US 6,208,854 B1 · System and method for routing a call to a called party's landline or wireless communication unit

Abstract

A method and system are provided for routing a call to a called party's landline or wireless communication unit based on the availability of the wireless communication unit. A call placed to a called party's landline communication unit is routed to the called party's wireless communication unit if the wireless communication unit is determined available, otherwise, the call is routed to the called party's landline communication unit. Unlike past attempts to facilitate communication with a called party having wireless and landline communication units, these preferred embodiments operate automatically (without called party intervention) before a call is terminated at the landline communication unit and are responsive to the availability of the called party's wireless communication unit. Further, there preferred embodiments do not rely on complex, pre-determined hunting sequences or expensive adjunct customer premises equipment.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for routing a call to a called party's landline or wireless communication unit, said method comprising:

(a) receiving, from a calling party, a destination number assigned to the called party's landline communication units;
then
(b) automatically determining an availability of the called party's wireless communication unit;
then
(c) automatically routing the call to the called party's landline communication unit in response to the called party's wireless communication unit being determined unavailable in (b);
and
(d) automatically routing the call to the called party's wireless communication unit in response to the called party's wireless communication unit being determined available in (b).

4 more elements

A method for routing a call to a called party's landline or wireless communication unit, said method comprising:

(a) with a signal switching point (SSP), receiving, from a calling party, a destination number assigned to the called party's landline communication unit;
(b) with the SSP, suspending the call and launching a query to a service control point (SCP);
(c) sending a location request from the SCP to a home location register (HLR) of a mobile switching center (MSC);
(d) sending a response from the MILR to the SCP;
(e) if the response comprises a routing address of the called party's wireless communication unit and does not indicate that the wireless communication unit is inactive:
(e1) sending a forward call command from the SCP to the SSP;
(e2) forwarding the call from the SSP to the MSC;
and
(e3) routing the call through the MSC to the called party's wireless communication unit;
and
(f) if the response indicates that the called party's wireless communication unit is not registered with the HLR or is inactive:
(f1) sending a message from the SCP to the SSP authorizing termination to the called party's landline communication unit;
and
(f2) routing the call through the SSP to the called party's landline communication unit.

11 more elements

A method for routing a call to a called party's landline or wireless communication unit using a wireless/landline routing service, said method comprising:

(a) with a signal switching point (SSP), receiving, from a calling party, a destination number assigned to the called party's landline communication unit;
(b) with the SSP, receiving, from the calling party, a destination number of the calling party;
(c) if the destination number of the calling party is the same as the destination number assigned to the called party's wireless communication unit, routing the call to the called party's landline communication unit;
(d) if the destination number of the calling party is not the same as the destination number assigned to the called party's wireless communication unit, with the SSP, suspending the call and launching a query to a service control point (SCP);
(e) with the SCP, determining whether the wireless/landline routing service is active;
(f) if the wireless/landline routing service is not active, sending, from the SCP to the SSP, a message authorizing termination to the called party's landline communication unit and, with the SSP, routing the call to the landline communication unit;
(g) sending a location request from the SCP to a home location register (HLR) of a mobile switching center (MSC);
(h) if a response from the HLR is not received by the SCP after an elapsed period of time, sending a message from the SCP to the SSP authorizing the SSP to terminate the call to the called party's landline communication unit;
(i) sending a response from the HLR to the SCP;
(j) if the response comprises a routing address of the called party's wireless communication unit and does not indicate that the wireless communication unit is inactive:
(j1) sending a forward call command from the SCP to the SSP;
(j2) forwarding the call from the SSP to the MSC;
and
(j3) routing the call through the MSC to the called party's wireless communication unit;
(k) if the response indicates that the called party's wireless communication unit is not registered with the HLR or is inactive:
(k1) sending a message from the SCP to the SSP authorizing termination to the called party's landline communication unit;
and
(k2) routing the call through the SSP to the called party's landline communication unit;
(i) providing the called party's wireless communication unit with a ringing signal that is different from a ringing signal generated when a call is placed directly to the wireless communication unit;
(m) if the called party's wireless communication unit is busy, routing the call to a unified voice-mail system operative to receive messages for both the called party's landline communication unit and the called party's wireless communication unit;
and
(n) if the call routed to the called party's wireless communication unit is not answered, changing the destination number of the calling party to the destination number of the called party's wireless communication unit.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for routing a call to a called party's landline or wireless communication unit

Life of this patent

System and method for routing a call to a called party's landline or wireless communication unit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20