WO1997042748A1

WO1997042748A1 - Method of call forwarding

Info

Publication number: WO1997042748A1
Application number: PCT/SE1997/000707
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sören Wallinder; Paul Fjuk
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 1996-05-07
Filing date: 1997-04-25
Publication date: 1997-11-13
Also published as: SE9601746D0; SE9601746L; AU2796697A

Abstract

The present invention assigns to different kinds of call forwarding, where call forwarding is programmed from a terminal with a first telephone number (B) to a terminal with a second telephone number (C). According to the invention the call forwarding may be disengaged by the subscriber with the second telephone number (C). This happens by way of that when someone makes a call from a terminal with a calling number (A), the calling number (A) is compared to the second telephone number (C). If these telephone numbers (A, C) are not alike call forwarding will be made in the usual way. If however the telephone numbers (A, C) are alike the call forwarding from the terminal with the first telephone number (B) to the second telephone number (C) is disengaged.

Description

METHOD OF CALL FORWARDING

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to call diversion within telecommunication and in particular to personal mobility.

RELATED ART

There are a number of known methods of diverting incoming calls, such as the "Follow me diversion" and "Diversion if no answer" . The newest method is that the subscriber to which a call is made has a "Personal telephone number" (UPT - Universal Personal Telecommunication) , which means that incoming calls are diverted to the telephone where the person in question happens to be at the moment (see e.g. US 5 375 161) .

In all known cases, cancelling or re-coupling of the diversion service is effected by the subscriber who has the programmed service re-programming or cancelling the service from his own telephone or from someone else's telephone with the aid of a code.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The problem with the present diversion service is that the owner of the telephone to which the calls are diverted has no control over which calls are diverted there. If the person who has diverted calls from his telephone forgets to cancel the diversion or has diverted just for mischief, a person can receive a number of diverted calls which he does not want .

The purpose of the present invention is to solve this problem by providing a third party, in this case the person owning the telephone to which calls are diverted, a possibility of cancelling diversions to his telephone.

This is accomplished by the third party calling up the telephone number which has been diverted to his telephone. If the calling number is the same as the number diverted to, the diversion service is cancelled until the subscriber who had programmed the diversion programs in a new diversion. Suitably, the third party will be given an opportunity to select whether the diversion is to be cancelled or not, so as to avoid inadvertent cancelling.

The invention can be applied to all types of diversion. Various examples are so-called "Follow me diversion", i.e. immediate diversion, and "Diversion if no answer", i.e. diversion which only occurs if no one answers the original telephone number. An additional example is to be found in so-called "Personal mobility", where there is no regular telephone in the common sense of the word. Rather, all incoming calls are coupled to the telephone where the subscriber with a so-called personal telephone number is at the moment . The advantages are that the third party in this manner is spared calls which he does not desire and that, if the one ordering the diversion from his telephone number should forget to cancel the diversion, someone else can cancel the diversion for him.

The invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of a first embodiment of the invention which is based on the telecommunication service "Follow me diversion" .

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of a second embodiment of the invention which is based on "Diversion if no answer" .

Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of a third embodiment of the invention which is employed within "Personal mobility".

Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of one variation of the embodiments according to Figs. 1-3, and which is called "Double diversion" .

Figure 5 shows an overview of the embodiments according to Figs. 1 and 2.

Figure 6 shows an overview of the embodiment according to Fig. 3. Figure 7 shows an overview of the embodiment according to Fig. 4.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It should be noted that the public telephone network PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) is only shown schematically in the overviews in Figs. 5-7. Couplings within the public telephone network PSTN can be effected in many previously known ways and do not constitute any part of the present invention.

Follow me diversion Figs. 1 and 5 show in a flow diagram and in an overview a first embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is based on a telecommunication service called "Follow me diversion" . The subscriber having a terminal with a first telephone number B programs according to known principles a diversion to a terminal with a second telephone number C (block 12) . If someone then calls, i.e. makes a call from a terminal with a telephone number A (block 14) , according to the invention there will be a check as to whether the calling number A is identical to the second telephone number C (block 16) . If these telephone numbers A and C are not identical, the diversion to the terminal with the second telephone number C will be effected in the usual manner (block 18) .

