IP Library Granted Patent US 7,929,976
Granted Patent B1
US 7,929,976 · App. 11/745,196 · Granted Apr 19, 2011

Communicating forwarding information for a communications device based on detected physical location

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,929,976
App. No.
11/745,196
Granted
Apr 19, 2011
Kind
B1
Abstract

Detecting a physical location change of a mobile communications device may initiate a process to initiate, or cancel, forwarding of future incoming communications to the mobile communications device. Forwarding information for a mobile communications device may be accessed and modified using an interface that communicates using an Internet Protocol network.

Claims (60)

1. A computer-implemented method for communicating forwarding information, the method comprising:

detecting a first location of a first mobile communications device, within a first communications network, that is configured to receive incoming communications, the incoming communications being received at the first mobile communications device;

comparing the detected first location to a second location of the first mobile communications device to detect a change in location; and

automatically sending a signal from the first mobile communications device to the first communications network in response to detecting the change in location, wherein the signal requests a rerouting of future incoming communications directed to the first mobile communications device to a second communications device within a second communications network such that the future incoming communications are received at the second communications device as a result of the rerouting.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the further comprising:

initiating the requested rerouting in the absence of incoming communications and without human intervention.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

initiating a canceling process to cancel the requested rerouting based on results yielded from comparison of the detected first location to the second location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal further comprises:

first information when the detected first location is associated with a first site, the first information identifying a telephone at the first site as the second communications device to which incoming communications are to be rerouted; and

second information when the detected first location is associated with a second site, the second information identifying a telephone at the second site as the second communications device to which incoming communications are to be rerouted.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal specifies an instant messaging address associated with the second communications device to which the future incoming communications are to be routed.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the further comprising:

accessing rerouting information from a mobile service provider via an IP network interface.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein accessing rerouting information comprises:

modifying the accessed rerouting information using the IP network interface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting a first location comprises:

detecting a physical placement of the first mobile communications device in a communication access mechanism.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein detecting a first location comprises:

detecting the physical placement by detecting a position of a switch.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises:

detecting a presence of the first mobile communications device in a communication access mechanism based on at least one of an electronic serial number and mobile identification number associated with the first mobile communications device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending the signal from the first mobile communications device to the first communications network in response to detecting the change in location further comprises:

sending a text message, wherein the text message requests the rerouting of future incoming communications directed to the first mobile communications device to the second communications device within the second communications network.

12. A system for communicating forwarding information, the system configured to:

detect a first location of a first mobile communications device, within a first communications network, that is configured to receive incoming communications, the incoming communications being received at the first mobile communications device;

compare the detected first location to a second location of the first mobile communications device to detect a change in location; and

automatically send a signal from the first mobile communications device to the first communications network in response to detecting the change in location, wherein the signal requests a rerouting of future incoming communications directed to the first mobile communications device to a second communications device within a second communications network such that the future incoming communications are received at the second communications device as a result of the rerouting.

13. The system of claim 12 further configured to:

reroute future incoming communications directed to the first mobile communications device in response to the requested rerouting.

14. The system of claim 13 , further configured to:

initiate the requested rerouting in the absence of incoming communications.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the signal further comprises:

first information identifying a telephone at a first site to which to forward future incoming communications, when the detected first location is associated with the first site; and

second information identifying a telephone at a second site to which to forward future incoming communications, when the detected first location is associated with the second site.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the signal specifies an instant messaging address associated with the second communications device to which the future incoming communications are to be routed.

17. The system of claim 12 further configured to:

initiate the requested rerouting by accessing an IP network interface.

18. The system of claim 17 further configured to:

initiate a canceling process to cancel the requested rerouting based on results yielded from comparison of the detected first location to the second location.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the detected first location includes a physical placement of the first mobile communications device in a communication access mechanism.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the signal from the first mobile communications device to the first communications network in response to detecting the change in location further comprises:

a text message, wherein the text message requests the rerouting of future incoming communications directed to the first mobile communications device to the second communications device within the second communications network.

21. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a storage medium, the computer program product comprising instructions that execute by a processor to cause the processor to:

detect a first location of a first mobile communications device, within a first communications network, that is configured to receive incoming communications, the incoming communications being received at the first mobile communications device;

compare the detected first location to a second location of the first mobile communications device to detect a change in location; and

automatically send a signal from the first mobile communications device to the first communications network in response to detecting the change in location, wherein the signal requests a rerouting of future incoming communications directed to the first mobile communications device to a second communications device within a second communications network such that the future incoming communications are received at the second communications device as a result of the rerouting.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 , wherein the signal from the first mobile communications device to the first communications network in response to detecting the change in location further comprises:

a text message, wherein the text message requests the rerouting of future incoming communications directed to the first mobile communications device to the second communications device within the second communications network.

23. A computer-implemented method for communicating forwarding information, the method comprising:

detecting a first change of location of a first mobile communications device, within a first communications network, that is configured to receive incoming communications, the incoming communications being received at the first mobile communications device;

automatically sending a first text message from the first mobile communications device to the first communications network in response to detecting the first change in location, wherein the first text message requests a rerouting of future incoming communications directed to the first mobile communications device to a second communications device within a second communications network such that the future incoming communications are received at the second communications device as a result of the rerouting;

detecting a second change of location of the first mobile communications device; and

automatically sending a second text message from the first mobile communications device to the first communications network in response to detecting the second change in location, wherein the second text message requests a cancellation of the rerouting.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein:

the second communications device is a telephone device and the second communications network is a Public Switched Telephone Network.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein:

the second communications device is a general purpose computer and the second communications network is an IP network.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein:

the future incoming communications are received at the second communications device via instant messaging.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058961/0436 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2012
From: AOL INC.
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 028487/0534 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 16, 2010
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N A
To: AOL INC; AOL ADVERTISING INC; GOING INC; LIGHTNINGCAST LLC; MAPQUEST, INC; NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION; QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC; SPHERE SOURCE, INC; TACODA LLC; TRUVEO, INC; YEDDA, INC
Reel/Frame 025323/0416 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2009
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 023723/0645 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 14, 2009
From: AOL INC.; AOL ADVERTISING INC.; BEBO, INC.; ICQ LLC; GOING, INC.; LIGHTNINGCAST LLC; MAPQUEST, INC.; NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION; QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC; SPHERE SOURCE, INC.; TACODA LLC; TRUVEO, INC.; YEDDA, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICAN, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 023649/0061 →