Automatic call transfer system capable of carrying out call transfer without manual operation

• US 4,658,416 A
• Filed: 02/11/1985
• Issued: 04/14/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EC Corp.
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/700,107
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 EC, 179/18 BD, 179/18 BE, 179/18 BF, 179/18 B, 179/99 P, 340/825.44, 340/311.1, 340/825.45, 340/825.48, 455/33
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• 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: Y10S 379/913 Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

In an automatic call transfer system for use in carrying out transfer of a terminating call from one of telephone sets (T) to another through an exchange (11), a person identification number (ID) is assigned to each of persons movable in a limited area and is generated from a transmitter (TX) conveyed by each person. The limited area is divided into a plurality of zones (Z) which are defined by receivers (RX) connected through subscriber lines to the exchange, respectively, and which include at least one of the telephone sets, respectively. The person identification number is produced from a transmitter (TX) conveyed by each person and is received by a selected one of the receivers in the zone for the selected receiver to be sent through one of the subscriber lines (L) to the exchange. A line number of the one subscriber line is memorized in a memory of the exchange in correspondence to the person identification number and is changed as each person moves in the limited area. Responsive to the terminating call carrying the person identification number, the exchange searches the memory to detect the line number memorized therein and to transfer the terminating call to one of the telephone sets indicated by the memorized line number.

Claims

1. In an automatic call transfer system for use in automatically carrying out transfer of a call by the use of an exchange which is coupled through subscriber lines to telephone sets, respectively, said telephone sets being specified by line numbers corresponding to said subscriber lines, respectively, and being distributed in an area so as to be utilized by persons movable in said area, the improvement wherein:

a person identification number is assigned to each of specific ones of said persons so as to identify said each specific person;

said system comprising;

a plurality of receiving means coupled to said exchange and having receivable zones into which said area is divided so that at least one of said telephone sets is included in each of said receivable zones, each of said receiving means being for receiving an identification number signal representative of said person identification number; and

signal generating means conveyed by said each specific person for generating said identification number signal such that it is received by a selected one of said receiving means when said each specific person is staying in the receivable zone for said selected one of said receiving means;

said exchange comprising;

memory means coupled to said receivers for memorizing specific at least one of the line numbers of the receivable zone for said selected one of said receiving means in correspondence to said identification number signal; and

call transferring means coupled to said memory means and responsive to the call carrying said person identification number for transferring the call to the telephone set specified by said specific at least one of said line numbers with reference to the memorized identification number signal.

2. An automatic call transfer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal generating means produces said identification number signal in the form of a radio signal while each of said receivers produces an electric identification signal representative of said person identification number in response to said radio signal.

3. An automatic call transfer system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said signal generating means comprises:

burst producing means for producing a succession of bursts each of which carries said identification number signal and has a predetermined period peculiar to said person identification number; and

means for producing said succession as said radio signal.

4. An automatic call transfer system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said signal generating means comprises:

burst pair producing means for repeatedly producing a pair of bursts each of which carries said person identification number, said bursts of each pair appearing with a burst interval left therebetween and being specific to said person identification number; and

means for producing said pair of bursts as said radio signal.

5. An automatic call transfer system as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said receiving means comprises:

local memory means for memorizing said electric identification signal; and

sending means for sending said memorized electric identification signal to said exchange only on occurrence of variation of the person identification number conveyed by said radio signal.

6. An automatic call transfer system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said receiving means further comprises:

monitoring means coupled to said sending means and the subscriber lines for each receivable zone for monitoring the subscriber lines to detect an idle one of the subscriber lines and to deliver said memorized electric identification signal to said idle subscriber line.

7. An automatic call transfer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal generating means is coupled to each of said receivers by the use of ultrasonic waves.