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WO2001020945A1 - System and method for location-sensitive handling of telephone calls to mobile stations - Google Patents

System and method for location-sensitive handling of telephone calls to mobile stations Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001020945A1
WO2001020945A1 PCT/US2000/021947 US0021947W WO0120945A1 WO 2001020945 A1 WO2001020945 A1 WO 2001020945A1 US 0021947 W US0021947 W US 0021947W WO 0120945 A1 WO0120945 A1 WO 0120945A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
area
mobile telephone
sub
telephone
switching device
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2000/021947
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jerry Woo-Sam
Original Assignee
Ericsson Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ericsson Inc. filed Critical Ericsson Inc.
Priority to AU66325/00A priority Critical patent/AU6632500A/en
Publication of WO2001020945A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001020945A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/02—Services making use of location information
    • H04W4/029—Location-based management or tracking services
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/16—Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system and method for handling incoming telephone calls to a mobile telephone, and particularly to a system and method for selectively directing an incoming telephone call from a mobile telephone destination based upon a particular location of the mobile telephone within a building or compound.
  • Telephone call distribution systems are presently used by companies for receiving incoming telephone calls and forwarding the telephone calls to the appropriate individual , such as to an individual ' s mobile telephone. Communications systems even exist in which incoming calls to an employee's wireline desk telephone are automatically forwarded to the employee's mobile telephone in the event the wireline desk telephone is unanswered. There are circumstances, however, in which an employee's mobile telephone should not receive an incoming call. For instance, if an individual is in an important business meeting or if a medical provider is in surgery, it may not be best to forward a telephone call thereto. In such circumstances, the location of an individual is best known before a telephone call is forwarded thereto. Companies thus have an interest in determining the location of an individual, such as an employee, and selectively forwarding a telephone call to a mobile telephone used thereby based upon the determined location thereof.
  • the present invention overcomes shortcomings in existing telephone call handling systems and satisfies a significant need for a system and method for deflecting incoming telephone calls to a mobile telephone based upon the position thereof within a predefined area, such as a building or compound.
  • the present invention is adapted for use by companies as part of or in conjunction with conventional communications systems maintained thereby.
  • the building or other predefined area is partitioned into a plurality of zones, with each zone including one or more cells defined therein.
  • Each cell is associated with a base station such that a mobile telephone located within the cell communicates with the corresponding base station over the air interface.
  • Each base station communicates with a telecommunications switch via a radio exchange. In this way, a mobile telephone located within any one of the cells is capable of participating in a speech communication.
  • each active mobile telephone which is not engaged in a speech communication periodically transmits a distinct identification signal.
  • T h e identification signal is received by the base station corresponding to the cell in which the transmitting mobile telephone is located.
  • the identification signal received by the base station is forwarded to the switch, whereupon the identification information is compared with a list of identification data to determine the owner of the mobile telephone.
  • the switch is capable of determining the particular zone or cell from which the mobile telephone transmitted the identification signal.
  • the switch determines that a mobile telephone has entered a cell
  • the entered cell is logged in a database as the current cell.
  • the switch determines, based upon subsequent transmissions of the identification signal by the mobile telephone, that the mobile telephone has exited the cell and has entered a new cell
  • data is stored into the database to document the new cell as the current cell.
  • a mobile telephone no longer periodically transmits its identification signal
  • data the database to document the mobile telephone ceasing transmission in the cell. In this way, data is stored in the database for sufficiently documenting the position of the active mobile telephone within the building or other predefined area.
  • the switch further includes the capability of designating cells as "quiet areas" whereby incoming telephone calls to a mobile telephone located in the quiet area should not be directed to the intended mobile telephone and instead directed to a system operator or the corresponding subscriber's voicemail.
  • Cells designated as quiet areas include rooms in which activities are best performed in an uninterrupted manner, such as conference rooms and auditoriums. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, cells may be classified as a quiet area or a noisy area in which incoming telephone calls are allowed.
  • the cell area classifications are stored in a second database by a system manager.
