communications system according to claim 12, and further comprising a location register for maintaining a record of when any calls be switched into the voice unit.

14. A wireless communications system according to claim 12, wherein said mobile switching center and base station are operative to forward a call from a calling party to the mobile unit after a predetermined number of calls and after initially playing the voice message indicating that an operator of the mobile unit is traveling and not receiving any calls.

15. A wireless communications system according to claim 14, wherein said predetermined number of calls is one call.

16. A wireless communication system according to claim 12, wherein said voice unit is operative for recording a voice message from a mobile unit operator in the voice of the mobile unit operator.

17. A wireless communication system according to claim 12, wherein said processor is operative for calculating the speed of a mobile unit by measuring the rate of change of the timing advance.

18. A wireless communication system according to claim 12, wherein said processor is operative for calculating the speed of a mobile unit by calculating handover measurements between a plurality of base stations.

19. A wireless communication system according to claim 12, wherein said processor is operative for calculating the speed of a mobile unit by measuring Time Difference of Arrival.

20. A wireless communications system according to claim 12, wherein said processor is operative for calculating the speed of a mobile unit by calculating Doppler frequency.

21. A wireless communications system according to claim 12, wherein said call is switched to the voice message only when a service for switching the call to the voice message is selected by a mobile unit operator.

22. A wireless communication system according to claim 21, wherein said mobile unit operator selects such service based upon keypad activation within a handset of the mobile unit.

24. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of switching the call to the voice message only after the mobile unit operator selects a service for switching the call to the voice message.

25. A method according to claim 24, and further comprising the step of maintaining a record within a location register of whether a mobile unit operator has selected a service for playing the voice message.

26. A method according to claim 24, and further comprising the step of selecting the service by keypad actuation.

27. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of forwarding a call from a calling party to the mobile unit after a predetermined number of calls after the voice message is initially played.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the predetermined number of calls in one call.

29. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of recording the voice message using the voice of the mobile unit operator.

30. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of calculating the speed of the mobile unit by measuring the rate of change of the timing advance.

31. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of calculating the speed of the mobile unit by measuring handovers between a plurality of base stations.

32. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of calculating the speed of the mobile unit by measuring Time Difference of Arrival.

33. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of calculating the speed of the mobile unit by measuring Doppler frequency shifts.

34. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of recording the voice message within a recording database of a voice unit.

12. A wireless communications system comprising:

at least one base station in communication with a mobile unit; and

a mobile switching center responsive to the base station and operative for switching calls with a calling party and the mobile unit via the base station, wherein said mobile switching center further comprises

a processor that is operative for determining the speed of the mobile unit;

a voice unit having a database of recordings containing at least one voice message indicating that the operator of the mobile unit is traveling and not receiving any calls;

wherein when the calculated speed is above a threshold, said mobile switching center is responsive to a call from a calling party to the mobile unit and switching said call into the voice unit and playing the voice message indicating that a mobile unit operator is traveling and not receiving any calls.

23. A method or preventing calls to a mobile unit when traveling for safety comprising the steps of:

determining the speed of a mobile unit; and

when the calculated speed is above a threshold, switching a call from a calling party and to a voice recording indicating that the mobile unit operator is traveling and not receiving any calls.