Systems and methods for updating user availability for wireless communication applications

• US 8,374,590 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mikan, Jeffrey, McNamara, Justin, Cenciarelli, Fulvio, Kefalas, Anastasios
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): COSME, NATASHA W
• Application Number:
  US11/548,811
• Time in Patent Office: 2,315 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 725 9- 14
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/52 of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• 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: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring and updating user availability based upon presence and television viewing behavior are described herein. In one embodiment, a presence system is used to detect a user'"'"'s presence to update the user'"'"'s availability status. The availability status is then used to update a contact list, voicemail message, and/or busy message. In further embodiments, user preferences are used in combination with presence data to update the user'"'"'s availability status. In still further embodiments, a user'"'"'s television viewing behavior is used in combination with the presence data, user preferences, or both to update the user'"'"'s availability status. Alternative embodiments provide systems and methods in accordance with the present invention for other interactive devices.

Claims

1. A presence system for determining and using an availability status associated with a user associated with a user mobile device, comprising:

a presence device configured to detect a facial expression of the user for use in determining an emotional state of the user and determining, based on the emotional state, a presence of the user;

a television/set-top box in communication with the presence device, the television/set-top box being configured to;

obtain program data from a program signal, the program data comprising information indicating a time remaining until a program signal change; and

determine the availability status based upon the presence and the program data, the availability status indicating whether the user is accepting communications; and

a transceiver configured to transmit the availability status from the presence system to a communications network, wherein the availability status can be made accessible to a requesting mobile device in communication with the communications network.

2. The presence system of claim 1, wherein the presence device comprises a facial recognition device.

3. The presence system of claim 1, wherein the presence device comprises a motion sensor.

4. The presence system of claim 1, wherein the presence device comprises a voice recognition device.

5. The presence system of claim 1, wherein the presence device comprises a fingerprint recognition device.

6. The presence system of claim 1, wherein the presence device comprises a weight sensor configured to detect a weight of the user for use in determining the presence.

7. The presence system of claim 1, wherein the presence device is a part of the user mobile device.

8. The presence system of claim 1, wherein the availability status is based at least in part upon at least one user preference.

20. The presence system of claim 1, wherein the presence device is further configured to monitor at least one user characteristic selected from a group consisting of (a) body language of the user and (b) vocal sound of the user, for use in determining the emotional state of the user and determining, based on the emotional state, the presence of the user.

9. A method for determining and using an availability status associated with a user of a user mobile device, comprising:

detecting, by a presence device, a facial expression of the user for use in determining an emotional state of the user and determining, based on the emotional state, a presence of the user;

obtaining, by a television/set-top box, program data from a program signal, the program data comprising information indicating a time remaining until a program signal change;

determining, by the television/set-top box, based on the presence and the program data, the availability status indicating whether the user is accepting communications; and

transmitting, using a transceiver in communication with the television/set-top box, the availability status to a communications network, wherein the availability status can be made accessible to a requesting mobile device in communication with the communications network.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising identifying the user based at least in part upon the presence data.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a viewing behavior of the user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining, by the television/set-top box, the availability status is based also on the viewing behavior.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the availability status further comprises transmitting the viewing behavior to the communication network.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the availability status is based also on at least one user preference.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring the viewing behavior of the mobile device user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the availability status is based also on the viewing behavior.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitting further comprises transmitting the viewing behavior to the communication network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the availability status is based also on at least one user preference.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the availability status is based also on at least one user preference.

21. The method of claim 9, further comprising monitoring, by the presence device, at least one user characteristic selected from a group consisting of (a) body language of the user and (b) vocal sound of the user, for use in determining the emotional state of the user and determining, based on the emotional state, the presence of the user.