Method and system for notifying a caller that a cellular phone destination is available
First Claim
1. A method for connecting a caller to a called destination when the destination is initially unreachable comprising the steps of:
- receiving in a communication network a call origination from the caller to the unreachable destination;
(a) determining if the destination is busy;
(b) determining if call completion with the destination is available;
(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until call completion with the destination is available and the destination not busy;
(d) notifying the caller that the call completion with destination is available;
(e) determining if the caller is busy;
(f) determining if the caller is available; and
repeating steps (e) and (f) until the caller is available and not busy prior to step (d).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for connecting a caller to a called destination when the destination is initially unreachable comprises the steps of receiving in a communication network a call origination from the caller to the unreachable destination, determining if the caller and destination are not busy and also are available to receive a call, and, when both are available and not busy, notifying the caller that the destination is available and subsequently making the connection. The system is particularly adapted for use with cellular networks wherein destination numbers are frequently unavailable because they are off, out of range, or due to insufficient network resources. The system does not rely upon cellular registration to determine if a destination is available but instead attempts to access the destination direction directly to ensure that the call can actually be completed before the caller is notified.
82 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for connecting a caller to a called destination when the destination is initially unreachable comprising the steps of:
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receiving in a communication network a call origination from the caller to the unreachable destination;
(a) determining if the destination is busy;
(b) determining if call completion with the destination is available;
(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until call completion with the destination is available and the destination not busy;
(d) notifying the caller that the call completion with destination is available;
(e) determining if the caller is busy;
(f) determining if the caller is available; and
repeating steps (e) and (f) until the caller is available and not busy prior to step (d). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
after receiving the call origination from the caller to the unreachable destination, initiating a specific task to connect the caller to the called destination, the task implementing steps (a) through (d).
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9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of, upon the detection of a subsequent call from the caller to the prior destination terminating the specific task if the specific task is still active.
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10. A method for connecting a caller to a called destination when the destination is initially unreachable comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining if the caller is busy;
(b) determining if the destination is busy;
(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until the destination is not busy and the caller is not busy;
(d) determining if call completion with the destination is available; and
(e) notifying the caller when call completion with the destination is available. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
wherein the caller is notified that the destination is available only if the destination is available and the caller is available.
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14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of (h) if the caller is not available, repeating steps (a) through (e) and (g).
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15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step (h) is performed until a maximum caller retry condition is met.
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16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of delaying a first period of time prior to executing step (a).
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17. A system for connecting a caller to a called destination when the destination is initially unreachable comprising:
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a control system for managing the operation of a cellular network;
the control system including a programmed computer configured to, upon receiving in the network a call origination from the caller to the unreachable destination;
(a) determine if the destination is busy;
(b) determine if call completion with the destination is available;
(c) repeat steps (a) and (b) until call completion with the destination is available and the destination is not busy;
(d) notify the caller that call completion with the destination is available. (e) determining if the caller is busy;
(f) determining if the caller is available; and
repeating steps (e) and (f) until the caller is available and not busy prior to step (d). - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for connecting a caller to a called destination when the destination is initially unreachable comprising the steps of:
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receiving in a communication network a call origination from the caller to the unreachable destination;
(a) determining if the destination is busy;
(b) determining if the destination is available;
(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until the destination is available and not busy;
(d) notifying the caller that the destination is available;
(e) determining if the caller is busy;
(f) determining if the caller is available; and
repeating steps (e) and (f) until the caller is available and not busy prior to step (d).
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23. A method for connecting a caller to a called destination when the destination is initially unreachable comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining if the caller is busy;
(b) determining if the destination is busy;
(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until the destination is not busy and the caller is not busy;
(d) determining if the destination is available;
(e) notifying the caller when the destination is available;
(d) prior to step (e), the step of (g) determining if the caller is available; and
wherein the caller is notified that the destination is available only if the destination is available and the caller is available.
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24. A system for connecting a caller to a called destination when the destination is initially unreachable comprising:
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a control system for managing the operation of a cellular network;
the control system including a programmed computer configured to, upon receiving in the network a call origination from the caller to the unreachable destination;
(a) determine if the destination is busy;
(b) determine if the destination is available;
(c) repeat steps (a) and (b) until the destination is available and not busy;
(d) notify the caller that the destination is available;
(e) determine if the caller is busy;
(f) determine if the caller is available; and
repeat steps (e) and (f) until the caller is available and not busy prior to step (d).
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Specification