Granted Patent B2

US 8,934,882 · App. 13/669,009 · Granted Jan 13, 2015

Abstract

Claims (78)

1. A method, performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising:

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area by:

determining a time zone to which the telephony device is set; and

determining weather the telephony device is located outside of its native service area based on the determined time zone; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the determining step indicates that the telephony device is or might be located outside of its native service area.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

checking, periodically, after forwarding termination procedures have been implemented, to determine the time zone to which the telephony device is set; and

causing the forwarding termination procedures to be canceled if the time zone to which the telephony device is set indicates that the telephony device has returned to a location within its native service area.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented comprises automatically causing the implementation of call forwarding procedures without seeking or obtaining user input.

4. A method, performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising;

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area by:

determining whether the telephony device has been set into an airplane mode in which the telephony device does not communicate with a mobile telephony service provider; and

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area based on whether the telephony device has been set into an airplane mode; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the telephony device is determined to be located outside of its native service area.

5. A method performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising;

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area by:

obtaining location data from the telephony device that is indicative of a location of the telephony device; and

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area based on the obtained location data; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the determining steps indicates that the telephony device is located outside of its native service area.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

obtaining from the telephony device, periodically, after forwarding termination procedures have been implemented, location data that is indicative of the location of the telephony device; and

causing the forwarding termination procedures to be canceled if the obtained location data indicates that the telephony device is located inside its native service area.

7. A method, performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising:

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area by:

obtaining information travel plans for a user of the telephony device; and

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area based on the obtained information about travel plans for the user of the telephony device; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the determining steps indicates that the telephony device is located outside of its native service area.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the obtaining step comprises obtaining information about travel plans for the user of the telephony device from an organization that provides travel services.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein after forwarding termination procedures have been implemented, the method further comprises:

determining whether the telephony device is located within its native service area based on the obtained information about travel plans for the user of the telephony device; and

causing the forwarding termination procedures to be canceled if the telephony device is determined to be located within its native service area.

10. A method, performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising;

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area by:

obtaining information about movement of a user of the telephony device; and

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area based on the obtained information about movements of the user of the telephony device; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the determining steps indicates that the telephony device is located outside of its native service area.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein after forwarding termination procedures have been implemented, the method further comprises:

determining whether the telephony device is located within its native service area based on the obtained information about movements of a user of the telephony device; and

causing the forwarding termination procedures to be canceled if the telephony device is determined to be located within its native service area.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the obtaining step comprises obtaining information about movements of the user from a travel service provider that transported the user.

13. A method, performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising:

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area by:

determining an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a wireless access point that the telephony device is using to access a data network;

determining a location of the wireless access point that is assigned the determined IP address; and

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area based on the determined location of the wireless access point; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the telephony device is determined to be located outside of its native service area.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein after forwarding termination procedures have been implemented, the method further comprises:

determining a new Internet Protocol (IP) address of a new wireless access point that the telephony device has begun using to access a data network;

determining whether the telephony device is located within its native service area based on the determined new IP address; and

causing the forwarding termination procedures to be canceled if the telephony device is determined to be located within its native service area.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining whether the telephony device is located within its native service area based on the determined new IP address comprises determining whether a location of a wireless access point that is assigned the new IP address is located within the native service area of the telephony device.

16. A method, performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising:

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the determining steps indicates that the telephony device is located outside of its native service area, wherein the steps of causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented comprises:

causing a query to be sent to a user of the telephony device, the query asking whether the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be implemented; and

receiving a response to the query, wherein the step of causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented is only performed if the received response to the query indicates that the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be implemented.

17. A method, performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising:

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area;

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the determining steps indicates that the telephony device is located outside of its native service area:

determining whether the telephony device has moved from a location outside of its native service area to a location within its native service area; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to canceled if the telephony device is determined to have moved from a location outside of its native service area to a location within its native service area, wherein causing forwarding termination procedures to be canceled comprises automatically causing the cancelation of call forwarding termination procedures without seeking or obtaining user input.

18. A method, performed by one or more computer processors, of performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, the method comprising:

determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area;

causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the determining steps indicates that the telephony device is located outside of its native service area;

determining whether the telephony device has moved from a location outside of its native service area to a location within its native service area; and

causing forwarding termination procedures to canceled if the telephony device is determined to have moved from a location outside of its native service area to a location within its native service area, wherein the step of causing forwarding termination procedures to be canceled comprises

causing a query to be sent to a user of the telephony device, the query asking whether the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be canceled; and

receiving a response to the query, wherein the forwarding termination procedures are only canceled if the received response to the query indicates that the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be canceled.

19. A system for performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, comprising:

means for determining whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area; and

means for causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the determining means determines that the telephony device is located outside of its native service area, wherein if the determining means determines that the telephony device is located outside its native service area, the means for causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented causes a query to be sent to a user of the telephony device, the query asking whether the user whishes for forwarding termination procedures to be implemented, wherein the means for causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented receives a response to the query from the user, and wherein the means for causing forwarding termination procedures to be implemented causes forwarding termination procedures to be implemented only if the received response to the query indicates that the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be implemented.

20. A system for performing forwarding termination procedures for a telephony device, wherein implementing the forwarding termination procedures results in an incoming telephony communication which is directed to a native identifier of the telephony device being forwarded to a forwarding identifier associated with the telephony device such that the telephony communication can be terminated to the telephony device via a non-native telephony service provider, comprising:

a triggering unit that determines whether the telephony device is located outside of its native service area; and

a forwarding instruction unit that causes forwarding termination procedures to be implemented if the triggering unit determines that the telephony device is located outside of its native service area, wherein if the triggering unit determines that the telephony device is located outside its native service area, the forwarding instruction unit causes a query to be sent to a user of the telephony device, the query asking whether the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be implemented, wherein the forwarding instruction unit receives a response to the query from the user, and wherein the forwarding instruction unit causes forwarding termination procedures to be implemented only if the received response to the query indicates that the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be implemented.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein after forwarding termination procedures have been implemented, the triggering unit periodically checks to determine if the telephony device has returned to a location within its native service area, and wherein the forwarding instruction unit causes forwarding termination procedures to be canceled if the triggering unit determines that the telephony device has returned to a location within its native service area.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein the triggering unit determines whether the telephony device has returned to a location within its native service area, and wherein the forwarding instruction unit causes forwarding termination procedures to be canceled if the triggering unit determines that the telephony device has returned to a location within its native service area.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the forwarding instruction unit causes the forwarding termination procedures to be automatically canceled without seeking or obtaining user input.

24. The system of claim 22 , wherein if the triggering unit determines that the telephony device has returned to a location within its native service area, the forwarding instruction unit causes a query to be sent to a user of the telephony device, the query asking whether the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be cancelled, wherein the forwarding instruction unit receives a response to the query from the user, and wherein the forwarding instruction unit causes forwarding termination procedures to be cancelled only if the received response to the query indicates that the user wishes for forwarding termination procedures to be cancelled.

Assignments (9)