Systems and methods for location-based forwarding of communication services

• US 7,693,512 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: West, Barry John
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magloire; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/338,400
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455/417
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Disclosed is a personal identity beacon, which can be attached to a keychain, integrated into jewelry, and the like. The personal identity beacon can include a GPS receiver and a transmitter for communicating with a wireless macro network. The subscriber is also provided with universal service identifiers (e.g., telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and the like). The beacon periodically determines its current location and forwards its determined location to the wireless macro network. A subscriber registers geographic locations for forwarding communication services, such as home, the office, and the like, and corresponding communication service identifiers. When the wireless macro network receives a geographic location from the beacon identifying a new location, which corresponds to one registered by the subscriber, the wireless macro network automatically forwards communications destined for the universal service identifiers to the subscriber'"'"'s communication service identifiers registered for that location, e.g., phone calls to a landline phone, e-mail to a particular e-mail account, etc. Because the personal identity beacon is integrated with, or attached to, an article, which a consumer will always carry with them, the personal identity beacon simplifies the automatic forwarding of communication services.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a network;

a communication forwarding server coupled to said network, wherein said communication forwarding server is configured to;

receive a communication, by way of the network intended for a first communication service of a user;

determine a type of said first communication service;

access a data object pertaining to said user with information contained in said communication, wherein the data object includes available communication service information identifying at least two types of communication services for each of at least two locations;

determine an approximate current location of said user by accessing current location information contained in said data object;

determine a second communication service associated with said current location information and of the same type as said first communication service, by accessing the available communication service information contained said data object; and

forward said communication, by way of the network to said second communication service,

wherein when the communication forwarding server receives a communication intended for any of the at least two types of communication services at either of the two locations, the communication forwarding server forwards the communication to a communication service at the user'"'"'s current location.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said communication forwarding server sends said communication to said second communication service by way of a base transceiver station (BTS).

3. The communication system of claim 2, further comprising a gateway coupled to said network, wherein said gateway is configured to set up a traffic channel through which said communication is sent.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said communication forwarding server sends said communication to said second communication service by way of an external network.

5. The communication system of claim 4, wherein said external network comprises a wide area network (WAN).

6. The communication system of claim 4, wherein said external network comprises a public switch telephone network (PSTN).

7. The communication system of claim 4, further comprising a gateway configured to serve as an interface between said network and said external network, and through which said communication is sent to said second communication service.

8. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said communication forwarding server is further configured to receive said current location information from a wireless communication device.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein said current location information is received by way of a base transceiver station (BTS).

10. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said current location information is received by way of a common traffic channel between said base transceiver station (BTS) and said wireless communication device.

11. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said current location information is received by way of a dedicated traffic channel between said base transceiver station (BTS) and said wireless communication device.

12. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said communication forwarding server is further configured to receive a new current location information from a wireless communication device.

13. The communication system of claim 12, wherein said communication forwarding server is further configured to update said data object to reflect said new current location information.

14. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said type of said first communication service comprises email.

15. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said type of said first communication service comprises dispatch.

16. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said type of said first communication service comprises facsimile.

17. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said type of said first communication service comprises telephone.

18. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said communication forwarding server is further configured to:

access address information associated with said second communication service from said data object; and

send said communication to said second communication service using said address information.

19. A network device communication forwarding server configured to:

receive a communication intended for a first communication service of a user;

determine a type of said first communication service;

access a data object pertaining to said user with information contained in said communication, wherein the data object includes available communication service information identifying at least two types of communication services for each of at least two locations;

determine an approximate current location of said user by accessing current location information contained in said data object;

determine a second communication service associated with said current location information and of the same type as said first communication service, by accessing the available communication service information contained in said data object; and

forward said communication to said second communication service,

wherein when the communication forwarding server receives a communication intended for any of the at least two types of communication services at either of the two locations, the communication forwarding server forwards the communication to a communication service at the user'"'"'s current location.

20. The communication forwarding server of claim 19, further configured to receive said current location information from a wireless communication device.

21. The communication forwarding server of claim 19, further configured to receive a new current location information from a wireless communication device.

22. The communication forwarding server of claim 21, further configured to update said data object to reflect said new current location information.

23. The communication forwarding server of claim 19, further configured to:

access address information associated with said second communication service from said data object; and

send said communication to said second communication service using said address information.

24. A method for location-based forwarding of communication service, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a subscriber with communication identifiers corresponding to at least two types of communication services for at least two geographic locations;

registering the geographic locations and corresponding communication service identifiers associated with an identity beacon;

determining whether a current location of the identity beacon has changed from a previous location of the identity beacon, wherein the identity beacon is incorporated into at least one of a keychain and jewelry;

determining whether the changed location corresponds to a registered geographic location by accessing a data object pertaining to said subscriber with information contained in the communication services, wherein the data object includes available communication service information identifying at least two types of communication services for each of at least two locations; and

forwarding the communication services intended for the communication identifiers to the associated communication service identifications when it is determined that the changed location corresponds to a registered location,

wherein when a communication intended for any of the at least two types of communication services at either of the two locations is received, the first network device forwards the communication to a communication service at the user'"'"'s current location.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein if the changed location does not correspond to a registered location, communication services are forwarded to default communication service identifications.