Method and system for forwarding wireless communications

• US 20050064855A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Alicia Marie
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/417
• 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

Abstract

In a particular embodiment, a system is provided that includes a wireless beacon to provide wireless data communication with a mobile telephone to detect a location of the mobile telephone within a wireless detection area provided by a wireless beacon, and a communication interface to send a call forwarding message to a cellular switch. The call forwarding message provides an instruction to route future calls destined for the mobile telephone to an alternate network address. In another embodiment, a method of selecting a destination telephone is disclosed that includes detecting a location of a mobile telephone within a wireless detection area provided by a wireless beacon, and sending a call forwarding message to a wide area switch having a communication path targeted to the mobile telephone. The call forwarding message provides an instruction to route future calls destined for the mobile telephone to an alternative communication path.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wireless beacon to provide wireless data communication with a mobile telephone to detect a location of the mobile telephone within a wireless detection area provided by the wireless beacon; and

a communication interface to send a call forwarding message to a cellular switch, the call forwarding message to provide an instruction to route future calls destined for the mobile telephone to an alternate network address.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the alternate network address is identified by a telephone number correlated with a landline connection to a landline telephone located in proximity to the wireless beacon.

3. A method of selecting a destination telephone, the method comprising:

detecting a location of a mobile telephone within a wireless detection area provided by a wireless beacon; and

sending a call forwarding message to a wide area switch having a communication path targeted to the mobile telephone, the call forwarding message providing an instruction to route future calls destined for the mobile telephone to an alternative communication path.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the alternative communication path is associated with a landline telephone number.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the landline telephone number is associated with a landline connection to a landline telephone located within the same residence as the wireless beacon.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising re-routing a call originally destined to the mobile telephone to a landline telephone using an intermediary telephone switch.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting the location of the mobile telephone is based upon communication using a wireless data protocol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless data protocol is compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless data protocol is compliant with the Bluetooth standard.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the call forwarding message is communicated to the wide area switch using a wireless data message protocol.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the wireless data message protocol is the short message services protocol.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless data message is sent on a packet channel utilizing a protocol selected from the group consisting of GSM, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and CDMA.

13. A method of routing call requests, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a wireless mobile communication device an identifier from a source over a first wireless connection; and

communicating to a wireless switch a request to forward voice communications to the wireless mobile communications device to an alternate communication device other than the wireless communication device in response to receiving the identifier.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a wireless communication over a second wireless connection having a different protocol than the first wireless connection.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless mobile communication device is a cellular phone and wherein the request to forward voice communications is issued automatically.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first wireless connection utilizes an IEEE 802.11 standard.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless mobile communication device includes a transmitter that utilizes Short Message Service (SMS).

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless mobile communication device includes a transmitter that utilizes a universal mobile telecommunications system.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless mobile communication device utilizes General Packet Radio Service.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless mobile communication device receives the identifier using a Bluetooth receiver.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the source is proximal to the wireless mobile communication device.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of determining to withdraw the request to forward voice communication requests.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the request is withdrawn when the wireless mobile communication device no longer receives the identifier.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the request is withdrawn in response to a user action.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the user action is a key sequence.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the user action is a voice request.

27. A system comprising:

a wireless communication device comprising a first receiver to facilitate two-way telephone conversations using a first wireless protocol, and a second receiver to facilitate monitoring wireless information using a second wireless protocol;

a first control module to provide a request to forward an incoming communication request to an alternate communication device, wherein the alternate communication device is proximal to a transmitter; and

a second control module to provide a request to provide communication requests to the wireless communication device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the transmitter transmits an identifier using the second wireless protocol.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the transmitter has a limited area range.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the wireless communication device is accessible by a specific phone number.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the first control module utilizes a short message service standard to provide the request.

32. A system comprising:

a wireless telephone configured to communicate using a wide area wireless protocol and configured to communicate using a proximal wireless protocol, the wireless telephone including a call forward module and including a cancel call forward module; and

a wireless beacon device associated with a wireline telephone and configured to communicate with the wireless telephone using the proximal wireless protocol when the wireless telephone is within a wireless beacon coverage area, the call forward module of the wireless telephone configured to send a call forward message using the wide area wireless protocol when the wireless telephone is within the wireless beacon coverage area, the call forward message directing calls that address the wireless telephone be redirected to the wireline telephone.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the cancel call forward module is configured to send a cancel call forward message using the wide area wireless protocol after detecting that the wireless telephone has moved outside the wireless beacon coverage area.

34. The system of claim 32, further comprising a second wireless telephone configured to communicate with the proximal wireless protocol, the second wireless telephone configured to send a second call forward message after detecting that the second wireless telephone has entered the coverage area.

35. The system of claim 32, further comprising a second wireless beacon associated with a second wireline telephone and configured to communicate with the wireless telephone using the proximal wireless protocol when the wireless telephone is within a second wireless beacon coverage area, the call forward module of the wireless telephone configured to send a second call forward message using the wide area wireless protocol when the wireless telephone is within the second coverage area, the second call forward message directing calls that address the wireless telephone be directed to the second wireline telephone.

36. A wireless beacon comprising:

a transmitter configured to provide a wireless beacon coverage area; and

a wireless communication interface configured to provide a unique identification to a wireless mobile device located within the wireless beacon coverage area, the unique identification allowing the wireless mobile device to associate an alternate network destination address for receipt of external communication while the wireless mobile device is within the wireless beacon coverage area.

37. The wireless beacon of claim 36, wherein the unique identification is represented by a color code.