System and method for establishing a call between a calling party and a called party over a wired network

A method for routing a communication between a sending device and one receiving device of a plurality of receiving devices, the method comprising:

• monitoring whether a called party is present within a preset distance of each of the plurality of receiving devices, each of the plurality of receiving devices having a status and a status file associated therewith, wherein the called party's presence is determined by detecting an RFID tag associated with the called party;
• adding an identification of the called party to the status file associated with the one receiving device of the plurality of receiving devices that is within the preset distance of the called party;
• locating the status file associated with the one receiving device via a second network that is different than the first network, wherein the status file includes the called party's identification;
• determining the status of the one receiving device based on the located status file;
• and
• routing the communication from the sending device to the one receiving device associated with the located status file based at least in part on the determination.

A method for routing a communication from a sending party to a receiving party comprising:

• locating, via a first network, a receiving party's identification in a status file associated with one of a plurality of receiving devices, wherein the receiving party's identification is associated with the status file if the receiving party is proximate to the one of the plurality of receiving devices;
• monitoring, via the first network, status data in the status file, wherein the status data indicates if the one of the plurality of receiving devices changes state;
• and
• routing, via a second network, the communication to the one of the plurality of receiving devices if the status data indicates that the one of the plurality of receiving devices changed state.

A system comprising:

• a memory;
• a device monitor coupled to the memory and configured to monitor a status of a device and create a corresponding status file for the device to be stored in the memory, wherein the device has a unique address and the status file includes state information associated with the device, the state information to indicate if the device changes state;
• a proximity monitor, coupled to the device monitor and the memory, and configured to monitor a proximity of a user to the device and store a user identifier associated with the user in the status file, wherein the user identifier indicates that the user is within a preset distance of the device;
• and
• a datastore coupled to the proximity monitor and the device monitor, the datastore configured to locate the user identifier in the status file to facilitate routing of a communication to the device based on a determination that the device has changed states and on a determination that the user is within a preset distance of the device.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for locating an identifier of a receiving party within a status file associated with one of a plurality of receiving devices, wherein the identifier is located within the associated status file if the receiving party is within a predetermined distance from the one of the plurality of receiving devices;
• means for monitoring status data within the status file associated with the one of the plurality of receiving devices, wherein the status data indicates if the one of the plurality of receiving devices changes state;
• and
• means for routing a communication to the one of the plurality of receiving devices if the status data indicates that the one of a plurality of receiving devices changed state.