Method and apparatus for remotely controlling telephone call-forwarding

• US 6,501,838 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Frederick Kenneth Jr., Henderson, Donnie, Jackel, Lawrence David, Brachman, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/917,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/207.15, 379/201
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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 3/546 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/548 with remote control

Abstract

A call-forwarding system can be remotely controlled in a simple and easily understood manner, thereby increasing the usage of call-forwarding. By maintaining a registry of special telephone numbers for a user'"'"'s telephone and, upon receiving a telephone call from one of the special telephone numbers, the system forwards calls to the one of the special telephone numbers. The call-forwarding system includes a registry of special telephone numbers and a call-forwarding controller which, upon receiving a call from one of the special telephone numbers, forwards calls to the one of the special telephone numbers. In addition, the call-forwarding controller includes a caller-ID application which identifies all incoming telephone calls and passes this information to the controller. The controller then compares the incoming call to the telephone numbers in the registry and, upon obtaining a match, activates a routine for forwarding future incoming calls to the matched telephone number. The above method of controlling call-forwarding of an office telephone from a remote telephone provides the end user a very simple interface to allow remote enabling and disabling of call-forwarding.

Claims

1. A method for controlling call-forwarding, the method comprising:

receiving a signal indicating that a call is being made from a first telephone to a second telephone;

determining that the second telephone is on a list of telephones registered for remotely controlled call forwarding;

receiving a signal indicating that a second call is being made to the second telephone from a third telephone; and

forwarding said second call to the first telephone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving, determining, and forwarding are performed at a switch in the public switched telephone network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining comprises using caller-ID to identify the telephone number of the second telephone and comparing said telephone number to telephone numbers in a database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the entry in said database for the telephone number of the second telephone is associated with information relating to an event, and wherein calls are forwarded to the first telephone until the occurrence of said event.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said event is the conclusion of a time period after said forwarding was initiated.

6. A method for controlling call-forwarding of incoming calls, the method comprising:

receiving a call at a call forwarding service from a caller at a first telephone number;

determining that the caller is initiating remote call forwarding, wherein said determining that the caller is initiating remote call forwarding comprises;

determining that said first telephone number is an entry in a database of numbers registered for remote call forwarding, wherein the database associates said second telephone number with said first telephone number; and

determining that call forwarding is currently off for the second telephone number; and

receiving calls directed to a second telephone number and forwarding said calls to said first telephone number, wherein said second telephone number is associated with said first telephone number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second call at the call forwarding service from a caller at the first telephone number;

determining that call forwarding is currently on for the second telephone number; and

terminating call forwarding for the second telephone number.

8. A method for controlling call-forwarding of incoming calls, the method comprising:

receiving a call at a call forwarding service from a caller at a first telephone number;

determining that the caller is initiating remote call forwarding, wherein determining that the caller is initiating remote call forwarding comprises;

determining that said first telephone number is an entry in a database of numbers registered for remote call forwarding, wherein the database associates said second telephone number with said first telephone number; and

detecting a particular touch tone indicating that call forwarding is to be initiated; and

receiving calls directed to a second telephone number and forwarding said calls to said first telephone number, wherein said second telephone number is associated with said first telephone number.