Incoming communications forwarding technique utilizing a called party location indicator
First Claim
1. A pager which signals the arrival of an incoming communications destined for a pager user, said pager comprisingmeans for developing a plurality of signals, each signal identifying said pager and being associated with a different communications feature, a first one of these communications feature being a call forwarding feature wherein an incoming call destined for said pager user can be redirected to a communications device that is in close proximity to said pager, a second one of these features being a selective call forwarding feature wherein said call forwarding feature is only provided when said incoming communications originates from one of a predetermined number of sources, and a third one of these features being a location feature which upon being activated, identifies the pager user to said communication device such that said communication device displays the identity of said pager user, and upon being deactivated, the location feature blocks the identification of the pager user to said communication device;
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Abstract
A communications signal-transmitting device carried by a communications system user indicates the location of that user relative to other wired or wireless communications devices connected to a communications system. This location indication is utilized by the communications system to forward incoming voice and/or data communications for that user to the other communications device so that the user can receive such communications. As a result, the location of any potential system user is provided and call forwarding for that user is accomplished without the prior art problems associated with activation and deactivation. In the disclosed embodiments which pertain to the forwarding of voice communications in a PBX environment, the communications device is a pager which communicates with the wired or wireless telephone sets connected to the line side of the PBX to provide the PBX with the location of the system user relative to these telephone sets.
250 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A pager which signals the arrival of an incoming communications destined for a pager user, said pager comprising
means for developing a plurality of signals, each signal identifying said pager and being associated with a different communications feature, a first one of these communications feature being a call forwarding feature wherein an incoming call destined for said pager user can be redirected to a communications device that is in close proximity to said pager, a second one of these features being a selective call forwarding feature wherein said call forwarding feature is only provided when said incoming communications originates from one of a predetermined number of sources, and a third one of these features being a location feature which upon being activated, identifies the pager user to said communication device such that said communication device displays the identity of said pager user, and upon being deactivated, the location feature blocks the identification of the pager user to said communication device; - and
means responsive to each developed signal for transmitting that developed signal to a communications system which, in response thereto regulates operation of the communications feature associated with said transmitted signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A communications system for connecting incoming communications to communication devices, said system comprising
a pager which indicates arrival of incoming communications for a pager user, said pager including means for developing a plurality of signals, each signal being associated with a user of said pager and with a different communications feature, a first one of these communications features being a call forwarding feature wherein an incoming call destined for said pager user can be redirected to a communications device that is in close proximity to said pager user, a second one of these features being a selective call forwarding feature wherein said call forwarding feature is only provided when said incoming communications originates from one of a predetermined number of sources, and a third one of these communication features being a location feature which upon being activated, provides the identification of the pager used to said communications devices participating in said incoming communications such that said communication devices display the identity of said pager user and which upon being deactivated, the location feature blocks the identification of the pager user to said participating communication devices means for receiving each developed signal and in response thereto controlling operation of the communications feature associated with said received signal for said user.
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17. A method for use in a communications system which connects incoming communications to communications devices, said method comprising the steps of
developing a plurality of signals in a pager, each signal being associated with a user of said pager and with a different communications feature, a first one of these communications features being a call forwarding feature wherein an incoming call destined for said pager user can be redirected to a communications device that is in close proximity to said pager, a second one of these features being a selective call forwarding feature wherein said call forwarding feature is only provided when said incoming communications originates from one of a predetermined number of sources, said pager being capable of changing location relative to said communication devices with time, and a third one of these features being a location feature which upon being activated, identifies the pager user to said communication device such that said communication device displays the identity of said pager user, and upon being deactivated, the location feature blocks the identification of the pager used to said communication device; - and
receiving each developed signal and in response thereto controlling operation of the communications feature associated with said received signal for said user.
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Specification