Performing proximity based routing of a phone call

• US 9,049,293 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chavez, Timothy R., Eisinger, Jacob D., Hollinger, Michael C., King, Jennifer E., Lauridsen, Christina K., Morgan, Fabian F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEAN, JR, JOSEPH E
• Application Number:
  US12/115,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20090280785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,583 Days
• Field of Search: 455/461, 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 455/426.1, 455/445, 379/202.1, 370/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• 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

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program for routing an incoming voice call in real time is presented. A call is received from a caller to an intended receiving wireless telecommunication device. In response to the call failing to connect to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device, a short range wireless query signal is transmitted to determine if an other wireless communication device is within a predefined proximity to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device. If the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device receives a response from the other wireless telecommunication device indicating that the other wireless telecommunication device is within the predefined proximity to the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device, then the call is rerouted to the other wireless telecommunication device.

Claims

1. A method of routing an incoming phone call, the method comprising:

in response to an intended receiving telecommunication device receiving a call from a caller telecommunication device, determining, by a processor whether a ringer of the intended receiving telecommunication device is off;

in response to determining that the ringer of the intended receiving telecommunication device is off, triggering, by the processor, the intended receiving telecommunication device to transmit a short range wireless signal to determine whether wireless telecommunication devices are within range and active; and

in response to the intended receiving telecommunication device receiving responses from two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices indicating that the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices have received the short range wireless signal, rerouting, by the processor, the call to one of the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices based, in part, on preferences stored internal to the intended receiving telecommunication device specifying which of the wireless telecommunication devices has highest priority for receiving the call in case the intended receiving telecommunication device is unavailable and signal strengths and battery strengths of the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a text message related to the call is to be generated; and

in response to determining that the text message related to the call is to be generated, generating and transmitting the text message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the text message is a pre-scripted notification message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the pre-scripted notification message includes information describing a caller identification of the caller, a time that the call was received, and a phone number of the intended receiving telecommunication device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the pre-scripted notification message includes a voice-to-text transcription of a voicemail message left by the caller on the intended receiving telecommunication device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the pre-scripted notification message controls a visual indicator on the wireless telecommunication devices, wherein the visual indicator indicates that the call has been rerouted from the intended receiving telecommunication device to one of the wireless telecommunication devices.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the pre-scripted notification message controls an audible indicator on the wireless telecommunication devices, wherein the audible indicator indicates that the call has been rerouted from the intended receiving telecommunication device to one of the wireless telecommunication devices.

8. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

in response to an intended receiving telecommunication device receiving a call from a caller telecommunication device, determine whether a ringer of the intended receiving telecommunication device is off;

in response determining that the ringer of the intended receiving telecommunication device is off, trigger the intended receiving telecommunication device to transmit a short range wireless signal to determine whether wireless telecommunication devices are within range and active; and

in response to the intended receiving telecommunication device receiving responses from two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices indicating that the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices have received the short range wireless signal, reroute the call to one of the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices based, in part, on preferences stored internal to the intended receiving telecommunication device specifying which of the wireless telecommunication devices has highest priority for receiving the call in case the intended receiving telecommunication device is unavailable and signal strengths and battery strengths of the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether a text message related to the call is to be generated; and

in response to determining that the text message related to the call is to be generated, generate and transmit the text message.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the text message is a pre-scripted notification message.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the pre-scripted notification message includes information describing a caller identification of the caller, a time that the call was received, and a phone number of the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the pre-scripted notification message includes a voice-to-text transcription of a voicemail message left by the caller on the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the pre-scripted notification message controls a visual indicator on the other wireless telecommunication devices, wherein the visual indicator indicates that the call has been rerouted from the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device to one of the other wireless telecommunication devices.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the pre-scripted notification message controls an audible indicator on the other wireless telecommunication devices, wherein the audible indicator indicates that the call has been rerouted from the intended receiving wireless telecommunication device to one of the other wireless telecommunication devices.

15. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices; and

program code embodied on the storage devices, wherein the program code, when executed by a data processing system, configures the data processing system to;

in response to an intended receiving telecommunication device receiving a call from a caller telecommunication device, determine whether a ringer of the intended receiving telecommunication device is off;

in response determining that the ringer of the intended receiving telecommunication device is off, trigger the intended receiving telecommunication device to transmit a short range wireless signal to determine whether wireless telecommunication devices are within range and active; and

in response to the intended receiving telecommunication device receiving responses from two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices indicating that the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices have received the short range wireless signal, reroute the call to one of the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices based, in part, on preferences stored internal to the intended receiving telecommunication device specifying which of the wireless telecommunication devices has highest priority for receiving the call in case the intended receiving telecommunication device is unavailable and signal strengths and battery strengths of the two or more of the wireless telecommunication devices.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program code, when executed by the data processing system, further configures the data processing system to:

determine whether a text message related to the call is to be generated; and

in response to determining that the text message related to the call is to be generated, generate and transmit the text message.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the text message is a pre-scripted notification message.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the pre-scripted notification message includes information describing a caller identification of the caller, a time that the call was received, and a phone number of the intended receiving telecommunication device.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the pre-scripted notification message includes a voice-to-text transcription of a voicemail message left by the caller on the intended receiving telecommunication device.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the pre-scripted notification message controls a visual indicator on the wireless telecommunication devices, wherein the visual indicator indicates that the call has been rerouted from the intended receiving telecommunication device to one of the wireless telecommunication devices.