Emergency call forward based on location

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8995948-B2
Application number	US-201213599230-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2012
Priority date	Aug 30, 2012
Publication date	Mar 31, 2015
Grant date	Mar 31, 2015

Abstract

A location-based call forwarding method comprises, in response to determining that an intended call recipient is unavailable to receive a call from a caller, identifying an alternate call recipient located within a predetermined proximity of a current location of the intended call recipient, and forwarding the call to the alternate call recipient. The alternate call recipient may be identified by determining a person with whom the intended recipient is meeting or an establishment where the intended recipient is situated. This information may be extracted from various sources such as a calendar, social network site, or device-generated location data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of location-based call forwarding, the method comprising:
in response to determining by a computing device that an intended call recipient is unavailable to receive a call from a caller, identifying an alternate call recipient who is currently located within a predetermined proximity of a current location of the intended call recipient; and
forwarding the call to the alternate call recipient.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising:
in response to determining that the intended call recipient is unavailable, notifying the caller that the intended call recipient is unavailable;
notifying the caller that the call is being forwarded to an alternate recipient; and
notifying the caller of the identity of the alternate call recipient.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein identifying the alternate call recipient comprises determining a name of a person with whom the intended call recipient is meeting or the name of an establishment where the intended call recipient is located, and then determining a telephone number associated with the person or establishment.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein identifying the alternate call recipient comprises determining a name of the alternate call recipient from a calendar entry of a calendar associated with the intended call recipient indicating that the intended call recipient is meeting with the alternate call recipient, and then determining a telephone number associated with the alternate call recipient.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein identifying the alternate call recipient comprises determining a name of an establishment from a calendar entry of a calendar associated with the intended call recipient indicating that the intended call recipient is at an event at the establishment, and then determining a telephone number associated with the establishment.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein identifying the alternate call recipient comprises determining a current location of the intended recipient from a calendar entry of a calendar associated with the intended recipient, identifying a person or establishment associated with that location, and then looking up a telephone number associated with the person or establishment.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein identifying the alternate call recipient comprises determining a current location of the intended recipient from a social network check-in status published on a social network site as part of an online personal profile associated with the intended recipient, identifying a person or establishment associated with that location, and then looking up a telephone number associated with the person or establishment.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein identifying the alternate call recipient comprises determining a current location from location data shared by a mobile device associated with the intended call recipient, identifying a person or establishment associated with that location, and then looking up a telephone number associated with the person or establishment.

9. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions in code which when loaded into a memory and executed by a processor of a wireless communications device cause the device to:
in response to determining that an intended call recipient is unavailable to receive a call from a caller, identify an alternate call recipient who is currently located within a predetermined proximity of a current location of the intended call recipient; and
forward the call to the alternate call recipient.

10. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 9 comprising:
in response to determining that the intended call recipient is unavailable, notifying the caller that the intended call recipient is unavailable;
notifying the caller that the call is being forwarded to an alternate recipient; and
notifying the caller of the identity of the alternate call recipient.

11. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 9 wherein identifying the alternate call recipient comprises determining a name of a person with whom the intended call recipient is meeting or the name of an establishment where the intended call recipient is located, and then determining a telephone number associated with the person or establishment.

12. A computing device comprising:
a memory coupled to a processor that is configured to determine that an intended call recipient is unavailable to receive a call from a caller,
wherein the processor is further configured to identify an alternate call recipient who is currently located within a predetermined proximity of a current location of the intended call recipient; and
wherein the processor is further configured to forward the call to the alternate call recipient.

13. The computing device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the processor is configured to:
notify the caller that the intended call recipient is unavailable;
notify the caller that the call is being forwarded to an alternate recipient; and
notify the caller of the identity of the alternate call recipient.

14. The computing device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the processor is configured to determine a name of a person with whom the intended call recipient is meeting or the name of an establishment where the intended call recipient is located, and then determine a telephone number associated with the person or establishment.

Assignees

• Walker David Ryan
• Pasquero Jerome
• Mckenzie Donald Somerset Mcculloch
• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Walker David Ryan
• Pasquero Jerome
• Mckenzie Donald Somerset Mcculloch

Classifications

• H04W4/16 Primary

  Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold · CPC title

• H04W4/024

  Guidance services · CPC title

• H04W4/90

  Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04M1/006

  Call diverting means · CPC title