Method and system for providing location-sensitive call management services to a mobile subscriber

• US 7,340,262 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nabkel, Jafar, Youngs, Edward A., Siegel-Jacobs, Karen, Benson, Harvey J., Gillespie, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU X
• Application Number:
  US09/444,359
• Time in Patent Office: 3,029 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/421, 455/414, 455/422, 455/432, 455/517, 455/457, 455/441, 455/436, 455/437, 455/440, 455/448, 455/417, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/418, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/432.3
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location

Abstract

A method and system for processing communication services for a mobile subscriber associated with a wireless network includes a database for storing location-dependent rules associated with at least one communication service subscribed to by the mobile subscriber. Service logic then determines a current location of the mobile subscriber and generates call processing instructions for processing the communication services based on the location-dependent rules and the current location of the mobile subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for processing telephone calls for a mobile subscriber associated with a wireless network, the method comprising:

at the wireless network, receiving from the mobile subscriber user-defined, location-dependent rules associated with at least one telephone service subscribed to by the mobile subscriber, wherein each rule received from the mobile subscriber at the wireless network includes a specification for at least one geographic area associated with the mobile subscriber and rules for processing the at least one telephone service for the mobile subscriber when the mobile subscriber is in one of the geographic areas;

determining a current location of the mobile subscriber; and

processing a telephone call based on the user-defined, location-dependent rules and the current location of the mobile subscriber;

wherein the specification defines a geographic region having a predetermined radius from a current location of the subscriber that changes dynamically as the current location changes.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the wireless network includes at least one base station at a known location for communicating with the mobile subscriber and wherein determining the current location of the mobile subscriber comprises:

receiving a signal from the mobile subscriber; and

determining the location of the mobile subscriber based on the signal from the mobile subscriber and the known location of the at least one base station.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein receiving the signal includes continuously receiving the signal from the wireless subscriber.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein receiving the signal includes receiving the signal from the wireless subscriber in response to a prompt from the wireless network.

5. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein receiving the signal includes receiving a Global Positioning Signal from the mobile subscriber.

6. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein receiving the signal includes receiving a strength of the signal from the mobile subscriber.

7. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein receiving the signal includes receiving signal propagation timing information from the mobile subscriber.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein processing a telephone call comprises:

receiving an outgoing call from the mobile subscriber; and

processing the outgoing call based on the user-defined, location-dependent rules and the current location of the subscriber.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein processing a telephone call comprises:

receiving an incoming call for receipt by the mobile subscriber; and

processing the incoming call based on the user-defined, location-dependent rules and the current location of the subscriber.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining supplemental subscriber information from the mobile subscriber; and

wherein processing a telephone call further comprises processing the telephone call based on the supplemental subscriber information, the current location of the subscriber and the user-defined, location-dependent rules.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the current location of the mobile subscriber includes an area not defined by the boundaries of a cell of the wireless network.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one telephone service includes caller identification.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one telephone service includes call forwarding.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one telephone service includes do not disturb.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one geographic area is not defined by the boundaries of a cell of the wireless network.

16. A system for processing telephone services for a mobile subscriber associated with a wireless network, the system comprising:

a database for storing user-defined, location-dependent rules associated with at least one telephone service subscribed to by the mobile subscriber, wherein each rule includes a specification for at least one geographic area associated with the mobile subscriber and rules for processing the telephone services for the mobile subscriber when the mobile subscriber is in one of the geographic areas; and

service logic for determining a current location of the mobile subscriber and generating call processing instructions for processing telephone calls based on the user-defined, location-dependent rules and the current location of the mobile subscriber;

wherein the specification includes a geographic region having a predetermined radius from a current location of the subscriber that changes dynamically as the current location changes.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the interface is further operative to receive a signal as part of the specification that defines a changing geographic area dependent on the current location of the subscriber.

18. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the wireless network includes at least one base station at a known location for communicating with the mobile subscriber and wherein the service logic, in determining the current location of the mobile subscriber, is further operative to receive a signal from the mobile subscriber, and determine the location of the mobile subscriber based on the signal from the mobile subscriber and the known location of the at least one base station.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the service logic, in receiving the signal, is further operative to continuously receive the signal from the mobile subscriber.

20. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the service logic, in receiving the signal, is further operative to receive the signal from the mobile subscriber in response to a prompt by the service logic.

21. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the service logic, in receiving the signal, is further operative to receive a Global Positioning Signal from the mobile subscriber.

22. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the service logic, in receiving the signal, is further operative to receive a strength of the signal from the mobile subscriber.

23. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein the service logic, in receiving the signal, is further operative to receive signal propagation timing information from the mobile subscriber.

24. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the service logic, in processing telephone calls, is further operative to receive an outgoing call from the mobile subscriber, and process the outgoing call based on the user-defined, location-dependent rules and the current location of the subscriber.

25. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the service logic, in processing telephone calls, is further operative to receive an incoming call for receipt by the mobile subscriber, and process the incoming call based on the user-defined, location-dependent rules and the current location of the subscriber.

26. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the service logic is further operative to determine supplemental subscriber information from the mobile subscriber and process telephone calls based on the supplemental subscriber information, the current location of the subscriber and the user-defined, location-dependent rules.

27. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the current location of the mobile subscriber includes an area not defined by the boundaries of a cell of the wireless network.

28. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one telephone service includes caller identification.

29. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one telephone service includes call forwarding.

30. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one telephone service includes do not disturb.

31. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein at least one geographic area is not defined by the boundaries of a cell of the wireless network.