System and method for providing advanced call forwarding functionality

• US 9,036,803 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Toner, Victoria M., Hawkins, Johnny, Schermerhorn, Rich, Gupta, Shekhar, Roberts, Mike A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US13/909,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20130273896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 455/440
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1091 Fixed mobile conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include a method of determining a particular communications device to signal in order to contact a user. The method includes storing a plurality of device locations in memory. The method includes determining a current location of a user or user device in response to receiving a communication request, comparing the received current location and one or more of the device locations, and selecting a particular communications device to route the communication request. A distinctive call forwarded ring signal may be sent to the particular communications device in order to indicate to the user that the call is intended for the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing communication services, said method comprising:

storing, in a data storage unit, a set of location coordinates corresponding to a set of communication devices;

associating, using a processor, the set of communication devices with a communication device of a user;

determining, using the processor, a location of the communication device in response to receiving a call request to the communication device;

determining a closest communication device in the set of communication devices to the location of the communication device; and

routing the call request to the closest communication device in the set of communication devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is within a predetermined range of the communication device at a time of receiving the call request to the communication device; and

wherein routing the call request to the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is performed only in response to a determination that the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is within the predetermined range of the communication device at the time of receiving the call request to the communication device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a user-selection selecting the set of communication devices from a list of previously stored sets of communication devices.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising providing a graphical user interface for enabling the user to search for an organization, wherein each of the list of previously stored sets of communication devices includes at least one communication device number and associated set of location coordinates associated with at least one communication device of the organization.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising causing the call associated with the call request to be routed to the communication device in response to a determination that the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is not answered or busy.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising causing the call associated with the call request to be routed to the communication device in response to a determination that the communication device is not located within the predetermined range of the closest communication device in the set of communication devices.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined range associated with each communication device of the set of communication devices is the same for each communication device of the set of communication devices.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a distinctive call forwarded ring on the closest communication device in the set of communication devices, the distinctive call forwarded ring indicating to the user that the call request has been routed from the communication device to the closest communication device in the set of communication devices.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising enabling the user to select the distinctive call forwarded ring.

10. A system for providing communication services, said system comprising:

a data storage unit that stores a set of location coordinates corresponding to a set of communication devices;

memory that stores executable instructions;

a processor that executes the executable instructions to;

associate the set of communication devices with a communication device of a user;

determine a location of the communication device in response to receiving a call request to the communication device;

determine a closest communication device in the set of communication devices to the location of the communication device; and

route the call request to the closest communication device in the set of communication devices.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the processor further executes the executable instructions to:

determine whether the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is within a predetermined range of the communication device at a time of receiving the call request to the communication device; and

wherein routing the call request to the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is performed only in response to a determination that the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is within the predetermined range of the communication device at the time of receiving the call request to the communication device.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the processor further executes the executable instructions to receive a user-input selecting the set of communication devices from a list of previously stored sets of communication devices.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the processor further executes the executable instructions to generate a graphical user interface for enabling the user to search for an organization, wherein each of the list of previously stored sets of communication devices includes at least one communication device number and associated set of location coordinates associated with at least one communication device of the organization.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the processor further executes the executable instructions to route the call to the communication device in response to a determination that the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is not answered or busy.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the processor further executes the executable instructions to route the call to the communication device in response to a determination that the communication device is not located within the predetermined range of the closest communication device in the set of communication devices.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined range associated with each communication device of the set of communication devices is configurable for each communication device of the set of communication devices.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein the processor further executes the executable instructions to generate a distinctive call forwarded ring on the closest communication device in the set of communication devices, the distinctive call forwarded ring indicating to the user that the call request has been routed from the communication device to the closest communication device in the set of communication devices.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the processor further executes the executable instructions to enable the user to select the distinctive call forwarded ring.

19. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium comprising executable instructions for:

associating a set of communication devices with a user;

determining a location of the user in response to receiving a call request to the user;

determining a closest communication device in the set of communication devices to the location of the user;

determining whether the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is within a predetermined range of the user at a time of receiving the call request to the communication device; and

routing the call request to the closest communication device in the set of communication devices;

wherein routing the call request to the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is performed only in response to a determination that the closest communication device in the set of communication devices is within the predetermined range of the user at the time of receiving the call request.