Presence registration and routing node

• US 8,422,487 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mason, John R., Marsico, Peter Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TOAN D
• Application Number:
  US12/762,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 370/335, 370/352, 370/356, 370/466, 370/467, 370/242, 709/207
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 67/54 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 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• 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: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

A presence registration and routing node receives a message indicative of a telephony-related action performed by a user. In response to the message, the presence registration and routing node sends a message to a presence server for updating presence information regarding the user in a presence server database.

Claims

1. A presence registration and routing node for providing presence information regarding an entity, the presence registration and routing node comprising:

(a) an advanced database communications module for receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP)-formatted presence registration message for determining presence information for a first end user, the presence information indicating a communication medium for contacting the first end user using a text messaging protocol and the fact that the first end user is currently available to receive text messaging protocol messages via the communications medium, wherein the SIP-formatted presence registration message is generated in response to a location update message received from a sending mobile switching center (MSC) associated with the first end user registering in a particular service area; and

(b) a presence server message processor operably associated with the advanced database communications module for forwarding the SIP-formatted presence registration message to a presence server for determining the presence information, wherein the presence server stores the presence information for the first end user, and subscription information indicating a second end user subscribed to automatically receive presence information regarding the first end user and sends a response to the SIP-formatted presence registration message to the second end user, thereby informing the second end user of the appropriate communications medium for contacting the first end user using text messaging protocol communications and whether the first end user is currently available to receive text messaging protocol messages via the communications medium.

2. The presence registration and routing node of claim 1 wherein the presence server message processor is adapted to receive the presence information from the presence server and forward the presence information to the advanced database communications module.

3. The presence registration and routing node of claim 2 wherein the advanced database communications module is adapted to forward the presence information to an endpoint over an IP network.

4. The presence registration and routing node of claim 1 comprising a presence server operatively associated with the presence server message processor for providing the presence information to the presence server message processor.

5. The presence registration and routing node of claim 4 wherein the presence server is located internal to the presence registration and routing node.

6. The presence registration and routing node of claim 4 wherein the presence server is located external to the presence registration and routing node.

7. The presence registration and routing node of claim 1 comprising:

(a) means for generating an accounting message based on the SIP-formatted presence registration message; and

(b) an accounting and billing system for storing accounting information based on the accounting message.

8. The presence registration and routing node of claim 1 wherein the advanced database communications module is adapted to transfer IP-encapsulated SS7 signaling messages between IP signaling links.

9. The presence registration and routing node of claim 1 wherein the text messaging protocol comprises presence information that includes information usable by the users subscribed to the target end user for contacting the target end user via an instant message messaging protocol.