Method and apparatus for routing telecommunication calls

• US 7,764,782 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Runcie, Peter Donald, Warta, Ralph, Forbes, Alexander Quentin, Coughlan, Marc William Joseph, Scholte, Alexander Martin, Orbach, Julian James
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam; Mohammad K
• Application Number:
  US11/094,457
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/207, 379/209, 37937301-37303, 367/93, 367/95, 455/458, 455/418
• US Class Current: 379/373.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus route telecommunication calls depending on a detected approach of a user towards a telecommunication device.

Claims

1. A method for processing telecommunication calls, comprising:

receiving an incoming call for a telecommunication terminal;

alerting an user of the telecommunication terminal for a first alerting period in response to the received incoming call;

detecting an approach of the user after lapse of the first alerting period;

notifying the user that the approach has been detected after lapse of the first alerting period by at least one of modifying an alerting signal used for the alerting, flashing an indicator light, flashing a display screen, or changing a display color of a display screen; and

extending the first alerting time period by a second alerting time period upon detection of the approach of the user after the lapse of the first alerting period whereby the user is given additional time to respond to the incoming call.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises storing a fact that the approach has been detected.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fact is stored in at least one of the telecommunication terminal or a telecommunication switching system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting comprises testing acoustic paths communicating audio information from and back to the telecommunication terminal;

and

determining the approach of the user based on changes in the acoustic paths.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the testing comprises forming a model of the acoustic paths;

detecting modifications in the acoustic paths to update the model of the acoustic paths; and

the step of determining comprises the step of using the detected modifications to determine changes in the acoustic paths.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the audio information is at least one of within human hearing, above human hearing or below human hearing.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting comprises using radiation.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the radiation is at least one of high frequency electromagnetic radiation or infrared radiation.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting comprises using visual operations.

10. A processor-readable medium for processing telecommunication calls, comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

receiving an incoming call for a telecommunication terminal;

alerting an user of the telecommunication terminal for a first alerting period in response to the received incoming call;

detecting an approach of the user after lapse of the first alerting period;

notifying the user that the approach has been detected after lapse of the first alerting period by at least one of modifying an alerting signal used for the alerting, flashing an, indicator light, flashing a display screen, or changing a display color of a display screen; and

extending the first alerting time period by a second alerting time period upon detection of the approach of the user after the lapse of the first alerting period whereby the user is given additional time to respond to the incoming call.

11. The processor-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the processor-executable instructions for detecting comprise processor-executable instructions for testing acoustic paths communicating audio information from and back to the telecommunication terminal;

and

processor-executable instructions for determining the approach of the user based on changes in the acoustic paths.

12. The processor-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the audio information is at least one of within human hearing, above human hearing or below human hearing.

13. The processor-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the processor-executable instructions for detecting comprises using radiation.

14. The processor-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the processor-executable instructions for detecting comprises using visual operations.