U.S. patent application number 13/302615 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-22 for system and method for management of mobile device communication.
This patent application is currently assigned to RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED. Invention is credited to Russell OWEN.
Application Number | 20120071144 13/302615 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38750143 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120071144 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
OWEN; Russell |
March 22, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGEMENT OF MOBILE DEVICE COMMUNICATION
Abstract
A system and method for managing mobile device communication in
an enterprise includes a device management agent and a
synchronization agent in the mobile device. Information about the
status of the mobile device is collected by the device management
agent and the synchronization agent communicates the status
information to the enterprise with which the mobile device is
associated. A synchronization server at the enterprise collects
device information and updates records at the enterprise.
Information such as device telephone number is propagated to the
enterprise directory and potentially to a PBX to ensure
connectivity with the mobile device.
Inventors: |
OWEN; Russell; (Waterloo,
CA) |
Assignee: |
RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
Waterloo
CA
|
Family ID: |
38750143 |
Appl. No.: |
13/302615 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11420789 |
May 29, 2006 |
8085891 |
|
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13302615 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/414.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 29/1216 20130101;
H04L 51/38 20130101; H04M 3/4234 20130101; H04M 3/5322 20130101;
H04M 2203/554 20130101; H04L 61/157 20130101; H04M 2203/4536
20130101; H04L 67/24 20130101; H04M 2207/18 20130101; H04L 51/043
20130101; H04L 67/18 20130101; H04M 3/42374 20130101; H04L 29/12122
20130101; H04W 8/22 20130101; H04L 61/1547 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/414.1 |
International
Class: |
H04W 4/02 20090101
H04W004/02 |
Claims
1. A method implemented at a first communication device, the method
comprising: receiving time zone information for a second
communication device; storing said time zone information for the
second communication device; detecting, at the first communication
device, initiation of communication with the second communication
device; in response to said initiation, issuing a notification at
the first communication device based on said stored time zone
information.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving changed
time zone information for the second communication device; and
storing said changed time zone information for the second
communication device.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is a telephone
call from the first communication device to the second
communication device.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is issued prior
to placing the telephone call.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is displayed at
the first communication device.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is issued when
said initiation is detected outside business hours at a location of
the second communication device.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving said time zone
information comprises the first communication device receiving said
time zone information by synchronizing a data store at the first
communication device with a server data store.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first
communication device providing time zone information for the first
communication device to a server for provision to the second
communication device.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving is carried out
using a wireless link.
10. A communication device, comprising: a processor configured to:
enable receipt of time zone information for another communication
device; store said time zone information for the other
communication device in a data store; detect, at the first
communication device, initiation of communication with the other
communication device; in response to said initiation, issue a
notification at the communication device based on said stored time
zone information.
11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the processor is
further configured to: receive changed time zone information for
the other communication device; and store said changed time zone
information for the other communication device in the data
store.
12. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the communication
is a telephone call from the communication device to the other
communication device.
13. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the processor is
configured to issue the notification prior to the telephone call
being placed.
14. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the processor is
further configured to enable display of the notification at the
communication device.
15. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the processor is
configured to issue the notification when said initiation is
detected outside business hours at a location of the other
communication device.
16. The communication device of claim 10, wherein receipt of the
time zone information comprises synchronization of the data store
with a server data store.
17. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the processor is
further configured to enable provision of time zone information for
the communication device to a server for provision to the other
communication device.
18. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the processor is
configured to enable said receipt over a wireless link.
19. A communication device program product comprising a
non-transitory communication device readable medium bearing code
which, when executed by a processor of a communication device,
causes said device to: enable receipt of time zone information for
an other communication device; store said time zone information for
the other communication device in a data store; detect, at the
communication device, initiation of communication with the other
communication device; in response to said initiation, issue a
notification at the communication device based on said stored time
zone information.
Description
REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/420,789, filed May 29, 2006, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to communication
systems and more specifically to a system and method for the
management of communication with mobile devices in such
systems.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Wireless mobile communication devices are in increasing use
and the ability to ensure continued connectivity for users is of
increasing importance. To aid in management of mobile device
communication, it is desirable for users of such devices within an
enterprise to have identification and communication information
stored in a manner that permits the information to be accessible
and current.
