Method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network

• US 6,856,678 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify Patente GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Catley, Ian, Gartner, Martin, Ow, Hans-Peter Vow, Honold, Stefan, Speitkamp, Burkhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US09/825,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20020006189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/214.01, 379/142.07, 379/225, 379/157, 379231-234
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5108 Secretarial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/546 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 Arrangements in the private branch exchange

Abstract

A method for updating call redirection destinations, in which a call redirection destination which has been changed by a user entry on a first subscriber terminal is stored for a second subscriber terminal, which forms a point of origin for a call redirection, in an associated memory together with the point of origin of the call redirection as call redirection information. The stored call redirection information is sent to a control unit associated with the second subscriber terminal. The control unit checks whether a call redirection indicated by the call redirection information has been set up. A call redirection is set up on the basis of the result of the check.

Claims

1. A method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

storing, in a memory associated with a first subscriber terminal, both a call redirection destination, which has been changed by a user entry at the first subscriber terminal, and a point of origin of a call redirection as call redirection information for a second subscriber terminal which forms the point of origin of the call redirection;

sending the stored call redirection information to a control unit associated with the second subscriber terminal;

checking, via the control unit, whether a call redirection indicated by the call redirection information has been set up;

storing the call redirection information in a memory associated with the second subscriber terminal and setting up the call redirection based on a result of the step of checking; and

operating the first subscriber terminal in a stand-in mode, wherein once a stand-in destination selected for the first subscriber terminal has been entered, messages containing updated call redirection information are sent to the second subscriber terminal which had previously been set up as the point of origin of the call redirection to the first subscriber terminal.

2. A method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the steps of:

checking, before the step of setting up the call redirection, whether the call redirection destination exists and is in operation; and

storing the call redirection information in the memory associated with the second subscriber terminal based on a result of the step of checking.

3. A method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network as claimed in claim 1, wherein a call directed to the second subscriber terminal within a call acceptance group, with which both the second subscriber terminal and at least one first subscriber terminal provided for a call redirection originating from the second subscriber terminal are associated, is at least one of forwarded and signaled to the first subscriber terminal.

4. A method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

signaling the call redirection information at least one of visually and audibly on the respective subscriber terminal.

5. A method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in a first operating mode, a call directed to the second subscriber terminal is switched to the second subscriber terminal and signaled for call acceptance on the first subscriber terminal.

6. A method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in a second operating mode, a call directed to the second subscriber terminal is switched to the first subscriber terminal and signaled for call acceptance on at least one of the second subscriber terminal and at least one further first subscriber terminal.

7. A method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

storing, in a memory associated with a first subscriber terminal, both a call redirection destination, which has been changed by a user entry at the first subscriber terminal, and a point of origin of a call redirection as call redirection information for a second subscriber terminal which forms the point of origin of the call redirection;

sending the stored call redirection information to a control unit associated with the second subscriber terminal;

checking, via the control unit, whether a call redirection indicated by the call redirection information has been set up;

storing the call redirection information in a memory associated with the second subscriber terminal and setting up the call redirection based on a result of the step of checking;

sending messages containing the call redirection information to a further first subscriber terminal, wherein the call redirection information contained in the messages includes additional indications of one of activation and deactivation of a call redirection;

searching a respective memory associated with the further first subscriber terminal for a comparison between call redirection information stored in the respective memory and the call redirection information sent to the further first subscriber terminal contained in the messages; and

updating the call redirection information stored in the respective memory associated with the further first subscriber terminal based on a result of the comparison.

8. A method for updating call redirection destinations in a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

storing, in a memory associated with a first subscriber terminal, both a call redirection destination, which has been changed by a user entry at the first subscriber terminal, and a point of origin of a call redirection as call redirection information for a second subscriber terminal which forms the point of origin of the call redirection;

sending the stored call redirection information to a control unit associated with the second subscriber terminal;

checking, via the control unit, whether a call redirection indicated by the call redirection information has been set up;

storing the call redirection information in a memory associated with the second subscriber terminal and setting up the call redirection based on a result of the step of checking

sending messages containing the call redirection information to a further first subscriber terminal, wherein the call redirection information contained in the messages includes additional indications of one of activation and deactivation of a call redirection;

searching a respective memory associated with the further first subscriber terminal for a comparison between call redirection information stored in the respective memory and the call redirection information sent to the further first subscriber terminal contained in the messages;

updating the call redirection information stored in the respective memory associated with the further first subscriber terminal based on a result of the comparison; and

sending the messages containing the call redirection information, within a call acceptance group with which the further first subscriber terminal provided for a call redirection originating from the second subscriber terminal and the second subscriber terminal are associated, from the second subscriber terminal to the further first subscriber terminal.