  • the switch retrieves the cell location data for the mobile telephone from the first database and then retrieves the cell classification information from the second database for the particular cell location retrieved from the first database.
  • the switch deflects the incoming telephone call to either a system operator or the voicemail of the subscriber of the mobile telephone, based upon a preference previously specified by the subscriber.
  • the switch may send an indication to the mobile telephone that an incoming telephone call was deflected.
  • the indication may silently inform the user of the mobile telephone that an incoming telephone call intended therefor was directed elsewhere.
  • the present system is capable of diverting incoming telephone call and informing the corresponding subscriber without interrupting the subscriber and those in the vicinity thereof.
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram of the present mobile communications system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a first flow chart illustrating a first set of operations of the mobile communications system according to the embodiment of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 3 is a second flow chart illustrating a second set of operations of the mobile communications system according to the embodiment of Figure 1.
  • Mobile communications system 1 preferably provides conventional voice and other communication to one or more mobile telephones 2 which are situated within the predefined area 3 served thereby.
  • Predefined area 3 may preferably be the area within a building, compound or other relatively small geographical area.
  • mobile communications system 1 is capable of determining the position of one or more active mobile telephones 2 in predefined area 3 served thereby.
  • the predefined area 3 is divided into a number of zones 4, with each zone 4 being further divided into one or more cells 5.
  • mobile communications system 1 includes a base station 6 corresponding thereto.
  • Each base station 6 is associated with at least one distinct cell 5 such that mobile communications system 1 provides mobile telephone service to a mobile telephone 2 via the particular base station 6 corresponding to the cell 5 in which the mobile telephone 2 is located.
  • mobile communications system 1 further includes a switch 7 which controls telephone calls between one or more mobile telephones 2 and terminals in other telephone and/or data systems .
  • Mobile communications system 1 may further include a radio exchange 8 which communicates with each base station 6, and a mobility server 9 which communicates directly with radio exchange 8 and switch 7 as is known in the art .
  • each mobile telephone 2 preferably includes necessary software, hardware and/or firmware for transmitting an identification signal.
  • the identification signal for each mobile telephone 2 preferably includes a unique code that is transmitted over a data channel.
  • Mobile telephone 2 periodically transmits the identification signal. For example, mobile telephone 2 may transmit its identification signal every five seconds. It is understood, however, that the frequency with which mobile telephone 2 transmits the identification signal may vary and depend upon a variety of factors, such as channel bandwidth.
  • Mobile telephone 2 preferably periodically transmits its identification signal whenever mobile telephone 2 is active and not involved in a speech communication.
  • Each base station 6 is preferably capable of receiving the identification signal from mobile telephone 2 and forwarding the received identification signal to switch 7.
  • Switch 7 is capable of determining the current cell 5 in which the mobile telephone 2 is located, based upon the identification signal forwarded to switch 7.
  • Switch 7 also preferably includes or is associated with a memory device 10 for storing data relating to the current cell 5 of mobile telephone 2 within predefined area 3.
  • the data stored in memory device 10 may include an identification of mobile telephone 2 together with an identification of the current cell 5 in which mobile telephone 2 is located.
  • the stored data forms a first database 11 maintained in memory device 10. With mobile telephone 2 transmitting its identification signal on a periodic basis, database 11 is suitably updated when mobile telephone 2 is active .
  • switch 7 of mobile communications system 1 preferably maintains a database 12 within memory device 10 which indicates those cells 5 that are designated as quiet areas.
  • Database 12 preferably has an entry for each cell 5 within predefined area 3.
  • Database 12 is preferably accessed by switch 7 when determining whether it is appropriate to block incoming telephone calls to mobile telephone 2, as described below.
  • the designation data in database 12, which indicates whether a cell 5 has been designated a quiet area, is programmable by a system operator using a computer 13 in communication with switch 7.
  • base station 6 receives an identification signal transmitted by a mobile telephone 2 at step 20 ( Figure 2) .
  • the base station 6 then forwards the identification signal to switch 7 at step 21.
