Rerouting ongoing telecommunications to a user

• US 8,325,902 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Agrawal, Kavita K., Bodin, William K., Rybczynski, Gregory W., Thorson, Derral C.
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US12/059,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.01, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server

Abstract

Rerouting telecommunications to a user including receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user, anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals, selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location, and rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device. In typical embodiments, selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location also includes identifying location based routing preferences for the user. In typical embodiments, selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location also includes identifying device-based routing preferences for the user. In typical embodiments, anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals also includes determining a first user location, determining a second user location, and predicting a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the first user location and the second user location.

Claims

1. A method for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals, wherein the anticipating of the user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals further comprises;

determining a first user location;

determining a second user location; and

predicting the user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the first user location and the second user location;

selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location; and

rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location further comprises identifying device-based routing preferences for the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a first user location further comprises:

receiving a plurality of RFID signals from the RFID tag at a plurality of RFID reader locations; and

determining the location of the user in dependence upon the RFID reader locations and a rule.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the predicting of the user'"'"'s future location is based on the user location history in addition to the first user location and the second user location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the predicting of the user'"'"'s future location is based on near field sensing.

6. A method for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

determining a first user location, determining the first user location further comprises;

receiving the plurality of RFID signals at a plurality of RFID reader locations from the RFID tag;

determining for each RFID reader an area of possible locations of the RFID tag; and

determining the intersection of the areas of possible locations;

anticipating the user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals;

selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location, wherein the selecting of the telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location further comprises identifying location based routing preferences for the user; and

rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the anticipating of the user'"'"'s future location is based on the user location history in addition to the RFID signals.

8. A method for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals;

receiving a call;

determining that the call is intended for the user; and

selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location; and

rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining that the call is intended for the user further comprises:

prompting the caller for the name of the user; and

receiving from the caller the name of the user.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the anticipating of the user'"'"'s future location is based on the user location history in addition to the RFID signals.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the anticipating of the user'"'"'s future location is based on near field sensing.

12. A system for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

means for anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals, wherein said means for anticipating the user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals further comprises;

means for determining a first user location;

means for determining a second user location; and

means for predicting a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the first user location and the second user location;

means for selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location; and

means for rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein means for selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location further comprises means for identifying device-based routing preferences for the user.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein means for determining a first user location further comprises:

means for receiving a plurality of RFID signals from the RFID tag at a plurality of RFID reader locations; and

means for determining the location of the user in dependence upon the RFID reader locations and a rule.

15. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

means for maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the means for predicting the user'"'"'s future location bases the user'"'"'s future location on the user location history in addition to the first user location and the second user location.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for predicting of the user'"'"'s future location is based on near field sensing.

17. A system for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

determining a first user location, wherein means for determining a first user location further comprises;

means for receiving a plurality of RFID signals at a plurality of RFID reader locations from the RFID tag;

means for determining for each RFID reader an area of possible locations of the RFID tag; and

means for determining the intersection of the areas of possible locations,

means for anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals;

means for selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location, wherein the means for selecting the telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location further comprises means for identifying location based routing preferences for the user; and

means for rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

means for maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the means for anticipating the user'"'"'s future location bases the user'"'"'s future location on the user location history in addition to the RFID signals.

19. A system for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the system the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

means for anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals;

means for selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location; and

means for receiving a call;

means for determining that the call is intended for the user; and

means for rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein means for determining that the call is intended for the user further comprises:

means for prompting the caller for the name of the user; and

means for receiving from the caller the name of the user.

21. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the means for anticipating the user'"'"'s future location bases the user'"'"'s future location on the user location history in addition to the RFID signals.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the anticipating of the user'"'"'s future location is based on near field sensing.

23. A computer program product for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory recording medium;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals, wherein the means, recorded on the recording medium, for anticipating the user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals further comprises;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining a first user location;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining a second user location; and

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for predicting a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the first user location and the second user location;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location; and

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location further comprises means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for identifying device-based routing preferences for the user.

25. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining a first user location further comprises:

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for receiving a plurality of RFID signals from the RFID tag at a plurality of RFID reader locations; and

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining the location of the user in dependence upon the RFID reader locations and a rule.

26. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for predicting a user'"'"'s future location uses the user location history in addition to the first user location and the second user location.

27. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the predicting of the user'"'"'s future location is based on near field sensing.

28. A computer program product for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory recording medium;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining a first user location, wherein the means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining the first user location further comprises;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for receiving a plurality of RFID signals at a plurality of RFID reader locations from the RFID tag;

means, recorded on the recording non-transitory medium, for determining for each RFID reader an area of possible locations of the RFID tag; and

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining the intersection of the areas of possible locations;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location, wherein the means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for selecting the telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location further comprises means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for identifying location based routing preferences for the user; and

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising:

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for anticipating the user'"'"'s future location uses the user location history in addition to the RFID signals.

30. The computer program product of claim 28 wherein the anticipating of the user'"'"'s future location is based on near field sensing.

31. A computer program product for rerouting telecommunications to a user, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory recording medium;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for receiving a plurality of RFID signals from an RFID tag located with the user;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for anticipating a user'"'"'s future location in dependence upon the RFID signals;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for receiving a call;

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining that the call is intended for the user; and

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for selecting a telephony device in dependence upon the anticipated future location; and

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for rerouting an ongoing call to the selected telephony device.

32. The computer program product of claim 31 wherein the means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for determining that the call is intended for the user further comprises:

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for prompting the caller for the name of the user; and

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for receiving from the caller the name of the user.

33. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising:

means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for maintaining a user location history containing identifications of previous locations of the user including date and time information for the locations;

wherein the means, recorded on the non-transitory recording medium, for anticipating the user'"'"'s future location uses the user location history in addition to the RFID signals.