Patent ID: 7003295

Claim:
A method of operating a communication system, wherein a user has a home system that receives communications directed to the user and wherein the user carries a short-range wireless transmitter having a maximum range of less than one-hundred feet, the method comprising: in a remote system, receiving a wireless registration signal from the short-range wireless transmitter, wherein the wireless registration signal identifies the user and the user's home system; in the remote system, identifying the user's home system and transferring a registration message identifying the user to the user's home system in response to receiving the wireless registration signal; in the home system, receiving the registration message and registering the user with the remote system in response to receiving the registration message; in the home system, receiving a communication directed to the user and transferring the communication to the remote system in response to the user registration; in the remote system, receiving the communication from the user's home system and transferring the communication to a communication device proximate to the user; in the remote system, detecting that a time period has elapsed without receiving the wireless registration signal; in the remote system, transferring a de-registration message identifying the user to the user's home system in response to the detected time period; in the home system, receiving the de-registration message and de-registering the user from the remote system in response to receiving the de-registration message; and in the home system, receiving another communication directed to the user and transferring the other communication to a communication device in the home system in response to the user de-registration.