System, network entity, method, mobile device and computer program product for correlating device identifiers in mobile networks

• US 20060221893A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kiss, Krisztian
• Application Number:
  US11/391,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20060221893A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• 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

Abstract

A means by which a network-based presence source can ascertain the unique device ID for each device on the network based on the device'"'"'s IP address is provided. In particular, a network-based Device ID database, along with a method of accessing and utilizing the database, which can be used in conjunction with any presence service to store binding, or correlating, information between the device IDs and device IP addresses for a plurality of devices communicating on the network are provided.

Claims

1. A system for correlating one or more device identifiers associated with respective one or more mobile devices for use when publishing presence information relating to respective mobile devices, said system comprising:

a presence server; and

a device identifier (ID) database accessible by the presence server, said device ID database storing one or more device identifiers (IDs) associated with respective one or more mobile devices, said database further storing one or more IP addresses also associated with respective one or more mobile devices, wherein the database correlates the one or more device IDs and the one or more P addresses associated with respective mobile devices, such that the database is capable of providing a device ID associated with a particular mobile device in response to receiving a query comprising an IP address also associated with the particular mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one mobile device in communication with the presence server, said mobile device configured to generate a request to publish presence information related to the mobile device, wherein the publication request comprises a device ID associated with the mobile device, and to transmit the publication request to the presence server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the presence server is configured to receive the publication request, to ascertain an P address associated with the mobile device from the publication request, and to determine, based at least in part on the IP address, whether a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the presence server is further configured, upon a determination that a device ID associated with the mobile device has not previously been stored in the device ID database, to update the device ID database with the device ID and IP address associated with the mobile device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the presence server is further configured, upon a determination that a device D associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database, to retrieve the previously stored device ID and to transmit the previously stored device ID to the mobile device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the presence server is further configured, upon a determination that a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database, to replace the previously stored device ID in the device ID database with the device ID included in the publication request.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a presence network agent in communication with the presence server and the device ID database, wherein the presence network agent is configured to query the device ID database for a device ID associated with a mobile device, to generate a request to publish presence information related to the mobile device, said request comprising the device ID associated with the mobile device, and to transmit the publication request to the presence server.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the presence network agent is further configured to receive, in response to querying the device ID database, the device ID associated with the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the presence network agent is further configured to generate the device ID associated with the mobile device where, in response to querying the device ID database, a device ID is not returned.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the presence network agent is further configured to update the device ID database with the generated device ID correlated with an IP address associated with the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more device IDs are selected from the group consisting of an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) and a Media Access Control (MAC) address associated with respective one or more mobile devices.

12. A network entity configured to correlate one or more device identifiers associated with respective one or more mobile devices for use when publishing presence information relating to respective mobile devices, said network entity comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, said memory storing an application executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, upon execution, to;

update a device identifier (ID) database with a device ID associated with a mobile device and correlated with an IP address also associated with the mobile device such that the device ID database stores and correlates one or more device IDs and one or more IP addresses associated with respective one or more mobile devices in order to be configurable to determine a device ID associated with a particular mobile device in response to receiving a query comprising an IP address also associated with the particular mobile device.

13. The network entity of claim 12, wherein the network entity comprises a presence server configured to collect and disseminate presence information relating to a mobile device.

14. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

receive a request to publish presence information relating to a mobile device, said publication request comprising a device ID associated with the mobile device.

15. The network entity of claim 14, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

ascertain an IP address associated with the mobile device; and

determine, based at least in part on the IP address, whether a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database.

16. The network entity of claim 15, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

upon a determination that a device ID has not previously been stored in the device ID database, update the device ID database with the device ID and IP address associated with the mobile device.

17. The network entity of claim 15, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

upon a determination that a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database, retrieve the previously stored device ID and transmit the previously stored device ID to the mobile device.

18. The network entity of claim 15, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

upon a determination that a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database, replace the previously stored device ID in the device BD database with the device ID included in the publication request.

19. The network entity of claim 12, wherein the network entity comprises a presence network agent configured to publish presence information related to one or more mobile devices.