[0004] One example of such identification and communication
information relates to telephone numbers assigned to mobile
communication devices. Wireless devices such as mobile telephones
typically make use of a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) component
to identify the device to the wireless network that the device uses
for communication. A user may change the SIM in a mobile
communication device to allow the user to use a network in a
different geographic region. This change in SIM is one way to
permit device "roaming". If a wireless user moves to an area where
a first communication carrier's wireless network does not reach, or
where the cost for access to that carrier's network becomes
unacceptable, the wireless user may replace a first SIM with a SIM
for another wireless network.
[0005] In wireless communication devices that include both e-mail
and telephone functionality, a change of SIM will not necessarily
change the e-mail address for the device, but it will result in a
change in the telephone number that is assigned to the device. As a
result, attempts to communicate with the mobile device with a new
SIM by telephone may fail. Information available to other employees
of an enterprise of to non-employees may be out of date or
temporarily inaccurate.
[0006] As will be appreciated, there is often other status
information about a mobile communication device that is useful in
management of communication to the device. Status information
concerning the location of the device may be usable for
communication management, for example, if such information
indicates that the device is in a particular time zone or if it
indicates that the device is in a cradle at a workstation. Other
dynamic network identifier information may also be useful status
information for the device, for example, an IP address assigned to
a handset.
[0007] It is therefore desirable to provide a system and method for
the management communications relating to mobile devices which is
based on status information being made available by the
devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a
preferred embodiment of the invention,
[0009] FIG. 1 is an overview of an example communication system in
which a wireless communication device may be used.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a further example communication
system including multiple networks and multiple mobile
communication devices.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a high-level
representation of an example arrangement of a mobile communication
device and enterprise system components according to the preferred
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] One aspect of the system and method described provides for
an improved system and method for managing communication using
status information pertaining to mobile communication devices.
[0013] According to an aspect of the preferred embodiment, there is
provided a method and system in which a wireless communication
device communicates device status to a server at an enterprise to
ensure that correct and timely information about the device is
maintained in device management data at the enterprise. According
to another aspect of the invention, a wireless communication device
is provided with a device management agent and a synchronization
agent to enable the communication of device status to be carried
out.
[0014] Advantages of the preferred embodiment include the ability
to automatically propagate status information relating to a mobile
communication device to an enterprise-based server to allow
decisions to be made in communication management, such as routing
decisions. Advantages of the preferred embodiment include the
ability to update telephone numbers (or other dynamic network
identifiers) in an enterprise directory or database when a change
has occurred for a mobile communication device (such as the use of
a different SIM card on a mobile device). Advantages also include
the ability to update a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) to allow a
change in telephone number to be tracked when a forwarding feature
is in use in the PBX
[0015] FIG. 1 is an overview of an example communication system in
which a mobile communication device may be used. One skilled in the
art will appreciate that there may be other different topologies,
but the system shown in FIG. 1 helps demonstrate the operation of
the secure message processing systems and methods described in the
present application. There may also be many message senders and
recipients. The simple system shown in FIG. 1 is provided for
illustrative purposes.
[0016] FIG. 1 shows an e-mail sender 10, the Internet 20, a message
server system 40, a wireless gateway 85, wireless infrastructure
90, a wireless network 105 and a mobile communication device
100.
[0017] An e-mail sender system 10 may, for example, be connected to
an ISP (Internet Service Provider) on which a user of the system 10
has an account, located within a company, possibly connected to a
local area network (LAN), and connected to the Internet 20, or
connected to the Internet 20 through a large ASP (application
service provider) such as America Online (AOL). Those skilled in
the art will appreciate that the systems shown in FIG. 1 may
instead be connected to a wide area network (WAN) other than the
Internet, although e-mail transfers are commonly accomplished
through Internet-connected arrangements as shown in FIG. 1.
[0018] The message server 40 may be implemented, for example, on a
network computer within the firewall of a corporation, a computer
within an ISP or ASP system or the like, and acts as the main
interface for e-mail exchange over the Internet 20. Although other
messaging systems might not require a message server system 40, a
mobile communication device 100 configured for receiving and
possibly sending e-mail will normally be associated with an account
on a message server. Perhaps the two most common message servers
are Microsoft Exchange.TM. and Lotus Domino.TM. Such products are
often used in conjunction with Internet mail routers that route and
deliver mail. These intermediate components are not shown in FIG.
