Methods and systems for providing application level presence information in wireless communication

• US 8,909,700 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Agrawal, Anuraag
• Primary Examiner(s): Algibhah, Hamza
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, James
• Application Number:
  US13/675,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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 67/04 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: 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: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• 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 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for determining and maintaining user presence information include capturing user presence data with an application presence server. The application presence server can be configured to update user presence data as a user initiates or exits an application. Applications associated with user presence data are configured to query an application proxy client concerning user presence data of a selected user and, based on a returned user status, deliver, discard, or redirect a message intended for the user. User presence data is stored in a user presence repository and can be provided via Internet-based or other connections to applications executed on external networks. User activity status can be used to select or update user presence data. In some examples, an application server of an external network is configured to receive user presence data from the presence server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first application server from a mobile station, an initiation of an instant messaging application;

in response to receiving the initiation of the instant messaging application, providing, by the first application server to a first presence server, a communication that a first user associated with the mobile station is active, wherein the first presence server sets presence data for the first user to active based on the communication;

providing, to a second user who is a member of a list associated with the first user, the presence data for the first user;

determining that the mobile station has not accessed the instant messaging application for a predetermined amount of time;

in response to determining that the mobile station has not accessed the instant messaging application for the predetermined amount of time, sending, to the mobile station, an alert;

upon determining that no response to the alert is received from the mobile station, updating the presence data for the first user from active to present and inactive;

in response to determining that the mobile station has entered a sleep mode, updating the presence data for the first user;

receiving, at the first application server from the second user, a message for delivery to the mobile station of the first user; and

delivering the message to the mobile station of the first user based on the presence data for the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the first application server, the presence data for the first user to a second application server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first application server is associated with a wireless network and the second application server is associated with an external network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the external network does not capture presence data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first presence server is coupled to the external network via a network gateway.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the external network includes a plurality of clients coupled to the second application server, the second application server providing a messaging application to the plurality of clients.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the external network includes a second presence server in communication with the first presence server of the wireless network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first presence server and the second presence server share presence data with one another.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is rerouted upon the mobile station of the first user being unavailable to receive the message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein rerouting of the message comprises discarding the message.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing, based on network use associated with the first user, activity status data associated with the first user; and

delivering the message to the mobile station of the first user based on both the presence data for the first user and the activity status data associated with the first user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein delivering the message to the mobile station of the first user based on both the presence data for the first user and the activity status data associated with the first user comprises delaying delivery of the message.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein delivering the message to the mobile station of the first user based on both the presence data for the first user and the activity status data associated with the first user comprises canceling delivery of the message.