Intelligent cellular forwarding system

• US 6,363,248 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1998
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Silverman, David Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Application Number:
  US09/221,920
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/417, 455/445, 455/435, 455/557
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• 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: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

An intelligent call forwarding system for routing incoming calls to at least one of a plurality of alternate communication devices when a called party cellular communication device installed in a vehicle is unavailable to directly receive the call. The system includes a plurality of cell sites disposed at predetermined geographical locations for providing cellular communication service to the called party cellular communication device. An active cell site that provides cellular communication service to the called party cellular communication device is stored in a memory device. Each cell site is related to at least one alternate communication device that is nearest in geographical location thereto. When an incoming call is received and the cellular communication device is “unavailable”, a cellular central office selects an alternate communication device that is mapped to the most recent active cell site stored in the memory device, and the incoming call is forwarded to the selected alternate communication device via a network. In a preferred embodiment the memory device stores a history of most recent active cell sites and determines the direction of travel of the vehicle therefrom. The system can automatically and intelligently predict which alternate communication device to forward the incoming call to based on the direction of travel and the most recent active cell site.

Claims

1. A method for routing incoming calls in a cellular communication system to at least one of a plurality of alternate communication devices when a movable called party cellular communication device is unavailable, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring active cell sites providing communication service to the called party cellular communication device;

storing a history of information about a predetermined number of most recent active cell sites in a memory device;

automatically selecting at least one of the plural alternate communication devices based on the stored history of most recent active cell sites stored in the memory device by determining a direction of travel of the vehicle based on the history of most recent active cell sites; and

forwarding an incoming call to the at least one alternate communication device selected, when the called party cellular communication device is unavailable.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting the alternate communication device based on the stored most recent active cell site and the direction of travel of the vehicle.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising relating each of said alternate communication devices to the cell site nearest in geographical location thereto.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said selecting step comprises automatically selecting the nearest alternate communication device related to the most recent active cell site stored in the memory device.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selecting step comprises automatically selecting a predetermined default communication device, when the most recent active cell site stored in the memory device does not have a related alternate communication device.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a predetermined period of time has expired since the incoming call has been forwarded to the selected alternate communication device without being answered; and

routing the incoming call to a predetermined default communication device, when the predetermined period of time has expired.

7. An intelligent cellular communication call forwarding system with a plurality of cell sites for providing communication service to a movable called party cellular communication device, said system receiving an incoming call to the called party cellular communication device and routing the incoming call to at least one of a plurality of alternate communication devices where calls for the called party cellular communication device are to be directed when it is unavailable, said alternate communication devices being associated with particular cell sites, comprising:

a memory device for storing a history of information about a predetermined number of most recent active cell sites providing communication service to the called party cellular communication device;

a cellular central office for automatically selecting at least one of the plural alternate communication devices when the called party cellular communication device is unavailable based on the stored history of most recent active cell sites, said cellular central office determines a direction of travel of the vehicle based on the history of most recent active cell sites; and

a network for routing the incoming call to at least one of said plural alternate communication devices based on the stored most recent active cell site, when the called party cellular communication device is unavailable.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said cellular central office selects at least one of said plural alternate communication devices based on the stored most recent active cell site and the direction of travel.

9. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said cellular central office relates each alternate communication device to a cell site nearest on location thereto.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said cellular central office automatically selects the nearest alternate communication device related to the stored most recent active cell site.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said memory device stores a predetermined default communication device.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said cellular central office automatically selects the predetermined default communication device, when the most recent active cell site stored in said memory device does not have a related alternate communication device.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said cellular central office determines whether a predetermined period of time has expired since the incoming call has been forwarded to the selected alternate communication device without being answered, and routes the incoming call to the predetermined default communication device, when the predetermined period of time has expired.

14. An intelligent cellular communication call forwarding system for routing incoming calls to at least one of a plurality of alternate communication devices when a called party cellular communication device is unavailable, comprising:

means for monitoring an active cell site providing communication service to the called aprty cellular communication device;

means for storing a history of information about a predetermined number of most recent active cell sites;

means for selecting at least one fo the plural alternate communication devices based on the history of most recent active cell sites in said storage means, said means for selecting including means for determining a direction of travel of the vehicle based on the history of most recent active cell sites; and

means for forwarding an incoming call to the selected alternate communication device, when the called party cellular communication device is unavailable.