1, as they do not directly play a role in the message processing
described below. Message servers such as server 40 typically extend
beyond just e-mail sending and receiving; they also include dynamic
database storage engines that have predefined database formats for
data like calendars, to-do lists, task lists, e-mail and
documentation.
[0019] The wireless gateway 85 and infrastructure 90 provide a link
between the Internet 20 and wireless network 105. The wireless
infrastructure 90 determines the most likely network for locating a
given user and tracks the user as they roam between countries or
networks. A message is then delivered to the mobile communication
device 100 via wireless transmission, typically at a radio
frequency (RF), from a base station in the wireless network 105 to
the mobile communication device 100. The particular network 105 may
be virtually any wireless network over which messages may be
exchanged with a mobile communication device.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, a composed e-mail message 15 is sent by
the e-mail sender 10, located somewhere on the Internet 20. This
message 15 is normally fully in the clear and uses traditional
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), RFC822 headers and
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) body parts to define
the format of the mail message. These techniques are known to those
skilled in the art. The message 15 arrives at the message server 40
and is normally stored in a message store. In a preferred
embodiment described in further detail below, messages addressed to
a message server account associated with a host system such as a
home computer or office computer which belongs to the user of a
mobile communication device 100 are redirected from the message
server 40 to the mobile communication device 100 as they are
received.
[0021] Regardless of the specific mechanism controlling the
forwarding of messages to the mobile communication device 100, the
message 15, or possibly a translated or reformatted version
thereof, is sent to the wireless gateway 85. The wireless
infrastructure 90 includes a series of connections to wireless
network 105. These connections could be Integrated Services Digital
Network (ISDN), Frame Relay or T1 connections using the TCP/IP
protocol used throughout the Internet. As used herein, the term
"wireless network" is intended to include three different types of
networks, those being (1) data-centric wireless networks, (2)
voice-centric wireless networks and (3) dual-mode networks that can
support both voice and data communications over the same physical
base stations. Combined dual-mode networks include, but are not
limited to, (1) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks, (2)
the Groupe Special Mobile or the Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM) and the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)
networks, and (3) future third-generation (3G) networks like
Enhanced Data-rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) and Universal
Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS). Some older examples of
data-centric network include the Mobitex.TM. Radio Network and the
DataTAC.TM. Radio Network. Examples of older voice-centric data
networks include Personal Communication Systems (PCS) networks like
GSM, and TDMA systems.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a further example communication
system including multiple networks and multiple mobile
communication devices. The system of FIG. 2 is substantially
similar to the FIG. 1 system, but includes a host system 30, a
redirection program 45, a mobile device cradle 65, a wireless
virtual private network (VPN) router 75, an additional wireless
network 110 and multiple mobile communication devices 100. As
described above in conjunction with FIG. 1, FIG. 2 represents an
overview of a sample network topology. Although the message
processing systems and methods described herein may be applied to
networks having many different topologies, the network of FIG. 2 is
useful in understanding an automatic e-mail redirection system
mentioned briefly above.
[0023] The central host system 30 will typically be a corporate
office or other LAN, but may instead be a home office computer or
some other private system where mail messages are being exchanged.
