Status indicator for communication systems

• US 20070160024A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward, Malamud, Mark, Lord, Robert, Levien, Royce, Rinaldo, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,338,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A variety of techniques and devices for acquiring user status information at a transmitting device to a receiving device, or vice versa, are provided.

Claims

1-82. -82. (canceled)

83. A method comprising:

receiving a communication setup from a transmitting device; and

transmitting a user status information to the transmitting device, wherein the user status information indicates a status of a user at a receiving device.

84. The method of claim 83, wherein the receiving a communication setup includes receiving a telephone setup.

85. The method of claim 83, wherein the receiving a communication setup includes receiving an e-mail setup.

86. The method of claim 83, wherein the receiving a communication setup includes receiving a computer-based communication device setup.

87. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information includes transmitting a time-zone of the receiving device to the transmitting device.

88. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information includes transmitting a location at which the user at the receiving device is located to the transmitting device.

89. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information includes transmitting to the transmitting device an indication of whether the user at the receiving device is busy.

90. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information includes transmitting a time that the user at the receiving device will no longer be busy to the transmitting device.

91. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information includes transmitting an at least one receiving device capability to the transmitting device.

92. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information to the transmitting device includes transmitting a position of the receiving device.

93. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information to the transmitting device includes transmitting an information at a location of the receiving device.

94. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information to the transmitting device is provided at least partially by the user providing a user input via at least one from a group, the group including a switch, a button, or a timeout mechanism.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the switch, the button, or the timeout mechanism are located, at least in part, at the receiving device.

96. The method of claim 94, wherein the switch, the button, or the timeout mechanism are located, at least in part, at a network location operationally situated between the receiving device and the transmitting device.

97. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information occurs at least partially over a back channel.

98. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information includes transmitting at least one from a list, the list includes at least one from a local time indicator, a time zone indicator, a city indicator, a location indicator, a landmark indicator, a street address indicator, or a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

99. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information further comprises a querying a database.

100. The method of claim 99, wherein the database is at least partially located at the receiving device.

101. The method of claim 99, wherein the database that is operationally situated between the transmitting device and the receiving device.

102. The method of claim 99, further comprising responding to the querying the database by a filtering of the user status information contained in the database.

103. The method of claim 102, wherein the filtering of the user status information is performed at least partly in response to manual user input.

104. The method of claim 102, wherein the filtering of the user status information is performed at least partially in response to automated user input that is based upon a prior input from the user at the receiving device.

105. The method of claim 102, wherein the filtering of the user status information relates, at least in part, to selecting from at least one from a list, the list including one or more of a contact list, a list of specifically identified individuals, or a list of specifically identified groups of individuals.

106. The method of claim 102, wherein the filtering of the user status information relates, at least in part, to considering logging attempts and one or more persons trying to view such information.

107. The method of claim 83, further comprising adjusting a granularity of the user status information based, at least in part, to an identity of the transmitting device.

108. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information is performed from one or more of a group of devices, the group of one or more devices includes a cell phone, an e-mail device, a land line, a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone device, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, a teleconferencing device, a videoconferencing device, a satellite phone device, an instant messaging device, or a hybrid device.

109. The method of claim 83, wherein the transmitting the user status information further comprising providing an inaccurate user status information at least partially based on a user input at the receiving device.

110. A status system comprising:

transmitting means that is configured for transmitting a message;

receiving means that is configured for receiving the message; and

means for acquiring a user status information from the receiving means at the transmitting means, wherein the user status information indicates a status of a user who is situated at the receiving means.

111. The status system of claim 110, further comprising a means for establishing a communication setup between the transmitting means and the receiving means, wherein the means for acquiring the user status information indicates the status of the user at least partially in response to the means for establishing the communication setup.

112. The status system of claim 111, wherein the means for establishing the communication setup includes a means for establishing a telephone setup.

113. The status system of claim 111, wherein the means for establishing the communication setup includes a means for establishing an instant messenger setup.

114. The status system of claim 111, wherein the means for establishing the communication setup includes a means for establishing a computer-based communication device setup.

115. The status system of claim 111, wherein the means for establishing the communication setup includes a means for establishing an e-mail setup.

116. The status system of claim 110, wherein the means for acquiring the user status information includes means for presenting a time-zone of the receiving means to the transmitting means.

117. The status system of claim 110, wherein the means for acquiring the user status information includes means for presenting a location at which the receiving means is located to the transmitting device.

118. A method comprising:

acquiring a user status information for a user of a transmitting device that indicates a status of the user; and

transmitting the user status information to a receiving device.

119. The method of claim 118, wherein the user status information is sent from the transmitting device to the receiving device.

120. The method of claim 118, wherein the user status information is sent from a network location operationally positioned between the transmitting device and the receiving device to the receiving device.

121. The method of claim 118, wherein the acquiring the user status information includes indicating a location of the user at the transmitting device to the receiving device.

122. The method of claim 118, wherein the acquiring the user status information includes indicating a local time of the transmitting device to the receiving device.

123. The method of claim 118, wherein the acquiring the user status information includes indicating a type of the transmitting device to the receiving device.

124. The method of claim 118, wherein the acquiring the user status information includes indicating one or more device capabilities of the transmitting device to the receiving device.

125. The method of claim 118, wherein the acquiring the user status information includes indicating a condition of the transmitting device at the receiving device.

126. The method of claim 125, wherein the condition includes a weather condition.

127. The method of claim 118, further comprising an establishing a communication setup between the transmitting device and the receiving device, wherein the acquiring the user status information is performed in response to the establishing the communication setup.