Method and apparatus for sharing mobile user event information between wireless networks and fixed IP networks

• US 6,668,167 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2001
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Altamira Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Graham Stead, Joseph Khalil, Mark Mcdowell, Steven Chafe, Steven Zweifach
• Inventors: McDowell, Mark, Stead, Graham, Khalil, Joseph, Zweifach, Steven, Chafe, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Persino, Raymond B.
• Application Number:
  US09/972,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 808 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/426.1, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/456.1, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455/560, 455/561, 455/414.1, 455/423, 709/206
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/103 with adaptive polling, i.e. dynamically adapting the polling rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/80 Arrangements enabling lawful interception [LI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides for a system and method for sharing user event information (such as, and without limitation, presence on a network) among mobile (wireless) devices and those connected to fixed IP networks such as the Internet. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the system and method support instant messaging between wireless devices and fixed IP network devices and between wireless devices and other wireless devices. The term wireless device is used broadly to include cell phones, laptop computers with wireless modems, wireless PDAs, and any other remote wireless devices.

Claims

1. A method of determining presence for a specific wireless device associated with a wireless telephone network, the method comprising:

sniffing a signal passing between a BSC and an MSC of the wireless telephone network indicating the presence of the specific wireless device on the wireless telephone network;

broadcasting, over a second network, a signal indicating presence of the specific wireless device; and

providing, over a third network, the signal indicating presence of the specific wireless device.

2. The method of determining presence of claim 1, wherein the signal passing between the BSC and the MSC of the wireless telephone network further indicates location.