Within the host system 30 is the message server 40, running on a
computer within the firewall of the host system that acts as the
main interface for the host system to exchange e-mail with the
Internet 20. In the system of FIG. 2, the redirection program 45
enables redirection of data items from the server 40 to a mobile
communication device 100. Although the redirection program 45 is
shown to reside on the same machine as the message server 40 for
ease of presentation, there is no requirement that it must reside
on the message server. The redirection program 45 and the message
server 40 are designed to co-operate and interact to allow the
pushing of information to mobile devices 100. In this installation,
the redirection program 45 takes confidential and non-confidential
corporate information for a specific user and redirects it out
through the corporate firewall to mobile devices 100. A more
detailed description of the redirection software 45 may be found in
the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,694 ("the '694 Patent"),
entitled "System and Method for Pushing Information From A Host
System To A Mobile Data Communication Device Having A Shared
Electronic Address", and issued to the assignee of the instant
application on Apr. 17, 2001, which is hereby incorporated into the
present application by reference. This push technique may use a
wireless friendly encoding, compression and encryption technique to
deliver all information to a mobile device, thus effectively
extending the security firewall to include each mobile
communication device 100 associated with the host system 30.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, there may be many alternative paths for
getting information to the mobile communication device 100. One
method for loading information onto the mobile communication device
100 is through a port designated 50, using a device cradle 65. This
method tends to be useful for bulk information updates often
performed at initialization of a mobile communication device 100
with the host system 30 or a computer 35 within the system 30. The
other main method for data exchange is over-the-air using wireless
networks to deliver the information. As shown in FIG. 2, this may
be accomplished through a wireless VPN router 75 or through a
traditional Internet connection 95 to a wireless gateway 85 and a
wireless infrastructure 90, as described above. A VPN connection
could be established directly through a specific wireless network
110 to a mobile communication device 100. The possibility of using
a wireless VPN router 75 is contemplated to be used with Internet
Protocol (IP) Version 6 (IPV6) on IP-based wireless networks. This
protocol will provide enough IP addresses to dedicate an IP address
to every mobile communication device 100 and thus make it possible
to push information to a mobile communication device 100 at any
time. A principal advantage of using this wireless VPN router 75 is
that it could be an off-the-shelf VPN component, thus it would not
require a separate wireless gateway 85 and wireless infrastructure
90 to be used. A VPN connection would preferably be a Transmission
Control Protocol (TCP)/IP or User Datagram Protocol (UDP)/IP
connection to deliver the messages directly to the mobile
communication device 100. If a wireless VPN 75 is not available
then a link 95 to the Internet 20 is the most common connection
mechanism available and has been described above.
[0025] In the automatic redirection system of FIG. 2, a composed
e-mail message 15 leaving the e-mail sender 10 arrives at the
message server 40 and is redirected by the redirection program 45
to the mobile communication device 100. As this redirection takes
place the message 15 is re-enveloped, as indicated at 80, and a
possibly proprietary compression and encryption algorithm can then
be applied to the original message 15. In this way, messages being
read on the mobile communication device 100 are no less secure than
if they were read on a desktop workstation such as 35 within the
firewall. All messages exchanged between the redirection program 45
and the mobile communication device 100 preferably use this message
repackaging technique. Another goal of this outer envelope is to
maintain the addressing information of the original message except
the sender's and the receiver's address. This allows reply messages
to reach the appropriate destination, and also allows the "from"
field to reflect the mobile user's desktop address. Using the
user's e-mail address from the mobile communication device 100
allows the received message to appear as though the message
originated from the user's desktop system 35 rather than the mobile
communication device 100.
[0026] With reference back to the port 50 and cradle 65
connectivity to the mobile communication device 100, this
connection path offers many advantages for enabling one-time data
exchange of large items. For those skilled in the art of personal
digital assistants (PDAs) and synchronization, the most common data
exchanged over this link is Personal Information Management (PIM)
data 55. When exchanged for the first time this data tends to be
large in quantity, bulky in nature and requires a large bandwidth
to get loaded onto the mobile communication device 100 where it can
be used on the road. This serial link may also be used for other
purposes, including setting up a private security key 111 such as
an S/MIME or PGP (Pretty Good Privacy data encryption) specific
private key, the Certificate (Cert) of the user and their
Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) 60. The private key is
preferably exchanged so that the desktop 35 and mobile
communication device 100 share one personality and one method for
accessing all mail. The Cert and CRLs are normally exchanged over
such a link because they represent a large amount of the data that
is required by the device for S/MIME, PGP and other public key
security methods.
[0027] As will be appreciated from the above description, mobile
communication device 100 is usable to communicate using wireless
data networks to permit e-mail and related data to be exchanged (as
is shown for e-mailer sender 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2). Further, mobile
communication device 100 is usable for voice communication using
wireless data networks which permit the device to be operated as a
telephone with an assigned telephone number. Although FIGS. 1 and 2
primarily show data communication paths between devices, mobile
devices 100 may communicate with each other, and with other
devices, using wireless networks for voice communication. This
communication takes place over conventionally-defined wireless
voice networks as are supported by mobile communication device
100.
[0028] As will be appreciated, and as is described in further
detail below, the identifying characteristics of mobile
communication device 100, such as an assigned telephone number or
other dynamic network identifiers (such as an IP address), may
change over time. In the preferred embodiment, an initialization or
change to such an identifying characteristic is handled at a host
location so as to permit dissemination of the identifying
characteristic to particular users of the communication
network.
