Method and system for remote call forwarding of telephone calls from cellular phone

• US 6,141,545 A
• Filed: 01/22/1998
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Begeja, Lee, Farah, Jeffrey Joseph, Ostroff, Neil A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Nguyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fuller, Greta J.
• Application Number:
  US09/010,616
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/417, 455/445, 379/207, 379/259
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/548 with remote control

Abstract

A subscriber to a remote call forwarding feature on a wire-line telephone line associated with a PBX (101) or central office (402) can enable that feature by dialing feature code from his cellular phone (103, 403). The subscriber dials a feature code from his cellular phone, which feature code is received by the cellular phone'"'"'s Mobile Switching Center (MSC) (105, 405) and forwarded to a Service Control Point (SCP) (106, 406). The SCP recognizes the feature code as a request to invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the subscriber'"'"'s wire-line telephone so that calls directed to that wire-line telephone are forwarded to the cellular phone. Receipt of that feature code by the SCP, together with the cellular phone'"'"'s Electronic Serial Number (ESN) and Mobile Identification Number (MIN) identifies the subscriber and the feature to be invoked for that subscriber. By performing a database (108, 408) lookup associated with that ESN and MIN, information is retrieved relating to what PBX or switch should be contacted to invoke the feature, how and where to contact that PBX or switch, and what specifically must be sent to that PBX or switch to invoke the feature on the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line.

Claims

1. A wireless network method of invoking a feature associated with a subscriber'"'"'s line on a wire-line facility from the subscriber'"'"'s wireless station set comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a feature code from the wireless station set indicative of the feature to be invoked and an identifier associated with the wireless station set;

b) using the identifier associated with the wireless station set and the received feature code, determining the subscriber'"'"'s wire-line facility and associated information required to invoke the feature in association with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility including an address of one of a private branch exchange and extension and of a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility and a manner for sending that information; and

c) sending that information to the address and in accordance with the manner determined in step b) to invoke the feature in association with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is sent according to step c) over a secure transmission medium.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the secure transmission medium is a wireless data network.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the secure transmission medium is a packet computer network.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the wireless station set is a cellular telephone.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is deactivation of an activated remote call forwarding feature which forwards calls directed to a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility to be received at the subscriber'"'"'s wireless station set.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility is associated with a PBX and the information includes how to access the PBX and invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the subscriber'"'"'s line, the subscriber'"'"'s line being a PBX extension.

7. A wireless network method of invoking a feature associated with a subscriber'"'"'s line on a wire-line facility from the subscriber'"'"'s wireless station set comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a feature code from the wireless station set indicative of the feature to be invoked and an identifier associated with the wireless station set;

b) using the identifier associated with the wireless station set and the received feature code, determining the subscriber'"'"'s wire-line facility and associated information required to invoke the feature in association with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility including an address of one of a private branch exchange and extension and of a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility and a manner for sending that information; and

c) sending that information to the address and in accordance with the manner determined in step b) to invoke the feature in association with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility, wherein the feature is remote call forwarding to forward a call directed to a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility to be received at the subscriber'"'"'s wireless station set.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility is associated with a central office switch and the information includes how to access the switch and invoke the remote call forwarding feature for a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line.

10. A system for invoking a feature associated with a subscriber'"'"'s line on a wire-line facility from the subscriber'"'"'s wireless station set comprising:

a mobile switching center which receives a feature code from the wireless station set indicative of the feature to be invoked and an identifier associated with the wireless station set; and

a service control point connected to the mobile switching center, and an associated database, the service control point receiving from the mobile switching center the identifier associated with the wireless station set and the received feature code and retrieving from the database information associated with the received identifier information required to invoke the feature in association with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility including an address of one of a private branch exchange and extension and of a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire line facility and a manner for sending the information.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the mobile switching center and the service control point are connected over a secure transmission facility.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the wireless station set is a cellular telephone.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the feature is remote call forwarding to forward a call directed to a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility to be received at the subscriber'"'"'s wireless station set.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility is associated with a PBX and the information includes how to access the PBX and invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the subscriber'"'"'s line, the subscriber'"'"'s line being a PBX extension.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility is associated with a central office switch and the information includes how to access the switch and invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the subscriber'"'"'s line.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the feature is deactivation of an activated remote call forwarding feature which forwards calls directed to a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility to be received at the subscriber'"'"'s wireless station set.

17. A wireless network method of invoking a remote call forwarding feature associated with a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line on a wire-line facility from the subscriber'"'"'s mobile wireless telephone to forward calls directed to the wire-line telephone line to the wireless telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a feature code from the wireless telephone indicative of the remote call forwarding feature to be invoked and an identifier associated with the wireless telephone;

b) using the identifier associated with the wireless telephone and the received feature code, determining the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line on the wire-line facility and associated information required to invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the subscriber telephone line on the wire-line facility including an address of one of a private branch exchange and extension and of a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility and a manner for sending that information; and

c) sending that information to the address and in accordance with the manner determined in step b) to invoke the remote call forwarding feature on subscriber'"'"'s telephone line on the wire-line facility.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility is associated with a PBX and the information includes how to access the PBX and invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the subscriber'"'"'s line, the subscriber'"'"'s line being a PBX extension.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the subscriber'"'"'s line on the wire-line facility is associated with a central office switch and the information includes how to access the switch and invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the subscriber'"'"'s line.

20. A method of invoking a remote call forwarding feature associated with a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line capable of remote call forwarding from the subscriber'"'"'s mobile wireless telephone to forward calls directed to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line to be received at the wireless telephone, the method comprising the step of receiving a feature code and an identifier of the wireless telephone at a wireless service controller and characterized in that said subscriber'"'"'s telephone line having remote call forwarding is on a wire-line facility of a wired network and further characterized by the steps of

determining remote call forwarding activation information via a database look-up of an address of one of a private branch exchange and extension and of a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of said wired network and a manner for transmitting remote call forwarding activation information and

transmitting said remote call forwarding activation information to said determined address in accordance with said determined manner to invoke said remote call forwarding feature.

21. A method of invoking a remote call forwarding feature associated with a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line capable of remote call forwarding from the subscriber'"'"'s mobile wireless telephone to forward calls directed to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line to be received at the wireless telephone, the method comprising the step of receiving feature selection information and an identifier of the wireless telephone at a wireless service controller and characterized by said subscriber'"'"'s telephone line having remote call forwarding being on a wire-line facility of a wired network and further characterized by the steps of:

determining remote call forwarding activation information via a database look-up of an address of one of a private branch exchange and extension and of a telephone number associated with the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of said wired network and a manner for transmitting remote call forwarding activation information; and

transmitting said remote call forwarding activation information to said determined address in accordance with said determined manner to invoke said remote call forwarding feature.