System and method for dynamically re-configuring communications session routing based on location information

Abstract

System and method for dynamically re-directing communications sessions destined for a particular entity in a communications system, each communications session being associated with at least one predefined route. Location information indicative of a current location of the particular entity is obtained and applied to a predefined set of conditional routing rules associated with the particular entity. This rules-based processing generates a routing result, on the basis of which the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity is dynamically updated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for dynamically redirecting communications sessions based on location-enhanced information, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a locator unit, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a table of associations for John Smith, based on the different types of location-sensing technologies and locatable entities shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the simplified functionality of a multimedia communications system, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a session redirection unit, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 6 depicts an example of a location-enhanced data structure generated by the session redirection unit, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the data flow within the session redirection unit, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart depicting the event-driven operation performed by the processor of the session redirection unit, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the flow of data within a location-enhanced presence engine, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a system for dynamically redirecting communications sessions based on location-enhanced information, in accordance with a variant example of implementation of the present invention;

FIGS. 11 to 14 illustrate examples of different scenarios affecting routing of communications sessions to a particular clinician within a multimedia healthcare communications network, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention;

FIGS. 15 to 18 illustrate different scenarios in which the session routing table of a particular clinician of the hospital is modified within the multimedia healthcare communications network as a result of session redirection commands received from the session redirection unit, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention; and

FIGS. 19 to 21 illustrate different scenarios in which the presence indicator for a particular entity has been updated within the multimedia healthcare communications network, as a result of received location-enhanced information from the session redirection unit, in accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for re-routing communications sessions destined for a particular entity in a communications system, each communications session being associated with at least one predefined route, said method comprising: a) obtaining location information indicative of a current location of the particular entity;b) dynamically updating the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity on a basis of said current location of the particular entity.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein dynamically updating the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity includes applying said current location of the particular entity to a set of predetermined rules associated with the particular entity.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said communications system provides for different types of communications sessions, said step of applying said current location of the particular entity to said set of predetermined rules resulting in a different route reconfiguration for each different type of communications session destined for the particular entity.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, further comprising obtaining at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity and dynamically updating the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity on a basis of a combination of said current location and said at least one other type of information.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said dynamic updating of the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity includes applying said combination of said current location and said at least one other type of information to said set of predetermined rules associated with the particular entity.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes presence information indicative of a current activity status of the particular entity.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes location-enhanced presence information associated with the particular entity.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, including the step of generating said location-enhanced presence information on a basis of said current location and said current activity status of the particular entity.

9. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes at least one of entity profile information and administrative information.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein said entity profile information includes at least one of a calendar, location visibility attributes and trigger descriptions associated with the particular entity.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein said administrative information includes at least one of a shift schedule, an equipment schedule and trigger descriptions.

12. A system for reconfiguring communications session routing in a communications system, each communications session being destined for a particular entity and being associated with at least one predefined route, said system comprising: a) a locator unit operative to collect location information from a plurality of sources and to determine a current location of the particular entity;b) a session redirection unit in communication with said locator unit, said session redirection unit operative to dynamically update the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity on a basis of said current location of the particular entity.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein said session redirection unit includes a processor operative to dynamically update the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity by applying said current location of the particular entity to a set of predetermined rules associated with the particular entity.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein said communications system provides for different types of communications sessions, said processor operative to determine a different route reconfiguration for each different type of communications session destined for the particular entity by applying said combination of said current location to said set of predetermined rules associated with the particular entity.

15. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein said processor is operative to obtain at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity, said dynamic updating of the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity being performed on a basis of a combination of said current location and said at least one other type of information.

16. A system as defined in claim 15, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes presence information indicative of a current activity status of the particular entity.

17. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes location-enhanced presence information associated with the particular entity.

18. A system as defined in claim 17, where said processor is operative to generate said location-enhanced presence information on a basis of said current location and said current activity status of the particular entity.

19. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes at least one of entity profile information and administrative information.

20. A system as defined in claim 19, wherein said entity profile information includes at least one of a calendar, location visibility attributes and trigger descriptions associated with the particular entity.

