Method and system for multimodal presence detection

• US 7,949,105 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gorti, Sreenivasa Rao, Vishik, Claire Svetlana, Vleck, Paul Van
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/604,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20100041374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.22, 382/115, 382/124, 436/20, 455/411, 455/412.2, 709/206, 713/169, 713/186, 726/5, 737/14, 235/493
• US Class Current: 379/88.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/385 using speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity

Abstract

Methods and systems for operating a communication module is disclosed. Generally, a fingerprint authentication device coupled with a communication module biometrically authenticates a user. The communication module sends an indication that the communication module is active for the user to receive a message based on the biometric authentication of the user. The communication module receives a message for the user that has been routed to the communication module based on the indication that the communication module is active for the user to receive a message.

Claims

1. A method for routing a received message to a communication module, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from a communication module that the communication module is active for a user to receive a message based on a biometric authentication of the user, wherein a fingerprint authentication device coupled with the communication module biometrically authenticated the user; and

routing a received message for the user to the communication module with a routing system, the routing based on the indication from the communication module that the communication module is active for the user to receive a message based on a biometric authentication of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication from a communication module that the communication module is active for a user to receive a message based on a biometric module of the user comprises:

receiving an indication from a communication module that the communication module is active for a user to receive a message based on a biometric authentication of the user and a presence confirmation input from the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

biometrically authenticating the user with the fingerprint authentication device coupled with the communication module;

requesting a presence confirmation input from the user in response to biometrically authenticating the user;

receiving the presence confirmation input from the user; and

sending the indication from the communication module that the communication module is active for the user to receive a message based on the biometric authentication of the user and the receipt of the presence confirmation input from the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication module comprises a mobile telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication module comprises a Web tablet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication module comprises a personal digital assistant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint authentication device is embedded in the communication module.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint authentication device comprises a touchscreen.

9. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for routing a message to a communication module, the set of instructions to direct a processor to perform acts of:

receiving an indication from a communication module that the communication module is active for a user to receive a message based on a biometric authentication of the user, wherein a fingerprint authentication device coupled with the communication module biometrically authenticated the user; and

routing a received message for the user to the communication module with a routing system, the routing based on the indication from the communication module that the communication module is active for the user to receive a message based on a biometric authentication of the user.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein receiving an indication from a communication module that the communication module is active for a user to receive a message based on a biometric module of the user comprises:

receiving an indication from a communication module that the communication module is active for a user to receive a message based on a biometric authentication of the user and a presence confirmation input from the user.

11. A method for operating a communication module, the method comprising:

biometrically authenticating a user with a fingerprint authentication device coupled with a communication module;

sending an indication from the communication module that the communication module is active for the user to receive a message based on the biometric authentication of the user; and

receiving a message for the user that has been routed to the communication module based on the indication that the communication module is active for the user to receive a message.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

requesting a presence confirmation input from the user in response to biometrically authenticating the user; and

receiving the presence confirmation input from the user;

wherein sending an indication from the communication module comprises;

sending an indication form the communication module that the communication module is active for the user to receive a message based on the biometric authentication of the user and receipt of the presence confirmation input from the user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication module comprises a mobile telephone.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication module comprises a Web tablet.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication module comprises a personal digital assistant.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the fingerprint authentication device is embedded in the communication module.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the fingerprint authentication device is detachable from the communication module.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the fingerprint authentication device comprises a touchscreen.