Smart telephone call routing for wireless communication devices

• US 20050003830A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Campbell, David T.
• Application Number:
  US10/609,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003830A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to calls to a particular communication service and carrier networks, based on location of a user. The user has a wireless communication wireless communication device that functions as a locator of the user, and indicates where the user may be in proximity to communication networks that provide communication services to the user. The various communication networks may include wireless networks with plain old telephone systems with access points that communicate with the wireless communication device. Particular networks may have devices that are enabled with wireless technology to communicate with the wireless communication device. Calls may be forwarded to the wireless communication device or other communication device of a determined network based on the desire of the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying the location of a user;

determining available communication networks that provide communication services to the user;

selecting a particular communication network from the available communication networks; and

sending instructions to service providers providing communication services to the user to forward calls to the particular communication network that is selected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying is performed by locating a wireless communication device with the user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the wireless communication device is a cellular telephone.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the wireless communication device is a personal digital assistant.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the wireless communication device connects to and identifies a cellular network.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the wireless communication device connects to and identifies a wireless area network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting a particular communication network is a plain old telephone system (POTS) communication network.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the wireless communication device connects to and identifies a wireless area network

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting the particular communication network is based on cost to operate.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting the particular communication network is based on quality of service.

11. A method comprising:

locating a wireless communication device;

identifying communication services available to the wireless communication device; and

prearranging with service providers to forward calls to a carrier network if communication service is not available to the wireless communication device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the prearranging with service providers is to forward calls to a second communication device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the prearranging with service providers is to forward calls to a voice mail system of a particular communication service.

14. A method comprising:

connecting a wireless communication device to a wireless area network through an access point;

identifying the wireless area network to the wireless communication device; and

forwarding calls to a communication device on the wireless area network accessible by a user.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the forwarding calls is to a POTS telephone.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the forwarding calls is to a voice over Internet (VoIP) telephone.

17. A wireless communication device comprising:

a processor;

an antenna module configured to receive multiple radio frequency (RF) signals;

an analog to digital converter executable on the processor and configured to convert the RF signals to digital signal information used by the processor; and

instructions stored in a memory executable on the processor to store location communication networks available to a user and determine from the digital signal information available communication networks to the user.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 17 wherein the instructions are further comprised to send call forwarding instructions to service providers based on conditions set by the user.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 18 wherein the call forwarding instructions are to forward calls to a particular carrier network.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 18 wherein the conditions are based on lowest cost to operate for a particular communication service.

21. The wireless communication device of claim 18 wherein the conditions are based on quality of service for a particular communication network.

22. The wireless communication device of claim 17 wherein the instructions comprise service set identifier numbers of wireless area networks accessible by the user.

23. The wireless communication device of claim 17 wherein the instructions are further comprised to store service set identifier numbers accessible of wireless area networks accessible by the wireless communication device.

24. The wireless communication device of claim 17 wherein the instructions are further comprised to store system identification number (SID) and access information of cellular networks accessible by the wireless communication device.

25. The wireless communication device of claim 17 further comprising a GPS module configured to receive RF signals from GPS satellites through the antenna module and analog to digital converter indicating location of the wireless communication device.

26. The wireless communication device of claim 25 wherein the instructions are further comprised of map that indicates to a user relative location of the wireless communication device.

27. A processor in a wireless communication device comprising:

means for receiving information describing an RF signal from an antenna module which receives the RF signal from a communication network;

means for determining location of the wireless communication device in relation to the communication network;

means for transmitting instructions from the antenna module for service providers to forward calls to a particular carrier network.

28. A processor in a wireless communication device comprising:

means for receiving information describing an RF signal from an antenna module which receives GPS signals;

means for locating the wireless communication device and communication networks available to a user through the information; and

means for transmitting instructions from the antenna module for service providers to forward calls to a particular carrier network.

29. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for sending call forward instructions, the computer-executable instructions comprising instructions for:

locating a wireless communication device;

finding communication networks available to a user of the wireless communication device;

determining whether to forward calls to a carrier network supporting a particular communication network;

sending call forwarding instructions to all service providers of the user to the carrier network if so determined.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the locating is performed by a GPS locator of the wireless communication device.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the locating is performed by communicating by the wireless communication device to an access point on a wireless area network.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the finding is performed by assessing a database of the wireless communication device and comparing the determined location of the wireless communication device.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the determining is performed based on lowest cost to operate communication service.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the determining is performed based on quality of service of communication service.

35. A system comprising:

a wireless communication device to locate its user relative to one or more communication networks accessible by the user;

one or more service providers which receive instructions by the wireless communication device to forward received calls to a carrier network; and

a telecommunication network to send the forwarded calls to a Communication device of the user.

36. A system comprising:

a wireless communication device;

one or more access points on a wireless area network, wherein the wireless communication device communicates with the wireless area network through an access point; and

a communication device on the wireless area network that receives forwarded calls as instructed by the wireless communication device.