[0029] This aspect of the preferred embodiment is described with
reference to the example shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3. The
figure shows a selected subsystem of mobile communication device
100. In current wireless remote communication systems there are
different types of devices, such as a personal digital assistant, a
smart phone or a wireless handheld device, each of which may
potentially be employed as mobile communication device 100 as shown
in this description of the preferred embodiment. Different networks
may also be employed to allow the device to communicate. In the
preferred embodiment the mobile communication device 100 is used by
a person who is considered to be part of a defined organization or
enterprise, as described further below.
[0030] Mobile communication device 100 in FIG. 3 is shown as
comprising a subsystem having device management agent 212 and
synchronization agent 214. The functions of these agents are set
out in more detail below. In the preferred embodiment these agents
are implemented as program code that is executable by mobile
communication device 100 and is operative to carry out defined
functions on mobile communication device 100. The preferred
embodiment may be implemented as a computing device program
product, or as a portion of such a product, that includes program
code operative in whole or in part on mobile communication device
100 and/or on computing devices at a host system 30 to carry out
steps in the process described below. Such a computing-device
program product may be embodied in, and delivered to an intended
computing device by, signals carried by networks, including the
Internet, or may be embodied in media such as magnetic, electronic
or optical storage media. The process described may be carried out
by a combination of one or more of executable code, firmware and
hardware in a computing device.
[0031] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
functions of agents 212 and 214 may be implemented by way of one or
more of program code, hardware or firmware. In the preferred
embodiment these functional components are referred to as agents
but other computing device elements operative to carry out the
functionality of agents 212, 214 and the components in host system
30 may be provided, as is appreciated by those skilled in the art.
In the description, synchronization agent 214 is described as
forwarding information to host system 30. As will be appreciated,
the various communications systems referred to in FIGS. 1 and 2 are
potentially available to mobile communication device 100 and the
forwarding of information by synchronization agent 214, and the
receipt of such information by host system 30, is carried out using
such communications systems as referred to above.
[0032] FIG. 3 shows enterprise components that are, in the
preferred embodiment, implemented at a host system 30. In the
preferred embodiment, host system 30 is located at a single
location in an enterprise. It is understood by those skilled in the
art that the components in host system 30 shown in FIG. 3 may be
outsourced or otherwise provided at a location remote from host
system 30. The functionality described below for the components
shown in host system 30 in FIG. 3 are provided so as to be
available to the enterprise, as is described in more detail
below.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows synchronization server 216, device management
database 218, enterprise directory 220, and PBX 222 in host system
30. Host system 30 is, in the preferred embodiment, associated with
a particular enterprise. It is understood that the enterprise will
have available to it system resources that will carry out some or
all of the functions as described below with reference to
synchronization server 216, device management database 218,
enterprise directory 220 and PBX 222. For example, the preferred
embodiment is described with reference to the separate component
device management database 218. However, an alternative embodiment
may provide for handling of device management data as an integral
aspect of synchronization server 216 and not as a separate
component as is suggested in FIG. 3 with reference to the preferred
embodiment.
[0034] In operation, mobile communication device 100 contains a
processor able to run executable code implementing device
management agent 212. Device management agent 212 is operative to
interrogate the mobile communication device itself and obtain
device status information. Examples of such information include
memory usage, memory availability and application status. In the
preferred embodiment, such information includes mobile device
status information usable for managing communication to the device,
such as the telephone number assigned to mobile communication
device 100. Other status information such as "off-hook" or
"in-cradle" may also be obtained by device management agent 212
interrogating the device. In the preferred embodiment, such state
information is able to be stored by device management agent 212 in
memory on the device. As will be appreciated, mobile communication
device 100 may also include other executable code operative to
obtain and/or store status information in memory on the device
independently of device management agent 212. The preferred
embodiment is designed, however, to use device management agent 212
to collect and store potentially usable device status
information.
[0035] As shown in the FIG. 3 representation of the preferred
embodiment, mobile communication device 100 also includes
synchronization agent 214. Synchronization agent 214 is computing
device executable code operative to manage device status
information collected and stored by device management agent 212 so
as to synchronize this information with records maintained by an
enterprise associated with the mobile communication device 100.
