Apparatus and method for extracting presence, location and availability data from a communication device deployed in a network

• US 6,662,015 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evolving Systems, Inc. (CCUR Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Evolving Systems, Inc. (CCUR Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Furlong, Patrick Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): LELE, TANMAY S
• Application Number:
  US10/144,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20020187781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/445, 455/414, 455/433, 455/466, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/432.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/560
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

A network adapter extracts presence, location and availability information relating to a communication device deployed in a communication network. The network adapter is configured to interface between the network and an application for providing information specified by the application. Preferably, the network adapter interfaces with the network at a single location to extract the desired information. In such an embodiment, the network adapter may reside in a link between network elements, such as a home location register (“HLR”) and a short message service center (“SMS-C”). The network adapter may include a database of subscriber information codes used by the network to identify communication devices in use within the network. The network adapter also includes a processor programmed to query a network element, for example an HLR, to determine whether a communication device is present on the network and may also be programmed to monitor network communications for an indication of the presence of a device.

Claims

1. A network adapter for a communications network having subscriber devices, a presence, location and availability system (PLAS), at least one home location register (HLR) and a short message service center (SMS-C), the network adapter comprising:

a first interface interconnecting with the at least one HLR;

a second interface interconnecting with the SMS-C;

a third interface interconnecting with the PLAS;

a first translator interconnected with said first interface to permit the network adapter to appear to the at least one HLR as the SMS-C;

a second translator interconnected with said second interface to permit the network adapter to appear to the SMS-C as the at least one HLR,

whereby the network adapter intercepts messages from the at least one HLR and forwards such messages to the SMS-C and whereby the network adapter intercepts messages from the SMS-C and forwards such messages to the at least one HLR; and

a processor for extracting predetermined information about subscriber devices from such intercepted messages and transmitting the predetermined information to the PLAS through said third interface.

2. The network adapter of claim 1, further comprising a database for storing the predetermined information in a record.

3. The network adapter of claim 2, wherein the predetermined information includes location information, said processor comprising:

means for receiving from the PLAS, through said third interface, a request for location information about a designated subscriber device;

means for accessing said database;

means for determining whether a record for the designated subscriber device is present in said database; and

means for transmitting to the PLAS, through said third interface, location information about the designated subscriber device if a record for the designated subscriber device is present in said database.

4. The network adapter of claim 1, wherein said processor further comprises:

means for receiving from the PLAS, through said third interface, a first request for location information about a designated subscriber device;

means for transmitting to the at least one HLR, through said first interface, a second request for location information about the designated subscriber device;

means for receiving from the at least one HLR, through said first interface, a first response containing location information about the designated subscriber device; and

means for transmitting to the PLAS, through said third interface, a second response containing location information about the designated subscriber device.

5. A network adapter for a communications network having a presence, location and availability system (PLAS), at least one home location register (HLR) and a short message service center (SMS-C), the network adapter comprising:

a database;

means for appearing to the at least one HLR as the SMS-C and for intercepting first messages transmitted from the at least one HLR to the SMS-C;

means for extracting predetermined information about subscriber devices from the first intercepted messages;

means for forwarding the first intercepted messages to the SMS-C;

means for storing the predetermined information in a database record;

means for accessing said database in response to a request from the PLAS for location information about a designated subscriber device;

means for determining whether a record for the designated subscriber device is present in said database; and

means for transmitting to the PLAS location information about the designated subscriber device if a record for the designated subscriber device is present in said database.

6. The network adapter of claim 5, further comprising:

means for appearing to the SMS-C as the at least one HLR and for intercepting second messages transmitted from the SMS-C to the at least one HLR; and

means for forwarding the second intercepted messages to the at least one HLR.

7. A method for operating a communications network having a presence, location and availability system (PLAS), at least one home location register (HLR) and a short message service center (SMS-C), the method comprising:

appearing to the at least one HLR as the SMS-C and for intercepting first messages transmitted from the at least one HLR to the SMS-C;

extracting predetermined information about subscriber devices from the first intercepted messages;

forwarding the first intercepted messages to the SMS-C;

storing the predetermined information in a database record;

accessing the database in response to a request from the PLAS for location information about a designated subscriber device;

determining whether a record for the designated subscriber device is present in said database; and

transmitting to the PLAS location information about the designated subscriber device if a record for the designated subscriber device is present in the database.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

appearing to the SMS-C as the at least one HLR and for intercepting second messages transmitted from the SMS-C to the at least one HLR; and

forwarding the second intercepted messages to the at least one HLR.