  • switch 7 identifies the particular mobile telephone 2 which transmitted the identification signal and determines the current cell 5 from which the identification signal was transmitted. The determination of the current cell 5 may be based upon determining which base station 6 forwarded the identification signal to switch 7 during step 21.
  • switch 7 stores in database 11 data relating to the current cell 5 of mobile telephone 2 at step 23. At this point, the current cell information in database 11 corresponding to mobile telephone 2 has been updated.
  • the user of mobile telephone 2 may store the desired alternate location for directing incoming telephone calls intended for mobile telephone 2 when mobile telephone 2 is located in a quiet area.
  • the base station 6 in communication with mobile telephone 2 receives a message therefrom indicating the desired location of incoming telephone calls at step 24, and forwards the message to switch 7 at step 25.
  • switch 7 Upon receipt of the forwarded message, switch 7 stores the desired location in database 11 at step 26.
  • switch 7 determines at step 31 the mobile telephone 2 to which the telephone call is intended. Having determined the intended mobile telephone 2, switch 7 retrieves from database 11 at step 32 the current cell information for mobile telephone 2. At this point, switch 7 has identified the current cell 5 in which mobile telephone 2 is located.
  • switch 7 retrieves designation data from database 12 corresponding to the current cell 5 at step 33.
  • the designation data indicates whether the current cell 5 in which mobile telephone 2 is located is designated as a quiet area.
  • switch 7 retrieves from database 11 the preferred alternate location corresponding to mobile telephone 2 at step 34 and thereupon directs the incoming telephone call to the preferred location step 35.
  • switch 7 sends a message to mobile telephone 2 at step 36 which informs the user thereof that an incoming telephone call intended for mobile telephone 2 was directed to the preferred location.
  • the message may be visually presented by mobile telephone 2 by appearing as text on the visual display thereof.
  • mobile telephone 2 may vibrate upon receiving the message. In this way, incoming telephone calls intended for a mobile telephone 2 are diverted elsewhere while mobile telephone 2 is located in a previously designated quiet area. Further, the user of mobile telephone 2 is only interrupted when an emergency telephone call is routed elsewhere.
  • switch 7 determines that there are no geographical-based restrictions in communicating with mobile telephone 2 and thereupon directs the incoming telephone call to mobile telephone 2 at step 37.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for handling incoming telephone calls intended for a mobile telephone located within a predefined area, such as a building or compound. The system includes a plurality of base stations, each base station corresponding to a distinct sub-area within the predefined area and capable of communicating with the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is located within the respective sub-area. The system further includes a switching device for controlling communication with the mobile telephone. In addition, the switching device identifies the current sub-area in which mobile telephone is located, maintains a database indicating whether each sub-area is designated as a quiet area whereby incoming telephone calls to the mobile telephone are prohibited while the mobile telephone is located within the quiet area, and directs the incoming telephone call elsewhere upon an affirmative determination that the current sub-area is designated as a quiet area.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATION-SENSITIVE HANDLING OF TELEPHONE CALLS TO MOBILE STATIONS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for handling incoming telephone calls to a mobile telephone, and particularly to a system and method for selectively directing an incoming telephone call from a mobile telephone destination based upon a particular location of the mobile telephone within a building or compound.
Background of the Invention
In an effort to facilitate communication, a number of companies have encouraged its employees to utilize mobile telephones during times when an employee is not in his office. In some instances, companies even provide mobile telephones to its employees in order to ensure that the provided employee may be easily contacted.
Telephone call distribution systems are presently used by companies for receiving incoming telephone calls and forwarding the telephone calls to the appropriate individual , such as to an individual ' s mobile telephone. Communications systems even exist in which incoming calls to an employee's wireline desk telephone are automatically forwarded to the employee's mobile telephone in the event the wireline desk telephone is unanswered. There are circumstances, however, in which an employee's mobile telephone should not receive an incoming call. For instance, if an individual is in an important business meeting or if a medical provider is in surgery, it may not be best to forward a telephone call thereto. In such circumstances, the location of an individual is best known before a telephone call is forwarded thereto. Companies thus have an interest in determining the location of an individual, such as an employee, and selectively forwarding a telephone call to a mobile telephone used thereby based upon the determined location thereof.
