IP Library Granted Patent US 10,051,128
Granted Patent B2
US 10,051,128 · App. 15/370,325 · Granted Aug 14, 2018

Rerouting electronic communications to trusted user's device while a primary user is occupied

Inventors: Nathan J. Peterson (Oxford, NC); Gary D. Cudak (Wake Forest, NC); Amy L. Rose (Chapel Hill, NC); John S. Crowe (Durham, NC); Bryan L. Young (Tualatin, OR); Jennifer J. Lee-Baron (Morrisville, NC)
Assignee: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
H04M3/541H04M1/6075H04W4/023H04W68/005H04M2250/10H04W4/008H04W4/80H04W88/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,051,128
App. No.
15/370,325
Granted
Aug 14, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for rerouting electronic communication is disclosed. A method and computer program product also perform the functions of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a process and a memory that stores code executable by the processor to detect that a primary user is occupied, intercept an electronic communication directed to a portable communication device of the primary user, detect that a portable communication device of a trusted user on a list of one more trusted users is in proximity to the primary user, and reroute the electronic communication to the portable communication device of the trusted user, where the trusted user is determined to be in proximity with the primary user.

Claims (45)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory that stores code executable by the processor to:

establish a list of one or more trusted users, each trusted user having a portable communication device separate from a primary user's portable communication device;

detect that the primary user is occupied, wherein the primary user's portable communication device is in proximity to the primary user;

intercept an electronic communication directed to the primary user's portable communication device;

detect that the portable communication device of a trusted user on the list of one more trusted users is in proximity to the primary user's portable communication device;

reroute the electronic communication to the portable communication device of the trusted user, the trusted user determined to be in proximity with the primary user; and

notify a sender of the electronic communication a notification that the electronic communication has been rerouted to a user other than the primary user, the sender comprising a person.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein establishing the list of one or more trusted users comprises receiving input from the primary user that identifies trusted users.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein establishing the list of one or more trusted users comprises receiving input from the primary user that links each trusted user to one or more identifiers, each identifier associated with a communication method for rerouting the electronic communication to the trusted user's portable communication device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein detecting that the primary user is occupied comprises detecting that the primary user is driving a vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein detecting that the primary user is driving a vehicle comprises determining that the portable communication device is connected to a hands-free system of the vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein detecting that the primary user is driving a vehicle comprises one or more of:

using information from a global positioning satellite (“GPS”) system; and

using information from one or more wireless networks.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein detecting that the primary user is occupied comprises detecting that the primary user's portable communication device is one or more of in a do not disturb mode and is being used in a telephone call.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein detecting that the trusted user is in proximity to the primary user comprises one or more of:

using information from a GPS system; and

determining that the primary user's portable communication device and the trusted user's portable communication device are connected with a short-range wireless network.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trusted user receiving the electronic communication being in proximity to the primary user comprises being within a proximity limit of the primary user.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to establish a priority among the trusted users on the list of one or more trusted users, wherein rerouting the electronic communication to a trusted user on the list of one or more trusted users further comprises rerouting the electronic communication to a highest priority trusted user in proximity to the primary user.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to notify the trusted user receiving the electronic communication that the electronic communication is intended for the primary user.

12. A method comprising:

establish a list of one or more trusted users, each trusted user having a portable communication device separate from a primary user's portable communication device;

detecting, by use of a processor, that the primary user is occupied, wherein the primary user's portable communication device is in proximity to the primary user;

intercepting, by use of a processor, an electronic communication directed to the portable communication device of the primary user;

detecting, by use of a processor, that the portable communication device of a trusted user on the list of one more trusted users is in proximity to the primary user's portable communication device; and

rerouting, by use of a processor, the electronic communication to the portable communication device of the trusted user, the trusted user determined to be in proximity with the primary user; and

notifying a sender of the electronic communication a notification that the electronic communication has been rerouted to a user other than the primary user, the sender comprising a person.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein detecting that the primary user is occupied comprises detecting that the primary user is driving a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting that the primary user is driving a vehicle comprises determining that the portable communication device is connected to a hands-free system of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein detecting that the trusted user is in proximity to the primary user comprises one or more of:

using information from a GPS system; and

determining that the primary user's portable communication device and the trusted user's portable communication device are connected with a short-range wireless network.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the trusted user receiving the electronic communication being in proximity to the primary user comprises being within a proximity limit of the primary user.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to establish a priority among the trusted users on the list of one or more trusted users, wherein rerouting the electronic communication to a trusted user on the list of one or more trusted users further comprises sending the electronic communication to a highest priority trusted user in the proximity to the primary user.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to notify the trusted user receiving the electronic communication that the electronic communication is intended for the primary user.

19. A non-transitory program product comprising a computer readable storage medium that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to perform:

establish a list of one or more trusted users, each trusted user having a portable communication device separate from a primary user's portable communication device;

detecting that the primary user is occupied, wherein the primary user's portable communication device is in proximity to the primary user;

intercepting an electronic communication directed to the portable communication device of the primary user;

detecting that the portable communication device of a trusted user on the list of one more trusted users is in proximity to the primary user's portable communication device; and

rerouting the electronic communication to the portable communication device of the trusted user, the trusted user determined to be in proximity with the primary user; and

notifying a sender of the electronic communication a notification that the electronic communication has been rerouted to a user other than the primary user, the sender comprising a person.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069869/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2019
From: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LTD
Reel/Frame 050311/0027 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2016
From: PETERSON, NATHAN J.; CUDAK, GARY D.; ROSE, AMY L.; CROWE, JOHN S.; YOUNG, BRYAN L.; LEE-BARON, JENNIFER J.
To: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 040537/0170 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180159984A1 · Jun 7, 2018
Cited By (1)
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