Mobile activity status tracker

• US 9,241,040 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Wallace, Erik L., Weichselbaumer, Walter, Hronek, Daniel J., Titus, Mark, Ung, Dara
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/929,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20110141903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 455/466, 455/412.1, 455/433, 455/432.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• 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 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A technique and apparatus to provide status tracking of presence and/or location of a mobile, wireless device to a requesting entity even outside of a particular wireless system. This allows wireless service providers the ability to monitor and log changes in the status of mobile stations within and/or outside their networks. Embodiments are disclosed wherein presence and/or location information is provided to entities outside of a particular servicing wireless network using the mechanisms of call processing components of a mobile network (e.g., call setup procedures), and using standard mechanisms currently available to any appropriately conforming Mobile Switching Center (MSC) element. A mobile activity status tracker (MAST) is disclosed which contains a database of information similar to the information contained in the Home Location Register. The MAST tracks and reports status and activity of mobile wireless devices in a wireless network using mobile registration message, mobile inactivity message forwarding, and/or mobile automatic notification of subscriber status to TCP/IP entities (e.g., application servers on the Internet or Intranet). The MAST system duplicates the same or similar information contained in a corresponding HLR, but is available as an external database entity which is not restricted by SS7 standards. The tracking need not track call-specific information, e.g., called telephone numbers or information regarding conversations sustained by the tracked wireless subscribers.

Claims

1. A mobile activity status tracker, comprising:

a forwarder to forward a duplicate of a registration notification message associated with at least one of individual wireless device subscribers from a signaling transfer point to said mobile activity status tracker, independent of a home location register;

a communications channel to communicate mobile activity data from said signaling transfer point to said mobile activity status tracker without relying on communications with a home location register for said mobile activity data; and

a TCP/IP communications channel for communicating said mobile activity data to at least one application server over at least one of an Internet and an Intranet.

2. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 1, wherein:

said communications channel utilizes a TCP/IP communications protocol.

3. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 1, wherein:

said communications channel utilizes a Signaling System #7 communications protocol.

4. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 3, wherein:

said communications channel conforms to an IS-41 standard.

5. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 1, wherein:

said mobile activity data is data previously forwarded by a Home Location Register.

6. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 2, wherein:

said Home Location Register is one of a stand-alone Home Location Register and an Integrated Home Location Register (IHLR).

7. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 2, wherein:

said Home Location Register is integrated with a message servicing center on a common platform.

8. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 1, wherein:

said mobile activity status tracker is external to a Home Location Register servicing said individual wireless device subscribers.

9. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 8, wherein:

said mobile activity status tracker communicates with said Home Location Register servicing said individual wireless device subscribers using a Signaling System #7 protocol.

10. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 8, wherein:

said mobile activity status tracker communicates with said Home Location Register servicing said individual wireless device subscribers using an IS-41 protocol.

11. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 1, wherein:

said mobile activity status tracker is adapted to compare a temporary record with mobile activity data to determine any changes in activity status relating to a relevant wireless device and overwrite an existing record with said temporary record if a change in activity status is determined.

12. The mobile activity status tracker according to claim 1, wherein:

said mobile activity status tracker is further adapted to forward relevant information relating to said determined changes in activity status to at least one relevant application server.

13. A method of providing presence or location information regarding wireless system subscribers, comprising:

forwarding a duplicate of a registration notification message sent to a Home Location Register, to a mobile activity status tracker independent of said Home Location Register;

detecting said registration notification message at said mobile activity status tracker, said mobile activity status tracker being distinct from said Home Location Register; and

transmitting at least one of presence and location information relating to at least one wireless system subscriber from said mobile activity status tracker to at least one application server via at least one of an Internet and an Intranet, said at least one application server being user accessible to determine said at least one of presence information and location information of a wireless device.

14. The method of providing presence and location information regarding wireless system subscribers according to claim 13, further comprising:

comparing a temporary record with said mobile activity data to determine any changes in activity status relating to a relevant wireless device; and

at least one of overwriting an existing record with said temporary record if a change in activity status is determined, and keeping a log of at least one of history of activity and registration for at least one wireless subscriber.

15. The method of providing presence and location information regarding wireless system subscribers according to claim 13, wherein:

said registration notification message is forwarded through a signaling transfer point between said Home Location Register and said mobile activity status tracker.

16. The method of providing presence and location information regarding wireless system subscribers according to claim 13, wherein:

said registration notification message is signaling system #7 and IS-41 compliant.

17. The method of providing presence and location information regarding wireless system subscribers according to claim 13, wherein:

said registration notification message is IS-41 compliant.

18. The method of providing presence and location information regarding wireless system subscribers according to claim 13, wherein:

said Home Location Register is one of a stand-alone Home Location Register and an Integrated Home Location Register (IHLR).