If, however, the calling telephone number A is identical to the second telephone number C, the diversion from the terminal with the first telephone number B to the terminal with the second telephone number C is cancelled (block 20) , and the call from the terminal with the calling telephone number A is instead coupled to the terminal with the first telephone number B. The cancellation is then maintained until the subscriber with telephone number B once again programs a diversion.

The blocks 12, 14 and 18 represent known technology while the blocks 16, 20 and 22 represent the novel invention.

It is desirable that the terminal with the second telephone number C be provided with information on what is occurring, i.e. the diversion to the second telephone number C has been cancelled. This can be done by a voice message: "You have now cancelled the diversion from telephone number xxxxx to telephone number yyyyy" .

It is most desirable to have the possibility of choosing from the terminal with the second telephone number C whether or not the cancellation of the diversion is to be carried out or not, so that no inadvertent cancellation of the diversion occurs. This can be done by providing a message of the type: "This telephone number is diverted to you. Press '1' to maintain the diversion. Press ^κ 2 ' to cancel the diversion" .

The above described embodiment can suitably, but not necessarily, be carried out at the local exchange LE. The significance of the designations x and y in Fig. 1 and in Figs. 2 and 3 will be evident below.

Diversion if no answer

Figs . 2 and 5 show a flow diagram and an overview of a second embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is based on the telecommunication service called "Diversion if no answer". As in the above example, the subscriber having a terminal with a first telephone number B programs a diversion to a terminal with a second telephone number C (block 32) according to a known method. When someone thereafter calls from a terminal with a calling telephone number A (block 34) , he is first connected to the terminal with the first telephone number B (block 36) . There the telephone rings for a predetermined period of time, typically 5-60 seconds (block 38) . If there is an answer within this period of time (block 40) , the connection between the terminal with the calling telephone number A and the terminal with the first telephone number B is maintained (block 48) and the conversation can begin.

If, however, there is no answer within the predetermined period of time (block 40) then a check is made in accordance with the invention, as in the embodiment according to Fig. 1, of whether the calling telephone number A is identical to the second telephone number C

(block 42) . If these telephone numbers A and C are not identical, there will be a diversion to the terminal with the second telephone number C in the usual manner (block 44) . If, however, the calling telephone number A is identical to the second telephone number C, the diversion from the terminal with the first telephone number B to the terminal with the second telephone number C is cancelled (block 46) and the connection is instead maintained between the terminal with the calling number A and the terminal with the first telephone number B.

Consequently, the blocks 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 44 and 48 represent known technology, where the blocks 42, 46 and 48 represent the novelty of the invention.

As in "Follow me diversion", the cancelling of the diversion is maintained until the subscriber with the first telephone number B re-programs in the usual manner. It is desirable in this case as well to have a possibility from the terminal with the second telephone number C of choosing whether cancellation is to be effected or not, as well as information concerning what is happening.

In the same manner as with "Follow me diversion", the function can suitably, but not necessarily, be carried out at the local exchange LE.

Personal mobility

In Figs. 3 and 6 there is shown a flow diagram and an overview of a third embodiment of the invention. This time diversion is effected within so-called personal mobility.

Personal mobility means that a subscriber who has a personal telephone number B, can always be reached at this telephone number B regardless of where he happens to be. This is an advanced form of diversion which can be controlled e.g. by a time schedule, so that between 8.00 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. all incoming calls are diverted to work and between 4.30 p.m. and 8.00 a.m. they are diverted to his home or the like. The subscriber who has the personal telephone number B thus programs, in accordance with known principles, a number of different diversion numbers Cl, C2 going to different terminals (block 62) . Some type of system S, e.g. an SSP (Service Switching Point) which is controlled by an SCP (Service Control Point) then controls, in accordance with selection criteria, which diversion number, e.g. C2, is to be selected at that point in time.

When someone calls from a terminal with a calling number A (block 64) the proper diversion number C2 is selected, as described above (block 66) . There is thereafter, in accordance with the invention, a check of whether the calling number A is identical to the current diversion number C2 (block 68) . If these telephone numbers A and C2 are not identical, then diversion to the terminal with the current diversion number C2 will be effected in the normal manner (block 70) .

