Method and device for remotely routing a voice call

• US 6,904,141 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Jijina, Jasmin, Mazzara, William E. Jr., Schwinke, Steven P., Correia, John J., Fraser, Ronald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Scott L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAHEE, MD S
• Application Number:
  US10/001,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20030103599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.23, 379/373.01, 379/211.02, 379/211.03, 379/211.04, 379/211.01, 379/106.01, 379156-158, 379/214.01, 379/212.01, 455/417, 455/552.1, 455/436.2, 377/211.05
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• 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: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A device for implementing a method of remotely routing a voice call forward to a telematic device is disclosed. The device first maintains a call state of the voice call in response to an answering of call forwarding rings by the telematic device. The device then forwards the calls to the next assigned device in response to a failure of a user of the telematic device to answer fake rings from the telematic device. Such a failure can be indicated by a monitoring of a prescribed number of back ring tones or a dropping of call within a prescribed timer window.

Claims

1. A method for remotely routing a voice call forwarded to a first telematic device as facilitated by a call state of the voice call, said method comprising:

maintaining the call state of the voice call in response to an answering by the first telematic device of one or more call forwarding rings indicative of the voice call; and

forwarding the voice call to either a voice mail module, a second telematic device or a telecommunication device as facilitated by the maintaining of the call state in response to a failure of a user of the first telematic device to answer one or more fake rings indicative of the answering of the one or more call forwarding rings by the first telematic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring ring back tones provided by the first telematic device in response to answering the one or more call forwarding rings,

wherein the voice call is forwarded to either the voice mail module, the second telematic device or the telecommunication device as facilitated by the maintaining of the call state in response to a failure of a user of the first telematic device to answer the one or more fake rings after a prescribed number of ring back tones.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a timer in response to the answering of the one or more call forwarding rings by the first telematic device,

wherein the voice call is forwarded to either the voice mail module, the second telematic device or the telecommunication device as facilitated by the maintaining of the call state in response to the first telematic device dropping the voice call within a prescribed timer window.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an announcement to a caller of the voice call, the announcement indicating the forwarding of the voice call to the first telematic device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

playing music for a caller of the voice call while maintaining the call state of the voice call.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

running an advertisement for a caller of the voice call while maintaining the call state of the voice call.

7. A method for remotely routing a voice call forwarded to a first telematic device as facilitated by a call state of the voice call, said method comprising:

maintaining the call state of the voice call in response to an answering by the first telematic device of one or more call forwarding rings indicative of the voice call;

monitoring ring back tones provided by the first telematic device in response to answering the one or more call forwarding rings; and

forwarding the voice call to either a voice mail module, a second telematic device or a telecommunication device as facilitated by the maintaining of the call state in response to a failure after a prescribed number of ring back tones of a user of the first telematic device to answer one or more fake rings indicative of the answering of the one or more call forwarding rings by the first telematic device.

8. A device, comprising:

a call forwarding module operable to forward a voice call to a first telematic device as facilitated by a call state of the voice call; and

a voice portal operable to maintain the call state of the voice call in response to an answering by the first telematic device of one or more call forwarding rings indicative of the voice call, said voice portal further operable to forward the voice call to either a voice mail module, a second telematic device or a telecommunication device as facilitated by a maintaining of the call state in response to a failure of a user of the first telematic device to answer one or more fake rings indicative of the answering of the one or more call forwarding rings by the first telematic device.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein:

said voice portal is further operable to monitor ring back tones provided by the first telematic device in response to answering the one or more call forwarding rings; and

said voice portal forwards the voice call to either the voice mail module, the second telematic device or the telecommunication device as facilitated by the maintaining of the call state in response to a failure of a user of the first telematic device to answer the one or more fake rings after a prescribed number of ring back tones.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein:

said voice portal is further operable to initiate a timer in response to the answering of the one or more call forwarding rings by the first telematic device; and

said voice portal forwards the voice call to either the voice mail module, the second telematic device or the telecommunication device as facilitated by the maintaining of the call state in response to the first telematic device dropping the voice call within a prescribed timer window.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein:

said voice portal is further operable to provide an announcement to a caller of the voice call, the announcement indicating the forwarding of the voice call to the first telematic device.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein:

said voice portal is further operable to play music for a caller of the voice call while maintaining the call state of the voice call.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein:

said voice portal is further operable to run an advertisement for a caller of the voice call while maintaining the call state of the voice call.

14. A device, comprising:

a call forwarding operable to forward a voice call to a first telematic device as facilitated by a call state of the voice call; and

a voice portal operable to maintain the call state of the voice call in response to an answering by the first telematic device of one or more call forwarding rings indicative of the voice call,

wherein said voice portal is further operable to monitor ring back tones provided by the first telematic device in response to answering the one or more call forwarding rings, and

wherein said voice portal is further operable to forward the voice call to either a voice mail module, a second telematic device or a telecommunication device as facilitated by a maintaining of the call state in response to a failure after a prescribed number of ring back tones of a user of the first telematic device to answer one or more fake rings indicative of the answering of the one or more call forwarding rings by the first telematic device.

15. A device, comprising:

means for maintaining a call state of the voice call in response to an answering by the first telematic device of one or more call forwarding rings indicative of the voice call; and

means for forwarding the voice call to either a voice mail module, a second telematic device or a telecommunication device as facilitated by the maintaining of the call state in response to a failure of a user of the first telematic device to answer one or more fake rings indicative of the answering of the one or more call forwarding rings by the first telematic device.

16. A device, comprising:

means for maintaining a call state of the voice call in response to an answering by the first telematic device of one or more call forwarding rings indicative of the voice call;

means for monitoring ring back tones provided by the first telematic device in response to answering the one or more call forwarding rings; and

means for forwarding the voice call to either a voice mail module, a second telematic device or a telecommunication device as facilitated by the maintaining of the call state in response to a failure after a prescribed number of ring back tones of a user of the first telematic device to answer one or more fake rings indicative the answering by the first telematic device of the one or more call forwarding rings indicative of the voice call.