Managing multiple radiotelephones

• US 20040067749A1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Bottrich, Michael, Alanen, Kimmo, Ojala, Tommi, Sydanmaa, Matti
• Granted Patent: US 7,693,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• 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: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In recent years, the penetration of handheld portable radiotelephones has grown enormously, and now, in many countries, the majority of people possess a portable radiotelephone. Of these people, an increasing number also posses more than one portable radiotelephone, for example a car phone and a handheld mobile radiotelephone. One problem with this is that a user ends up having multiple telephone numbers and people trying to contact the user do not know on which radiotelephone the user is may be contacted.

The present invention aims to facilitate the use and management of multiple telephones, especially multiple radiotelephones.

Claims

1. A communication device for communicating with a compatible communication device over a telecommunications network, wherein the communication devices have unique identities, the communication device comprising:

a detector for detecting the presence of the compatible communication device;

determination means for determining the identity of the detected compatible communication device; and

a controller effective for redirecting incoming calls intended for the detected compatible communication device having the determined identity to the communication device.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the detector establishes communication with the detected communication device over a local connection.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the means for determining the identity determines the identity over the local connection.

4. The communication device of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the controller sends control signals to the telecommunications network such that the network can redirect the incoming calls.

5. The communication device of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the controller sends control signals to the compatible communication device such that the compatible communication device can redirect the incoming calls.

6. The communication device of any preceding claim, wherein the detector detects the presence of the compatible communication device substantially within a predetermined range.

7. The communication device of any preceding claim, further comprising authorising means for authorising the use of the compatible communication device with the communication device, and only effecting call redirection if authorisation is given.

8. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the authorising means contains a list of the identities of authorised compatible communication device, and wherein authorisation is given only if the determined identity of the detected compatible communication device matches one of the identities in the list of identities.

9. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the determined identity of any detected compatible communication device is added to the list identities of authorised compatible communication devices.

10. The communication device of claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the means for authorising further comprises a memory for storing a list of passwords associated with each identity in the list of identities, and wherein authorisation is given only when a matching password is entered on the communication device.

11. The communication device of any of claims 2 to 10, wherein the local connection is a low power radio frequency connection.

12. The communication device of any preceding claim, wherein the detector comprises a low power radio frequency transceiver capable of transmitting signals to and for receiving signals from compatible low power radio frequency transceivers.

13. The communication device of any of claims 2 to 10, wherein the local connection is a fixed wire connection.

14. The communication device of any of claims 2 to 10, wherein the local connection is an optical connection.

15. The communication device of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is effective to cancel call redirection when the detector no longer detects the presence of the compatible communication device.

16. The communication device of any preceding claim, wherein the communication device is a telephone.

17. The communication device of any preceding claim, wherein the compatible communication device is a radiotelephone.

18. A method of redirecting calls to a communication device from a compatible communication device, wherein the communication device and the compatible communication device have unique identities and are capable of communicating over a telecommunications network, the method at the communication device comprising:

detecting the presence of the compatible communication device;

determining the identity of the detected compatible communication device; and

redirecting incoming calls intended for the compatible communication device having the determined identity to the communication device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of detecting comprises detecting the compatible communication device over a local connection.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining the identity comprises determining the identity over the local connection.

21. The method of claim 18, 19 or 20, wherein the step of redirecting comprises sending control signals to the telecommunications network such that the network can redirect the incoming calls.

22. The method of claim 18, 19 or 20, wherein the step of redirecting comprises sending control signals to the compatible communication device such that the compatible communication device can redirect the incoming calls.

23. The method of any of claims 18 to 22, wherein the step of detecting detects the presence of the compatible communication device substantially within a predetermined range.

24. The method of any of claims 18 to 23, further comprising authorising the use of the compatible communication device with the communication device, and only effecting call redirection if authorisation is given.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of authorising comprises comparing the identity of the detected compatible communication device with a list of identities of authorised compatible communication devices stored in the communication device, and only giving authorisation if a match occurs.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising adding to the list of identities the identity of any detected compatible communication device for which authorisation is given.

27. The method of claims 24, 25 or 26, wherein the step of authorising further comprises comparing a password entered on the communication device with a list of passwords stored in the communication device in association with the list of identities, and wherein authorisation is given only when the entered password and the stored password for the detected compatible communication device match.

28. The method of any of claims 19 to 27, wherein the step of detecting is adapted to detect over a low power radio frequency connection.

29. The method of any of claims 19 to 27, wherein the step of detecting is adapted to detect over a fixed wire connection.

30. The method of any of claims 19 to 27, wherein the step of detecting is adapted to detect over an optical connection.

31. The method of any of claims 19 to 30, further comprising cancelling the redirection of calls when the presence of the compatible communication device is no longer detected.

32. The method of any of claims 19 to 31, wherein the communication device is a telephone.

33. The method of any of claims 19 to 32, wherein the compatible communications device is a radiotelephone.

34. A communications system having a first and a second communication device each having a unique identity and capable of being connected via a telecommunications network, wherein the first communication device comprises:

a detector for detecting the presence of the second communication device;

means for determining the identity of the second communication device;

a controller effective for redirecting calls intended for the second communication device having the determined identity to the first communication device.

35. The communications system of claim 34, wherein the detector establishes communication with the detected second communication device over a local connection.

36. The communications system of claim 35, wherein the means for determining the identity determines the identity over the local connection.

37. The communications system of claim 34, 35 or 36, wherein the controller sends control signals to the telecommunications network such that the network can redirect the incoming calls.

38. The communications system of claim 34, 35 or 36, wherein the controller sends control signals to the second communication device such that the second communication device can redirect the incoming calls.

39. The communications system of any of claims 34 to 38, wherein the detector detects the presence of the second communication device substantially within a predetermined range.

40. The communications system of any of claims 34 to 39, the first communication device further comprising authorising means for authorising the use of the second communication device with the first communication device, and only effecting call redirection if authorisation is given.

41. The communications system of claim 40, wherein the authorising means contains a list of the identities of authorised communication devices, and wherein authorisation is given only if the determined identity of the detected communication device matches one of the identities in the list of identities.

42. The communications system of claim 41, wherein the determined identity of any detected communication device is added to the list identities of authorised communication devices.

43. The communications system of claim 40, 41 or 42, wherein the means for authorising further comprises a memory for storing a list of passwords associated with each identity in the list of identities, and wherein authorisation is given only when a matching password is entered on the first communication device.

44. The communications system of any of claims 34 to 44, wherein the local connection is a low power radio frequency connection.

45. The communications system of any of claims 34 to 44, wherein the detector comprises a low power radio frequency transceiver capable of transmitting signals to and for receiving signals from compatible low power radio frequency transceivers.

46. The communications system of any of claims 35 to 43, wherein the local connection is a fixed wire connection.

47. The communications system of any of claims 35 to 43, wherein the local connection is an optical connection.

48. The communications system of any of claims 35 to 47, wherein the first communication device is a telephone.

49. The communication system of any of claims 35 to 48, wherein the second communication device is a radiotelephone.

50. A communication device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

51. A method of redirecting calls to a communication device from a compatile communication device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

52. A communications system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.