Dynamic associative group pickup

• US 6,195,560 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1998
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Chavez, David L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/162,495
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/519, 455/422, 455/432, 455/435, 455/436, 455/456, 455/403, 455/517, 455/567
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/733 with a plurality of base stations connected to a plurality of lines for selection in cordless PBX H04W84/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/737 Characterised by transmission of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. infrared waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• 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 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

A wireless terminal is dynamically placed into a call pickup group based on the location of the wireless telephone. Similarly, a wireless terminal is dynamically removed from a call pickup group on the basis of the location of the wireless terminal. A wireless terminal can be excluded from joining a call pickup group in a specific location.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a call pickup group, comprising the steps of:

determining ones of a plurality of wireless terminals that are in a physical location which is limited to an interior room of a building;

inserting the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals into the call pickup group;

directing an incoming call to a first one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals;

alerting only the first one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals in the call pickup group; and

answering the incoming call by another one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals in the call pickup group in response to actuation of a call pickup button on the other one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of removing one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals from the call pickup group upon the one of the determined ones of plurality of wireless terminals leaving the physical location.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of inserting comprises the step of excluding designated ones of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals from terminating ring group.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of excluding comprises the step of examining a table defining the wireless terminals to excluded from the terminating ring group.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprises the steps of assigning a telecommunication dial number to the physical location;

alerting only a third one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals in the call pickup group; and

answering the incoming call by another individual one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals in the call pickup group in response to actuation of a call pickup button on the other individual one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of alerting the third one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals in the call pickup group based on the position of the third one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals in the call pickup group.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the third one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals is first in the call pickup group.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the third one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals is last in the call pickup group.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of assigning comprises the step of alerting a third one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals in the call pickup group whereby the third one of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals is selected on the attributes of a assigned user.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining the physical location comprises the steps of detecting physical location information by each of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals from a fixed unit;

and

transmitting by each of the determined ones of the plurality of wireless terminals the detected physical location information to a wireless switching system controlling the plurality of wireless terminals.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of determining the physical location comprises the step of identifying the call pickup group from the transmitted detected physical location information.