Apparatus, System and Method for Forwarding Data Sent to a Wireless Device to Another Address

• US 20110099240A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jordan, Royce D. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

An apparatus for forwarding data sent to a wireless device having a first address to a second address. The apparatus includes a server in communication with a wireless network and an external network. The server includes a processor. The processor includes a data forwarding module for forwarding the data to the second address via the external network when the wireless device is not in communication with the wireless network.

Claims

1. A gateway server for delivering messages, the gateway server comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium storing at least;

a user profile including;

a primary address associated with a communication device;

an alternate address, and

a waiting time that must expire before sending the message to the alternate address; and

computer-readable instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

receive the message addressed to the primary address;

determine whether the waiting time has been exceeded; and

If the waiting time is determined to have been exceeded, forward the message to the alternate address.

2. The gateway server of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine whether the communication device associated with the primary address is in communication with a network;

if the communication device is determined to be in communication with the network, forward the message to the primary address; and

determine whether the waiting time has been exceeded only if it is determined that the device is not in communication with the network.

3. The gateway server of claim 2, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, in determining whether the waiting time has been exceeded, determine whether the waiting time has expired since the processor first determined, in connection with the message, that the communication device was not in communication with the network;

4. The gateway server of claim 2, wherein:

determining whether the communication device associated with the primary address is in communication with the network is performed in an on-air/off-air determination function; and

the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to if the waiting time has not been exceeded, repeat the on-air/off-air determination function.

5. The gateway server of claim 4, wherein:

determining whether the waiting time has been exceeded is performed in a waiting-time determination function; and

the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to;

if the processor determines in repeating the on-air/off-air determination function that the communication device is now in communication with the network, forward the message to the primary address; and

if the processor determines in repeating the on-air/off-air determination function that the communication device is still not in communication with the network, repeat the waiting-time determination function.

6. The gateway server of claim 1, wherein the communication device is selected from the group consisting of a wireless telephone, a personal digital assistant, a terminal, a computer, a landline telephone, and a facsimile machine.

7. The gateway server of claim 1, wherein:

the network is a wireless network;

the communication device is a wireless communication device; and

the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to, in forwarding the message to the alternate address, forward the message by way of another network.

8. The gateway server of claim 7, wherein the other network is selected from the group consisting of another wireless network, a telephone network, and the Internet.

9. The gateway server of claim 7, wherein the alternate address is associated with another communication device in communication with the other network.

10. The gateway server of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to, in forwarding the message to the alternate address, modify the message to indicate the alternate address.

11. The gateway server of claim 1, wherein:

the alternate address is a first alternate address; and

the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to, in addition to forwarding the message to the alternate address if the waiting time has been exceeded, forward the message to at least one other alternate address if the waiting time has been exceeded.

12. The gateway server of claim 11, wherein:

the first alternate address and the at least one other alternate address are a group of alternate addresses; and

the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to, in forwarding the message to the addresses of the group of alternate addresses, forward the message to the group of alternate addresses simultaneously.

13. The gateway server of claim 11, wherein:

the first alternate address and the at least one other alternate address are a group of alternate addresses; and

the computer-readable instructions cause the processor to, in forwarding the message to the addresses of the group of alternate addresses, forward the message to the group of alternate addresses sequentially.

14. A method for delivering a message, the method comprising:

i. receiving a message addressed to a primary address associated with a wireless communication device;

ii. determining whether the wireless communication device associated with the primary address is in communication with a wireless network;

iii. if the wireless communication device is determined to be in communication with the wireless network, forwarding the message to the primary address associated with the wireless communication device;

iv. if the wireless communication device is determined not to be in communication with the wireless network, determining whether a waiting time has been exceeded; and

v. if the waiting time is determined to have been exceeded, forwarding the message to the alternate address; and

vi. if the waiting time is determined to have not been exceeded, returning to step (ii).

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the alternate address is a first alternate address; and

the method further comprises, in addition to forwarding the message to the alternate address if the waiting time has been exceeded, forwarding the message to at least one other alternate address if the waiting time has been exceeded.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein forwarding the message to the alternate address includes forwarding the message by way of another network, distinct from the wireless network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the other network is selected from the group consisting of another wireless network, a telephone network, and the Internet.

18. A tangible computer readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions executable by a computer processor to make the computer processor at least:

i. receive a message addressed to a primary address associated with a wireless communication device;

ii. determine whether the wireless communication device associated with the primary address is in communication with a wireless network;

iii. if the wireless communication device is determined to be in communication with the wireless network, forward the message to the primary address associated with the wireless communication device;

iv. if the wireless communication device is determined not to be in communication with the wireless network, determine whether a waiting time has been exceeded;

v. if the waiting time is determined to have been exceeded, forward the message to the alternate address; and

vi. if the waiting time is determined to not have been exceeded, return to step (ii).

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein:

the alternate address is a first alternate address; and

the instructions further cause the processor to, in addition to forward the message to the alternate address if the waiting time has been exceeded, forward the message to at least one other alternate address if the waiting time has been exceeded.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the processor to, in forwarding the message to the alternate address, forward the message by way of another network, distinct from the wireless network.