Distributed locater, alert, repeater, and/or call technologies for communication devices

• US 8,995,977 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Faulkner, Max, Haughn, Erick, Lewis, John
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US14/321,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20140315530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 455415-420, 455/458, 455/465, 455/466, 455/517, 455/550.1, 455/554.1, 455/555, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/566, 455/567, 455/450, 455/403, 455/454, 370/347, 370/280, 370/252, 370/338, 370/431, 370/329, 725/126, 725/131, 375/260, 375/368, 380/270, 380/247
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/543 Call deflection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/06 using multi-step notification by changing the notification area
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Distributed locater, alert, repeater, and call technologies for communication devices are presented herein. A base component can be configured to receive a message at a base unit, the message corresponding to at least one of a call directed to a wireless communication device or another message directed to at least one of the wireless communication device or a wired communication device. The base component can distribute an alert to at least one remote unit based on the message. A remote component can be configured to receive the alert at the at least one remote unit, and broadcast the alert or another alert from the at least one remote unit. An interface component can be configured to receive an input at the at least one remote unit based on the alert. Further, the remote component can be configured to transmit a response based on the input.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving, from a network device of a service provider network, a signal that indicates a communication is being directed to a wireless communication device located in a first communication coverage area associated with a base station device that is associated with the service provider network, wherein the first communication coverage area is a macro coverage area served by the base station device and the network device; and

in response to the signal, distributing an alert to a remote device to facilitate broadcast of the alert, by the remote device, to a second communication coverage area that is outside of the first communication coverage area to facilitate notification of the communication being directed to the wireless communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communication coverage area is served by a base component of the system and the remote device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving input information from a subscriber identity associated with the wireless communication device; and

managing a subscriber account associated with the subscriber identity based on the input information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the input information comprises alert customization information, and the operations further comprise:

configuring a customized alert associated with the subscriber identity based on the alert customization information, wherein the alert comprises the customized alert.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the distributing the alert to the remote device further comprises distributing the alert to the remote device via a wireless interface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the distributing the alert to the remote device further comprises distributing the alert to the remote device via a wired interface.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises a voice call.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises data.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, an alert distributed by a base device based on a communication directed to a mobile device, wherein the base device receives, via a network device of a service provider network, a signal that indicates the communication is being directed to the mobile device, and wherein the mobile device is determined not to be operating in a communication coverage area associated with a base station device associated with the service provider network, wherein the communication coverage area is a macro coverage area served by the base station device and the network device; and

in response to receiving the alert, transmitting, by the system, the alert to facilitate providing a notification of the communication being directed to the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile device is determined not to be operating in the communication coverage area associated with the base station device due to the mobile device being in an off state.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile device is determined not to be operating in the communication coverage area associated with the base station device due to the mobile device being determined not to be located in the communication coverage area.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, acceptance information from a user identity associated with the mobile device; and

in response to receiving the acceptance information, transmitting, by the system, the communication via an interface to the user identity.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to receiving input information from a user identity associated with the mobile device, transmitting, by the system, the input information to the base device to facilitate configuring a user account associated with the user identity.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication comprises a voice call.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication comprises a data message.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying, by the system, sender identification data associated with the communication, wherein the sender identification data identifies the sender identity that initiated the communication.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving the alert distributed by the base device further comprises receiving the alert in a second communication coverage area that is associated with the base device and the system.

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

receiving, from a network device of a service provider network, a signal that indicates a message is being directed to a wireless device, wherein the wireless device is not operating in a communication coverage area associated with a base station device that is associated with the service provider network, wherein the communication coverage area is a macro coverage area served by the base station device and the network device; and

in response to the signal, distributing an alert to a remote device to facilitate transmission of the alert, by the remote device, to facilitate providing a notification of the message being directed to the wireless device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the wireless device is not operating in the communication coverage area associated with the base station device due to the wireless device being in an off state.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the wireless device is not operating in the communication coverage area associated with the base station device due to the wireless device not being located in the communication coverage area.