Automatic system for forwarding of calls

• US 5,243,645 A
• Filed: 11/01/1990
• Issued: 09/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Inventors: Bissell, Elliston P., Campano, Frank J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATAR, AHMAD
• Application Number:
  US07/607,925
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 379/60, 379/210, 379/211, 379/61, 379/91, 379/144, 379/357, 379/212
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• 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: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13513 UPT - personal as opposed to terminal mobility, inc. number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13532 mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/913 Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

Messages (such as telephone calls or data messages) are automatically forwarded to an individual who is away from his/her home or office based upon information obtained when the individual engages in a transaction or activity, such as making a credit card purchase or credit card call, that indicates his or her location, e.g., at a particular merchant or telephone. Information from the transaction that links the individual and his/her current location is forwarded to a database to update an electronic record indicating the individual'"'"'s availability, and where the subscriber may be reached. A call thereafter placed to the individual, either using a personal telephone number or the ordinary home or office number, causes the individual'"'"'s record to be accessed and current location retrieved, so that the message can be automatically forwarded to that location. In some instances, the caller is furnished with the caller'"'"'s general location (i.e., area), so that the message can be transmitted via cellular telphone, paging or other wireless communication.

Claims

1. Apparatus for automatically completing telecommunication calls to a subscriber as a direct result of a business transaction activity of said subscriber at a remote location, including

means for deriving information regarding the location of said subscriber from information regarding said business transaction activity;

means for including said location information in a signaling message;

means for transmitting said signaling message to and storing said location information in a database; and

means for directing calls to said subscriber based upon said location information stored in said data base.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said business transaction activity is a credit card transaction at a merchant location, and wherein said deriving means includes means for associating said merchant location with said subscriber location.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said business transaction activity is a credit card telephone call, and wherein said deriving means includes means for determining said subscriber location based upon the location of the telephone at which said call is made.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said directing means includes means for forwarding calls made to a personal telephone number assigned to said subscriber to a location identified in said database.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said directing means includes means for directing calls made to the ordinary home or office of said subscriber to said subscriber at a location identified in said database.

6. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said information deriving means includes means for deriving a reach telephone number from a credit card transaction originated at a merchant location.

7. Apparatus for automatically completing calls to a subscriber at a location different from that subscriber'"'"'s home/office location, including

means for storing in a database a subscriber record including information for forwarding a call to said subscriber;

means for updating said subscriber record as a direct result of a business transaction activity of said subscriber other than a call from said subscriber to said database, said business transaction activity being indicative of the present location of said subscriber, and

means for accessing said subscriber record in response to a call directed to said subscriber, to obtain information indicative of said present location of said subscriber, whereby said calls may be completed to said subscriber at said present location.

8. Apparatus for forwarding telecommunication calls to an individual traveling away from his/her normal location, including

means for storing information indicative of the present location of said individual;

means for updating said stored information as a direct result of a business transaction activity made by said individual, said business transaction activity involving use of a telecommunications network originating at a certain location and excluding origination of a call to said storing means; and

means for routing telecommunications calls to said individual at said certain location.

9. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said business transaction activity includes

a credit card transaction;

or a credit card call;

or a banking transaction at an ATM.

10. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said apparatus further includes

means for accessing said stored information using a personal locator number assigned to said individual;

and

means for routing calls made to said individual using said stored information.

11. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said apparatus further includes

means for accessing said stored information using an ordinary telecommunication number assigned to said individual;

and

means for routing calls made to said individual using said stored information.

12. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said telecommunications calls include:

a voice call;

or a data call;

or a facsimile transmission;

or a cellular telephone call;

or notification via radiotelephone paging.

13. A method of automatically completing telecommunication calls to a subscriber as a direct result of a business transaction activity of said subscriber at a remote location, including the steps of

deriving information regarding the location of said subscriber from information regarding said business transaction activity;

transmitting said location information to a database without initiation of an outgoing call by said subscriber to said database;

storing said location information in a record in said database that is associated with said subscriber; and

completing calls to said subscriber based upon said location information stored in said database.

14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said business transaction activity is a credit card transaction at a merchant location, and wherein said deriving step includes associating said merchant location with said subscriber location.

15. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said business transaction activity is a credit card telephone call, and wherein said deriving step includes determining said subscriber location based upon the location of the telephone at which said call is made.

16. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said completing step includes routing calls made to a personal telephone number assigned to said subscriber to a location identified in said storing step.

17. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said completing step includes routing calls made to the ordinary home or office of said subscriber to said subscriber at a location identified in said storing step.

18. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said information deriving step includes deriving a reach telephone number from a credit card transaction originated at a merchant location.

19. A method of automatically completing calls to a subscriber at a location different from that subscriber'"'"'s home/office location, including the steps of

storing in a database a subscriber record including information for forwarding a call to said subscriber;

updating said subscriber record as a direct result of a business transaction activity of said subscriber other than a call from said subscriber to said database, said business transaction activity being indicative of the present location of said subscriber, and

accessing said subscriber record in response to a call directed to said subscriber, to obtain information indicative of said present location of said subscriber, whereby said calls may be completed to said subscriber at said present location.

20. A method of forwarding telecommunication calls to an individual traveling away from his/her normal location, including the steps of

storing information indicative of the present location of said individual;

updating said stored information as a direct result of a business transaction activity made by said individual, said business transaction activity involving use of a telecommunications network originating at a certain location and excluding origination of a call to said storing means; and

routing telecommunications calls to said individual at said certain location.

21. The method defined in claim 20 wherein said business transaction activity includes

a credit card transaction;

or a credit card call;

or a banking transaction at an ATM.

22. The method defined in claim 20 wherein said method further includes

accessing said stored information using a personal locator number assigned to said individual;

and

routing calls made to said individual using said stored information.

23. The method defined in claim 20 wherein said method further includes

accessing said stored information using an ordinary telecommunication number assigned to said individual;

and

routing calls made to said individual using said stored information.

24. The method defined in claim 20 wherein said telecommunications call includes:

a voice call;

or a data call;

or a facsimile transmission;

or a cellular telephone call;

or notification via radiotelephone paging.