Call handling device

• US 20030162544A1
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Red-M Limited (Simoco Wireless Solutions Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Red-M Limited (Simoco Wireless Solutions Ltd.)
• Inventors: Austin, Paul, Franks, Roland
• Application Number:
  US10/311,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20030162544A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/788 Autonomous allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 : Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 : Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a call handling device for connecting a wireless communications device to a communications network and allows call control features to be implemented. This is achieved by transferring control information indicative the call control features available to the user via a wireless connection. The call control features selected by a user are then implemented by the call handling device, making the call control features available to the user. The present invention also allows control information to be sent to alternative communications devices. This is useful for example when a user assistant is using a portable handset or the like to make a telephone call. In this case with the key pad located on the handset it is typically difficult to push buttons as well as speak on the phone simultaneously. The present invention overcomes this by having the control information sent directly to a different device such as a PDA so that it can be presented to the user and then responded to without disturbing the phonecall.

Claims

1. A call handling device for connecting a wireless communications device having a limited number of call control features to a communications network, the call handling device being adapted to provide additional call control features to the user of a wireless communications device, the call handling device comprising;

a transceiver for maintaining a wireless connection between the call handling device and the wireless communications device;

at least one port for connecting the call handling device to the communications network; and

,

a processor for controlling the connections, the processor being adapted to;

determine control information representing the call control features available for the current connections;

transfer the control information to the user via a wireless connection;

determine the call control features selected by the user; and

,

implement the selected call control features.

2. A call handling device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to perform the step of transferring the control information to the user by:

establishing a second wireless connection with an alternative communications device used by the user, and,

transferring the control information to the alternative communications device.

3. A call handling device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the call handling device further comprises a store for storing a number of sets of control information, and wherein the processor is adapted to carry out the step of determining the control information representing the call control features available for the current connections by:

monitoring the status of any connections with the wireless communications device; and

,

selecting one of the number of sets of control information stored in the store in accordance with the call status.

4. A call handling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the processor is adapted to transfer the control information to the user as one of a Web page or a WAP page.

5. A call handling device according to claim 4, when dependent on claim 3, wherein each set of control information comprises one of a Web page or a WAP page.

6. A call handling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein processor is adapted to perform the step of determining the call control features selected by the user by monitoring control signals received via the wireless connection from the user.

7. A call handling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the processor is adapted to perform the step of implementating the selected call control features by generating control signals for transfer to the communications network, the communications network being responsive to the control signals to perform the desired call control features.

8. A call handling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communications network is a PBX.

9. A call handling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the processor is adapted to transfer the control information to the user'"'"'s PDA.

10. A call handling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the call control features include at least one of:

call dialing, call transfer, call hold, and call forward.

11. A call handling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the call handling device is adapted to establish wireless connections in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol, the transceiver comprising a Bluetooth transceiver.

12. A communication system adapted to provide call control features to the user of the system, the system comprising:

a call handling device according to any of the preceding claims; and

a wireless communications device.

13. A communications system according to claim 12, wherein the control information includes the provision of a representation of at least one button on a graphical user interface of the wireless communications device.

14. A communications system according to claim 13, wherein the selection of the represented button causes the transfer of control signals from the wireless communications device to the call handling device.

15. A system according to claim 12, 13 or 14 when dependent on claim 11, wherein the wireless communications device is a Bluetooth enabled communications device.