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`[0056]
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`The Presence Server also communicates with the Position Determining Equipment
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`(PDE), Home Location Register (HLR), Short Message Service Center (SMSC), and WAP
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`gateway network elements in each of the wireless networks to which the PLIM system is
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`connected. The PDE may query the Presence Server to determine the market in which a
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`subscriber is operating. The Presence Server may extract wireless presence information
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`from the HLR. The SMSC may query the Presence Server before attempting to deliver a
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`short message to determine ofthe recipient’s mobile phone is ON. The Presence Server
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`provides wireless presence information to WAP-based IM clients for the “mobile buddy
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`[0057]
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`In order for presence management to be more useful in everydaylife, network
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`presence preferably indicates more than simple ON or OFF information. Table 1
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`illustrates the different types of wireless presence that are supported by a Presence Server
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`of a system accordingto the present invention.
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`INTERPRETATION
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`ON — Available
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`ON — WAP
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`TABLE 1
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`WIRELESS DEVICE
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`STATUS
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`down.
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`Phone is ON and the subscriber is available to be
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`ON — Voice Call
`Phone is ON, but the subscriber is engaged in a voice
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`Phone is ON and subscriberis using the WAP instant
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`messaging application.
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` ON ~ <user defined>
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`The phone is ON. The subscriber’s status has been
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`manually set by the subscriber. Predefined settings
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`The subscriber may also create arbitrary status indicators
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`consisting of alphanumeric characters.
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`-li-
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`Page 676 of 894
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`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1010 (part 4 of 4)
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`Page 676 of 894
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`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1010 (part 4 of 4)
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`WO 02/065250
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`PCT/US02/04533
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`[0058]
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`Likewise with the Internet, there are several variations of network presence. The
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`PLIM system’s Presence Server retrieves online presence from various IM servers (buddy
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`list information) and makesit available to wireless subscribers on the WAP IM client
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`application. Table 2 illustrates the different types of Internet presence that are supported
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`by a Presence Server of a system according to the present invention.
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`TABLE 2
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`INTERPRETATION
`INTERNET STATUS
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`messaging client application on her PC.
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`messaging client application on her PC.
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`Online — <user defined>{|The Internet customer is running the instant messaging
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`application and has selected one of the status indicators
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`DND (do not disturb)
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`As IM movesinto the wireless realm, presence information will undoubtedly
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`become even more important. Using the status parsing as described above, presence
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`information will be used for “availability management” in a world where people have
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`multiple communication devices and can be accessed anywhere, anytime.
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`[0060]
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`The IM-Anywhere Presence Server determines both Internet presence and wireless
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`network presence, and makes this information available to entities on both networks. How
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`presence is determined is explained as follows.
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`[0061]
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`Determining Internet presenceis straightforward: the Presence Server
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`communicates peer-to-peer with IM servers. Internet presence information is made
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`available to the Presence Server in the same way presence information is shared among
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`IM clients worldwide. Currently, there is no uniform protocol for Internet-based instant
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`messaging and presence, although an industry consensus is expected soon. The world’s
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`most common IM protocols are those used by AOL’s Instant Messenger (AIM) and ICQ
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`(also owned and controlled by AOL).
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`-12-
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`Page 677 of 894
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`Page 677 of 894
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`

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`WO 02/065250
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`PCT/US02/04533
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`[0062]
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`Determining wireless network presence is considerably more complex. Some of
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`the key challenges are the following:
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`e The underlying communication protocols of TIA/EIA-41 wireless networks
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`currently do not natively provide presence Indicators;
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`e Accuracy is lost when unplanned network detachments occur, such as dead battery
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`or roaming into analog service areas;
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`« Real-time electronic connections into operational wireless networks are needed;
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`e Wireless carriers are resistant to technical solutions that place a processing burden
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`e Wireless carriers will allow only a small numberof external connections into their
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`The PLIM system Presence Server according to the present invention overcomes
`[0063]
`these challenges using novel techniques, and by offering a wide variety of options for
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`connecting into wireless network elements. The Presence Serveris able to inter-operate
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`with network elements from all major equipment manufacturers as well as Signaling
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`System 7 (SS7) bearer networks. Table 3 indicates a few of the general presence
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`determination techniques employed by the PLIM system. Co-pending U.S. application no.
