Location based call routing for call answering services

• US 8,526,977 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pearson, Larry B., Bridges, J. Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMS, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US10/668,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20050063528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,633 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.1, 4554561-4566, 455/461, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 455/461
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In one particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a method of processing a call. The method includes receiving location data, storing the location data in a data record, receiving a first call, playing an announcement, prompting for a caller'"'"'s name, receiving the caller'"'"'s name, and retrieving the data record. The location data is received via an interconnected network. The location data is derived from a proximity sensor that is configured to provide a proximity determination with respect to a mobile device of a subscriber and the proximity sensor. The first call is received at a primary destination address associated with the subscriber. The data record is retrieved to identify a selected address that identifies a communication device of the subscriber. The communication device is located within a proximity zone proximate to the proximity sensor.

Claims

1. A system for manipulating call redirection, the system comprising:

a proximity zone database storing proximity zone data received from one or more of a mobile telephone of a subscriber and a computing device associated with the subscriber; and

a call direction control system coupled to the proximity zone database to;

receive a first call directed to a mobile telephone number of the mobile telephone of the subscriber;

place a second call;

to a telephone number of a telephone device within a proximity zone associated with the computing device when the proximity zone data in a call redirection message sent by the computing device indicates that the mobile telephone is in electrical contact with a charging device that is coupled to the computing device, wherein the computing device is external to the charging device and is coupled to a network via a network access point;

to the telephone number of the telephone device when the proximity zone data from the mobile telephone indicates that the mobile telephone is in wireless communication with a wireless network access point within the first proximity zone; and

to the mobile telephone number of the mobile telephone of the subscriber when the proximity zone data in the call redirection message indicates that the mobile telephone is no longer in electrical contact with the charging device that is coupled to the computing device; and

after the subscriber answers the second call, prompt the subscriber with a plurality of options comprising;

a first option to answer the first call; and

a second option to route the first call to voice mail.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximity zone is a home proximity zone associated with a home of the subscriber or a work proximity zone associated with a work place of the subscriber.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the call direction control system, in response to a selection of the second option, routes the first call to voice mail.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the call direction control system, in response to a selection of the first option, bridges the first call and the second call.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, after receiving the first call, the call direction control system prompts a caller to provide the caller'"'"'s name and stores a data record including the caller'"'"'s name.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, after placing the second call, the call direction control system accesses the data record including the caller'"'"'s name and plays an announcement to the subscriber that includes the caller'"'"'s name before prompting the subscriber to select with the plurality of options.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless network access point is an 802.11 wireless network access point that is coupled to the computing device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless network access point is a Bluetooth access point that is coupled to the computing device.

9. A method of processing a call, the method comprising:

determining proximity zone data of a subscriber based on a call redirection message received from one of a plurality of computing devices associated with the subscriber;

storing the proximity zone data;

redirecting a first call directed to a mobile telephone number of a mobile telephone associated with the subscriber based on the call redirection message, wherein redirecting the first call includes placing a second call to;

a first telephone number of a first telephone device within a first proximity zone associated with a first computing device of the subscriber when the call redirection message is received from the first computing device and indicates that the mobile telephone is in electrical contact with a first charging device that is coupled to the first computing device, wherein the first computing device is external to the first charging device and is coupled to a first network via a first network access point; and

a second telephone number of a second telephone device within a second proximity zone associated with a second computing device of the subscriber when the call redirection message is received from the second computing device and indicates that the mobile telephone is in electrical contact with a second charging device that is coupled to the second computing device, wherein the second computing device is external to the second charging device and coupled to a second network via a second network access point; and

after the subscriber answers the second call, prompting the subscriber with a plurality of options comprising;

a first option to answer the first call; and

a second option to route the first call to voice mail.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the call redirection message uses an application layer communication protocol.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the call redirection message comprises a Remote Procedure Call.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the call redirection message comprises an InterProcess Communications message.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the call redirection message comprises a Simple Object Access Protocol message.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the call redirection message comprises an electronic mail message.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the call redirection message comprises a HyperText Transfer Protocol message.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the call redirection message comprises a file transfer protocol message.

17. A method, comprising:

at a computing device associated with a subscriber, detecting that a mobile telephone associated with the subscriber is in electrical contact with a charging device coupled to the computing device, wherein the computing device is external to the charging device, wherein the computing device is coupled to the charging device via a universal serial bus connection, and wherein the computing device is coupled to a network via a network access point;

sending a first call redirection message from the computing device to a call redirection service, wherein the first call redirection message indicates that a first call directed to a mobile telephone number of the mobile telephone is to be redirected by placing a second call to a telephone number of a telephone device within a proximity zone associated with the computing device;

after the subscriber answers the second call, prompting the subscriber with a plurality of options comprising;

a first option to answer the first call; and

a second option to route the first call to voice mail;

detecting that the mobile telephone is no longer in electrical contact with the charging device coupled to the computing device; and

sending a second call redirection message from the computing device to the call redirection service, wherein the second call redirection message cancels the redirection of calls to the telephone number.