Methods and systems for tracking wireless devices

• US 7,945,237 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation), Sound View Innovations, LLC (Sound View Innovation Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Gollakota, Ramgopal V., Patil, Prathap
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming; William D
• Application Number:
  US09/790,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20020034941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,735 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/57, 455/522, 455/539, 455/410, 455/574, 455/426, 455/417, 455/404, 455/414, 455/466, 455/457, 455/433, 455/436, 455/405, 455/406, 455/409, 455/418, 455/414.1, 379/34, 379/114.17, 379/202.01, 340/539, 340/990, 340/7.22, 709/203, 342/465, 345/751, 715/758, 370/990
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

The presence and location (among other things) of wireless devices is tracked in order to enable the use of special services, such as wireless instant messaging. Both conventional and WAP-enabled wireless devices may be so tracked.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a wireless device comprising:

monitoring status information associated with a first end-user wireless application protocol (WAP) enabled device, said first device comprising a browser;

forwarding the status information to a second end-user wired device in accordance with an end-user subscription service associated with the first end-user WAP-enabled device provided the second end-user wired device subscribes to the same subscription service as the first end-user WAP-enabled device, wherein the status information comprises a WAP enabled device identification.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the status information further comprises information selected from a group consisting of some combination of:

an electronic serial number, a time of connection, a time of disconnection, a wireless switch identification number and a serving cell identification number.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising forwarding the status information to an address associated with the second end-user device.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of forwarding the status information comprises forwarding the status information to a second end-user, wireless device.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising forwarding network status information of devices in a wireless network to the first end-user WAP-enabled device.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein the network status information comprises log-on information.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first end-user WAP-enabled device further comprises a wireless voice device.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first end-user WAP-enabled device comprises a wireless data device.

9. A system for monitoring a wireless device comprising:

a tracking unit operable to;

monitor status information associated with a first end-user WAP-enabled device that comprises a browser;

forward the status information to a second end-user wired device provided the second end-user wired device subscribes to the same subscription service as the first end-user WAP-enabled device, wherein the status information comprises a WAP enabled device identification.

10. The system as in claim 9 wherein the status information further comprises information selected from a group consisting of some combination of:

an electronic serial number, a time of connection, a time of disconnection, a wireless switch identification number and a serving cell identification number.

11. The system as in claim 9 wherein the tracking unit is further operable to forward the status information to an address associated with the second end-user device.

12. The system as in claim 9 wherein the second end-user device is a wireless device.

13. The system as in claim 9 further comprising a network unit operable to forward network status information to the first end-user WAP-enabled device.

14. The system as in claim 13 wherein the network status information comprises log-on information.

15. The system as in claim 9 wherein the first end-user WAP-enabled device further comprises a wireless voice device.

16. The system as in claim 9 wherein the first end-user WAP-enabled device comprises a wireless data device.

28. The system as in claim 14 wherein the tracking unit comprises one or more devices selected from the group consisting of integrated circuits, microprocessor, digital signal processor, memory device, receiver and transmitter.

17. A programmed memory operable to store one or more programs for:

monitoring the status of information associated with a first end-user WAP-enabled device that comprises a browser;

forwarding the status information to a second end-user wired device provided the second end-user wired device subscribes to the same subscription service as the first end-user WAP-enabled device, wherein the status information comprises a WAP enabled device identification.

18. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the status information further comprises information selected from a group consisting of some combination of:

an electronic serial number, a time of connection, a time of disconnection, a wireless switch identification number and a serving cell information number.

19. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the one or more programs are further operable to forward the status information to an address associated with the second end-user device.

20. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the second end-user device is a wireless device.

21. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the one or more programs are further operable to forward network status information to the first end-user WAP-enabled device.

22. The programmed memory as in claim 21 wherein the network status information comprises log-on information.

23. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the first end-user WAP-enabled device further comprises a wireless voice device.

24. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the first end-user WAP-enabled device comprises a wireless data device.

25. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the memory medium comprises a magnetic tape.

26. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the memory medium comprises a floppy disk.

27. The programmed memory as in claim 17 wherein the memory medium comprises a compact disk (“

CD”

).