Dynamic presence proxy for call sessions

• US 20040170263A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Wuerfel, Randy, Michael, Michelle, Blohm, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits

Abstract

A telecommunications system includes a telephone routing system; and a presence database manager unit operably coupled to the routing system and adapted to maintain one or more watcher lists of registered users. The routing system is adapted to receive phone calls and provide an indication to the presence database manager unit whether the phone calls originate from registered users. The presence database manager unit is adapted to determine if such a user has a watcher list and transmit an indication to parties associated with the watcher list that said user is present.

Claims

1. A telecommunications method, comprising:

receiving a call from a user;

determining a presence of said user based on said call;

determining if said user has a watcher list; and

informing contacts on said watcher list that said user is available.

2. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said watcher list comprises a presence system watcher list and said determining a presence occurs without said user logging in to said presence system.

3. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said receiving a call comprises receiving a telephone call for a recipient at a telecommunications router.

4. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a telephone router; and

a presence database manager unit operably coupled to said telephone switching unit and adapted to maintain one or more watcher lists of registered users;

wherein said telephone router is adapted to receive phone calls and provide an indication to said presence database manager unit whether said phone calls originate from registered users;

wherein said presence database manager unit is adapted to determine if such a user is maintained on a watcher list and transmit an indication to parties associated with said watcher list that said user is present.

5. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 4, further including an instant messaging manager unit.

6. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said telephone router includes a calling number identification unit for determining an identity of a calling party.

7. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said presence database manager unit is adapted to cross-reference an identity of a party received from said calling number identification unit and a list of system users.

8. A telecommunications server comprising:

a telecommunications controller for supervising a presence system and a telephone routing system;

wherein said telecommunications controller is adapted to transmit presence information to registered users about a party calling in via said telephone routing system without said calling party logging in to said presence system.

9. A telecommunications server in accordance with claim 8, wherein said presence system comprises an instant messaging system.

10. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said presence information is transmitted via one or more presence control channels.

11. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said telecommunications controller is adapted to determine whether said calling party has a watcher list in said presence system.

12. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said telecommunications controller transmits said presence information to parties on said watcher list.

14. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 10, wherein said determining and said transmitting occur without said registered user logging in to a presence system.

15. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said presence system is an instant messaging system.

16. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said transmitting occurs on an instant messaging control channel.

17. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 14, further comprising determining if parties are authorized to receive said presence information.

13. A telecommunications method, comprising:

receiving a call into a telecommunications system;

determining if said call originates from a registered user;

accessing a watcher list associated with said user; and

transmitting updated presence information about said registered user to parties associated with said watcher list.