Method and apparatus for monitoring device status

• US 8,204,199 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Walker, Jay S., Fincham, Magdalena M., Dickerson, John B., Kessman, Marc D., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Tulley, Stephen C., Alderucci, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asanbayev, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US11/421,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20060203969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,210 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32.01, 379/188, 379/266.01, 379/27.01, 379/32.04, 379/133, 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/207.03, 379/207.04, 379/207.05, 379/207.06, 379/207.07
• US Class Current: 379/207.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/609 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/08 ISDN systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• 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
• 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 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

The monitor is for monitoring the status of a first client telephone, and for sending this status information via a central server to an authorized second client telephone. The central server stores a database of registered client telephones and corresponding client telephones that the client may monitor. A user of a registered client telephone monitors in real time the telephone status of registered friends, family, or co-workers that have agreed to be monitored by the user.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring one of a plurality of statuses of a first telephony device over a network by a second telephony device, the method comprising:

sending a request for a permission for said status of the first telephony device to be monitored by the second telephony device to a server;

receiving an authorizing signal indicating a permission from the first telephony device for said status of the first telephony device to be monitored by the second telephony device from the server;

receiving a message including said status of the first telephony device from the server, the message being encrypted using a public key of the second telephony device and accompanied by a digital signature of the server and said status being provided to the server from the first telephony device, and wherein when the first telephony device initiates a communication with a monitored third telephony device, the first telephony device provides said status of the first telephony device and a status of the monitored third telephony device to the server, said status of the first telephony device and the status of the monitored third telephony device indicating that the first telephony device and the monitored third telephony device are connected; and

monitoring said status of the first telephony device by (i) verifying an identity of the server by validating the digital signature, and (ii) decrypting the message using a private key of the second telephony device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a permission for the first telephony device to also monitor a status of the second telephony device to the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the authorizing signal includes receiving the authorizing signal in response to the server determining that a customer account of the second telephony device is in good standing.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a request to register the second telephony device with the server to the server, wherein the request includes a digital signature and an identifier that identifies the second telephony device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein sending the request to register the second telephony device further comprises:

sending a request for a second network address and a security clearance.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a successful registration of the second telephony device with the server from the server in response to the request to register.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting the request with a public key of the server into an encrypted request for a permission for said status of the first telephony device to be monitored by the second telephony device; and

wherein sending the request comprises sending the encrypted request to the server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first identifier identifying the first telephony device for storage and display from the server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request comprises sending a request to be notified when a status change of a predetermined condition of the first telephony device occurs.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said status indicates whether a user of the first telephony device has entered at least one predetermined DTMF code into the first telephony device.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending an acknowledgment of a successful transmission of said status to the server in response to receiving said status.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable computer program code for monitoring one of a plurality of statuses of a first telephony device over a network by a second telephony device, the computer program code comprising program code for:

sending a request for a permission for said status of the first telephony device to be monitored by the second telephony device to a server;

receiving an authorizing signal indicating a permission from the first telephony device for said status of the first telephony device to be monitored by the second telephony device from the server;

receiving a message from the server, the message (i) including said status of the first telephony device, said status being provided in response to the server determining that said status of the first telephony device corresponds to status information that the second telephony device is configured to receive, and (ii) being encrypted using a public key of the second telephony device and accompanied by a digital signature of the server, wherein when the first telephony device initiates a communication with a monitored third telephony device, the first telephony device provides said status of the first telephony device and a status of the monitored third telephony device to the server, said status of the first telephony device and the status of the monitored third telephony device indicating that the first telephony device and the monitored third telephony device are connected; and

monitoring said status of the first telephony device by (i) verifying an identity of the server by validating the digital signature, and (ii) decrypting the message using a private key of the second telephony device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program code further comprises program code for:

sending a permission to receive said status of the first telephony device to the server.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program code further comprises program code receiving the authorizing signal in response to the server determining that a customer account of the second telephony device is in good standing.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program code further comprises program code for:

sending a request to register the second telephony device with the server to the server, wherein the request includes a digital signature and an identifier that identifies the second telephony device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computer program code further comprises program code sending the request to register the second telephony device with the server by sending a request for a second network address and a security clearance.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computer program code further comprises program code for:

receiving, an indication of a successful registration of the second telephony device with the server from the server in response to the request to register.

18. A system for monitoring one of a plurality of statuses of a first telephony device over a network by a second telephony device, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable computer program code for;

sending a request for a permission for said status of the first telephony device to be monitored by the second telephony device to a server;

receiving an authorizing signal indicating a permission from the first telephony device for said status of the first telephony device to be monitored by the second telephony device from the server;

receiving a message including said status of the first telephony device from the server, the message being encrypted using a public key of the second telephony device and accompanied by a digital signature of the server and said status being provided to the server from the first telephony device, and wherein when the first telephony device initiates a communication with a monitored third telephony device, the first telephony device provides said status of the first telephony device and a status of the monitored third telephony device to the server, said status of the first telephony device and the status of the monitored third telephony device indicating that the first telephony device and the monitored third telephony device are connected; and

monitoring said status of the first telephony device by (i) verifying an identity of the server by validating the digital signature, and (ii) decrypting the message using a private key of the second telephony device.