Such an enterprise is typically a business, government or academic
organization but may include any defined set of users having a
common set of characteristics and who are identifiable to each
other. For example, defined user groups or on-line communities may
be considered enterprises in the sense used in this description. As
is described with reference to the preferred embodiment, the
enterprise includes accessible data for storing communication
information relating to one or more mobile communication devices
100. As is described in more detail below, such information is
dynamic and the enterprise includes processes for updating such
information in data memory accessible by host system 30.
[0036] According to the preferred embodiment, when a change in
device status for mobile communication device 100 is detected (as
described below), synchronization agent 214 initiates a
synchronization operation to provide for the updating of data
maintained by the enterprise in host system 30. In the preferred
embodiment, synchronization agent 214 uses the wireless
communication capability of mobile communication device 100 to
communicate device status information to synchronization server
216.
[0037] An example of the operation of agents 212 and 214 on mobile
communication device 100 is given when a SIM for the device is
exchanged for a different SIM. Such a change will be desirable
when, for example, mobile communication device 100 is moved from a
region having a first wireless network to a region with a different
wireless network. In some cases, a first SIM will function in the
first region but not in the second, requiring a second SIM to be
installed in mobile communication device 100. As will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art, the first and second SIMs
will be assigned different telephone numbers.
[0038] According to the preferred embodiment, device management
agent 212 is operative to periodically interrogate the SIM
installed in mobile communication device 100. When device
management agent 212 interrogates a newly installed SIM it is
operative to determine that there is a new telephone number for the
device (by comparing the number for the new SIM with a
previously-stored record of the telephone number associated with
mobile communication device 100). According to the preferred
embodiment, device management agent 212 stores this new telephone
number (obtained by interrogating the new SIM) in the device status
data stored on device 100. In the preferred embodiment, device
management agent 212 will then trigger execution by synchronization
agent 214 and will provide synchronization agent 214 with the
relevant details of the change in status information for device 100
(the new telephone number in the case of this example).
Consequently, synchronization agent 214 communicates the new
telephone number for device 100 to synchronization server 216 in
host system 30, along with other information usable to permit
proper updating of enterprise records, if any.
[0039] Alternatively, upon detecting a new SIM on interrogating the
device, device management agent 212 may merely update the data on
device 100 that reflects device status information, without
directly initiating operation of synchronization agent 214. In such
an arrangement, operation of synchronization agent 214 will either
be triggered by another defined event (for example, replacing
mobile communication device 100 in a holster or in a cradle) or may
be initiated by a timeout or some other periodic event selectable
by an administrator or user of mobile communication device 100.
[0040] As will be appreciated, other status information for mobile
communication device 100 may be tracked, stored and forwarded to
host system 30 in a manner analogous to that described for
telephone number status information in the example. Such status
information for mobile communication device 100 may include the
physical location of the device as may be obtained by a global
positioning service or information as to whether mobile
communication device 100 is in physical cradle device 65, or not.
Other dynamic network identifiers (such as a personal
identification number assigned by a network administrator, or such
as an IP address) may also be treated in a similar fashion.
[0041] Turning to enterprise components that may be located in host
system 30, the preferred embodiment configuration includes device
management database 218. This database includes records reflecting
the devices usable by those associated with the enterprise (for
example, by employees of, or contractors retained by, a
corporation). When synchronization server 216 receives device
status information from mobile communication device 100 (due to
operation of synchronization agent 214), the information is stored
in the appropriate record in device management database 218
relating to device 100. In the example above, when a SIM for (and
hence the telephone number assigned to) mobile communication device
100 is changed and a new telephone number is sent to host system 30
by synchronization agent 214, synchronization server 16 is
operative to enter the new telephone number in device management
database 218 in the appropriate data record associated with the
user of mobile communication device 100.
[0042] The block diagram of FIG. 3 also shows that synchronization
server 216 interoperates with both enterprise directory 220 and PBX
222. In an alternative embodiment, the information from mobile
communication device 100 can be stored by synchronization server
216 only in device management database 218, and other applications
are then able to access the information as stored in the database
to permit the tailoring of communication with mobile communication
device 100.
[0043] In the arrangement shown in FIG. 3, synchronization server
216 may copy status information about mobile communication device
100 to enterprise directory 220. Thus a change in telephone number
communicated by synchronization agent 214 will be recorded in
enterprise directory 220. The result is that when a SIM is changed
in mobile communication device 100, for example, the new telephone
number for the device is recorded in a directory and calls to the
device which rely on information in enterprise directory 220 will
be successful.
