Location-based VoIP functions in a wireless network

• US 9,820,105 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2017
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Snyder, Ian M., Teachworth, Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, NAM TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US15/468,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• 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: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A wireless network can include one or more nodes distributed throughout a physical environment. The locations of client devices within the wireless network can be determined based on observing measurements of wireless signals exchanged between the nodes and the client devices. In some example embodiments, the capability of determining location information of client devices more accurately can be utilized for enhancing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) functions. In an example embodiment, a phone call can be intelligently routed to where the user is located within the wireless network. In another example embodiment, the volume of a VoIP-enabled client device can be adjusted depending on the proximity of other users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a communication to be routed to a first client device;

determining, based on historical position data, that a current number of users proximate to the first client device exceeds a previous number of users proximate to the first client device;

adjusting a volume of the first client device in response to the determining; and

sending the communication to the first client device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the volume of the first client device comprises turning down a ringer volume of the first client device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the volume of the first client device comprises muting a ringer volume of the first client device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the first client device is proximate to a user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the communication is associated with a phone number for a second client device associated with a user, the method further comprising:

determining a proximity of the user relative to the second client device exceeds a proximal threshold; and

sending the communication to the first client device based on the proximity of the user relative to the second client device exceeding the proximal threshold.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising determining that the first client device is most proximate to the user relative to other client devices associated with the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a second communication associated with the phone number;

determining the proximity of the user relative to the second client device does not exceed the proximal threshold; and

sending the second communication to the second client device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a proximity of a user relative to the first client device is within a proximal threshold; and

wherein the adjusting the volume of the first client device is based on the proximity of the user relative to the first client device being within the proximal threshold.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, upon being executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a communication to be routed to a first client device associated with a first user;

determine, based on historical position data, that a second user was not previously proximate to the first client device;

adjust a volume of the first client device in response to the second user not previously being proximate to the first client device; and

send the communication to the first client device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the volume of the first client device is adjusted by turning down a ringer volume of the first client device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the volume of the first client device is adjusted by muting a ringer volume of the first client device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine that the first client device is proximate to the first user.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9,

wherein the communication is associated with a phone number for a second client device associated with the first user;

and

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to;

determine a proximity of the first user relative to the second client device exceeds a proximal threshold; and

route the communication to the first client device based on the proximity of the first user relative to the second client device exceeding the proximal threshold.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine that the first client device is most proximate to the first user relative to other client devices associated with the first user.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a second communication for the first user;

determining the proximity of the first user relative to the second client device does not exceed the proximal threshold; and

sending the second communication to the second client device.

16. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory including instructions that, upon being executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a communication for a first user;

determining, based on historical position data, that a current number of users proximate to a first client device exceeds a previous number of users proximate to the first client device associated with the first user;

adjusting a volume of the first client device in response to the determining; and

sending the communication to the first client device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the adjusting of the volume of the first client device comprises turning down a ringer volume of the first client device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the first client device is proximate to the first user.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication is associated with a network address for a second client device associated with the first user, the operations further comprising:

determining a proximity of the first user relative to the second client device exceeds a proximal threshold; and

sending the communication to the first client device based on the proximity of the first user relative to the second client device exceeding the proximal threshold.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the first client device is most proximate to the first user relative to other client devices associated with the first user.