Method of selecting one of at least two communications terminals

Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Including personal numbering system

Patent

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Details

455415, H04M 342, H04Q 738

Patent

active

061285021

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention concerns a method of selecting one of at least two communications terminals assigned or assignable to the same subscriber, and a communications terminal, particularly a telephone terminal, for carrying out this method.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a conventional telephone network, each subscriber has a telephone terminal at which he can be reached in a specific location by means of a specific telephone number. In the final analysis, the telephone number is not assigned to the subscriber, but rather to the location. On the one hand, this subscriber cannot be reached with "his" number if he is located in a different place, and on the other, different persons, perhaps family members, can be reached with this number, although they are not listed in the telephone directory.
By contrast, in the mobile radio network, the site at which the subscriber's mobile radio set is located can always be reached by means of a specific telephone number, and thereby often the subscriber himself. Still, most mobile radio subscribers also have a "fixed network set", and thus a second telephone number in addition to the mobile radio set, mainly for reasons of cost. A caller has to know which of the two numbers he must dial. In practice, this is often done by trial and error. Technical solutions are also known for the trial and error method. In that case, every call that is not answered by a first terminal is switched to a second terminal after a predetermined time (e.g. after three rings), then perhaps even to a third terminal, or back to the first.
Solutions are also known whereby the subscriber must report to a central of some kind, at which terminal he is presently located. Calls to the subscriber are then switched to his central, from where they are routed to the selected terminal. The present invention starts with such a communications infrastructure, and builds on it.
The problem on which the present task is based is to reduce the cost to the subscriber of switching between the terminals under consideration.


DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, a method of terminals under consideration.
According to the present invention, a method of its environment, and that upon detection of such a signal, the assignment of said communications terminal to the subscriber is initiated.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a communications terminal, particularly a telephone terminal, is characterized in that it has a sensor for receiving subscriber environment, e.g., by means of a space-limited subscriber identification card that can be remotely detected by at least one of the terminals, which then sends a message to the central, causing any incoming call intended for the subscriber to be routed to this terminal.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the detailed description of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a subscriber in a subscriber range, along with a stationary telephone set and a hand-held telephone for use by the subscriber, wherein a service operator range is signaled by one of the terminals in the subscriber range via a network range, which telecommunications terminal is presently associated with the subscriber, according to the invention.
FIG. 2 shows a method of selecting one of at least two communications terminals assigned or assignable to a same subscriber, according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a telecommunications terminal 11, particularly a telephone terminal, that has a sensor for receiving subscriber identification signals from its environment, according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows another method of selecting one of the at least two communications terminals assignable to the same subscriber, according to the invention.


BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The drawing depicts a subscriber range 1, a network range 2 and a service operator range 3. The

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