If, however, the calling telephone number A is identical to the current diversion number C2, the diversion will be cancelled from the personal telephone number B to the terminal with the current diversion number C2 (block 72) . Instead, a diversion will be established from the personal telephone number B to a terminal with a standard diversion number Cl, which suitably has a telephone answering machine, and the call from the calling telephone number A will now be coupled to the standard diversion number Cl (block 74) . Thereafter, all incoming calls to the personal telephone number B will be coupled to the terminal with the standard diversion number Cl, until the programming directs otherwise.

In other words, the blocks 62, 64, 66 and 70 represent known technology, while the blocks 68, 72 and 74 represent the novelty according to the invention.

As in the previous examples above in Figs. 1 and 2, it is desirable to have the possibility of choosing from the terminal with the current diversion number C2 whether cancelling is to be effected or not, as well as to provide information as to what is happening.

It is suitable that the subscriber with the personal telephone number B be given information concerning the change in the current diversion number Cl, C2 the next time he uses his service, e.g. by means of a voice message "Your diversion to yyyyy has been cancelled" .

Double diversion

It may occur (see the overview in Fig. 7) that a subscriber with a first telephone number B' in his primary residence wishes to travel to his secondary residence and therefore programs his telephone to divert calls from the first telephone number B' to his second telephone number C in the secondary residence. At home in the primary residence, a carpenter is going to put down a new floor in the living room. The carpenter has a personal telephone number B and has programmed diversion to the telephone number of the primary residence C2=B' . The problem in this case is that all of the telephone calls to the carpenter will be diverted to the telephone number C of the secondary residence.

A solution to this problem is shown in a sequence for checking for double diversion (Fig. 4) . This sequence can be inserted in Figs. 1-3 at the markings x and y. In the example reference will be made to Fig. 3.

After comparing the calling telephone number A with the telephone number in question C2 and the answer is negative

(block 68) , according to the invention a check is made of whether, from the terminal with the telephone number C2 in question there is an additional diversion to a terminal with another telephone number C (block 82) . If not, the call from the terminal with the calling telephone number A is merely coupled to the terminal with the telephone number C2 in question (block 70) .

If, however, there is a diversion selected, it car be advisable to always have as a basic rule to never allow double diversions, and the call from the terminal with the calling telephone number A is therefore diverted to the terminal with the telephone number C2 in question and no further (block 70) . All telephone calls from a terminal with a calling telephone number A which come directly into the terminal with the telephone number in question C2=B' will be diverted to the telephone number C of the second terminal in the usual manner.

One alternative is to include a possibility to choose. When it has been determined that there is a double diversion (block 82) , there will be a check whether it has been programmed to permit double diversion or not (block 84) . This is suitably programmed by dialling a code on the telephone. If double diversion has not been selected, the call from the calling telephone number A will be directed to the terminal with the telephone number C2 in question (block 70) and no further. If, however, double diversion is selected (block 84) , the call from the calling telephone number A will be directed to the telephone number C of the secondary residence (block 86) in all cases.

Check for diversion

In order to cancel a diversion in the manner described above the subscriber must know which telephone number B has been diverted to his telephone C, C2. In order to learn this, he lifts his receiver and presses a code. The local exchange LE or the personal telecommunication system S will then have such an intelligence that it can provide a voice message telling which telephone numbers are diverted to that particular telephone C, C2. For office switchboards it is possible instead, in accordance with known technology, to see in a window on the telephone both who is calling and from where calls are diverted.

Other aspects

The invention described above will of course also work if it is not persons, but rather telefaxes or computers for example which are communicating over the telenetwork PSTN or other networks.

Claims

1. Method of call diversion from one terminal with a first telephone number (B) to a terminal with a second telephone number (C) with the aid of a telecommunication system (LE) , comprising the steps of: the system (LE) receives a call directed to the terminal with the first telephone number (B) from a terminal with a calling telephone number (A) ; - the system (LE) compares the calling telephone number (A) with the second telephone number (C) ; and if the calling telephone number (A) is not identical to the second telephone number (C) , the call is diverted to the terminal with the second telephone number (C) , otherwise the terminal with the second telephone number (C) is given an opportunity to select whether cancelling is to be effected or not, and if cancelling is selected, the diversion to the terminal with the second telephone number (C) is cancelled and the terminal with the calling telephone number (A) is coupled to the terminal with the first telephone number (B) .

