Apparatus and method to provide current location information services in a network

• US 20040259572A1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beeby Barnes, Michaela Ann, Aoki, Norihiro Edwin
• Granted Patent: US 7,024,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An apparatus and method that provides current location information services in a network are described. In one preferred embodiment, a location identifier and a user identifier are received from a user. A user profile associated with the user identifier is retrieved from a database of user profiles. The user profile includes one or more stored location identifiers associated with the user. The received location identifier is then compared to the stored location identifiers to determine matching location identifiers and further to determine current location information of the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing current location services in a network comprising the steps of:

receiving a location identifier and a user identifier from a user in connection with a request for communication within the network;

retrieving a user profile associated with said user identifier, said user profile comprising at least one stored location identifier; and

comparing said location identifier to said at least one stored location identifier to determine matching location identifiers.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving location information from said user if said location identifier fails to match said at least one stored location identifier.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said receiving step further comprises the steps of:

directing said user to a network operator to provide said location information; and

upon receipt, storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said receiving step further comprises the steps of:

receiving location information verbally from said user; and

storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile using speech recognition techniques, said location information being stored as current location information.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein said receiving step further comprises the steps of:

receiving electronically input location information from said user; and

storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

presenting a network readiness signal to said user if said location identifier matches said at least one stored location identifier.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a destination user identifier associated with a destination user for said communication in said network; and

using said destination user identifier to establish said communication with said destination.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining location information of said user if said location identifier fails to match said at least one stored location identifier; and

storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said determining step further comprises the steps of:

connecting to a gateway device having knowledge of said user; and

extracting said location information of said user from said gateway device.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said determining step further comprises the steps of:

using a network Global Positioning System (GPS) to retrieve said location information of said user.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

updating stored location information as current location information if said location identifier matches said at least one stored location identifier, said stored location information being associated with a matched location identifier of said at least one stored location identifiers.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said location identifier comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said user identifier comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) contact address of record associated with said user.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network comprises a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) enabled network.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one stored location identifier comprises prior location identifiers associated with said user.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

presenting a network readiness signal to said user if said location identifier is identical to a last stored location identifier of said at least one stored location identifier.

17. A system for providing current location services in a network, comprising:

means for receiving a location identifier and a user identifier from a user in connection with a request for communication within the network;

means for retrieving a user profile associated with said user identifier, said user profile comprising at least one stored location identifier; and

means for comparing said location identifier to said at least one stored location identifier to determine matching location identifiers.

18. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving location information from said user if said location identifier fails to match said at least one stored location identifier.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for directing said user to a network operator to provide said location information; and

means for storing said location information upon receipt, thereof, with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

20. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving location information verbally from said user; and

means for storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile using speech recognition techniques, said location information being stored as current location information.

21. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving electronically input location information from said user; and

means for storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

22. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for presenting a network readiness signal to said user if said location identifier matches said at least one stored location identifier.

23. The system according to claim 22, further comprising:

means for receiving a destination user identifier associated with a destination user for said communication in said network; and

means using said destination user identifier to establish said communication with said destination user.

24. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining location information of said user if said location identifier fails to match said at least one stored location identifier; and

means for storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

25. The system according to claim 24, further comprising:

means for connecting to a gateway device having knowledge of said user; and

means for extracting said location information of said user from said gateway device.

26. The system according to claim 24, further comprising:

means for using a network Global Positioning System (GPS) to retrieve said location information of said user.

27. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for updating stored location information as current location information if said location identifier matches said at least one stored location identifier, said stored location information being associated with a matched location identifier of said at least one stored location identifiers.

28. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for presenting a network readiness signal to said user if said location identifier is identical to a last stored location identifier of said at least one stored location identifier.

29. The system according to claim 17, wherein said location identifier comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

30. The system according to claim 17, wherein said user identifier comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) contact address of record associated with said user.

31. The system according to claim 17, wherein said network comprises a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) enabled network.

32. A computer readable medium having executable instructions, which, when executed in a processing system, cause said processing system to perform a method for providing current location services in a network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a location identifier and a user identifier from a user in connection with a request for communication within the network;

retrieving a user profile associated with said user identifier, said user profile comprising at least one stored location identifier; and

comparing said location identifier to said at least one stored location identifier to determine matching location identifiers.

