Method and system for signaling presence of users in a multi-networked environment

• US 7,356,137 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burg, Frederick Murray, Kanefsky, Steven T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US09/850,181
• Time in Patent Office: 2,528 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.01, 379/215.01, 379/88.3, 379/88.22, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.15, 379/88.12, 379/201.02, 379/188.14, 709/204, 370/260, 370/261, 370/201.02
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• 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 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks

Abstract

A user is associated with a plurality of communication devices each of which belongs to a different type of network. A Unified Presence Information System is configured to communicate with the different networks, and more particularly, to receive information concerning the status of the user'"'"'s communication devices. The status information can include presence information and/or activity information. The status information can then be used (with or without user-defined preference information) to determine the network device with which the user is most likely in the vicinity of. This information may be used for a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to, directing an incoming communication request to a device where the user can most likely be reached.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a communication session, the method comprising:

at a central location, storing information about a plurality of communication devices associated with an intended recipient and with different respective networks in a multi-networked environment, wherein a first device of the plurality of communication devices comprises a set-top box associated with a video network, and wherein a second device of the plurality of communication devices is associated with a second network that comprises a network other than the video network;

at the central location, receiving status information regarding the set-top box and the second device from the video network and the second network, respectively, wherein the status information comprises information other than, or in addition to, whether the multiple communication devices are on or off, and wherein the storing and receiving of status information occurs independently of receiving a request for establishing the communication session between a communication initiator and the intended recipient;

at the central location, receiving the request to facilitate establishing the communication session;

at the central location, in response to the received request, selecting one of the set-top box and the second device at which the intended recipient can likely be reached, wherein the selection is based, at least in part, on an evaluation of the received status information; and

directing a call to one of the set-top box and the second device to enable the communication session to be established between the communication initiator and the intended recipient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing is performed through an Internet portal site by providing the intended recipient with a predetermined registration procedure to enroll in the service of the method.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information regarding the set-top box and the second device includes an indication of whether the set-top box and the second device are currently on-line and when they were last active.

4. In a multi-networked environment, a method of determining a communication device at which a user can likely be reached, the method comprising:

querying different types of networks in the multi-networked environment for status information, wherein the status information pertains to a plurality of communication devices associated with the user, including at least a set-top box and a second, different communication device, wherein the set-top box is associated with a video network in the multi-network environment and the second communication device is associated with a second, different network in the multi-networked environment;

receiving the status information for the set-top box and the second communication device from the video network and the second network, respectively, wherein the status information includes status information other than, or in addition to, an indication of whether the set-top box and the second communication device are on or off, and wherein the querying and receiving of status information occurs independently of receiving a request for establishing a communication session between a communication initiator and the user; and

in response to receiving the request, selecting one of the set-top box and the second communication device as a preferred communication device based on the received status information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the status information includes activity information associated with the set-top box and the second communication device.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the status information includes presence information associated with the set-top box and the second communication device.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the second communication device includes one of a telephone, a cellular phone, or a personal computer.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the second network is one of an Internet, a telephone network, or a cellular phone network.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the steps of querying, receiving, and selecting occur within an information system configured to communicate with the different types of networks in the multi-networked environment.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the steps of querying, receiving, and selecting occur within an information system configured to communicate with the different types of networks in the multi-networked environment, and wherein the information system is a unified presence information system.

12. The method of claim 4 further comprising causing information associated with the communication initiator to be displayed on the preferred communication device.

13. The method of claim 4 further comprising directing a call to one of the video network and the second network to which the preferred communication device belongs to enable the communication session to be established with the preferred communication device.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the second communication device includes one of a telephone, a cellular phone, and a personal computer.

11. An apparatus for facilitating a communication session between a requestor and a user, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface configured for

querying a plurality of different types of networks in a multi-networked environment for status information, wherein the status information pertains to a plurality of communication devices associated with the user, including a set-top box and a second communication device, wherein the set-top box is associated with a video network in the multi-network environment and the second communication device is associated with a second, different network in the multi-networked environment;

receiving the status information for the set-top box and the second communication device, wherein the status information includes status information other than, or in addition to, an indication of whether the set-top box and the second communication device are on or off, and wherein the querying and receiving of status information occurs independently of receiving a request for establishing the communication session between the requester and the user;

a storage block configured for storing the received status information; and

a processor configured for selecting a preferred communication device from one of the set-top box and the second communication device based on the received status information, wherein the processor performs the selecting in response to receiving the request for establishing the communication session with the user.

15. A method of identifying a communication device at which a user can likely be reached, the method comprising:

storing information about a plurality of communication devices associated with the user and with different respective networks in a multi-networked environment, wherein the plurality of communication devices include a set-top box associated with a video network and a second communication device associated with a second, different network;

receiving status information regarding the set-top box and the second communication device from their respective networks, wherein the status information comprises information other than, or in addition to, whether the set-top box and the second communication device are on or off, and wherein the storing and receiving of status information occurs independently of receiving a request for the identity of the communication device from a requestor;

receiving the request for the identity of the communication device from the requestor;

selecting the communication device at which the user can likely be reached from one of the set-top box and the second communication device associated with the user, wherein the selection is based, at least in part, on an evaluation of the received status information; and

providing the requester with the identity of the communication device at which the user can likely be reached in order to facilitate the communication session between the requester and the user.