Location-based forwarding of a communication

• US 7,006,833 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Contractor, Sunil H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brandon J.
• Application Number:
  US09/939,855
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/445, 455/461, 455/417, 455/414.1, 455/419, 455/456.6, 455/459, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/213.01, 379/214.01
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

The invention provides a method and a system for forwarding a telephone call. The inventive method includes receiving a telephone call from a calling party line to a called party line, determining a location of the called party, determining a proximity of the location of the called party to one or more subscriber locations, and directing the telephone call to the one or more subscriber locations based on the determined proximity. The subscriber locations may be predefined by the called party. The location of the called party may be determined using a global position system and/or a radio frequency signal, for example.

Claims

1. A method of forwarding a telephone call, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a calling party line to a called party line;

determining a location of the called party;

determining a proximity of said location of the called party to one or more subscriber locations, said subscriber locations being identified by a service provider in real-time, independent of called party predetermination; and

directing said telephone call to said one or more subscriber locations based on said determined proximity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said location of the called party is determined using a global position system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said location of the called party is determined using a radio frequency signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said subscriber locations are identified by a directory number.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding said telephone call to a wireless communication device based on said determined proximity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding said telephone call to a voice message system based on said determined proximity.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding said telephone call to another user based on a location of the other user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said proximity is determined by at least one of the following:

a service node, a customer premise equipment unit, a service control point, and a location detection device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said subscriber locations include at least one of the following:

a wire line telephone, a public pay telephone, a wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more persons are subscribed to said called party line.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the called party comprises transmitting a location signal to a receiver located within or on a particular telephone at one of the subscriber locations.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein determining the location of the called party further comprises transmitting a signal associating the location of the called party with the particular telephone.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein said location of the called party is determined using a global position system, by transmitting a location of the called party and a unique identification number associated with the called party.

11. A method of directing a communication, comprising:

receiving a communication directed to a line of a party;

determining a location of the party;

comparing said location of the party to one or more subscriber locations, said subscriber locations being identified by a service provider in real-time, independent of called party predetermination; and

directing said communication as a function of said comparison.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said communication is voice-based.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said communication is text-based.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining comprises receiving a location of the party using a global position system.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining comprises receiving a location of the party using a radio frequency signal.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said subscriber location is a directory number.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said directory number is associated with a wired telephone subscriber location.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said directory number is associated with a wireless communication device.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said communication is directed to a voice message system.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said comparing is accomplished by at least one of the following:

a service node, a customer premise equipment, and a service control point.

31. The method according to claim 11, wherein the location of the party is determined using a global position system, by transmitting a location of the party and a unique identification number associated with the party.

21. A system for redirecting a communication, comprising:

a transponder for transmitting a location of a user;

a service control point for comparing a subscriber location with said location of said user, said subscriber location being identified by a service provider in real-time, independent of called party determination; and

a service transfer point in communication with said service control point for directing said communication as a function of said comparison.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising one or more subscriber telephones in communication with a service switching point, wherein said service switching point is in communication with said service transfer point.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said transponder communicates said location of said user to said subscriber telephones.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said transponder communicates said location of said user to said service control point.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said transponder uses a global positioning signal.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said transponder uses a radio frequency signal.

27. The system of claim 21, further comprising a service node in communication with said service control point.

32. The system of claim 21, further comprising a receiver located within or on a particular telephone at the subscriber location, such that the receiver receives transmissions communicating the user'"'"'s location directly from the transceiver.

33. The system of claim 21, wherein transponder uses a global positioning signal and is configured to transmit a location of the called party and a unique identification number associated with the called party.