Notification Apparatus and Method for Cellular Communication System

• US 20080268867A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cadenas, Alejandro
• Application Number:
  US11/914,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20080268867A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• 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 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A notification apparatus for a cellular communication system may transmit a notification message to nearby remote terminals if a first remote terminal (101) cannot be contacted. The notification apparatus comprises a call setup detector (203) detecting an unsuccessful incoming call setup for the first remote terminal (101). The call setup detector (203) is coupled to a first location processor (209) determining a location of the first remote terminal (101). A second location processor (211) determines a location of at least a second remote terminal (103) and a distance processor (213) evaluates a distance criterion for the first remote terminal (101) and the second remote terminal (103). A notification processor (215) transmits a notification message to the second remote terminal in response to the distance criterion. The notification message comprises information that the incoming call setup for the first remote terminal is attempted.

Claims

1. A notification apparatus for a cellular communication system, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting an unsuccessful incoming call setup for a first remote terminal;

means for determining a location of the first remote terminal;

means for determining a location of at least a second remote terminal;

means for evaluating a distance criterion for the first remote terminal and the second remote terminal;

means for transmitting a notification message to the second remote terminal in response to the distance criterion, the notification message comprising information that the incoming call setup for the first remote terminal is attempted.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for ranking remote terminals of the group and means for sequentially selecting a next ranked remote terminal as the second remote terminal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the selection means is arranged to continue sequentially selecting the next ranked remote terminal until a predetermined number of notification messages have been sent to the second remote terminal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the ranking is time dependent.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the transmitting means is arranged to transmit the notification message if the distance between the first remote terminal and the second remote terminal is less than distances between the first remote terminal and other remote terminals of the group.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmitting means is arranged to transmit the notification message if the distance between the first remote terminal and the second remote terminal is less than a predetermined threshold.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for determining a notification service requirement status for the first remote terminal and wherein the apparatus is arranged to only transmit the notification message if the notification service requirement status indicates that a user of the first remote terminal desires the notification message to be transmitted.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for receiving a notification service request from an instigator of the incoming call attempt and wherein the apparatus is arranged to only transmit the notification message if the notification service request has been received.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the location of the first remote terminal is determined as a past location of the first remote terminal.

10. A notification method for a cellular communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an unsuccessful incoming call setup for a first remote terminal;

determining a location of the first remote terminal;

determining a location of at least a second remote terminal;

evaluating a distance criterion for the first remote terminal and the second remote terminal; and

transmitting a notification message to the second remote terminal in response to the distance criterion, the notification message comprising information that the incoming call setup for the first remote terminal is attempted.