EP0536949A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
An incoming communications forwarding technique utilizing a called party location indicator
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1992-10-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-10-01
Abstract
Abstract A communications signal-transmitting device (122-1,122-R) carried by a communications system user indicates the location of that user relative to other wired or wireless communications devices (102-1,102-P; 112-1,112-Q) connected to a communications system (105). This location indication is utilized by the communications system to forward incoming voice and/or data communications for that user to the other communications device so that the user can receive such communications. As a result, the location of any potential system user is provided and call forwarding for that user is accomplished without the prior art problems associated with activation and deactivation. In the disclosed embodiments which pertain to the forwarding of voice communications in a PBX environment, the communications device is a pager (122-1,122-R) which communicates with the wired (102-1,102-P) or wireless (112-1, 112-Q) telephone sets connected to the line side of the PBX to provide the PBX with the location of the system user relative to these telephone sets.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary Joe Grimes
- 👤 Lawrence John Haas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 01:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/42229; H04M11/00; H04M11/02; H04M11/022; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/533; H04M3/54; H04M3/546; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/42; H04Q3/47; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/10; H04M2203/1091; H04M2242/00; H04M2242/30; H04M3/42314; H04M7/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A communications system for connecting incoming communications to communications devices associated, said system comprising a signal transmitter for developing a signal associated with a user of said signal transmitter, said user being capable of changing location relative to said communications devices with time; and CHARACTERIZED BY means responsive to said signal for determining a preferred one of said communications devices based on physical proximity of said signal transmitter to said preferred communications device; and means responsive to said determination for forwarding an incoming communications that is destined for said user to the preferred communications device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
The communications system of claim 1 wherein said communications system is a private branch exchange, or a central office switch.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The communications system of claim 1 wherein said communications device is a pager.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The communications system of claim 1 wherein the signal transmitted by said signal transmitter is received by those of said communications devices which are close to said signal transmitter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The communications system of claim 1 wherein said signal transmitter transmits its signal through one of said communications devices which is interconnected thereto at a given time via a wired signal path, or transmits its signal through one of said communications devices which receives the transmitter signal via a wireless signal path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The communications system of claim 1 wherein said forwarding means can be enabled and disabled by said user.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The communications system of claim 1 wherein said forwarding means is only responsive when said incoming communications destined for said user originates from one of a predetermined number of sources.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The communications system of claim 1 wherein said forwarding means is capable of further forwarding said incoming communications destined for said user from the preferred communications device to another communications device upon a predetermined condition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The communications system of claim 8 wherein said preferred condition is that said incoming communications is not answered by said preferred communications device within a predetermined time period.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The communications system of claim 8 wherein said another communications device is a call coverage communications device associated with the preferred communications device, or is an electronic messaging system associated with the preferred communications device.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for use in a communications system which connects incoming communications to communications devices, said method comprising the steps of transmitting a signal associated with a communications system user who is capable of changing location relative to said communications devices with time; and CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of determining in response to said transmitted signal a preferred one of said communications devices based on physical proximity of said signal transmitter to said preferred communications device; and forwarding an incoming communications that is destined for said user to the preferred communications device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
A communications device for use with a communications system which connects incoming communications destined for a called party associated with said device to said device, said device CHARACTERIZED BY means for receiving a signal from another communications device which uniquely identifies a prospective called party other than that associated with said communications device; and means for coupling said received signal to said communications system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The communications device of claim 12 wherein said device is a telephone station set.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The communications device of claim 12 wherein said receiving means includes a receptacle for connection to said other communications device, or includes a wireless signal receiver.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
91 words
A communications device for use in a communications system wherein incoming communications are forwarded to other communications devices, said communications device CHARACTERIZED BY means for developing a signal associated with a user of said communications device, said user being capable of changing location with time and said signal being usable by said system to determine a preferred one of said other communications devices based on physical proximity of said device to said other communications devices; and means responsive to the developed signal for transmitting the developed signal to said communications system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The communications device of claim 15 wherein said device is a pager and further includes means for receiving a signal from said communications system indicating the arrival of an incoming communications destined for said user.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The communications device of claim 15 wherein said transmitting means is a wireless signal transmitter, or is a connector capable of coupling the developed signal to one of said other communications devices connected to said communications device at a given time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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