METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING APPLICATION LEVEL PRESENCE INFORMATION IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

• US 20080040728A1
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Agrawal, Anuraag
• Granted Patent: US 8,082,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/313
• 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. An application server, comprising:

a processor configured to execute a selected application; and

a memory configured to receive user presence data associated with usage of the selected application by at least one user, the selected application being configured to evaluate a timeliness indicator associated with a message for the at least one user and the user presence data associated with usage of the selected application by the at least one user to determine whether the at least one user is unavailable to receive the message before an event time associated with the message, and if the at least one user is unavailable to receive the message before the event time, reroute the message.

2. The application server of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to receive user activity data associated with usage of the selected application.

3. The application server of claim 1, wherein the selected application is a communication application.

4. The application server of claim 1, wherein the selected application is an instant messaging application.

6. The application server of claim 1, wherein the selected application is configured to provide user presence data associated with usage of the selected application by the at least one user to a presence server and the selected application is configured to receive user presence data associated with usage of the selected application by the at least one user from the presence server.

7. The application server of claim 1, wherein the application server is configured to provide application presence data to an external application server.

8. The application server of claim 1, wherein the application server is configured to provide application presence data to an external presence server.

9. The application server of claim 1, wherein if the at least one user is available to receive the message before the event time associated with the message, the application server is configured to route the message to the at least one user.

10. The application server of claim 1, wherein rerouting the message comprises discarding the message.

11. The application server of claim 1, wherein the user presence data associated with usage of the selected application by the at least one user indicates how often or how recently the first application was accessed by the at least one user.

12. The application server of claim 1, wherein the at least one user is operating a client configured to respond to an alert, the application server is configured to send an alert to the client and receive a response therefrom, and the application server is configured to determine application presence data as a function of the response received by the application server from the client.

13. The application server of claim 1, wherein the application server is configured to send application presence data associated with the user and the selected application indicating whether the user is available to receive messages to a second user.

14. The application server of claim 1, wherein the application server is configured to allow the user to identify a plurality of users and to send an indication to the plurality of users indicating whether the user is available to receive messages.

5. (canceled)

15. An application server, comprising:

a processor configured to execute a plurality of applications each associated with a message type; and

a memory configured to receive user presence data associated with usage of each of the applications of the plurality of applications by at least one user, the application server being further configured upon receipt of a message having a selected message type associated with a selected one of the plurality of applications to evaluate application presence data associated with the at least one user and the selected application one of the plurality of applications, and if the evaluation indicates the at least one user is available, provide the message to the at least one user.

16. The application server of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of applications is configured to communicate with a plurality of clients and for each client, determine application presence data based on use of the application by the client.

17. The application server of claim 15 for use with a presence server, wherein each of the plurality of applications is configured to communicate with a plurality of clients and for each client, determine application presence data based on usage of the application by the client and to provide the application presence data to the presence server,

the memory being configured to receive user presence data associated with usage of each of the applications of the plurality of applications by at least one user from the presence server.

18. The application server of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of applications is configured to communicate with a plurality of clients, and for each client, each of the plurality of applications is configured to determine application presence data based on use of the application by the client, and to provide the application presence data to an external application server.

19. The application server of claim 15, wherein if the evaluation indicates the at least one user is not available, the application associated with the selected message type is configured to reroute the message.

20. The application server of claim 15, wherein if the evaluation indicates the at least one user is not available, the application associated with the selected message type is configured to discard the message.

21. An application server, comprising:

a processor configured to execute a messaging application; and

a memory configured to receive user presence data associated with usage of the messaging application by a plurality of clients associated with a user, the messaging application being configured to communicate with the plurality of clients, and for each client, to determine application presence data based on usage of the messaging application and to provide the application presence data to a presence server, the presence server being configured to send application presence data to the memory,

the messaging application being further configured upon receipt of a message for the user to evaluate user application presence data associated with usage of the messaging application and the plurality of clients associated with the user, use the user application presence data to identify at least one of the clients of the plurality of clients to which to provide the message, and to provide the message to the at least one of the clients identified.