Method and system for automatic update of a location profile

• US 20040202301A1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Elliott, Bruce David
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• 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 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target

Abstract

An approach for establishing a communication session according to a subscriber profile that is automatically updated is disclosed. A locator device, which is associated with a subscriber and includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) transponder, outputs geographic information that is transmitted to a communications network for establishing the communication session. The geographic information corresponds to one of a plurality of addresses specified in the subscriber profile to set a current address. The addresses are associated with a plurality of devices adapted to complete the communication session. The one address is designated as the current address if the geographic information corresponds to the one address, otherwise the current address is set to a default address, wherein the communication session is established based on the current address.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a communication session according to a profile of a subscriber, the method comprising:

receiving geographic information of the subscriber;

determining whether the geographic information corresponds to one of a plurality of addresses specified in the profile of the subscriber to set a current address, wherein the plurality of addresses is associated with a plurality of devices adapted to complete the communication session; and

designating the one address as the current address if the geographic information corresponds to the one address, otherwise the current address is set to a default address, wherein the communication session is established based on the current address.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the geographic information is periodically output from a locator device attached to the subscriber, the geographic information being based on a Global Positioning System (GPS).

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication session is a voice call that is established according to a Find-Me/Follow-Me service.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the device associated with the default address in the designating step includes at least one of a cellular phone, pager, and a voice mail box.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

communicating with a client via a web-interface for manipulating the subscriber profile.

6. A system for automatically locating a subscriber to establish a communication session, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive geographic information of a subscriber, the geographic information being automatically output by a locator device attached to the subscriber; and

a processor configured to determine whether the geographic information corresponds to one of a plurality of addresses specified in a profile of the subscriber to set a current address, the plurality of addresses being associated with a plurality of devices adapted to complete the communication session, wherein the one address is designated as the current address if the geographic information corresponds to the one address, otherwise the current address is set to a default address, the communication session being established based on the current address.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the geographic information is periodically output from a locator device attached to the subscriber, the geographic information being based on a Global Positioning System (GPS).

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein the communication session is a voice call that is established according to a Find-Me/Follow-Me service.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein the device associated with the default address includes at least one of a cellular phone, pager, and a voice mail box.

10. A system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a web-interface configured to communicate with a client to manipulate the subscriber profile.

11. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for establishing a communication session according to a profile of a subscriber, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving geographic information of the subscriber;

determining whether the geographic information corresponds to one of a plurality of addresses specified in the profile of the subscriber to set a current address, wherein the plurality of addresses is associated with a plurality of devices adapted to complete the communication session; and

designating the one address as the current address if the geographic information corresponds to the one address, otherwise the current address is set to a default address, wherein the communication session is established based on the current address.

12. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the geographic information is periodically output from a locator device attached to the subscriber, the geographic information being based on a Global Positioning System (GPS).

13. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the communication session is a voice call that is established according to a Find-Me/Follow-Me service.

14. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the device associated with the default address in the designating step includes at least one of a cellular phone, pager, and a voice mail box.

15. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of:

communicating with a client via a web-interface for manipulating the subscriber profile.

16. A system for establishing a communication session according to a profile of a subscriber, the system comprising:

means for receiving geographic information of the subscriber; and

means for determining whether geographic information of a subscriber corresponds to one of a plurality of addresses specified in the profile of the subscriber to set a current address, the plurality of addresses being associated with a plurality of devices adapted to complete the communication session, and for designating the one address as the current address if the geographic information corresponds to the one address, otherwise the current address is set to a default address, wherein the communication session is established based on the current address.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the geographic information is periodically output from a locator device attached to the subscriber, the geographic information being based on a Global Positioning System (GPS).

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein the communication session is a voice call that is established according to a Find-Me/Follow-Me service.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein the device associated with the default address includes at least one of a cellular phone, pager, and a voice mail box.

20. A system according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for communicating with a client via a web-interface for manipulating the subscriber profile.

21. A method for providing automatic update of a subscriber profile, the method comprising:

receiving a signal indicating positional information of an intended party of a communication session;

determining whether a location site has changed in response to the received positional information, the location site corresponding to an address of a device adapted to participate in the communication session; and

selectively transmitting a message to update the subscriber profile associated with the intended party in response to the determining step, the message indicating a changed location site.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the positional information is received from a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein the communication session is a voice call that is established according to a Find-Me/Follow-Me service.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein the subscriber profile includes a default address corresponding to a device that includes at least one of a cellular phone, pager, and a voice mail box.

25. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for providing automatic update of a subscriber profile, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a signal indicating positional information of an intended party of a communication session;

determining whether a location site has changed in response to the received positional information, the location site corresponding to an address of a device adapted to participate in the communication session; and

selectively transmitting a message to update the subscriber profile associated with the intended party in response to the determining step, the message indicating a changed location site.

26. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the positional information is received from a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite.

27. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the communication session is a voice call that is established according to a Find-Me/Follow-Me service.

28. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the subscriber profile includes a default address corresponding to a device that includes at least one of a cellular phone, pager, and a voice mail box.