System and method for forwarding communications to an alternate telephone number

• US 7,844,042 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Quenton Lanier
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US10/358,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20040151295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,856 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 455/417
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• 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: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system for forwarding communications to a first destination number to a second destination number after receipt of a forwarding indication from the second destination number. In the first embodiment, the method comprises the steps of the communication device coupled to the second destination number receiving a forwarding indication, determining the first destination number to be forwarded based on the forwarding indication, and forwarding communications directed to the first destination number to the second destination number. In the second embodiment, the method comprises the steps of the client device coupled to the second destination number receiving a forwarding indication, determining the first destination number to be forwarded based on the forwarding indication, and forwarding communications directed to the first destination number to the second destination number.

Claims

1. A method for promoting safety in forwarding communications, the communications being directed to a first wireless destination number, to a second wireless destination number, the method comprising:

receiving a safe forwarding indication at a network device, the safe forwarding indication originating from one of a voice command, a selection of an icon, and the pressing of a dedicated button from a communication device associated with the second wireless destination number, the forwarding indication including the first wireless destination number, the second wireless destination number, and forwarding instructions stored in a data storage unit on the communication device;

determining that a relational database does not contain an association of the first wireless destination number and the second wireless destination number;

associating the second wireless destination number with the first wireless destination number at the network device;

storing the association between the first and second wireless destination numbers in the relational database;

wherein the first wireless destination number stored alongside the second wireless destination number that allowing the second wireless destination number to be used as an index to retrieve the first wireless destination number; and

forwarding communications directed to the first wireless destination number to the second wireless destination number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a forwarding indication from a communication device associated with the second wireless destination number further comprises receiving a signal originating from the entry of a key sequence into the communication device coupled to the second wireless destination number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a signal originating from the entry of a key sequence into the communication device comprises receiving a star code sequence entered into a keypad of a communication device coupled to the second wireless destination number.

4. A system for promoting safety in forwarding communications, the communications being directed to a first wireless destination number, to a second wireless destination number following receipt of a safe forwarding request from the second wireless destination number, the system comprising:

a processing unit resident in a communication device coupled to the second wireless destination number;

a memory accessible to the processing unit for storing the first wireless destination number associated with the second wireless destination number, wherein the first wireless destination number is representative of the number to be forwarded; and

a plurality of instructions executable by the processing unit to forward communications, the communications being directed to the first wireless destination number, to the second wireless destination number upon receipt of a safe forwarding request from the communication device coupled to the second wireless destination number, the safe forwarding request originating from one of a voice command, a selection of an icon, and the pressing of a dedicated button-from the communication device, the safe forwarding request including the first wireless destination number, the second wireless destination number, and forwarding instructions,

determine that a relational database does not contain an association of the first wireless destination number and the second wireless destination number;

associate the second wireless destination number with the first wireless destination number at the network device; and

store the association between the first and second wireless destination numbers in the relational database;

wherein the first wireless destination number stored alongside the second wireless destination number that allowing the second wireless destination number to be used as an index to retrieve the first wireless destination number.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the system further comprises a user interface communicatively coupled to the processing unit for receipt of the forwarding request.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface comprises a keypad.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface comprises a microphone.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface further comprises a speech recognition unit.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the call forwarding request further comprises a star code entered into the keypad.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the call forwarding request further comprises a key sequence entered into the keypad.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of instructions is a first plurality of instructions and the system further comprises a second plurality of instructions executable by the processing unit to cause storage of the first wireless destination number in the memory in response to the receipt of the first wireless destination number from the second wireless destination number.