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`09/771,201 discusses several additional techniques that may be used in accordance with
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`the invention for presence determination.
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`TABLE 3
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`TECHNIQUE
`CONNECTION TYPE
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`Interface via SS7 ports, TCP/IP, or proprietary ports (if offered
`Direct connection to
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`ALR
`by HLR manufacturer). Both open and proprietary queries are
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`utilized to infer presence.
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`Monitor the network’s SS7 links and nodes for specific
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`messages and combinations of messagesthat infer presence.
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`[0064]
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`Using these methods, as applicable, the Presence Serverretrieves presence and
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`location information asynchronously or synchronously. In asynchronous mode,the
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`Presence Server queries (polls) the HLR or SS7 nodes wheneveran update is needed. In
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`synchronous mode, the HLR or SS7 nodes are configured to send presence status changes
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`-13-
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`Page 678 of 894
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`Page 678 of 894
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`

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`WO 02/065250
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`PCT/US02/04533
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`to the Presence Servers as they occur. In synchronous mode, subscriber presence
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`information is “streamed” into the Presence Server(this is a “push” mechanism).
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`[0065]
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`The Presence Server supports priority settings that allow presence updates to
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`receive greater or lesser priority over other PLIM system traffic. Using an advanced
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`prioritized event processing system, the PLIM system allows the wireless carrier to fine
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`tune the Presence Server performance.
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`[0066]
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`Even these sophisticated and proven techniques cannot provide accurate presence
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`information in the event of an improper network detachment by the subscriber, i.e., the
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`subscriber’s battery dies. For these “corner condition” situations, the Presence Server
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`employs heuristic techniques based on elapsed time and other conditions to infer the
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`correct presence state.
`[0067]
`Delivering ofthe presence information is another aspect ofhow the present
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`invention operates. Presence information is made available to approved external users of
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`the information through a secure Network Application Programming Interface (Network
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`APD. Approved users would appropriately include IM servers or unified messaging
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`providers. The Network API allows both “pull” and “push” access by approved external
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`users of the information.
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`[0068]
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`An approved user can access presence information by subscribing to it. The user
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`sends a subscribe request to the Presence Server using the Network API. If the subscribe
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`request is approved, the Presence Server replies with a presence “atom” giving the current
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`status of the wireless device. The Presence Server also agrees to notify the user each time
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`the device’s presence changes. The Presence Server will continue to notify the user of
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`presence changes until the subscription has expired. If no expiration time is provided, the
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`Presence Server assumes a default expiration period. If an expiration time of “zero”is
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`provided, no subscription is created, and only a single presence atom is returned. This
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`provides a user with a one-time presence fetch capability.
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`[0069]
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`The integrated Location Proxy Server (LPS) of the PLIM system according to the
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`present invention distributes real-time subscriber location information to platforms inside
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`the wireless network and to third parties outside the network through the Network API.
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`The LPS connects directly to a wireless carrier’s Position Determining Equipment (PDE)
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`-14-
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`Page 679 of 894
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`Page 679 of 894
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`

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`WO 02/065250
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`PCT/US02/04533
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`and Mobile Positioning Center (MPC). Using the Network API, the LPS makes location
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`information available for both “push” and “pull” access by the platforms and third parties
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`that require location information. As with the other integrated services in the PLIM
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`system platform, the LPS utilizes the Privacy Management System andits associated
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`database to ensure the privacy of subscriber location information.
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`[0070]
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`The PLIM system LPSis responsible for retrieving, formatting and processing, and
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`delivering location information to the platforms that require it. Someof these platforms
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`are certainly located outside the network (c.g., Web URL, m-commerce merchant). On
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`the other hand, some of these platforms(e.g., the IM Server, the Campaign Manager) are
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`optionally located either inside the wireless carrier’s network or outside it at a central
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`gateway location, for example.
