Position-dependent control of features of a communications system

• US 20040198388A1
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Seimens AG
• Inventors: Blitz, Andre
• Granted Patent: US 7,099,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

The invention provides for the automatic control of features, especially of a call diversion feature, of a communications system according to the position (POS) of a mobile terminal (ME). The mobile terminal (ME) can be treated to a certain extent as an indicator of the position of a user carrying said mobile terminal (ME) with him/her. The position (POS) of the mobile terminal (ME) is determined by means of a global positioning system (GPS) of the mobile terminal (ME) and is compared with a stored reference position (RPOS). One or more features of the communications system are then controlled according to the results of this comparison.

Claims

1. A method for controlling features of a communication system, in which

a) for position (POS) of a mobile terminal (ME), which can be wirelessly coupled to the communication system, is determined by means of its satellite navigation receiver (GPS),

b) the position (POS) found is compared with a stored reference position (RPOS), and

c) a feature of the communication system is controlled in dependence on the result of the comparison.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the comparison of the position (POS) found with the stored reference position (RPOS) and the controlling of the feature are carried out by the mobile terminal (ME).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the position (POS) found is transmitted by the mobile terminal (ME) to a base station (BS) coupled to the communication system, and the comparison of the position (POS) found with the stored reference position (RPOS) and the controlling of the feature are carried out by the base station (BS).

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that an in each case currently found position (POS) is transmitted by the mobile terminal (ME) to the base station (BS) at regular time intervals.

5. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that as the feature to be controlled, a call diversion is controlled in the communication system.

6. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that as the feature to be controlled, a call forwarding is controlled in the communication system.

7. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for controlling the feature, a control information item (SI) is transmitted to a feature controller of the communication system.

8. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, for comparing the position (POS) found with the reference position (RPOS), the distance between the position (POS) found and the reference position (RPOS) is found.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the controlling of the feature is initiated by the distance found exceeding a predetermined frame of values.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that different frames of values are predetermined and a frame-off-value-specific control of the feature is initiated when these are exceeded in each case.

11. A mobile terminal (ME) for being wirelessly coupled to a communication system, comprising

a) a satellite navigation receiver (GPS) for determining a position (POS) of the mobile terminal (ME),

b) a position memory (MEM) for storing a predetermined reference position (RPOS),

c) a comparison device (VGL) for comparing the found position (POS) of the mobile terminal (ME) with the stored reference position (RPOS), and

d) a processor (ST) for controlling a feature of the communication system in dependence on the result of the comparison.

12. A base station (BS) for being coupled to a communication system and for being wirelessly coupled to mobile terminals (ME), comprising

a) a receiving device for receiving a position information item from a mobile terminal,

b) a position memory for storing a predeterminable reference position,

c) a comparison device for comparing the received position information with the stored reference position, and

d) a processor for controlling a feature of the communication system in dependence on the result of the comparison.