Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Directive – Including a satellite
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-11-20
Tarcza, Thomas H. (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Directive
Including a satellite
C379S211010, C455S445000, C455S456500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320534
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of wireless and wireline telephony. It finds particular application in conjunction with automatically routing incoming telephone calls to a subscriber based primarily on the subscriber's location, and will be described with reference thereto.
Telephone call routing systems are known that sequence through a list of subscriber-specified telephone numbers in response to receiving an incoming call. Typically, these systems operate by providing subscribers a new telephone number, hereafter referred to as a ‘reach number’. Each subscriber conveys his reach number to callers as his only telephone number. When a call is directed to a subscriber's reach number, telephone equipment routes the call to pre-stored, subscriber-specified telephone numbers. As an example, if a subscriber lists in order, a home phone, an office phone, a mobile phone, and a pager, the system will ring the telephone numbers in the order predetermined by the subscriber for a number of rings. The subscriber can also manually interact with this system in order to change the sequencing order of the listed telephone numbers or manage the list by adding and deleting numbers.
Unfortunately, such systems are only as dependable as the subscribers are diligent in maintaining their personal telephone number lists. In addition, if a subscriber is away from all the telephones on his list, he will not receive calls since such systems sequence only through subscriber-supplied telephone numbers. Moreover, each subscriber is typically allowed to specify only a small number of telephone numbers on his list. And, of course, a subscriber can list only those telephone numbers that he knows.
Other systems are known for locating and directing calls to people inside of larger structures with a number of telephones. Typically a caller calls a central number and interacts with a live or automated operator to identify the desired called party. Such systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,548,637; 5,155,761; 5,062,151. These systems undesirably only work within the building and with building telephone equipment.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above problems are alleviated and an advance is made over the prior art in accordance with the teachings of the applicant's invention, wherein a method is described for routing a telephone call to a subscriber based on the subscriber's location. The method includes paging a location determining device preferably on the subscriber's person and, in response to the page, receiving location information from the location determining device. A nearby telephone is selected from a database based on physical proximity of the telephone and the location received from the location determining device. The call is then routed to the telephone selected.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the paging step includes formatting an interrogation message and then transmitting the message over a wireless network covering a large geographical area. The wireless network could be a standalone system or integrated into an existing wireless telephony system.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in response to receipt of the interrogation message by the location determining device, the location of the device is determined and a response message is prepared which includes the location information. This response message is then returned over the wireless network.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the location of the location determining device is determined by calculating a position from Global Positioning System (GPS), Local Positioning System (LPS) or acceleration signals. It is recognized that other methods of determining position may be used with equal functionality.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the database includes the telephone numbers and locations of a plurality of telephones selected and/or supplied by the subscriber. The location information received from the location determining device is then compared with the location associated with each of the plurality of telephones on the subscriber's list. Based on the comparison, if one of the telephones on the subscriber's list is within a specified distance to the location received, that telephone becomes the selected telephone to which the call will be routed.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the location information received from the location determining device is announced to the party originating the call.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises, for a telephone designated as mobile, periodically interrogating the mobile telephone for a location update. In response to receipt of the location update, the location associated with the mobile phone is updated in the database.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a call routing system for routing a telephone call to a preferred telephone selected for meeting proximity criterion includes a processor controlling a telephone switching system. A location determining system and a storage device containing associations of telephone numbers and the locations of the corresponding telephones is in communication with the processor. The call routing system recognizes an incoming call to a subscriber and, through the location determining system, determines the location of the subscriber. From the storage device, the processor selects a telephone number corresponding to a telephone located within a specified distance to the location determined by the location determining system and directs the switching system to connect the incoming call to the telephone number selected.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the location determining system further includes a wireless communication network which communicates messages between the processor and the location determining device associated with the subscriber.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the location determining system alternately includes a location calculating circuit adapted to receive signals from one or more of the following: a Global Positioning System, a Local Positioning System, and an accelerometer. The circuit calculates the location of the location determining device based on the signals received.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the storage device includes memory fields for storing telephone numbers and corresponding location information for a plurality of telephones specified by the subscriber.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the memory fields alternately include a static location field or a dynamic location field to store location information for fixed telephones or mobile telephones, respectively.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the system further includes a database containing telephone numbers and corresponding locations of a plurality of telephones within an area. If none of the telephones on the subscriber-specified list are available, the processor then selects from the database a telephone in the area within a specified distance to the location received from the location determining device.
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Designing a positioning system for finding things and people indoors, Werb, J.; Lanzl, C., IEEE Spectrum, vol.: 35 Issue: 9, pp.: 71-78, Sep. 1998.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Mull Fred H
Tarcza Thomas H.
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