33. The computer readable medium according to claim 32, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving location information from said user if said location identifier fails to match said at least one stored location identifier.

34. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, said receiving step further comprising the steps of:

directing said user to a network operator to provide said location information; and

upon receipt, storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

35. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, said receiving step further comprising the steps of:

receiving location information verbally from said user; and

storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile using speech recognition techniques, said location information being stored as current location information.

36. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, said receiving step further comprising the steps of:

receiving electronically input location information from said user; and

storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

37. The computer readable medium according to claim 32, said method further comprising the step of:

presenting a network readiness signal to said user if said location identifier matches said at least one stored location identifier.

38. The computer readable medium according to claim 37, said method further comprising the steps of:

receiving a destination user identifier associated with a destination user for said communication in said network; and

using said destination user identifier to establish said communication with said destination user.

39. The computer readable medium according to claim 32, said method further comprising the steps of:

determining location information of said user if said location identifier fails to match said at least one stored location identifier; and

storing said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

40. The computer readable medium according to claim 39, said determining step further comprising the steps of:

connecting to a gateway device having knowledge of said user; and

extracting said location information of said user from said gateway device.

41. The computer readable medium according to claim 39, said determining step further comprising the step of:

using a network Global Positioning System (GPS) to retrieve said location information of said user.

42. The computer readable medium according to claim 32, said method further comprising the step of:

updating stored location information as current location information if said location identifier matches said at least one stored location identifier, said stored location information being associated with a matched location identifier of said at least one stored location identifiers.

43. The computer readable medium according to claim 32, said method further comprising the step of:

presenting a network readiness signal to said user if said location identifier is identical to a last stored location identifier of said at least one stored location identifier.

44. A system for providing current location services in a network, comprising:

a location registrar entity for receiving a location identifier and a user identifier from a user in connection with a request for communication within the network and for retrieving a user profile associated with said user identifier from a database of user profiles coupled to said location registrar entity, said user profile comprising at least one stored location identifier; and

a location management entity coupled to said location registrar entity and said database, said location management entity comparing said location identifier to said at least one stored location identifier to determine matching location identifiers.

45. The system according to claim 44, said location management entity further receiving location information from said user if said location identifier fails to match said at least one stored location identifier.

46. The system according to claim 45, said location management entity further directing said user to a network operator to provide said location information, and, upon receipt, said location registrar entity further stores said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

47. The system according to claim 45, wherein said location management entity further receives location information verbally from said user and said location registrar entity further stores said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile using speech recognition techniques, said location information being stored as current location information.

48. The system according to claim 45, wherein said location management entity further receives electronically input location information from said user and said location registrar entity further stores said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

49. The system according to claim 44, wherein said location registrar entity further presents a network readiness signal to said user if said location identifier matches said at least one stored location identifier.

50. The system according to claim 49, further comprising:

a network routing entity for receiving a destination user identifier associated with a destination user for said communication in said network and for using said destination user identifier to establish said communication with said destination user.

51. The system according to claim 44, wherein said location management entity further determines location information of said user if said location identifier fails to match said at least one stored location identifier and said location registrar entity further stores said location information with said location identifier and said user identifier in said user profile, said location information being stored as current location information.

52. The system according to claim 51, wherein said location management entity further connects to a gateway device having knowledge of said user and extracts said location information of said user from said gateway device.

53. The system according to claim 51, wherein said location management entity further uses a network Global Positioning System (GPS) to retrieve said location information of said user.

54. The system according to claim 44, wherein said location registrar entity further updates stored location information as current location information if said location identifier matches said at least one stored location identifier, said stored location information being associated with a matched location identifier of said at least one stored location identifiers.

55. The system according to claim 44, wherein said location identifier comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

56. The system according to claim 44, wherein said user identifier comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) contact address of record associated with said user.

57. The system according to claim 44, wherein said network comprises a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) enabled network.

58. The system according to claim 44, wherein said at least one stored location identifier comprises prior location identifiers associated with said user.

59. The system according to claim 44, wherein said location registrar entity further presents a network readiness signal to said user if said location identifier is identical to a last stored location identifier of said at least one stored location identifier.