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`[0071]
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`The LPS has four basic functions: (1) retrieving location information from the
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`PDE,(2) retrieving location information trom other network elements, (3) formatting and
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`processing location information, and (4) delivering location information.
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`10072]
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`To retrieve location information from the PDE, the LPS hasa secure, electronic
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`connection to the PDE via an API. The API is accessible over TCP/IP and employsthe J-
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`STD-036 protocel. The PDE APIsupports both a one-time query from the LPS as well as
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`continuous streaming of location updates to the LPS.
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`[0073]
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`It may also be useful to retrieve location information from other sources.
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`Networks which do not have PDE should have coarse-grain location information available
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`in other network elements. For example, some HLRs and MSCsindicate a subscriber’s
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`current serving cell or sector. This information is retrievable by the PLIM system’s LPS.
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`[0074]
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`The LPS formats and processes location information received from the PDE or
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`formats are useful in the form of(1) latitude-longitude pairs with associated circular
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`probability error (CEP), (2) zip code,(3) city identifier, or (4) Geographic Markup
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`Language (GML) code. In order to producea final format location “atom,” the LPS
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`converts data from the PDEor network elements using geocoding techniques(i.e., convert
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`sector ID into zip code). The wireless carrier must load network geography data, such as
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`BTSlocations, into the LPS database.
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`[0075]
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`The LPS delivers location information to platforms outside the wireless network
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`using the Network API. Location information can be provided in response to individual
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`queries, or it can be streamed continuously to the external platforms. The LPS also
`provides location information to services inside the wireless network using TCP/IP
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`messaging inside the carrier’s firewall.
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`[0076]
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`There are many scenarios under which the LPS provides location information to
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`platforms inside and outside the wireless carrier’s network. The following examples
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`illustrate the two most common scenarios: subscriber-initiated location-sensitive Web
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`browsing, and merchant-initiated mobile commerce.
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`Referring to Fig. 2, subscriber-initiated location-sensitive Web browsing is
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`illustrated. The processis initiated when a wireless subscriber 210 uses a WAP browser to
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`request 201 location-sensitive information (e.g., driving directions) from a Web service
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`(URL) 220. The WAP Gateway 136 automatically recognizes that location information is
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`needed and queries 202 the PLIM system’s LPS 114 for the most recent location
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`information on the subscriber. The LPS verifies 203 that the privacy database 119 reflects
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`that the subscriber has given permission for her location information to be provided to the
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`Webservice 220. If current location information is not available, the LPS 114 queries 204
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`the PDE 130 to obtain it. Alternatively, the PDE 130 mayalready be configured to
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`“stream” location updates into the LPS 114. The LPS 114 provides 205 the subscriber’s
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`location information to the WAP Gateway 136. The WAP Gateway 136 embedsthe
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`location information into the requested URL and forwards it 206 to the Web service 220.
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`A location-sensitive response from the Web service 220 is returned 207 to the subscriber
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`210 via the WAP Gateway136.
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`[0078]
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`Referring to Fig. 3, merchant-initiated mobile commerceis illustrated, An
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`approved merchant 320 with prior knowledge of a subscriber’s phone number requests
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`301 the subscriber’s current location information. The merchant 320 accesses the PLIM
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`system’s LPS 114 through the secure Network API 117, supplying a user ID and
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`password. The LPS 114 verifies 302 that the privacy database 119 reflects that the
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`subscriber has given permission for the merchant 320 to receive this data. If current
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`location information is not available, the LPS 114 queries 303 the PDE 130 to obtainit.
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`Alternatively, the PDE 130 may already be configured to “stream” location updates into
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`the LPS 114. The LPS 114 provides 304 the subscriber’s information to the merchant 320.
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`The merchant uses this information to provide personalized content to the subscriber.
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`[0079]
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`Referring again to Fig. 1, the LPS communicates with other components of the
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`PLIM system platform as well as external network elements in the wireless network,
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`[0080] Within the PLIM system platform, the LPS communicates with the IM Server, the
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`Campaign Manager, the Privacy Database, and the Network API. The IM Server queries
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`the LPS for buddy location information to be displayed in the “mobile buddy list.” The
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`Campaign Manager queries the LPS to determine if a subscriber’s location should trigger
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`the delivery of a targeted mobile commerce message. The LPS queries the Privacy
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`Database to ensure that the subscriber’s permission has been received before providing
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`location information to any requesting service.
