Server for determining and storing mobile device capability data

• US 20060129638A1
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telcordia Operations Limited
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Operations Limited
• Inventors: Deakin, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A handset capability proxy server (1) automatically determines data concerning capabilities of mobile devices and links to users as the devices are used. Event handlers/filters (25, 26) listen to signalling and messaging traffic at different locations in a network. The filter (25, 26) filters out data not relevant to device capability. The handler accesses a RAM cache (37) to dynamically determine if there has been a capability change for a mobile device identifier. It transmits changes to a kernel (10) via a message bus (12). The kernel (10) manages a persistent database (41, 44). of consumer data and device capability data, and automatically notifies subscribed applications in real time.

Claims

1-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A mobile device capability server comprising:

an input interface for receiving mobile network data in real time;

a processor for automatically determining mobile device capability data from said network data; and

an application interface for making said capability data available to applications in real time.

33. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface listens to network traffic.

34. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface listens to signalling traffic.

35. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface receives mobile network device authentication data.

36. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface comprises a filter for identifying items of the received network data which is relevant to mobile device capability.

37. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface comprises a filter for identifying items of the received network data which is relevant to mobile device capability;

and wherein the filter identifies items of the received network data applicable to a group of users.

38. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface comprises a filter for identifying items of the received network data which is relevant to mobile device capability;

and wherein the filter identifies items of the received network data by comparisons with a list of users.

39. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor comprises at least one event handler for performing initial processing of relevant network data associated with a mobile device.

40. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor comprises at least one event handler for performing initial processing of relevant network data associated with a mobile device;

and wherein the initial processing is event-based, one event being associated with a user and device combination.

41. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor comprises at least one event handler for performing initial processing of relevant network data associated with a mobile device;

and wherein the event handler comprises a cache of existing device capability data linked with users, and the initial processing comprises determining if there is a change in capability of a mobile device of a user.

42. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor comprises at least one event handler for performing initial processing of relevant network data associated with a mobile device;

and wherein the processor further comprises a kernel, and a message bus for communication between the kernel and each event handler.

43. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor comprises at least one event handler for performing initial processing of relevant network data associated with a mobile device;

and wherein the processor further comprises a kernel, and a message bus for communication between the kernel and each event handler; and

wherein the event handler transmits mobile device capability change data to the kernel via the message bus, the kernel manages a database of current capability data, and the kernel automatically updates said data upon receipt of said change data.

44. The server as claimed in claim 42, wherein the event handler transmits mobile device capability change data to the kernel via the message bus, the kernel manages a database of current capability data, and the kernel automatically updates said data upon receipt of said change data;

and wherein the kernel transmits the updates to each event handler, and each event handler automatically updates its cache so that all caches and the database are synchronised.

45. The server as claimed in claim 44, wherein said update is broadcast on the message bus.

46. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface detects correspondence between a device identifier and a user identifier in one network message.

47. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface receives CDR data transmitted by a network element.

48. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the network interface receives data from an API of a network element.

49. The server as claimed in claim 43, wherein the kernel manages a user database and a device database, and automatically maintains links between users and their device capability data.

50. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor automatically notifies subscribed applications of capability changes.

51. The server as claimed in claim 42, wherein the kernel comprises a rule base of logic for controlling notifications.

52. The server as claimed in claim 42, wherein the kernel comprises a rule base of logic for controlling notifications;

and wherein the server further comprises a message bus for communication of capability data between the kernel and the application interface.

53. The server as claimed in claim 42, wherein the kernel comprises a rule base of logic for controlling notifications;

and wherein the server further comprises a message bus for communication of capability data between the kernel and the application interface; and

wherein the kernel uses the message bus by broadcasting a message onto the message bus, and adapters of the application interface recognise relevant messages.

54. The server as claimed in claim 42, wherein the kernel comprises a rule base of logic for controlling notifications;

and wherein the server further comprises a message bus for communication of capability data between the kernel and the application interface; and

wherein the kernel uses the message bus by broadcasting a message onto the message bus, and adapters of the application interface recognise relevant messages; and

wherein the adapters recognise relevant messages by listening on particular channels

55. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor tracks usage of different mobile devices by the same user.

56. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the application interface allows user self-provisioning to allow or disallow external application queries.

57. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor detects mobile device usage patterns for suspected fraudulent usage, and automatically transmits a message to a network entity if a potentially fraudulent usage pattern is detected.

58. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor allows applications to subscribe to be notified when a specific user changes capabilities.

59. The server as claimed in claim 58, wherein the processor restricts notifications to data based on pre-configured authorisation properties.

60. The server as claimed in claim 32, wherein the processor allows applications to query specific user changes capabilities.

61. The server as claimed in claim 60, wherein the queries are restricted to data based on pre-configured authorisation properties.