Unified paging

• US 20030038708A1
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lund, Arnold M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,987,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/7.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/023 with message or information receiving capability

Abstract

According to the invention, a method for paging from a pagor to a pager is disclosed. In one step, a page is sent wirelessly to the pager and received from the pagor. After determining that the pagee has not responded to the page for a predetermined time period, the page is converted to a message and a message-waiting indicator is activated.

Claims

1. A method for paging from a pagor to a pager, where the pager is associated with a pagee, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a page from the pagor;

sending the page wirelessly to the pager;

determining the pagee has not responded to the page for a predetermined time period;

converting the page to a message; and

activating a message-waiting indicator after there is no response for the predetermined time period.

2. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 1, wherein the message is stored remote to the pager.

3. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 1, wherein the converting step comprises a step of converting the page to the message with a unified messaging system that stores messages associated with devices other than pagers.

4. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of activating the message-waiting indicator after a predetermined criterion is satisfied.

5. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of receiving a selection from the pagor of at least one of a plurality of predetermined messages to associate with the page.

6. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of storing information relating to a communication mode for the pagor that the pagee can use when returning the page.

7. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of storing information relating to a plurality of communication modes for the pagor that the pagee can use when returning the page.

8. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 1, wherein the message-waiting indicator is remote to the pager.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 1.

10. A method for paging from a pagor to a pager, where the pager is associated with a pagee, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a page from the pagor at a first location;

sending the page wirelessly to the pager at a second location;

waiting a predetermined time period has expired without the pagee responding to the page;

converting the page to a message away from the second location; and

activating a message-waiting indicator after the waiting step.

11. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 10, wherein the converting step comprises a step of converting the page to the message with a unified messaging system that stores messages associated with devices other than pagers.

12. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of activating the message-waiting indicator after a predetermined criterion is satisfied.

13. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of receiving a selection from the pagor of at least one of a plurality of predetermined messages to associate with the page.

14. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of storing information relating to a communication mode for the pagor that the pagee can use when returning the page.

15. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of storing information relating to a plurality of communication modes for the pagor that the pagee can use when returning the page.

16. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 10, wherein the message-waiting indicator is remote to the pager.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 10.

19. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 17, further comprising steps of:

receiving a call from the pagee at the unified messaging system;

retrieving the information relating to the communication mode for the pagor; and

automatically connecting the pagee to the pagor using the communication mode.

20. The method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 17, wherein the message-waiting indicator is remote to the pager.

21. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-implementable method for paging from the pagor to the pager as recited in claim 17.

18. A method for paging from a pagor to a pager, where the pager is associated with a pagee, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a page from the pagor at a first location;

receiving a selection from the pagor of at least one of a plurality of predetermined messages to associate with the page;

storing information relating to a communication mode for the pagor that the pagee can use when returning the page;

sending the page wirelessly to the pager at a second location;

waiting a predetermined time period has expired without the pagee responding to the page;

converting the page to a message away from the second location with a unified messaging system that stores messages associated with devices other than pagers;

determining a predetermined criterion is satisfied; and

activating a message-waiting indicator after the waiting and determining steps.