Electronic communications device status determination

• US 7,383,055 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert, Eason, Wendy
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US10/600,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20040259569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/422, 455/517, 455/519, 455/435.1, 455/432.1
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for alerting a calling or message sending party as to whether a desired receiving wireless electronic communication device is off or out of range for sending and receiving transmissions. When a call is placed to a wireless telephone or when a message or page is placed to a wireless communication device such as a pager, text messaging device, or personal digital assistant, the operational status of the receiving wireless telephone or other wireless communication device is checked by the wireless network in which the wireless device operates. A message or call is returned to the calling party or sender to alert the calling party or sender if the desired receiving device is off or out of range so that the calling party or message sending party may choose an alternate means of communicating with the desired receiving party.

Claims

1. A method of alerting a communications sender of the status of a receiving wireless electronic device, comprising:

receiving a transmission at a wireless network directed to the receiving wireless electronic device, the transmission comprising at least one of a telephone call and a data message from the communications sender directed to a party associated with the receiving wireless electronic device;

determining the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device, wherein determining the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device comprises periodically signaling the wireless electronic device; and

if the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission directed to the receiving wireless electronic device, returning a signal to a sending communication device from which the transmission is emitted to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, whereby determining the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device includes querying a status database at the wireless network for the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, whereby querying a status database for the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device includes querying a home location register for the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, whereby returning a signal to the sending communication device includes returning a signal indicating that the receiving wireless electronic device is off.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby returning a signal to the sending communication device includes returning a signal to the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is out of transmission range.

6. The method of claim 1, whereby returning a signal to the sending communication device includes returning a signal to the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is on and out of transmission range.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an alert at the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission from the sending communication device to the receiving wireless electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing an audio tone at the sending communication device to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing a prerecorded message at the sending communication device to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission.

10. The method of claim 1, prior to receiving a transmission at the wireless network directed to the receiving wireless electronic device, registering the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device with the wireless network.

11. The method of claim 10, whereby registering the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device with the wireless network includes signaling the wireless network from the receiving wireless electronic device to provide the operational status for the receiving wireless electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11, whereby signaling the wireless network from the receiving wireless electronic device includes signaling the wireless network to notify the wireless network as to whether the receiving wireless electronic device is on, in range, off, or on and out of range.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising logging the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device at the wireless network.

14. The method of claim 13, whereby logging the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device includes logging the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device at a status database at the wireless network.

15. The method of claim 14, whereby logging the operational status at a status database includes logging the operational status at a home location register at the wireless network.

16. The claim 1, prior to receiving a transmission at the wireless network directed to the receiving wireless electronic device including signaling the receiving wireless electronic device from the wireless network to determine the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device.

17. The method of claim 1, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is a wireless telephone.

18. The method of claim 1, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is a wireless pager.

19. The method of claim 1, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is an instant text messaging device.

20. A system for alerting a communications sender of the status of a receiving wireless electronic device, comprising:

a wireless network operative

to receive a transmission directed to the receiving wireless electronic device, the transmission comprising at least one of a telephone call and a data message from the communications sender directed to a party associated with the receiving wireless electronic device;

to determine the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device, wherein determining the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device comprises periodically signaling the wireless electronic device; and

to return a signal to a sending communication device from which the transmission is emitted to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission, if the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission directed to the receiving wireless electronic device.

21. The system of claim 20, whereby the wireless network is further operative to query a status database at the wireless network for the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device to determine the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device includes.

22. The system of claim 21, whereby the wireless network is further operative to query a home location register for the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device.

23. The system of claim 20, whereby the wireless network is further operative to return a signal to the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is off, is out of transmission range, or is on and out of transmission range.

24. The system of claim 20, whereby the sending communication device is operative to display an alert in response to signaling from the wireless network that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission from the sending communication device to the receiving wireless electronic device.

25. The system of claim 20, whereby the sending communication device is operative to play an audio tone in response to signaling from the wireless network to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission.

26. The system of claim 20, whereby the sending communication device is operative to play a prerecorded message in response to signaling from the wireless network to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission.

27. The system of claim 20, whereby the wireless network is further operative prior to receiving a transmission directed to the receiving wireless electronic device, to register the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device in response to signaling from the receiving wireless electronic device.

28. The system of claim 20, whereby the wireless network is further operative prior to receiving a transmission directed to the receiving wireless electronic device to signal the receiving wireless electronic device to determine the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device.

29. The system of claim 20, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is a wireless telephone.

30. The system of claim 20, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is a wireless pager.

31. The system of claim 20, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is an instant text messaging device.

32. A method of alerting a communications sender of the status of a receiving wireless electronic device, comprising:

receiving a transmission at a wireless network directed to the receiving wireless electronic device, the transmission comprising at least one of a telephone call and a data message from the communications sender directed to a party associated with the receiving wireless electronic device;

signaling the receiving wireless electronic device from the wireless network to determine the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device, wherein determining the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device comprises periodically signaling the wireless electronic device;

registering the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device with the wireless network; and

if the receiving wireless electronic device is off or out of transmission range, returning a signal to a sending communication device from which the transmission is emitted to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising displaying an alert at the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission from the sending communication device to the receiving wireless electronic device.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising playing an audio tone at the sending communication device to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising playing a prerecorded message at the sending communication device to alert a user of the sending communication device that the receiving wireless electronic device is not capable of receiving and processing the transmission.

36. The method of claim 32, whereby registering the operational status of the receiving wireless electronic device with the wireless network includes signaling the wireless network from the receiving wireless electronic device to notify the wireless network as to whether the receiving wireless electronic device is on, off, out of transmission range, or on and out of transmission range.

37. The method of claim 32, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is a wireless telephone.

38. The method of claim 32, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is a wireless pager.

39. The method of claim 32, whereby the receiving wireless electronic device is an instant text messaging device.