System with call forward profile

• US 7,496,190 B1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Jesse Eugene, Wang, Spencer C., Sankalia, Anish, Kung, Fen-Chung, Walker, Hopeton S
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US11/133,030
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/199, 379/142.07, 379/220.01, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• 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: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method and system for providing call forwarding in an IP telephone network is disclosed. First, when a telephone number for a first telephone from a second telephone is dialed, the call is routing to a call manager. Call setup procedures with a BRG responsible for the first telephone are then initiated. The BRG then checks stored call forwarding profiles to determine whether there is an active call forwarding profile for the first telephone. The call is connected to the first telephone if an active call forwarding profile is not found. However, if an active call forwarding profile is found, the call forwarding information is sent to the call manager. The call is routed to at least a third telephone based on the call forwarding information.

Claims

1. A method for routing telephone calls among a plurality of telephones connected to a telephone network, the method comprising:

providing from a telephone network device an indication to a customer premises device serving at least one of the telephones that a call directed to that telephone has been received over the network;

receiving at the telephone network device from the customer premises device a call forwarding profile associated with the telephone, the call forwarding profile having been sent by the customer premises device in response to the indication;

determining at the telephone network device whether to forward the call based on call forwarding information contained in the received call forwarding profile; and

routing the call by the telephone network device based on the call forwarding information contained in the received call forwarding profile.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the telephone network is an IP telephone network.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the call forwarding information includes multiple unique identifiers to which the call can be routed.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the call forwarding information specifies that only calls from a predetermined list of caller identifiers are to be forwarded.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the call forwarding information specifies periods of time only during which at least some calls are to be forwarded.

6. Apparatus in a telephone network for routing telephone calls among a plurality of telephones connected to the network, the apparatus comprising:

means for providing an indication to a customer premises device serving at least one of the telephones that a call directed to that telephone has been received over the network;

means for thereafter receiving from the customer premises device a call forwarding profile associated with the telephone;

means for determining whether to forward the call based on call forwarding information contained in the received call forwarding profile; and

means for routing the call based on the call forwarding information contained in the received call forwarding profile.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein the telephone network is an IP telephone network.

8. The invention of claim 6 wherein the call forwarding information specifies that only calls from a predetermined list of caller identifiers are to be forwarded.

9. The invention of claim 6 wherein the call forwarding information specifies periods of time only during which at least some calls are to be forwarded.