Call forwarding based on determination of status of destination
View Patent ↗In a call forwarding system, a call from a calling party for a called party is received at a switching device and in response to the received call the switching device issues a request for call processing instructions to a control device. The call processing instructions request is received at the control device and in response to the received request the control device checks with the destination station to determine the availability thereof. The control device returns call processing instructions to the switching device including a telephone number of the destination station if the destination station is available. Similarly, the control device returns alternative call processing instructions to the switching device if the destination station is not available.
1. A method of forwarding a call from a calling party to a called party, the method comprising:
receiving the call from the calling party;
retrieving call processing instructions from a control device; and
determining, prior to forwarding the call, whether a destination station to which the call processing instructions indicate the call is to be forwarded accepts the call that is to be forwarded, the determining of whether the destination station accepts the call being made even if the destination station is determined to be available;
wherein the call processing instructions include a telephone number of the destination station if the destination station is available and the destination station accepts the call;
wherein alternative call processing instructions are retrieved if the destination station is not available;
wherein the destination station is a wireless device and further comprising the control device checking with the wireless device to determine the availability of the wireless device by way of a gateway through which the wireless device is accessed, in response to the instructions received from the control device, the gateway establishing a data connection with the wireless device and determining the availability of the wireless device via the data connection, the gateway informing the control device of the availability of the wireless device, the control device determining that the destination station is not available if the destination station is on and busy, the control device determining that the destination station is not available if the destination station is off;
further comprising receiving the call from the calling party at a service switching point, and the service switching point issuing a request for the call processing instructions to the control device, the control device including a service control point in an advanced intelligent network, the service control point accessing the destination station by way of a wireless application protocol signaling, wireless data and Internet network technology;
wherein the destination station is a wireless application protocol enabled wireless device and wherein the gateway is a wireless application protocol gateway, the gateway establishing a data connection with the destination station in response to instructions received from the service control point.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically forwarding the call to the destination station if the destination station is available and the user of the destination station accepts the call.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein alternative call processing instructions are retrieved if the destination station rejects the call.
4. A call forwarding system comprising:
a controller to:
receive a service request for call processing instructions for a call from a calling party, retrieve call processing instructions for the call,
make a determination of whether a destination station to which the call processing instructions indicate the call is to be forwarded accepts the call that is to be forwarded,
wherein the determination of whether the destination station accepts the call being made even if the destination station is determined to be available, and
forward the call processing instructions if the destination station is available and the destination station accepts the call,
wherein the call processing instructions include a telephone number of the destination station if the destination station is available and the destination station accepts the call; and
wherein alternative call processing instructions are retrieved if the destination station is not available;
wherein the destination station is a wireless device and further comprising the controller checking with the wireless device to determine the availability of the wireless device by way of a gateway through which the wireless device is accessed, in response to the instructions received from the control device, the gateway establishing a data connection with the wireless device and determining the availability of the wireless device via the data connection, the gateway informing the controller of the availability of the wireless device, the controller determining that the destination station is not available if the destination station is on and busy, the controller determining that the destination station is not available if the destination station is off;
a service switching point which receives the call from the calling party and issues the service request for the call processing instructions to the controller, the controller including a service control point in an advanced intelligent network, the service control point accessing the destination station by way of a wireless application protocol signaling, wireless data and Internet network technology;
wherein the destination station is a wireless application protocol enabled wireless device and wherein the gateway is a wireless application protocol gateway, the gateway establishing a data connection with the destination station in response to instructions received from the service control point.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein alternative call processing instructions are retrieved if the destination station rejects the call.