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`[0081]
`The LPS also communicates with network elements in each wireless network it
`services, including the Position Determining Equipment (PDE) 130, the Mobile
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`Positioning Center (MPC) 138, the WAP Gateway 136, and other network elements. The
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`LPS receives real-time location information from the PDE. The PDE must provide a
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`secure API utilizing the J-STD-036 protocol. The LPS may receive location information
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`indirectly via the MPC in some network architectures. The LPS provides subscriber
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`location information on a permission-oriented basis to the WAP Gateway, which in turn
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`forwards the location information to location-sensitive Web services requested by the
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`subscriber. The LPS may obtain coarse-grain location information from other elements in
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`the wireless network, such as the MSC or the HLR, depending on the equipment and
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`configuration.
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`{0082]
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`Location information is made available to approved external users of the
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`information through the secure Network API. Approved users might includetraditional
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`merchants, e-commerce companies, mobile commerce companies, wireless gaming
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`companies, and wireless advertising firms. The Network API allows both “pull” and
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`“push” access by approved external users of the information.
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`{0083}
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`in amanner analogous to that described above concerning presence information,
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`an approved user can also access location information by subscribing to it. The user sends
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`-17-
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`Page 682 of 894
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`a subscribe request to the LPS using the Network API. The subscribe request includes the
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`desired level of location granularity. If the subscribe request is approved, the LPS replies
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`with a location “atom” giving the current location of the wireless device. The LPS also
`agrees to notify the user each time the device’s location changes. The LPS will continue
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`to notify the user of location changes until the subscription has expired. If no expiration
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`time is provided, the LPS assumes a default expiration period. If an expiration time of
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`“zero” is provided, no subscription is created, and only a single location atomis returned.
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`This provides a user with a one-time location fetch capability.
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`[8084]
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`The PLIM system allows wireless carriers to offer their subscribers access to
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`popular instant messaging services on their wireless devices. The features that have made
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`instant messaging one of the Internet’s most indispensable applications(i.e., sending and
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`receiving instant messages in real-time, knowing when buddies are online, and knowing
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`when buddies have their phones turned ON) are now available on wireless devices:
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`[0085]
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`‘The IM Server allows wireless carriers to offer their subscribers access to popular,
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`commercially available IM services such as AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, MSN
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`Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and others. Using their handheld devices, wireless
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`subscribers are able to send and receive instant messages and buddylist information with
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`other wireless subscribers and with Internet IM users. Likewise, Internet IM users are able
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`send and receive instant messages and buddy list information with wireless subscribers.
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`{0086]
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`For the wireless subscriber, instant messaging is provided either through a WAP
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`client or through two-way SMS. In the WAP mode, the subscriber goes to a WAP page
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`operated by her wireless carrier. This WAP IM client allows subscribers to read and
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`compose instant messages, to create and manage buddylists and grouplists, and to
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`observe real-time buddy status. Two-way SMSoffers the same functionality through the
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`standard SMSinterfaces. Messages are read and composed using SMS, and buddylist
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`updates may be provided as short messages. Web and Windows™IM clients, where
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`administrative functions such as buddy list creation and maintenance can be performed,
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`augment both the WAP and the two-way SMSIM clients. The Web and Windows™
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`clients are optional for WAP users but required for SMSusers, since SMSdoes not lend
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`itself to administrative activities.
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`-18-
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`Page 683 of 894
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`Page 683 of 894
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`[0087]
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`It is important to note that the term WAP is being used generically to refer to any
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`wireless Internet protocol, including HDMLand any future wireless Internet protocols that
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`may be developed. The following examples are provided of some competing technologies
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`that for the purposes of this patent will be referred to generically as WAP. For example,
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`the Web content can be delivered as existing HTML Internet content for wireless devices
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`as proposed by Spyglass’ Prism technology or Japan’s i-mode. As a further example, the
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`content can be processed through a template model that reads existing HTML content and
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`fits the data to a template optimized for various types of wireless phones such as the
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`system proposed by Everypath.com. As another example, the data content can be
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`delivered to a Palm Pilot or other PDA or handheld device that uses a proprietary protocol.
