Call forwarding method

• US 20040017803A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lim, Jung-Ouk, Lee, Young-Sang
• Granted Patent: US 7,236,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• 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 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

The present invention relates to a call forwarding method for a web phone which connects to at least two networks and is mounted with at least two communication ports. According to the call forwarding method, if a call is received at the selective call forwarding mode, the call forwarding mode is checked. If the call forwarding mode is set, the web phone announces such to a calling party, receives a port for call forwarding from the calling party, and conducts the calling forwarding unless the port received from the calling party is not of a busy route. If the web phone is on the automatic call forwarding mode and receives a call, the phone forwards the call to a predetermined number after confirming that the predetermined port for call forwarding is not of a busy route.

Claims

1. A call forwarding method for a web phone mounted with at least two communication ports that are connectable to communicationable networks, the method comprising the steps of:

checking whether a call forwarding mode is set when an incoming call is received by a web phone;

checking whether said web phone is set to selective call forwarding mode or to automatic call forwarding mode;

prompting a caller for a call route and a destination to forward said call when said web phone is set to selective call forwarding mode;

determining whether said call route is busy, and

performing call forwarding when said call route is not busy.

2. The method of claim 1, said destination being an IP address when the route selected by the caller is an IP route, the destination being a telephone number when the route selected by the caller is not an IP route.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

checking whether the forwarded call is connected after the performing step; and

generating an announcement regarding connection failure to the caller when the call fails to connect during the performing step.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of conducting the performing step again after sending an announcement to said caller regarding connection failure.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising steps of:

generating an announcement to said caller asking said caller whether said caller would like another attempt to forward said call again; and

attempting to forward said call again when said caller supplies a signal indicating that the caller wishes another attempt at forwarding said call.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating an error message to the caller when the call route is busy; and

attempting call forwarding again upon receipt from said caller a reply indicating that the caller wishes another attempt at forwarding said call.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether said route for forwarding said call is currently busy;

forwarding said call to said destination when said route is not busy;

notifying said caller when said route for forwarding said call is busy; and

asking caller whether said caller would like to again attempt to forward said call when said route is busy.

8. A method for forwarding a call placed to a web phone, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether said web phone is set for selective call forwarding mode or automatic call forwarding mode;

attempting to forward said call from a caller to a preset forwarding destination when said web phone is set to automatic call forwarding mode;

automatically informing said caller when a route for forwarding said call is busy; and

automatically informing said caller when a connection failure occurs during said call forwarding.

9. The method of claim 8, said method further comprising the step of receiving a response from said caller to said web phone whether said caller wishes to attempt to forward said call again after said caller is informed that said call forwarding failed.

10. The method of claim 8, said route for forwarding said call from said web phone being from a group consisting of ISDN, PSTN and LAN.

11. The method of claim 8, said method being preceded by the steps of:

determining whether said web phone has call forwarding mode activated;

determining whether said caller'"'"'s call is placed at a time of day and on a day when said web phone forwards calls; and

forwarding said caller'"'"'s call only when said web phone has call forwarding activated, said caller'"'"'s call is placed at a time and on a day that said web phone forwards calls and when said route for forwarding said caller'"'"'s call is not presently busy.

12. The method of claim 8, said method further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a predetermined ring signal generation frequency count has been set up;

generating ring signals and count;

determining whether said generated ring signals occur as often as said predetermined ring signal frequency count; and

forwarding said call only when said generated ring signals occur as often as said predetermined ring signal frequency count.

16. The method of claim 8, said route being a telephone route PSTN and said forwarding destination being a telephone number.

17. The method of claim 8, said route being an internet route selected from the group consisting of ISDN, LAN and WAN, said forwarding destination being an IP address.

13. A method for forwarding a call placed to a web phone, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether said web based phone is set for selective call forwarding or automatic call forwarding;

asking a caller for a call forwarding route when said web phone is set to selective call forwarding mode;

asking said caller for a destination to where said call is to be forwarded when said web phone is set to selective call forwarding mode;

having said caller communicate to said web phone said forwarding route and a destination when said web phone is in selective call forwarding mode; and

attempting to forward said caller'"'"'s call to said destination via said route.

14. The method of claim 13, said route being a telephone route PSTN and said destination being a telephone number.

15. The method of claim 13, said route being an internet route selected from the group consisting of ISDN, LAN and WAN, said destination being an IP address.

18. The method of claim 13, said attempting step being executed only when said web phone is set to a call forwarding mode, a time of day of said caller'"'"'s call is a time said web phone forwards calls and a day of said caller'"'"'s call is a day said web phone forwards calls.

19. The method of claim 13, said attempting step is executed only when said route is not busy.

20. The method of claim 13, said method further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a predetermined ring signal generation frequency count has been set up;

generating ring signals and count;

determining whether said generated ring signals occur as often as said predetermined ring signal frequency count; and

attempting to forward said call only when said generated ring signals occur as often as said predetermined ring signal frequency count.

21. The method of claim 19, said caller is informed when said route is busy and said caller is asked whether to attempt forwarding said call again when said route is busy.