Based upon the foregoing, there exists a need to better track the positioning of a mobile telephone and thus its users within a building, compound or other predefined area, and automatically directing or deflecting incoming telephone calls elsewhere when the mobile telephone is in an area in which the mobile telephone should not receive a telephone call .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes shortcomings in existing telephone call handling systems and satisfies a significant need for a system and method for deflecting incoming telephone calls to a mobile telephone based upon the position thereof within a predefined area, such as a building or compound. The present invention is adapted for use by companies as part of or in conjunction with conventional communications systems maintained thereby.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the building or other predefined area is partitioned into a plurality of zones, with each zone including one or more cells defined therein. Each cell is associated with a base station such that a mobile telephone located within the cell communicates with the corresponding base station over the air interface. Each base station communicates with a telecommunications switch via a radio exchange. In this way, a mobile telephone located within any one of the cells is capable of participating in a speech communication.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each active mobile telephone which is not engaged in a speech communication periodically transmits a distinct identification signal. T h e identification signal is received by the base station corresponding to the cell in which the transmitting mobile telephone is located. The identification signal received by the base station is forwarded to the switch, whereupon the identification information is compared with a list of identification data to determine the owner of the mobile telephone. In addition, the switch is capable of determining the particular zone or cell from which the mobile telephone transmitted the identification signal.
Specifically, each time the switch determines that a mobile telephone has entered a cell, the entered cell is logged in a database as the current cell. When the switch then determines, based upon subsequent transmissions of the identification signal by the mobile telephone, that the mobile telephone has exited the cell and has entered a new cell, data is stored into the database to document the new cell as the current cell. In the event a mobile telephone no longer periodically transmits its identification signal, data the database to document the mobile telephone ceasing transmission in the cell. In this way, data is stored in the database for sufficiently documenting the position of the active mobile telephone within the building or other predefined area.
The switch further includes the capability of designating cells as "quiet areas" whereby incoming telephone calls to a mobile telephone located in the quiet area should not be directed to the intended mobile telephone and instead directed to a system operator or the corresponding subscriber's voicemail. Cells designated as quiet areas include rooms in which activities are best performed in an uninterrupted manner, such as conference rooms and auditoriums. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, cells may be classified as a quiet area or a noisy area in which incoming telephone calls are allowed. The cell area classifications are stored in a second database by a system manager.
In the event an incoming telephone call intended for a mobile telephone is received by the switch of the telecommunications system, the switch retrieves the cell location data for the mobile telephone from the first database and then retrieves the cell classification information from the second database for the particular cell location retrieved from the first database. Upon an affirmative determination that the retrieved cell classification data retrieved from the second database establishes that the mobile telephone is located in an area designated a quiet area, the switch deflects the incoming telephone call to either a system operator or the voicemail of the subscriber of the mobile telephone, based upon a preference previously specified by the subscriber. In addition to deflecting the incoming telephone call to the subscriber's preferred destination, for incoming emergency telephone calls the switch may send an indication to the mobile telephone that an incoming telephone call was deflected. The indication may silently inform the user of the mobile telephone that an incoming telephone call intended therefor was directed elsewhere. In all, the present system is capable of diverting incoming telephone call and informing the corresponding subscriber without interrupting the subscriber and those in the vicinity thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the system and method of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of the present mobile communications system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a first flow chart illustrating a first set of operations of the mobile communications system according to the embodiment of Figure 1 ; and
Figure 3 is a second flow chart illustrating a second set of operations of the mobile communications system according to the embodiment of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a mobile communications system 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Mobile communications system 1 preferably provides conventional voice and other communication to one or more mobile telephones 2 which are situated within the predefined area 3 served thereby. Predefined area 3 may preferably be the area within a building, compound or other relatively small geographical area.