[0044] FIG. 3 also shows PBX 222 that is also able to receive
information about mobile communication device 100 by operation of
synchronization server 216. With respect to the change in telephone
number referred to above, if the user of device 100 wishes to
forward calls directed to his or her line in the PBX to the mobile
device, the new telephone number may be automatically entered in
PBX 222 by synchronization server 216. In the preferred embodiment,
an administrator may use an interface provided for synchronization
server 216 to specify communication preferences for the user of
mobile communication device 100. Alternatively, some or all users
of such mobile communication devices 100 may be provided with the
ability to define such communication management preferences.
Synchronization server 216 will accordingly be operative to receive
status information and to update records and communication
permissions at host system 30 in accordance with the defined
communication management preferences so defined by an administrator
or user.
[0045] As is suggested above, status information from mobile
communication device 100 may relate to the physical location of the
device (using a Global Positioning Service, for example), or
whether the device is in a cradle or not. This information, when
propagated to the enterprise by operation so synchronization agent
214 and synchronization server 216, may be used to route
communications to the user of mobile communication device 100 in
accordance with the defined preferences for the user. For example,
if the mobile communication device is in cradle 65, this status
information can be communicated by synchronization server 216 to
the appropriate components in host system 30 (for example PBX 222)
so as to route telephone calls to a telephone extension of the user
in an exchange within the enterprise, rather than to the mobile
device.
[0046] The preferred embodiment also provides for users associated
with the enterprise to register one or more interests in other
devices or users in the enterprise. As is referred to above with
respect to the management of communications in accordance with
specified user preferences, an administrator may register such
interests or users may be provided with the ability to specify such
an interest directly. In either case, according to the preferred
embodiment, such an interest may be registered using
synchronization server 216. According to the preferred embodiment,
the interest is recorded in device management database 218.
[0047] Accordingly, when status information is received by
synchronization server 216, the server will determine, using device
management database 218, whether there is a registered interest in
the mobile communication device relating to the received status
information. When the records of device management database 218
indicate that there is such an interest, synchronization server 216
will forward the status information to a device relating to the
registered interest. According to the preferred embodiment, users
of mobile communication devices may use device management agent 212
to register such an interest. In addition, synchronization agent
214 and device management agent 212 are defined to receive and to
process, respectively, status information regarding the device of
interest received from synchronization server.
[0048] For example, a first user may register a first device as
being interested in a second device. When there is a SIM change for
the second device, synchronization server 216 forwards the new
telephone number for the second device to the first device where
the new telephone number can be added to, or used to update, an
address book maintained on the first device. Synchronization agent
214 is operative to receive the new telephone number information
and pass it to device management agent 212, which is operative to
update an address book maintained in mobile communication device
100.
[0049] As will be appreciated, this type of interest registration
may be used to provide other types of communication management. For
example, using the process described above, a warning notice may be
given to a user who attempts to initiate a telephone call to a
mobile communication device when that device is in a time zone
where it is no longer business hours. The user attempting to make
the telephone call may register and interest in the time zone
status information for the target device and synchronization server
216 may forward such information to the device for the calling user
which information can be used by that device to display an
appropriate warning to the calling user prior to the call being
placed.
[0050] In this way, changes in the status information for a mobile
communication device can be communicated to another device, on
request. In the preferred embodiment synchronization server 216
provides an interface to permit a system administrator to define
relationships between users and/or devices so that changes in
device status information will be propagated from the enterprise to
the other devices according to the defined relationships. For
example, the current telephone numbers for all directly reporting
staff may be updated on the address books of devices for the
managers for those direct reports. The information flow and
processing for device management agent 212 and synchronization
server 216 may be defined based on the structure of the enterprise,
with rules for propagation of status information being defined
based on the assignment of mobile communication devices within the
enterprise.
[0051] Other functionality and management capabilities may be
defined for the enterprise using synchronization server 216 and the
interaction with synchronization agent 214. Various embodiments of
the present invention having been thus described in detail by way
of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
variations and modifications may be made without departing from the
invention. The invention includes all such variations and
modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
[0052] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of
the patent document or patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise
reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
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