SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ROUTING A CALL TO A LANDLINE COMMUNICATION UNIT OR A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION UNIT

• US 20090197607A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, Leslie Bernard, Ford, Kara Elisia, Donoso, Carlos H., ROBERTS, RICHARD N., McCarthy, Terrence J., Bartels, Todd August, Heinmiller, Wayne Robert, Brand, Rodney T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• 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 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Methods and Systems are provided for routing a call to a landline communication unit or a wireless communication unit based on the availability of the wireless communication unit. A call placed to a landline communication unit is routed to the wireless communication unit if the wireless communication unit is determined available. Otherwise, the call is routed to the landline communication unit.

Claims

1. A method for routing a call to a landline communication unit or a wireless communication unit, aid the method comprising:

determining an availability of a wireless communication unit; and

routing a call to a landline communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined unavailable.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

routing the call to the landline communication unit in response to a calling party using the wireless communication unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an availability of a wireless communication unit comprises:

determining an availability of a wireless communication unit in response to receiving, from a calling party, a destination number associated with the landline communication unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an availability of a wireless communication unit comprises:

determining an availability of a wireless communication unit in response to receiving, from a calling party, a destination number associated with the wireless communication unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an availability of a wireless communication unit comprises:

determining an availability of a wireless communication unit in response to receiving, from a calling party, a destination number independent of a number associated with either the wireless communication unit or the landline communication unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an availability of a wireless communication unit comprises:

sending a location request to a home location register; and

analyzing a response to the location request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein routing a call to a landline communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined unavailable comprises:

routing a call to a landline communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined inactive.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein routing a call to a landline communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined unavailable comprises:

routing a call to a landline communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined busy

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending an indication to the wireless communication unit that a call is being routed to the wireless communication unit.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

playing a message to a calling party before the call is routed.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using an interactive voice response system to disable performance of determining an availability of the wireless communication unit and routing a call based on the determination of availability.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

routing the call to the wireless communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined available.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein routing the call to the wireless communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined available comprises:

routing the call to the wireless communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined active.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein routing the call to the wireless communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined available comprises:

routing the call to the wireless communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined not busy.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

providing the wireless communication unit with a distinctive ring in response to routing the call to the wireless communication unit.

16. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for routing a call to a landline communication unit or a wireless communication unit, the set of instructions to direct a processor to perform acts of:

determining an availability of a wireless communication unit; and

routing a call to a landline communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined unavailable.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining an availability of a wireless communication unit comprises:

determining an availability of a wireless communication unit in response to receiving, from a calling party, a destination number associated with the landline communication unit.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining an availability of a wireless communication unit comprises:

determining an availability of a wireless communication unit in response to receiving, from a calling party, a destination number associated with the wireless communication unit.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining an availability of a wireless communication unit comprises:

determining an availability of a wireless communication unit in response to receiving, from a calling party, a destination number independent of a number associated with either the wireless communication unit or the landline communication unit.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising a set of instructions to direct a processor to perform acts of:

routing the call to the wireless communication unit in response to the wireless communication unit being determined available.

21. A system for routing a call to a landline communication unit or a wireless communication unit, the system comprising:

a first network element operative to determine an availability of the wireless communication unit; and

a second network element in communication with the first network element, second network element configured to automatically route a call to the landline communication unit in response to the first network element determining the wireless communication unit is unavailable.