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

• US 7,447,495 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• 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): Le; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US11/872,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 4554141-4144, 455/442.1, 455/442.2, 455/445, 455461-463, 455/466, 455/467, 455/550.1, 709202-207, 709/218, 709/219, 709225-227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• 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 network comprising:

a first client configured to use a first application to receive a message associated with a message type;

a second client configured to use a second application to send a message associated with an event time and the message type to the first client;

a presence server; and

an application server configured to communicate with the first client and detect use of the first application by the first client, and after detecting use of the first application by the first client, send application presence data associated with the first client and the first application to the presence server,

the presence server being configured to receive the application presence data associated with the first client and the first application from the application server, and store the application presence data in a recipient activity status record associated with the first client and the first application,

the application server being configured to receive the message from the second client and evaluate the recipient activity status record associated with the first client and the first application to determine whether the first client is unavailable to receive the message before the event time associated with the message, and if the first client is unavailable to receive the message before the event time associated with the message, reroute the message.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client and the second client is a mobile client.

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

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

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

6. The network of claim 1, wherein if the first client 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 first client.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein rerouting the message comprises discarding the message.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein the recipient activity status record associated with the first client and the message type indicates how often or how recently the first application was accessed by the first client.

9. The network of claim 1, wherein the first client is configured to respond to an alert, the application server is configured to send an alert to the first client and receive a response therefrom, the application server is configured to send application presence data to the presence server determined as a function of the response received by the application server from the first client, and the presence server is configured to store the application presence data in the recipient activity status record associated with the first client and the first application.

10. The network of claim 1, wherein the first client is configured to send application presence data associated with the first client and the first application without use of the first application to the presence server and the presence server is configured to store the application presence data in the recipient activity status record associated with the first client and the first application.

11. The network of claim 1, wherein the application server is configured to send application presence data associated with the first client and the first application to the second client and the second client is configured to notify a user thereof whether the first client is available to receive the message.

12. The network of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of clients wherein the application server is configured to send application presence data associated with the first client and the first application to a predetermined portion of the plurality of clients.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein the predetermined portion of the plurality of clients are identified by a user of the first client.