2. Method of call diversion in accordance with Claim 1, characterized in that a subscriber at the terminal with the second telephone number (C) can check which telephone numbers (B) are diverted to the terminal with the subscriber's telephone number (C) by lifting the receiver and dialling a code, whereupon a telecommunication system

(S) , storing information on all diversion to the telephone number (C) of the subscriber, provides the subscriber with information.

3. Method of call diversion according to one of Claims ₁- 2, characterized in that the telecommunication system (LE) checks whether there is further diversion from the second telephone number (C) , and, if so, double diversion is only performed if this has been preselected.

4. Method of call diversion from one terminal with a first telephone number (B) to a terminal with a second telephone number (C) with the aid of a telecommunication system (LE) , comprising the steps of: the system (LE) receives and couples a call to the terminal with the first telephone number (B) from a terminal with a calling telephone number (A) ; - and if no answer is obtained at the terminal with the first telephone number (B) within a predetermined time, the system (LE) will compare the calling telephone number (A) with the second telephone number (C) ; and if the calling telephone number (A) is not identical to the second telephone number (C) , the call is diverted to the terminal with the second telephone number (C) ; otherwise the terminal with the second telephone number

(C) is given a possibility of selecting whether cancellation is to be effected or not, and if cancellation is selected, the diversion to the terminal with the second telephone number (C) is cancelled and the coupling between the terminal with the calling telephone number (A) and the terminal with the first telephone number (B) is maintained.

5. Method of call diversion according to Claim 4, characterized in that a subscriber at the terminal with the second telephone number (C) can check which telephone numbers (B) are diverted to the terminal with the subscriber's telephone number (C) by lifting the receiver and dialling a code, whereupon a telecommunication system (S) , storing information on all diversions to the subscriber's telephone number (C) , provides the subscriber with the information.

6. Method of call diversion according to one of Claims 4- 5, characterized in that the telecommunication system (S, LE) checks whether there is additional diversion from the second telephone number (C) and, if so, double diversion is only effected if this has been preselected.

7. Method of call diversion with the aid of a telecommunication system (S) , comprising diversion information concerning at least two terminals with diversion numbers (Cl, C2) for a subscriber with a personal telephone number (B) , whereof one of the diversion numbers (Cl) is a standard diversion number and one of the diversion numbers (Cl, C2) is a current diversion number which can be the same as the standard diversion number (Cl) , comprising the steps of: the system (S) receives a call directed to the personal telephone number (B) from a terminal with a calling telephone number (A) ; the system (S) selects the current diversion number (C2) and compares it to the calling telephone number (A) ; if the current diversion number (C2) and the calling telephone number (A) are not identical, the call is diverted to the terminal with the current diversion number (C2) , otherwise the terminal with the current diversion number (Cl, C2) is given the possibility of selecting whether re-switching is to be effected or not, and if re- switching is selected, the diversion is re-switched so that the standard diversion number (Cl) becomes the current diversion number (Cl) and the terminal with the calling telephone number (A) is diverted to the terminal with the standard diversion number (Cl) .

8. Method of call diversion according to Claim 7, characterized in that a subscriber at the terminal with the current diversion number (Cl, C2) can check which telephone numbers (B) are diverted to the terminal with the subscriber's telephone number (Cl, C2) by lifting the receiver and dialling a code, whereupon a telecommunication system (S) , which stores information on all diversions to the subscriber's telephone number (Cl, C2), provides the subscriber with the information.

9. Method of call diversion according to one of Claims 7- 8, characterized in that when the diversion is cancelled or switched, a message is provided to the terminal with the calling telephone number (A) .

10. Method of call diversion according to one of Claims 1- 6, characterized in that the telecommunication system (S, LE) checks whether there is an additional diversion from the diversion number (Cl, C2), and in that case, double diversion is only effected if this is selected beforehand.