METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROXIMITY BASED CALL TERMINATION

• US 20120230486A1
• Filed: 11/09/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vonage Business Inc (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Vonage Network LLC (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Guerrero, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• 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

A system and method for automatic proximity based call termination determines when a mobile telephony device enters a predetermined area. When that occurs, call termination instructions are automatically issued to re-direct incoming telephone calls directed to the mobile telephony device to an alternate telephone number. In some instances, incoming telephone calls directed to the mobile telephony device may be simultaneously sent to both the mobile telephony device, and to an alternate telephone number. When the mobile telephony device leaves the predetermined area, the call termination instructions are automatically canceled, and calls directed to the mobile telephony device are only sent to the mobile telephony device.

Claims

1. A method of terminating a telephony-based communication request, comprising:

determining if a first telephony device is located within a predefined area; and

sending termination instructions from a first telephony service provider to a second telephony service provider that provides the first telephony device with its native telephony service, the termination instructions causing a telephony-based communication request directed to the first telephony device to be routed to one or more telephony devices located within the predefined area if the first telephony device is within the predefined area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a telephony based communication request directed to the first telephony device is routed only to the first telephony device if the first telephony device is not with the predefined area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first telephony device is determined to be within the predefined area, the termination instructions cause the telephony-based communication request to be routed to a device other than a traditional telephony device, the device being located within the predefined area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first telephony device is determined to be within the predefined area, the termination instructions cause the telephony-based communication request to be routed to a second telephony device that is located within the predefined area.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein if the first telephony device is determined to be within the predefined area, and the telephony based communication request is a telephone call, and the call is not answered at the second telephony device, the termination instructions also cause the telephone call to be routed to a voicemail service associated with the second telephony device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first telephony device is determined to be within the predefined area, the termination instructions cause the telephony-based communication request to be substantially simultaneously routed to both the first telephony device and a second telephony device located within the predefined area.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the termination instructions cause the telephony-based communication request to be connected to whichever of the first and second telephony devices that first answer the communication request.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises utilizing location information reported from the first telephony device to determine if the first telephony device is located within the predefined area.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step is periodically repeated, and wherein the method further comprises:

sending a first type of message to the first telephony device that results in the user of the first telephony device being presented with a first query about whether telephony-based communication requests should be routed to one or more telephony devices located within the predefined area each time that the first telephony device is first determined to have entered the predefined area; and

receiving instructions from the first telephony device which reflect the user'"'"'s response to the first query, wherein the sending step results in telephony-based communication requests being routed to one or more telephony devices located within the predefined area if the received instructions indicate that the user wishes for telephony-based communication requests to be routed to one or more telephony devices located within the predefined area.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a second type of message to the first telephony device that results in the user of the first telephony device being presented with a second query about whether telephony-based communication requests should be routed only to the first telephony device each time that the first telephony device is first determined to have left the predefined area; and

receiving instructions from the first telephony device which reflect the user'"'"'s response to the second query, wherein the sending step results in telephony-based communication requests being routed only to the first telephony device if the received instructions indicate that the user wishes for telephony-based communication requests to be routed only to the first telephony device.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending step comprises sending call forwarding instructions to the second telephony service provider.

32. The method of claim 14, wherein the location information comprises location coordinates determined by a GPS unit that is present in the first telephony device.

3. (canceled)

9-13. -13. (canceled)

17. A system for terminating a telephony-based communication request, comprising:

means for determining if a first telephony device is located within a predefined area; and

means for sending termination instructions from a first telephony service provider to a second telephony service provider that provides the first telephony device with its native telephony service, the termination instructions causing a telephony-based communication request directed to the first telephony device to be routed to one or more telephony devices located within the predefined area if the first telephony device is within the predefined area.

18. A system for terminating a telephony-based communication request, comprising:

a determining unit that determines if a first telephony device is located within a predefined area; and

a terminating unit which is part of a first telephony service provider, the terminating unit sending termination instructions to a second telephony service provider that provides the first telephony device with its native telephony service, the termination instructions causing a telephony-based communication request directed to the first telephony device to be routed to one or more telephony devices located within the predefined area if the first telephony device is within the predefined area.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein if the first telephony device is determined to be within the predefined area, the termination instructions send from the terminating unit cause the telephony-based communication request to be routed to a device other than a traditional telephony device, the device being located within the predefined area.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein if the first telephony device is determined to be within the predefined area, the termination instructions sent from the terminating unit cause the telephony-based communication request to be routed to a second telephony device that is located within the predefined area.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein if the first telephony device is determined to be within the predefined area, and the telephony based communication request is a telephone call, and the call is not answered at the second telephony device, the terminating unit causes the telephone call to be routed to a voicemail service associated with the second telephony device.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein if the first telephony device is determined to be within the predefined area, the termination instructions send from the terminating unit cause the telephony-based communication request to be substantially simultaneously routed to both the first telephony device and a second telephony device located within the predefined area.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the determining unit uses location information reported from the first telephony device to determine if the first telephony device is located within the predefined area.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein the termination instructions are call forwarding instructions.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the location information comprises location coordinates determined by a GPS unit that is present in the first telephony device.

19-20. -20. (canceled)

25-29. -29. (canceled)

35. A method of terminating a telephony-based communication request, comprising:

checking, on a periodic basis, to determine if a first telephony device has just entered or just exited a predefined area, wherein the checking step is performed by elements of the first telephony device itself; and

sending first termination instructions from the first telephony device to a telephony service provider if the result of the checking step indicates that the first telephony device has just entered the predefined area, the first termination instructions causing a telephony-based communication request directed to the first telephony device to be routed to at least one device other than the first telephony device, the at least one device being located within the predefined area.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the termination instructions cause the telephony-based communication request to be routed to a device other than a traditional telephony device.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising sending second termination instructions from the first telephony device to the telephony service provider if the result of the checking step indicates that the first telephony device has just exited the predefined area, the second termination instructions causing a telephony-based communication request directed to the first telephony device to be routed only to the first telephony device.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

presenting a user of the first telephony device with a first query asking whether telephony-based communication requests should be routed a telephony device other than the first telephony device if the result of the checking step indicates that the first telephony device has just entered the predefined area; and

receiving input from the user in response to the first query, wherein the step of sending termination instructions is only performed if the received input indicates that the user of the first telephony device wishes for telephony-based communication requests to be routed to a telephony device other than the first telephony device.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

presenting a user of the first telephony device with a second query asking whether telephony-based communication requests should be routed only to the first telephony device if the result of the checking step indicates that the first telephony device has just exited the predefined area;

receiving input from the user in response to the second query; and

sending termination instructions from the first telephony device to the telephony service provider if the input received from the user indicates that the user wishes for telephony-based communication requests to be routed only to the first telephony device, the termination instructions causing all telephony-based communication requests directed to the first telephony device to be routed only to the first telephony device.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the checking step comprises periodically comparing location coordinates of the first telephony device as determined by a GPS unit in the first telephony device to a set of predetermined coordinate values to determine if the first telephony device has entered or exited a predetermined area.