Call handling

• US 6,275,577 B1
• Filed: 08/21/1998
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/138,093
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 379/372, 379/373, 379/376, 379/67.1, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.15, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/201, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/213, 379/214, 455/417, 455/426, 455/428, 455/458, 455/31.1, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/414, 455/461
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• 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: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A method of routing an incoming telephone call to a called party having plural telephone numbers in which a telephone call for the called party is received at a switching system, and automatically screened to determine where the received call is to be routed among plural devices with different telephone numbers for accessing the called party, where the devices may include a wireless telephone and a pager. The screening step determines whether the received call is to be routed to the wireless telephone and the pager. If the received call is to be routed to the wireless telephone and the pager in response to the screening, it is routed in parallel.

Claims

1. A method of silently alerting a called party as to the existence of a telephone call on a wireless telephone comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a telephone call at a telephone switching system;

(b) routing the telephone call from the switch to a wireless telephone identified by the switch with a called party without activating an audible alert; and

(c) activating an inaudible alert of a pager identified by the switch with the called party to thereby alert the called party of the availability of the telephone call at the wireless telephone.

2. A method of connecting a telephone call to a called party comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a telephone call at a telephone switching system;

(b) routing the telephone call from the switch to a wireless telephone identified by the switch with a called party without activating an audible alert; and

(c) activating an inaudible alert of a pager identified by the switch with the called party to thereby alert the called party of the availability of the telephone call at the wireless telephone; and

(d) in response to the inaudible alert, pressing a call-connect key at the wireless telephone to thereby selectively connect the telephone call to the wireless telephone.

3. A method of routing a telephone call comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a telephone call directed to a first personal communication device associated with the called party;

(b) automatically routing the telephone call to a second personal communication device associated with the called party; and

(c) in parallel to routing the telephone call to the second personal communication device, transmitting to a third personal communication device associated with the called party a message for informing the called party of the routing of the telephone call to the second personal communication device.

4. A portable call forwarding method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a switching system a telephone call directed to a called party;

(b) obtaining information relating to the calling party from the telephone call;

(c) selecting one or more telecommunication devices as a function of the obtained information;

(d) simultaneously,

(i) routing the telephone call to the selected one or more telecommunication devices, and

(ii) transmitting a message to a telecommunication device other than the selected one or more telecommunication devices, the message including both the obtained information and information identifying the selected telecommunication devices.

5. A method of routing a telephone call seeking access to a party through one of a plurality of communication associated with the party, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at a switching system a telephone call seeking access to a party through a first communication device associated with the party;

(b) obtaining information relating to the identity of a calling party from the telephone call;

(c) selecting as a function of the obtained information one or more communication devices associated with the party;

(d) routing the telephone call to the selected one or more devices; and

(e) transmitting a message to a non-selected communication device, the message including both the obtained information and information identifying the selected communication devices.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each of the communication devices has a different telephone number.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein each of the communication devices is for performing a different personal communication function.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the steps of routing and transmitting a message are performed at the same time.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the telephone call is automatically routed to a wireless telephone having an audible ringer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the message is transmitted to a pager.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the steps of routing and transmitting a message are performed at the same time.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the audible ringer of the wireless telephone is not triggered when the telephone call is available on the wireless telephone.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the pager alerts the party with an inaudible stimulus.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of connecting the wireless telephone to the received call with a single key stroke entry at the wireless telephone.

15. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of obtaining information includes the step of obtaining one of the group of calling line identification, DNIS number, and account number.

16. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of obtaining information includes the step of automatically requesting information on an initiator of the received call.