Communications system automatically diverting calls when user not present

• US 6,480,593 B1
• Filed: 03/30/1998
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Munday, Alan C, Norbury, Graham J
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/043,779
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 379/210.01, 379/211-1-2, 379/212.01, 379/213.01, 379/201-1-2, 379/219, 379/90.01, 379/102.06, 379/913
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• 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 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/913 Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

In a communications network (130), call divert, for calls directed to a local telephone (100), from the local telephone (100) to a remote telephone (150) is initiated by a computer system (160) after the user has had no interaction with the computer system for a predetermined period of time. Thus, a user need not remember to initialize call divert manually before leaving the vicinity of the local telephone (100).

Claims

1. Call control apparatus comprising:

inference means for inferring an absence of a user from the vicinity of user equipment, said inference means including a timer and being arranged to infer user absence by a lack of user direct interaction with the user equipment for longer than a pre-determined period of time; and

control means being responsive to said inference means such that inference of user absence from the vicinity of said user equipment causes a call subsequently made to a first communications terminal after the absence of a user has been inferred to be re-directed to a second communications terminal.

2. Call control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user equipment is a computer system.

3. Call control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said inference means includes a screen-saver process performed by said computer system.

4. Call control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control means includes means for transmitting a control signal to a communications network to initiate call re-direction.

5. A method of re-directing calls comprising:

inferring the absence of a user from an area by detecting a lack of user direct interaction with user equipment; and

re-directing calls subsequently made after the absence of said user direct interaction has been inferred to a first communications terminal situated in or near said area, in response to an inferred absence, from the first communications terminal to a second communications terminal.

6. A data transfer system comprising:

inference means to infer an absence of a user from an area, said inference means including timer means and being arranged to infer user absence by a lack of user direct interaction with user equipment for longer than a pre-determined period of time; and

control means being responsive to the inference means such that inference of user absence from a vicinity of said user equipment causes, in use, a transfer of data subsequently directed after the absence of a user has been inferred to a first communications terminal in or near said area to be re-directed to a second communications terminal.

7. A data transfer system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the user equipment is a computer system.

8. A data transfer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said inference means includes a screen-saver process performed by said computer system.