Mobile Activity Status Tracker

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.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device, comprising:
 monitoring, from a server outside a servicing network to a given mobile device, a duplicate of a status change mechanism of call processing initiated by said mobile device, said status change mechanism being independent of a home location register; and   logging, at said server outside said servicing network, a presence of said mobile device based on a change in said mechanism of call processing of said mobile device.   
     
     
         30 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 said carrier's network is a wireless network.   
     
     
         31 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 said mechanism of call processing comprises call setup messaging.   
     
     
         32 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 said mechanism of call processing comprises a mobile registration message.   
     
     
         33 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 said mechanism of call processing comprises a forwarded mobile inactivity message.   
     
     
         34 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 said mechanism of call processing comprises a mobile automatic notification of subscriber status to a TCP/IP entity.   
     
     
         35 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 34 , wherein:
 said TCP/IP entity is an application server on an Internet.   
     
     
         36 . A method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device, comprising:
 monitoring, from a server outside a servicing network to a given mobile device, a duplicate of a status change mechanism generated by a mobile switching center (MSC), said status change message being independent of a home location register; and   logging, at said server outside said servicing network, a presence of said mobile device based on a change in said status change mechanism generated by said mobile switching center (MSC).   
     
     
         37 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 36 , wherein:
 said carrier's network is a wireless network.   
     
     
         38 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 36 , wherein:
 said status change mechanism comprises call setup messaging.   
     
     
         39 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 36 , wherein:
 said status change mechanism comprises a mobile registration message.   
     
     
         40 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 36 , wherein:
 said status change mechanism comprises a forwarded mobile inactivity message.   
     
     
         41 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 36 , wherein:
 said status change mechanism comprises a mobile automatic notification of subscriber status to a TCP/IP entity.   
     
     
         42 . The method of obtaining presence of a mobile device outside a carrier's network supplying service to said mobile device according to  claim 41 , wherein:
 said TCP/IP entity is an application server on an Internet.