Presence-based communication routing service and regulation of same

• US 8,792,419 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wohlert, Randolph, Frew, Steven, Majmundar, Milap
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Warner
• Application Number:
  US12/756,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20110249658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370310-350, 370/351, 370464-465
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Systems, methods, and user interfaces are provided for customized communication routing and regulation thereof. The routing of an incoming communication to a device, wireless or wireline, is based on a routing preference and a presence condition of a mobile device in a home or visited wireless environment served by a confined-coverage access point (AP). The routing preference can be configured for a device that operates in the home or visited wireless environment. The confined-coverage AP can be owned or leased by a subscriber associated with the incoming call or by a third party. Provisioning of routing of incoming call based on a third-party confined-coverage AP can be event-based. Add-on services can be provisioned and configured; screening of incoming call(s) based on screening rule(s) specific to an confined-coverage AP is provided. Customized communication routing to equipment that operates in a confined-coverage area served by a third-party confined-coverage AP can be cancelled.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device comprising a processor, an indication to route an incoming call based on a presence condition of a mobile device in a confined-coverage area, wherein the mobile device is associated with a called device in the incoming call, and the presence condition of the mobile device in the confined-coverage area conveys registration of the mobile device with an access point device that serves the confined-coverage area;

identifying, by the device, an entity associated with control of the access point device; and

in response to the entity being determined to be a subscriber identity associated with the mobile device,

acquiring, by the device, a first routing preference in a set of routing preferences associated with the called device, and

routing, by the device, the incoming call according to the first routing preference; and

in response to the entity being determined to be an identity different from the subscriber identity,

acquiring, by the device, a second routing preference in the set of routing preferences associated with the called device, and

routing, by the device, the incoming call according to the second routing preference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing the incoming call according to the second routing preference includes provisioning, by the device, a service to direct the incoming call to a wireline device in the confined-coverage area, and wherein the confined-coverage area is associated with the identity different from the subscriber identity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying, by the device, a screening rule to the incoming call prior to the routing using a filtering service comprising determining whether the incoming call is to be blocked.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the provisioning includes:

receiving, by the device, an indication that access to wireless coverage through the access point device is granted; and

supplying, by the device, an indication the service is available for a call session.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the provisioning includes:

determining, by the device, that the mobile device is attached to the access point device; and

establishing, by the device, a third routing preference associated with the service.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to receiving an instruction that implementation of the service is agreed upon, collecting, by the device, data that enables the service.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the provisioning includes:

supplying, by the device, a message to confirm acceptance of the service;

receiving, by the device, a response to the message; and

delivering, by the device, an indication of acceptance responsive to the response indicating the service is accepted.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the supplying includes delivering, by the device, a directive to render a prompt to accept the service.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the device, an indication to cancel the service;

in response to the indication, rendering, by the device, a request to confirm cancellation of the service; and

updating, by the device, a third routing preference in the set of routing preferences to reflect the cancellation of the service.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

rendering, by the device, an environment to construct a third routing preference for inclusion in the set of routing preferences, wherein the environment allows selecting the access point device associated with the identity different from the subscriber identity, selecting the wireline device, and selecting a ringtone for the wireline device.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

rendering, by the device, an environment to configure the screening rule, wherein the environment allows defining a rule applicable to the incoming call based on a set of conditions.

12. A system, comprising:

a memory to store executable instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the executable instructions to perform operations, comprising;

acquiring a presence condition of a mobile device in a confined-coverage area served by an access point device, and a routing preference in accordance with the presence condition of the mobile device, wherein the presence condition of the mobile device conveys a registration status with the access point device;

directing, based on the routing preference and the presence condition of the mobile device, an incoming call associated with the mobile device to a first set of devices in response to the confined-coverage area being determined to be a home area; and

directing, based on the routing preference and the presence condition of the mobile device, the incoming call to a second set of devices in response to the confined-coverage area being determined to be a visited area.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the visited area is served by an access point device associated with an identity different from a subscriber identity associated with the mobile device, and the first set of devices comprises the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations for directing the incoming call to the second set of devices in response to the confined-coverage area being determined to be a visited area includes operations for provisioning a service.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise supplying data to enable the provisioning the service based on an update of an access control data structure that regulates registration with the access point device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise directing the incoming call with a ringtone identified in the routing preference and that is associated with a device in the second set of devices.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise applying a screening criterion to allow the incoming call, and wherein the screening criterion is associated with an equipment that places the incoming call.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a computing system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving an indication to route an incoming call based on a presence condition of a mobile device in a confined-coverage area, wherein the mobile device is associated with a called device in the incoming call, and the presence condition of the mobile device in the confined-coverage area conveys a registration status of the mobile device with an access point device that serves the confined-coverage area;

based on the presence condition, acquiring a routing preference in a set of routing preferences associated with the called device;

routing the incoming call according to the routing preference, comprising;

in response to the access point device being determined to be associated with an entity that is not a subscriber identity, provisioning a service to direct the incoming call to a wireline device in the confined-coverage area; and

in response to the access point device being determined to be associated with the subscriber identity, provisioning a service to direct the incoming call to another device in the confined-coverage area; and

applying a screening rule to the incoming call prior to the routing based on activation of a filtering service configured to control reception of the incoming call.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

applying a screening rule to the incoming call prior to the routing based on activation of a filtering service configured to control reception of the incoming call.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the provisioning the service to direct the incoming call to the wireline device in the confined-coverage area comprises:

receiving an indication that access to wireless coverage through the access point device is granted; and

supplying another indication that the service is available for a call session.