In addition, mobile communications system 1 is capable of determining the position of one or more active mobile telephones 2 in predefined area 3 served thereby. The predefined area 3 is divided into a number of zones 4, with each zone 4 being further divided into one or more cells 5. For each cell 5 within predefined area 3, mobile communications system 1 includes a base station 6 corresponding thereto. Each base station 6 is associated with at least one distinct cell 5 such that mobile communications system 1 provides mobile telephone service to a mobile telephone 2 via the particular base station 6 corresponding to the cell 5 in which the mobile telephone 2 is located. In providing conventional mobile telephone service, mobile communications system 1 further includes a switch 7 which controls telephone calls between one or more mobile telephones 2 and terminals in other telephone and/or data systems . Mobile communications system 1 may further include a radio exchange 8 which communicates with each base station 6, and a mobility server 9 which communicates directly with radio exchange 8 and switch 7 as is known in the art .
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each mobile telephone 2 preferably includes necessary software, hardware and/or firmware for transmitting an identification signal. The identification signal for each mobile telephone 2 preferably includes a unique code that is transmitted over a data channel. Mobile telephone 2 periodically transmits the identification signal. For example, mobile telephone 2 may transmit its identification signal every five seconds. It is understood, however, that the frequency with which mobile telephone 2 transmits the identification signal may vary and depend upon a variety of factors, such as channel bandwidth. Mobile telephone 2 preferably periodically transmits its identification signal whenever mobile telephone 2 is active and not involved in a speech communication.
Each base station 6 is preferably capable of receiving the identification signal from mobile telephone 2 and forwarding the received identification signal to switch 7. Switch 7 is capable of determining the current cell 5 in which the mobile telephone 2 is located, based upon the identification signal forwarded to switch 7. Switch 7 also preferably includes or is associated with a memory device 10 for storing data relating to the current cell 5 of mobile telephone 2 within predefined area 3. The data stored in memory device 10 may include an identification of mobile telephone 2 together with an identification of the current cell 5 in which mobile telephone 2 is located. The stored data forms a first database 11 maintained in memory device 10. With mobile telephone 2 transmitting its identification signal on a periodic basis, database 11 is suitably updated when mobile telephone 2 is active .
In an effort to prevent incoming telephone calls from being directed to a mobile telephone 2 when mobile telephone 2 is located within certain "quiet" areas, such as conference rooms within an office building, switch 7 of mobile communications system 1 preferably maintains a database 12 within memory device 10 which indicates those cells 5 that are designated as quiet areas. Database 12 preferably has an entry for each cell 5 within predefined area 3. Database 12 is preferably accessed by switch 7 when determining whether it is appropriate to block incoming telephone calls to mobile telephone 2, as described below. The designation data in database 12, which indicates whether a cell 5 has been designated a quiet area, is programmable by a system operator using a computer 13 in communication with switch 7.