21. A system as defined in claim 19, wherein said administrative information includes at least one of a shift schedule, an equipment schedule and trigger descriptions.

22. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein said communications system is a multimedia communications system.

23. A method for reconfiguring communications session routing in a communications system, each communications session being destined for a particular entity and being associated with at least one predefined route, said method comprising: a) defining a set of conditional routing rules associated with the particular entity;b) obtaining location information indicative of a current location of the particular entity;c) obtaining at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity;d) applying a combination of said location information and said at least one other type of information as a condition to said routing rules for determining a routing result;e) dynamically updating the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity on a basis of said routing result.

24. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said communications system provides for different types of communications sessions, said routing result including a different route reconfiguration for each different type of communications session destined for the particular entity.

25. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes presence information indicative of a current activity status of the particular entity.

26. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes location-enhanced presence information associated with the particular entity.

27. A method as defined in claim 26, including the step of generating said location-enhanced presence information on a basis of said current location and said current activity status of the particular entity.

28. A method as defined in claim 26, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes at least one of entity profile information and administrative information.

29. A method as defined in claim 28, wherein said entity profile information includes at least one of a calendar, location visibility attributes and trigger descriptions associated with the particular entity.

30. A method as defined in claim 28, wherein said administrative information includes at least one of a shift schedule, an equipment schedule and trigger descriptions.

31. A method as define in claim 28, further comprising modifying one or more features of the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity on a basis of said routing result.

32. A device for reconfiguring communications session routing in a communications system, each communications session being destined for a particular entity and being associated with at least one predefined route, said device comprising: a) a first input for receiving location information indicative of a current location of the particular entity;b) a second input for receiving at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity;c) a processing unit including a set of conditional routing rules associated with the particular entity, said processing unit operative to: i) apply a combination of said location information and said at least one other type of information as a condition to said routing rules for determining a routing result;ii) dynamically update the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity on a basis of said routing result.

33. A device as defined in claim 32, wherein said communications system provides for different types of communications sessions, said routing result including a different route reconfiguration for each different type of communications session destined for the particular entity.

34. A device as defined in claim 33, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes presence information indicative of a current activity status of the particular entity.

35. A device as defined in claim 34, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes location-enhanced presence information associated with the particular entity.

36. A device as defined in claim 35, wherein said processing unit is further operative to generate said location-enhanced presence information on a basis of said current location and said current activity status of the particular entity.

37. A device as defined in claim 36, wherein said at least one other type of information affecting routing of communications sessions to the particular entity includes at least of entity profile information and administrative information.

38. A device as defined in claim 37, wherein said entity profile information includes at least one of a calendar, location visibility attributes and trigger descriptions associated with the particular entity.

39. A device as defined in claim 37, wherein said administrative information includes at least one of a shift schedule, an equipment schedule and trigger descriptions.

40. A device as defined in claim 35, wherein said device includes a memory storing a data structure associated with the particular entity, said data structure containing an entity identifier, a current location indicator and a current presence status for the particular entity.

41. A device as defined in claim 40, wherein said data structure further contains a current route table, said current route table mapping each different type of communications session destined for the particular entity to at least one respective route.

42. A device as defined in claim 41, where said data structure further contains a current location-enhanced presence status for the particular entity.

43. A device as defined in claim 40, wherein said data structure contains current and historical data associated with the particular entity.

44. A device as defined in claim 41, wherein said processing unit is operative to update said data structure on a basis of said routing result.

45. A device as defined in claim 43, wherein said routing result includes output commands indicative of said determined route reconfigurations for the particular entity, said device operative to transmit said output commands to the communications system for updating a session routing table of the communications system.

46. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program element for execution by a computing apparatus to reconfigure communications session routing in a communications system, each communications session being destined for a particular entity and being associated with at least one predefined route, said program element including: a) computer-readable program code for detecting receipt of location information indicative of a current location of the particular entity;b) computer-readable program code for dynamically updating the at least one predefined route associated with each communications session destined for the particular entity on a basis of said current location of the particular entity.