Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at separate stations – Plural transmitters or receivers
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-29
2001-09-18
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at separate stations
Plural transmitters or receivers
C455S518000, C455S456500, C455S463000, C455S417000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292672
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to wireless switching systems and, in particular, to telephone call management within such a system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When a number of telephones are situated in a common open area, a situation often arises where the user of one of the ringing telephones does not answer. It is highly desirable for another individual within the area to utilize their own telephone to answer the incoming call for the other telephone. Within the prior art this has been accomplished by placing the telephones within the common area into a call pickup group. If a first telephone within the call pickup group is being rung, a user of a second telephone of the call pickup group can actuate a designated button on their telephone or dial a special code to answer the call that is directed to the first telephone.
The prior art pickup groups have functioned well with wired telephone sets. Such pickup groups are manually administered on the telecommunication switching system providing service for the telephones within the pickup group. In particular, the prior art pickup groups and their administration have functioned well for the traditional business environment where an employee is assigned a desk or a specific location and performs their principle work function at that telephone or location. The traditional environment is slowly changing. In the emerging business environment, individuals do not have a wired telephone but rather they have a wireless telephone that they carry with them at all times and that is their only telephone. In addition, employees during the course of a day perform many functions at different locations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing problems are solved, and a technical advance is achieved by an apparatus and method in which a to wireless terminal dynamically positions itself into a call pickup group based on the location of the wireless terminal. Similarly, a wireless terminal dynamically removes itself from a call pickup group on the basis of the location of the wireless terminal. Advantageously, a wireless terminal can be excluded from joining a call pickup group in a specific location. The wireless terminal positions itself into the call pickup group by communicating information with other wireless terminals already in the call pickup group. Advantageously, this communication is controlled by a controlling wireless terminal with which the wireless terminal first communicates upon entering the location. The wireless terminal determines its position by communication with a fixed unit assigned to the location of call pickup group. Upon determining that it is leaving the location, the wireless terminal transmits a message to controlling wireless terminal to inform it of this fact. In turn, the controlling wireless terminal transmits messages to the other wireless terminals to inform them of the departure of the wireless terminal.
Other and further aspects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawing.
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Avaya Technology Corp.
Milord Marceau
Moran John C.
Trost William
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