Location-based presence automation

• US 20070069888A1
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Parameswar, Sriram
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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

The present invention provides for an improved presence system, which can automatically and unobtrusively factor in the location of a person being monitored when creating presence information for dissemination to subscribers. Presence tags can be distributed at different locations, which may bear on the relative availability of the monitored person for communications. A mobile terminal associated with the monitored person is configured to automatically obtain tag information from the presence tags and deliver location-based state information to the presence server without human interaction. The presence server will process the location-based state information and any other applicable state information to create presence information for the person being monitored, and then deliver the presence information to subscribers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving tag information from a presence tag located at a location, wherein an ability to receive the presence information is indicative of a monitored person being relatively proximate to the location; and

sending location-based state information based on the tag information to a presence server, which is adapted to generate presence information based on the location-based state information and deliver the presence information to a subscribing entity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing communication sessions with other communication terminals.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the location-based state information comprises the tag information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a location-based state based on the tag information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the tag information is a tag identification.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the tag information identifies a particular location or a type of location associated with the location.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the presence tag transmits the presence information upon receiving a signal, and further comprising sending the signal in order to receive the tag information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the presence tag systematically transmits the tag information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the presence information bears on a relative availability for communications of the monitored person while the monitored person is relatively proximate to the location.

10. A method comprising:

receiving state information associated with a monitored person from a plurality of monitored entities, including a mobile terminal associated with the monitored person, the state information comprising location-based state information based on tag information retrieved by the mobile terminal from a presence tag at a location;

generating presence information based on the state information, including the location-based state information; and

delivering the presence information to a subscribing entity.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the location-based state information comprises the tag information and generating the presence information comprises determining a presence state based on the location associated with the tag information.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the presence information bears on a relative availability for communications of the monitored person while the monitored person is relatively proximate to the location.

13. A mobile terminal comprising:

a communication interface adapted to facilitate communications with a presence tag and a communication network; and

a control system associated with the communication interface and adapted to;

receive tag information from the presence tag located at a location, wherein an ability to receive the presence information is indicative of a monitored person being relatively proximate to the location; and

send location-based state information based on the tag information to a presence server, which is adapted to generate presence information based on the location-based state information and deliver the presence information to a subscribing entity.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the control system is further adapted to establish communication sessions with other communication terminals.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the location-based state information comprises the tag information.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the control system is further adapted to determine a location-based state based on the tag information.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the tag information is a tag identification.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the tag information identifies a particular location or a type of location associated with the location.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the presence tag transmits the presence information upon receiving a signal, and further comprising sending the signal in order to receive the tag information.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the presence tag systematically transmits the tag information.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the presence information bears on a relative availability for communications of the monitored person while the monitored person is relatively proximate to the location.

22. A presence server comprising:

a communication interface; and

a control system associated with the communication interface and adapted to;

receive state information associated with a monitored person from a plurality of monitored entities, including a mobile terminal associated with the monitored person, the state information comprising location-based state information based on tag information retrieved by the mobile terminal from a presence tag at a location;

generate presence information based on the state information, including the location-based state information; and

deliver the presence information to a subscribing entity.

23. The presence server of claim 22 wherein the location-based state information comprises the tag information, and generating the presence information comprises determining a presence state based on the location associated with the tag information.

24. The presence server of claim 22 wherein the presence information bears on a relative availability for communications of the monitored person while the monitored person is relatively proximate to the location.