The operation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. In the event mobile telephone 2 is active and not involved in a speech connection, base station 6 receives an identification signal transmitted by a mobile telephone 2 at step 20 (Figure 2) . The base station 6 then forwards the identification signal to switch 7 at step 21. Next, at step 22 switch 7 identifies the particular mobile telephone 2 which transmitted the identification signal and determines the current cell 5 from which the identification signal was transmitted. The determination of the current cell 5 may be based upon determining which base station 6 forwarded the identification signal to switch 7 during step 21. Next, switch 7 stores in database 11 data relating to the current cell 5 of mobile telephone 2 at step 23. At this point, the current cell information in database 11 corresponding to mobile telephone 2 has been updated. The user of mobile telephone 2 may store the desired alternate location for directing incoming telephone calls intended for mobile telephone 2 when mobile telephone 2 is located in a quiet area. In this case, the base station 6 in communication with mobile telephone 2 receives a message therefrom indicating the desired location of incoming telephone calls at step 24, and forwards the message to switch 7 at step 25. Upon receipt of the forwarded message, switch 7 stores the desired location in database 11 at step 26. Once an incoming telephone call intended for a mobile telephone 2 is received by switch 7 at step 30, switch 7 determines at step 31 the mobile telephone 2 to which the telephone call is intended. Having determined the intended mobile telephone 2, switch 7 retrieves from database 11 at step 32 the current cell information for mobile telephone 2. At this point, switch 7 has identified the current cell 5 in which mobile telephone 2 is located. Next, switch 7 retrieves designation data from database 12 corresponding to the current cell 5 at step 33. The designation data indicates whether the current cell 5 in which mobile telephone 2 is located is designated as a quiet area. In the event the designation data for current cell 5 indicates that current cell 5 is designated as a quiet area, then switch 7 retrieves from database 11 the preferred alternate location corresponding to mobile telephone 2 at step 34 and thereupon directs the incoming telephone call to the preferred location step 35. In addition, if the incoming telephone call is determined to pertain to an emergency, switch 7 sends a message to mobile telephone 2 at step 36 which informs the user thereof that an incoming telephone call intended for mobile telephone 2 was directed to the preferred location. The message may be visually presented by mobile telephone 2 by appearing as text on the visual display thereof. Alternatively, mobile telephone 2 may vibrate upon receiving the message. In this way, incoming telephone calls intended for a mobile telephone 2 are diverted elsewhere while mobile telephone 2 is located in a previously designated quiet area. Further, the user of mobile telephone 2 is only interrupted when an emergency telephone call is routed elsewhere.
In the event the designation data for current cell 5 indicates that current cell 5 is not designated as a quiet area, switch 7 determines that there are no geographical-based restrictions in communicating with mobile telephone 2 and thereupon directs the incoming telephone call to mobile telephone 2 at step 37.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A method for handling an incoming telephone call intended for a mobile telephone located within a predefined area, comprising the steps of: receiving the incoming telephone call; identifying a sub-area within the predefined area in which the mobile telephone is located; determining whether the identified sub-area is designated as a quiet sub-area in which incoming telephone calls to the mobile telephone are prohibited; and directing the incoming telephone call intended for the mobile telephone elsewhere based upon an affirmative determination that the identified sub-area is designated as a quiet sub-area.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining comprises the step of: retrieving designation data from memory relating to the sub-area in which the mobile telephone is located that indicates whether the identified sub-area is designated as a quiet area.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of identifying comprises the steps of: receiving a signal from the mobile telephone; determining a sub-area from which the mobile telephone transmitted the signal; and storing data in memory relating to the sub-area from which the mobile telephone transmitted the signal.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of identifying further comprises the step of: repeating said steps of receiving a signal, determining a sub-area and storing data substantially periodically.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein: said step of receiving a signal comprises periodically receiving a signal from the mobile telephone; said step of determining a sub-area comprises determining a sub-area from which the mobile telephone transmitted each received signal; and said step of storing comprises storing data in memory relating to the sub-area from which the mobile telephone transmitted each signal periodically received during said step of receiving.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: prior to said step of determining, designating at least one sub-area in the predefined area as a quiet area.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: prior to said step of determining, designating at least one sub-area in the predefined area as an area in which incoming telephone calls to the mobile telephone are allowed.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: selecting a location for directing incoming telephone calls intended for the mobile telephone, the incoming telephone call being directed to the selected location during said step of directing.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of directing comprises the step of: directing the incoming telephone call to an operator based upon an affirmative determination that the identified sub-area is designated as a quiet sub- area .
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of directing comprises the step of: directing the incoming telephone call to a voicemail corresponding to a user of the mobile telephone based upon an affirmative determination that the identified sub-area is designated as a quiet sub- area.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: directing the incoming telephone call intended for the mobile telephone to the mobile telephone based upon an affirmative determination that the identified sub- area is not designated as a quiet sub-area.
