System and method for routing a call to a landline communication unit or a wireless communication unit

• US 8,594,643 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, Leslie Bernard, Brand, Rodney T., Heinmiller, Wayne Robert, McCarthy, Terrence J., Bartels, Todd August, Roberts, Richard N., Ford, Kara Elisia, DONOSO, CARLOS H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/858,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20130231097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 232 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/422.1, 4554141-4144, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/550.1, 455/445, 455/461, 455/567, 379/207, 379/210
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for routing a call to a landline communication unit or a wireless communication unit based on the availability of the wireless communication unit. A call placed to a landline communication unit is routed to the wireless communication unit if the wireless communication unit is determined available. Otherwise, the call is routed to the landline communication unit.

Claims

1. A method for call routing, the method comprising:

sending, using a processor, a location request to a home location register to determine an availability of a wireless communication device in response to receiving a call to a landline communication device associated with the wireless communication device; and

when no response to the location request is received within a first time period, determining that the wireless communication device is unavailable and routing the call to the landline communication device.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response indicates that the wireless communication device is inactive, routing the call to the landline communication device.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response indicates that the wireless communication device is not registered with the home location register, routing the call to the landline communication device.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response includes a routing address of the wireless communication device and does not indicate that the wireless communication device is inactive, routing the call to the wireless communication device.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, further comprising replacing a calling party destination number of the call with a destination number associated with the wireless communication device after receiving the response and prior to routing the call to the wireless communication device.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the call is originated by the wireless communication device;

when the call is not originated by the wireless communication device, sending the location request to the home location register; and

when the call is originated by the wireless communication device, routing the call to the landline communication device without sending the location request to the home location register.

7. A tangible machine readable memory storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

sending a location request to a home location register to determine an availability of a wireless communication device in response to receiving a call to a landline communication device associated with the wireless communication device; and

when no response to the location request is received within a first time period, determining that the wireless communication device is unavailable and routing the call to the landline communication device.

8. The tangible machine readable memory as defined in claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response indicates that the wireless communication device is inactive, routing the call to the landline communication device.

9. The tangible machine readable memory as defined in claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response indicates that the wireless communication device is not registered with the home location register, routing the call to the landline communication device.

10. The tangible machine readable memory as defined in claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response includes a routing address of the wireless communication device and does not indicate that the wireless communication device is inactive, routing the call to the wireless communication device.

11. The tangible machine readable memory as defined in claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise replacing a calling party destination number of the call with a destination number associated with the wireless communication device after receiving the response and prior to routing the call to the wireless communication device.

12. The tangible machine readable memory as defined in claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the call is originated by the wireless communication device;

when the call is not originated by the wireless communication device, sending the location request to the home location register; and

when the call is originated by the wireless communication device, routing the call to the landline communication device without sending the location request to the home location register.

13. An apparatus for call routing, the apparatus comprising:

a memory having machine readable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising;

sending a location request to a home location register to determine an availability of a wireless communication device in response to receiving a call to a landline communication device associated with the wireless communication device; and

when no response to the location request is received within a first time period, determining that the wireless communication device is unavailable and routing the call to the landline communication device.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response indicates that the wireless communication device is inactive, routing the call to the landline communication device.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response indicates that the wireless communication device is not registered with the home location register, routing the call to the landline communication device.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a response to the location request within the first time period; and

when the response includes a routing address of the wireless communication device and does not indicate that the wireless communication device is inactive, routing the call to the wireless communication device.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein the operations further comprise replacing a calling party destination number of the call with a destination number associated with the wireless communication device after receiving the response and prior to routing the call to the wireless communication device.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the call is originated by the wireless communication device;

when the call is not originated by the wireless communication device, sending the location request to the home location register; and

when the call is originated by the wireless communication device, routing the call to the landline communication device without sending the location request to the home location register.