20. The network entity of claim 19, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

query the device ID database for a device ID associated with a mobile device; and

generate a request to publish presence information related to the mobile device, said publication request including the device ID associated with the mobile device.

21. The network entity of claim 20, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

receive, in response to querying the device ID database, the device ID associated with the mobile device.

22. The network entity of claim 20, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

generate the device ID associated with the mobile device where, in response to querying the device ID database, a device ID is not returned.

23. A method of correlating one or more device identifiers associated with respective one or more mobile devices for use when publishing presence information relating to respective mobile devices, said method comprising:

updating a device identifier (ID) database with a device ID associated with a mobile device and correlated with an IP address also associated with the mobile device such that the device ID database stores and correlates one or more device IDs and one or more IP addresses associated with respective one or more mobile devices in order to be configurable to determine a device ID associated with a particular mobile device in response to receiving a query comprising an IP address also associated with the particular mobile device.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

receiving a request to publish presence information relating to a mobile device, said publication request comprising a device ID associated with the mobile device.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

ascertaining an IP address associated with the mobile device; and

determining, based at least in part on the IP address, whether a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

upon determining that a device ID associated with the mobile device has not previously been stored in the device ID database, updating the device ID database with the device ID and IP address associated with the mobile device.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

upon determining that a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database, retrieving the previously stored device ID and transmitting the previously stored device ID to the mobile device.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

upon determining that a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database, replacing the previously stored device ID in the device ID database with the device ID included in the publication request.

29. The method of claim 23, fiber comprising:

querying the device ID database for a device ID associated with a mobile device; and

generating a request to publish presence information related to the mobile device, said publication request including the device ID associated with the mobile device.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

receiving, in response to querying the device ID database, the device ID associated with the mobile device.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating the device ID associated with the mobile device where, in response to querying the device ID database, a device ID is not returned.

32. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, said memory storing an application executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, upon execution, to;

generate a request to publish presence information relating to the mobile device, said publication request including a first device ID; and

receive, in response to the request, an acknowledgment comprising a second device ID.

33. The mobile device of claim 32, wherein the device ID is selected from the group consisting of an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) and a Media Access Control (MAC) address associated with the mobile device.

34. A computer program product for correlating one or more device identifiers associated with respective one or more mobile devices for use when publishing presence information relating to respective mobile devices, wherein the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for updating a device identifier (ID) database with a device ID associated with a mobile device and correlated with an IP address also associated with the mobile device such that the device ID database stores and correlates one or more device IDs and one or more IP addresses associated with respective one or more mobile devices in order to be configurable to determine a device ID associated with a particular mobile device in response to receiving a query comprising an IP address also associated with the particular mobile device.

35. The computer program product of claim 34 further comprising:

a second executable portion for receiving a request to publish presence information relating to a mobile device, said publication request comprising a device ID associated with the mobile device.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 further comprising:

a third executable portion for ascertaining an IP address associated with the mobile device; and

a fourth executable portion for determining, based at least in part on the IP address, whether a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database.

37. The computer program product of claim 36 further comprising:

a fifth executable portion for, upon determining that a device ID has not previously been stored in the device ID database, updating the device ID database with the device ID and IP address associated with the mobile device.

38. The computer program product of claim 36 further comprising:

a fifth executable portion for, upon determining that a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database, retrieving the previously stored device ID and transmit the previously stored device ID to the mobile device.

39. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

a fifth executable portion for, upon determining that a device ID associated with the mobile device has previously been stored in the device ID database, replacing the previously stored device ID in the device ID database with the device ID included in the publication request.

40. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising:

a second executable portion for querying the device ID database for a device ID associated with a mobile device; and

a third executable portion for generating a request to publish presence information related to the mobile device, said publication request including the device ID associated with the mobile device.

41. The computer program product of claim 40 further comprising:

a fourth executable portion for receiving, in response to querying the device ID database, the device ID associated with the mobile device.

42. The computer program product of claim 40, further comprising:

a fourth executable portion for generating the device ID associated with the mobile device where, in response to querying the device ID database, a device ID is not returned.