12. A system for handling an incoming telephone call intended for a mobile telephone located in a predefined area, comprising: a plurality of base stations, each base station corresponding to at least one distinct cell area within the predefined area and capable of communicating with the mobile telephone when the mobile telephone is within the respective cell area; and a switching device, in communication with each of said base stations, for identifying the current cell area in which the mobile telephone is positioned, maintaining a designation of at least one cell area as a quiet area whereby incoming telephone calls to the mobile telephone are prohibited when the mobile telephone is located in the quiet area, and directing the incoming telephone call elsewhere upon an affirmative determination that the current cell area is designated as a quiet area.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device includes memory for storing data relating to the current cell in which the mobile telephone is located.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device includes memory for storing designation data for each cell area indicating whether the cell area is designated as a quiet area.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein: said switching device receives the incoming telephone call, determines that the mobile telephone is the intended destination of the incoming telephone call, retrieves data relating to the current cell of the mobile telephone, retrieves said designation data corresponding to the current cell of the mobile telephone, and directs the incoming telephone call based upon said designation data.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein: said designation data is programmable by an operator of said system.
17. The system of claim 12, wherein: each said base station is capable of periodically receiving an identification signal transmitted by the mobile telephone and sending an indication of said identification signal to said switching device.
18. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device includes a memory device, determines the current cell in which the mobile telephone is located and stores data relating to the current cell and the mobile telephone in said memory device .
19. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device directs the incoming telephone call to a location previously specified by a user of the mobile telephone.
20. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device directs the incoming telephone call to a voicemail of the user of the mobile telephone upon an affirmative determination that the current cell area is designated as a quiet area.
21. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device directs the incoming telephone call to an operator of the system upon an affirmative determination that the current cell area is designated as a quiet area.
22. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device directs the incoming telephone call to the mobile telephone upon an affirmative determination that the current cell area is not designated as a quiet area.
23. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device sends a message to the mobile telephone for visual display thereon upon the incoming telephone call being directed elsewhere.
24. The system of claim 12, wherein: said switching device sends a signal to the mobile telephone to vibrate the mobile telephone upon the incoming telephone call being directed elsewhere.
25. The system of claim 12, wherein: the predefined area comprises the area in a building.
26. A telecommunications system for communication with a mobile telephone located within a predefined area divided into a plurality of sub-areas, comprising: a receiver for receiving an identification signal transmitted by the mobile telephone; a location device, in communication with said receiver, for determining the sub-area in which the mobile telephone is located based upon the identification signal transmitted thereby; and a switching device, in communication with said positioning device, for selectively blocking routing of telephone calls intended for the mobile telephone based upon the type of sub-area in which the mobile telephone is located.
27. The system of claim 26, wherein: said switching device routes telephone calls intended for the mobile telephone to a location specified by a user of the mobile telephone based upon by the type of sub-area in which the mobile telephone is located.
28. The system of claim 26, wherein: said switching device routes the telephone calls to an operator of system based upon by the type of sub- area in which the mobile telephone is located.
29. The system of claim 26, wherein: said switching device routes the telephone calls to a voicemail of the user of the mobile telephone.
30. The system of claim 26, further comprising: a memory device, in communication with said switching device, for storing designation data corresponding to each sub-area, said designation data for a sub-area specifying whether the sub-area is a quiet area whereby incoming telephone calls to the mobile telephone are prohibited while the mobile telephone is located in the quiet area.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein: said switching device retrieves said designation data from said memory device corresponding to the sub- area in which the mobile telephone is located, and routes incoming telephone calls intended for the mobile telephone to another location based upon said switching device determining that the sub-area in which the mobile telephone is located is designated a quiet area.
PCT/US2000/021947 1999-09-14 2000-08-10 System and method for location-sensitive handling of telephone calls to mobile stations WO2001020945A1 (en)

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US09/395,459 1999-09-14

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Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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FR2885476A1 (en) * 2005-05-04 2006-11-10 France Telecom Communication e.g. emergency call, controlling system, for e.g. portable telephone, has unit transmitting communication transmitted or received by mobile terminal via one channel in communication zone and via another channel outside zone
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