Synchronization based on device presence

• US 9,894,108 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robbins, William, Flynn, Judson, Wohlert, Randolph
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/966,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20120151354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,619 Days
• Field of Search: 707104, 455461
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

The disclosed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate initiation of an automatic synchronization operation based upon presence information in connection with a wireless communications network. For example, when certain mobile devices register with a particular network entity (e.g., a femtocell) that services a particular target location (e.g., place of residence), then such registration can be leveraged to indicate presence at the target location. Accordingly, synchronization between the mobile device and other devices can be automatically initiated, without requiring input or effort by a user, or even that the user remembers to perform the synchronization operation. Moreover, the synchronization operation can be wireless, so connection cables need not be maintained or employed.

Claims

1. An access point device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving, directly from a mobile device, a request to register to a communication network via the access point device that services a defined area;

in response to the receiving the request to register, updating presence information stored at the access point device to indicate the mobile device is in the defined area; and

triggering an action in response to defined conditions being determined to be satisfied, wherein the action is transmitting instruction data indicative of;

a first instruction to communicatively couple the mobile device and a remote device, via a direct connection between the mobile device and the remote device, according to a wireless fidelity protocol; and

a second instruction to initiate a synchronization operation between the mobile device and the remote device, and

wherein the defined conditions comprise a first condition that the presence information has been updated to indicate the mobile device is in the defined area, and a second condition that the remote device is determined to be in the defined area.

2. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the access point device is a femtocell device configured to service the mobile device in the defined area.

3. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the access point device is a WI-FI router configured to service the mobile device in the defined area.

4. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise updating the presence information to indicate the mobile device is no longer in the defined area in response to an indication that the mobile device is de-registering from the access point device.

5. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise updating the presence information to indicate the mobile device is no longer in the defined area in response to an indication that the mobile device is registering to another access point device different from the access point device.

6. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining and defining the defined area as a physical area associated with a residence or an office.

7. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise presenting a user interface configured to enable an update to the defined conditions.

8. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the defined conditions comprise a third condition related to a frequency of the synchronization operation, a fourth condition related to a time since a last synchronization operation, a fifth condition related to a time associated with an initiation of the synchronization operation, a sixth condition related to a type of data, content to copy, or a seventh condition related to whether the data or the content to copy is accessible via the mobile device or the remote device.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, an indication directly from an access point device that a mobile device has requested registration to the access point device servicing a defined area;

in response to the receiving the indication, modifying, by the system, a state of a presence data structure from a first state representing the mobile device is not in the defined area to a second state representing the mobile device is in the defined area;

determining, by the system, that defined conditions are satisfied, wherein satisfaction of the defined conditions comprises determining that the presence data structure is in the second state, and determining that a remote device is in the defined area; and

initiating, by the system, actions in response to the determining that the defined conditions are satisfied, wherein the actions comprise;

directing, by the system, a connection to be established, via a direct connection between the mobile device and the remote device, according to a wireless fidelity protocol between the mobile device and the remote device located in the defined area; and

facilitating, by the system, synchronization of data between the mobile device and the remote device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication is a first indication, and further comprising:

receiving, by the system, a second indication, different from the first indication, that the mobile device is de-registering from the access point device; and

in response to the receiving the second indication, modifying, by the system, the state of a presence data structure from the second state to the first state.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, configuration input via a user interface for configuring the defined conditions.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the remote device is a media recording device, a personal computer or a second mobile device that differs from the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the synchronization of data between the mobile device and remote device is according to the wireless fidelity communication protocol.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the synchronization of data comprises transmission of media content from the mobile device to the remote device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the synchronization of data comprises transmission of media content from the remote device to the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the synchronization of data comprises a backup operation configured to copy data from the mobile device to the remote device.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of first operations, comprising:

receiving an indication directly from an access point device or a mobile device that the mobile device is registering to the access point device servicing a target area;

in response to the receiving the indication, updating a presence data structure from a first state representing the mobile device is not in the target area to a second state representing the mobile device is in the target area;

determining that defined criteria have been met, wherein the defined criteria comprise a first criterion that the presence data structure is determined to indicate the mobile device is within the target area and a second criterion that a remote device is determined to be within the target area; and

in response to the determining that the defined criteria have been met, triggering second operations, the second operations comprising;

facilitating establishing, according to a wireless fidelity protocol, a direct connection between the mobile device and the remote device; and

initiating synchronization of data between the mobile device and the remote device, via the direct connection.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first operations further comprise presenting a user interface that facilitates input of configuration data that relates to configuration of the defined criteria.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first operations further comprise updating the defined criteria based on the configuration data.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the indication is a first indication, wherein the access point device is a first access device, and wherein the first operations further comprise updating the presence data structure from the second state to the first state in response to receiving a second indication that the mobile device is registering to a second access point device.