Location based call routing for call answering services

• US 20050063528A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Pearson, Larry B., Bridges, J. Bradley
• Granted Patent: US 8,526,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In one particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a method of processing a call. The method includes receiving location data, storing the location data in a data record, receiving a first call, playing an announcement, prompting for a caller'"'"'s name, receiving the caller'"'"'s name, and retrieving the data record. The location data is received via an interconnected network. The location data is derived from a proximity sensor that is configured to provide a proximity determination with respect to a mobile device of a subscriber and the proximity sensor. The first call is received at a primary destination address associated with the subscriber. The data record is retrieved to identify a selected address that identifies a communication device of the subscriber. The communication device is located within a proximity zone proximate to the proximity sensor.

Claims

1. A method of processing a call, the method comprising:

receiving location data via an interconnected network, the location data derived from a proximity sensor, the proximity sensor configured to provide a proximity determination with respect to a mobile device of a subscriber and the proximity sensor;

storing the location data in a data record;

receiving a first call at a primary destination address associated with the subscriber;

playing an announcement;

prompting for a caller'"'"'s name;

receiving the caller'"'"'s name; and

retrieving the data record to identify a selected address, the selected address identifying a communication device of the subscriber, the communication device located within a proximity zone proximate to the proximity sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is incorporated within the communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a second call to the selected address.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a unified messaging service receives the first call and places the second call.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving an indication that the subscriber has answered the second call.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

playing an announcement to the subscriber including the caller'"'"'s name;

prompting the subscriber to take a selected action from a menu of available actions; and

based on input from the subscriber, performing the selected action.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selected action is routing the first call to voice mail.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the selected action is connecting the first call and the second call to allow the caller to engage in a conversation with the subscriber.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the subscriber location is within a second proximity zone proximate to a second proximity device, the second proximity device associated with a second address.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second proximity zone is a mobile zone not proximate to the proximity sensor, the mobile zone associated with a mobile address.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a unified messaging system receives the location data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected address is the first address in an ordered list of a plurality of address, the ordered list arranged in an order based on the location data.

13. A method to update a proximity zone state, the method comprising:

receiving location data via an interconnected network, the location data derived from a proximity sensor, the proximity sensor configured to provide a proximity determination with respect to a mobile device of a subscriber and the proximity sensor;

detecting a change in subscriber location based on the location data;

determining a change from a first proximity zone state to a second proximity zone state based on the subscriber location; and

updating a data record utilizing the location data, the data record accessible to a call redirection control system, the data record including a proximity zone field, the proximity zone field changed from a first proximity zone state to a second proximity zone state.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first proximity zone state is a fixed proximity zone associated with a home or office.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second proximity zone state is a mobile proximity zone.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the call redirection control system selectively redirects a call to a selected address associated with the proximity state.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

at the call redirection control system, receiving a first call at a primary destination address associated with the subscriber;

playing an announcement;

prompting for a caller'"'"'s name;

receiving the caller'"'"'s name; and

retrieving the data record to identify a selected address, the selected address identifying a communication device of the subscriber, the communication device located within a proximity zone proximate to the proximity sensor.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising placing a second call to the selected address.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving an indication that the subscriber has answered the second call.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

playing an announcement to the subscriber including the caller'"'"'s name;

prompting the subscriber to take a selected action from a menu of available actions; and

based on input from the subscriber, performing the selected action.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the selected action is routing the first call to voice mail.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the selected action is connecting to a caller of the first call to engage in communication.

23. A system for manipulating call redirection, the system comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to determine whether a mobile device is proximate to the proximity sensor;

computational circuitry coupled to the proximity sensor, the proximity sensor configured to communicate data to the computational circuitry, the data associated with a proximity determination with respect to the mobile device and the proximity sensor; and

an interconnected network access point to a computer network coupled to the computational circuitry to transmit a call redirection control message via the interconnected network access point in response to the proximity determination.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the mobile device comprises a personal digital assistant.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the mobile device is a radio frequency identification tag, a smartcard, or a wearable electronics device.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the computational circuitry is a personal computer.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the proximity sensor is a charging cradle, the charging cradle configured to provide energy to a battery within the mobile device when the mobile device is positioned in the cradle.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a radio frequency receiver.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) receiver.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the proximity sensor communicates via a wireless communication protocol.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the wireless communications protocol is Bluetooth®

.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the wireless communication protocol is a IEEE 802.11 type protocol.

34. The system of claim 23, wherein the interconnected network access point is a broadband modem.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein the interconnected network access point is at least one of a router or a date network switch.

36. The system of claim 23, wherein the call redirection control message is an Remote Procedure Calls (RPC), InterProcess Communications (IPC) message, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) message, email message, HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) message, or file transfer protocol (FTP) message.

37. A mobile communication device comprising:

an antenna;

a housing coupled to the antenna, the housing incorporating;

a global positioning sensor configured to determine a location;

a memory storing a record associating a specific location with a network address;

computational logic configured to access the specific location and configured to compare the specific location to the location; and

a network interface, the computational logic configured to communicate a redirect message in response to comparing the specific location to the location.

38. The mobile communication device of claim 37, wherein the redirect message initiates redirection of data originally to be sent to a first network address to be redirected to a second network address.

39. The mobile communication device of claim 37, wherein the network interface communicates a message that cancels redirection of data after the location moves out of a coverage region including the specific location.

40. The mobile communication device of claim 37, wherein the network interface is a mobile communications interface.

41. The mobile communication device of claim 37, wherein the redirect message is communicated via a short message service protocol.