Method and apparatus for alert control on a communications system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling an alert function of a communications terminal, the terminal being associated with a predetermined user for receiving an incoming call over a telecommunications network, the terminal alert function presenting to the user at least an audible alert of the incoming call, the apparatus comprisingcircuitry for determining whether the user is present at said communications terminal to receive the incoming call and a controller for controlling the alert function according to the determination of the user'"'"'s presence at the communications terminal, wherein the controller disables at least an audible alert part of the terminal alert function if any one of the following conditions is determined:
- i) the user is not present at the communications terminal;
ii) the user is present at the communications terminal but a stored alert parameter of the predetermined user is set to disable at least said audible part of the terminal alert function; and
iii) the user is present at the communications terminal but a stored group alert parameter is set to disable at least said audible part of the terminal alert function.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switching system in which telecommunications features are improved by the proximity status of a predetermined user to a communications terminal. Proximity status information deduces a predetermined user'"'"'s presence or absence to answer incoming calls on a communications terminal associated with the predetermined user and silences the audible alert if the predetermined user is absent from the area. The proximity status information may also be used to control security features on a terminal so that only the predetermined user can use the terminal when the predetermined user is deduced to be present.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. Apparatus for controlling an alert function of a communications terminal, the terminal being associated with a predetermined user for receiving an incoming call over a telecommunications network, the terminal alert function presenting to the user at least an audible alert of the incoming call, the apparatus comprising
circuitry for determining whether the user is present at said communications terminal to receive the incoming call and a controller for controlling the alert function according to the determination of the user'"'"'s presence at the communications terminal, wherein the controller disables at least an audible alert part of the terminal alert function if any one of the following conditions is determined: -
i) the user is not present at the communications terminal;
ii) the user is present at the communications terminal but a stored alert parameter of the predetermined user is set to disable at least said audible part of the terminal alert function; and
iii) the user is present at the communications terminal but a stored group alert parameter is set to disable at least said audible part of the terminal alert function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for controlling an alert function of a communications terminal, the terminal being associated with a predetermined user for receiving an incoming call over a telecommunications network, the terminal alert function presenting to the user at least an audible alert of the incoming call, the method comprising the steps of
determining whether the user is present at the communications terminal to receive the incoming call and controlling the alert function according to the presence of the user at the communications terminal, the method including the step of disabling at least an audible alert part of the terminal alert function if any one of the following conditions is determined: -
i) the user is not present at the communications terminal;
ii) the user is present at the communications terminal but a stored alert parameter of the predetermined user is set to disable at least said audible part of the terminal alert function; and
iii) the user is present at the communications terminal but a stored group alert parameter is set to disable at least said audible part of the terminal alert function. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. Software stored on a computer readable medium which causes a switch to perform the steps of:
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determining whether a predetermined user is present at a communications terminal associated with said user to receive an incoming call;
controlling an alert function according to the presence of the user at said communications terminal; and
disabling at least an audible alert part of the terminal alert function if any one of the following conditions is determined;
i) the user is not present at the communications terminal;
ii) the user is present at the communications terminal but a stored alert parameter of the predetermined user is set to disable at least said audible part of the terminal alert function; and
iii) the user is present at the communications terminal but a stored group alert parameter is set to disable at least said audible part of the terminal alert function.
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Specification