System and method for determining, storing and utilizing operating mode data of a user telecommunication terminal

• US 7,221,959 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Teliasonera Finland Oyj (Telia Company AB)
• Inventors: Lindqvist, Anssi, Pippuri, Sami, Pohjanen, Petri, Ronkko, Hannu, Ketonen, Pasi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US10/686,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20040110502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/456.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• 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 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• 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

A system and method for determining, storing and utilizing terminal operating mode data in a telecommunication system, in which the user can selectively set his terminal into two or more distinct operating modes. When the operating mode of the user'"'"'s terminal is changed, information regarding the change of operating mode is sent from the user terminal to a telecommunication server using any available and/or otherwise available technique available in the telecommunication network. The user terminal operating mode change is stored on the telecommunication server for access by parties seeking to contact or communicate with the user'"'"'s terminal.

Claims

1. A method for determining, storing and utilizing operating mode data of a user terminal in a telecommunication system in which a selected one of a plurality of user terminal operating modes is settable by the user, comprising the steps of:

selectively changing, by the user, the user terminal operating mode from a first operating mode to a second operating mode of the user terminal;

transmitting from the user terminal to a telecommunication server of the telecommunication system, via the telecommunication network, information regarding the selective change in user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode;

storing, on the telecommunication server, the transmitted information regarding the selective change in user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode so as to dynamically maintain on the telecommunication server current operating mode data of the user terminal; and

making available, by the telecommunication server, the current operating mode data of the user terminal for enquiries by other users, such that the current operating mode data is available to a calling party prior to attempting a connection to the user terminal.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of making available further comprises the step of providing, at the telecommunication server, the current operating mode data of the user terminal in a user-specific form browsable by other users.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the user-specific form browsable by other users is divided into plural visibility levels.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2 in which a connection to the user terminal is to be established by a calling party, further comprising the steps of:

checking, by the calling party prior to attempting a connection to the user terminal, the browsable current operating mode data provided at the telecommunication server to determine the current operating mode of the user terminal; and

after said checking of the current operating mode data, determining by the calling party whether to establish a connection to the user terminal.

5. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising the step of limiting the other users by which the current operating mode data of the user terminal is browsable.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of making available further comprises the step of delivering, from the telecommunication server to other users, the current operating mode data of the user terminal in a user-specific form browsable by the other users.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the step of limiting the other users to which the current operating mode data of the user terminal is delivered from the telecommunication server.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of storing on the telecommunication server further comprises storing on the telecommunication server at least one of an identity of the user, an identity of the user terminal, an other terminal through which the user can be reached at an other time, terminal setting data for reaching the user, a type of telecommunication connection available for reaching the user, an IP address of the user terminal, and location data of the user terminal.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting comprises automatically transmitting from the user terminal to a telecommunication server of the telecommunication system, via the telecommunication network and without other action by the user, information regarding the selective change in user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode when the operating mode of the user terminal is selectively changed by the user.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting comprises manually, by the user, transmitting from the user terminal to a telecommunication server of the telecommunication system, via the telecommunication network, information regarding the selective change in user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

sending, from the telecommunication server to the user terminal, in response to receipt by the telecommunication server of the information regarding the selective change in user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, and based on said received information, data relating to modifications to an operating environment of the user terminal; and

modifying the user terminal operating environment for consistency with the operating environment modification data received by the user terminal from the telecommunication server.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising the step of modifying one of applications and a user interface of the user terminal in accordance with the modification data received by the user terminal from the telecommunication server.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of utilizing the user terminal current operating mode data for directing one of advertising and services to the user terminal.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting in conjunction with the information regarding the selective change in user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, from the user terminal to the telecommunication server via the telecommunication network, identity data identifying one of the user and the user terminal;

altering, in the telecommunication server based on the received identity data, a user reachability chain associated with user reachability management for consistency with the transmitted information regarding the selective change in user terminal operating mode; and

modifying call control for the user in accordance with the altered user reachability chain.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the user reachability chain is defined in a user-specific reachability profile.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the user-specific reachability profile is changeable via remote telecommunications access from the user terminal using a WWW user interface.

17. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user terminal is mobile station of the user.

18. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information regarding the selective change in user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode is transmitted from the user terminal to the telecommunication server as one of an SMS message and a WAP message.

19. A system for determining, storing and utilizing operating mode data of a terminal in a telecommunication system, comprising:

a telecommunication server in a telecommunication network; and

a user terminal operable for communicating with the telecommunication network, for allowing a user to selectively change a user terminal operating mode from a first operating mode to a second operating mode of the user terminal, and for transmitting to the telecommunication server through the telecommunication network, information indicating the selective change in the user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode; and

the telecommunication server connected to the telecommunication network being configured for dynamically maintaining current operating mode data of the user terminal, for storing the transmitted information indicating the selective change in the user terminal operating mode from the first operating mode to the second operating mode to dynamically maintain on the telecommunication server current operating mode data of the user terminal, and for making available the current operating mode of the user terminal for enquiries by other users, such that the current operating mode data of the user terminal is available to a calling party prior to attempting a connection to the user terminal.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, further comprising at least one memorandum containing information relating to at least one of terminals connected to the telecommunication network and users of the connected terminals.

21. A system in accordance with claim 19, further comprising an application server connected to the telecommunication server for storing settings of applications and operations associated with different operating modes of the user terminal and for transmitting, to the user terminal, applications and operations settings required by the terminal for each of the different operating modes of the user terminal.

22. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said telecommunication server comprises at least one user-specific reachability profile defining a reachability chain.

23. A system in accordance with claim 22, further comprising a call control system connected to the telecommunication server for controlling call setup in accordance with a selected reachability chain.

24. A system in accordance with claim 23, wherein said call control system comprises an intelligent network.

25. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said user terminal comprises a mobile station.

26. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the user terminal operating mode indicates a state of reachability of the terminal.