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`[0088] Messages and buddylist updates to and from the wireless clients (WAP and SMS)
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`pass through the PLIM system’s IM Serverutilizing a conventional client-server
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`communication process. The IM Server communicates with Internet-based IM services
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`using server-to-server communication protocols. Although no standard server-to-server
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`protocol has been adopted by the industry, and several known alternatives are useful, the
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`use of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) extensionsis a preferred implementation, due to
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`the maturity of the SIP protocol, the native support of presence information, and the
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`decoupling of presence information from the message body. Of course, the IM Server
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`may be satisfactorily implemented via any version of Instant Messaging and Presence
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`Protocol (IMPP) that may eventually become a standard. The PLIM system is
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`advantageously configured to have a flexible, template-driven interface to external IM
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`servers, and it can readily adapt to changes in the protocol,
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`[0089]
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`In the future, WAP and SMS maygive way to new wireless operating systems, for
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`example Compact HTML,or perhaps embedded IM and buddylist clients in wireless
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`devices themselves. Because the IM Server may be implemented as infrastructure
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`software, it is able to adapt to the changing protocols and operating systems with
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`straightforward changes to its interface coder-decode templates. In effect, the IM Serveris
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`independentofthe client platform used by the wireless subscriber.
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`[0090]=‘ForInternet IM users, sending messages and buddylist information to “mobile
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`buddies”is as simple as creating a new entry in the buddylist indicating the buddy’s
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`-19-
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`Page 684 of 894
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`Page 684 of 894
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`WO 02/065250
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`PCT/US02/04533
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`mobile name. For example, if a buddy’s Internet name is gstead, a new entry should be
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`created called gstead-phone or gstead-pda. The mobile buddy name is then associated
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`with an Internet address that terminates at the IM Server. When messages are sent from
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`the Internet user, they are received at the IM Server and routed to the wireless subscriber’s
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`device. IM clients are enhanced to indicate both Internet and mobile status for each
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`buddy, eliminating the need to create separate entries for mobile buddies.
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`[0091]
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`A Web client and a downloadable Windows™ IM client are provided for use on
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`desktop computers. The Webclient is accessible via standard Web browser, provides full
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`messaging and buddylist capability, and provides full IM administration capabilities
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`(buddylist admin, group list admin, password admin). The administrative settings apply
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`to the two-way SMSclient. The Windows™client is substantially identical to the Web
`client, but runsas separate Windows™application.
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`{0092} Wireless subscribers can access several different IM clients from their handheld
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`devices, including a WAP client and a two-way SMSclient. The WAP client is accessible
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`_ Via a wireless device’s WAP browser and allows messages to be composed,sent, read,
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`stored, saved, or deleted. The WAP client displays buddylist and buddy status, and —
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`allows buddies to be added or deleted. The WAP client also displays grouplists, and
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`allows grouplists to be created, edited, and deleted. It is preferred that the WAP client be
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`implemented using Wireless Markup Language (WML)for optimal display on wireless
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`device. The WAP client should reside either on a Web server inside a wireless carrier’s
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`firewall, or behind the firewall of a PLIM system gateway site. A two-way SMS client
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`utilizes standard two-way SMSto send and receive text messages, and buddystatus
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`updates (ON-OFF, online-offline) are sent via SMS. No administrative functions are
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`provided in the two-way SMSclient.
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`[0093]
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`The WAP chent provides some IM features which uniquely address the needs of
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`wireless subscribers. Notification of successful delivery of an instant message to a
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`wireless subscriber is provided, as is automatic retry of instant message delivery. When
`retry fails, the instant message is automatically re-routed to an appropriate email address.
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`As required by the situation, message content is automatically reformatted (i.c., HTML to
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`ASC). Another helpful (if optional) feature is a library of predefined messages and
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`-~20-
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`Page 685 of 894
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`Page 685 of 894
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`WO 02/065250
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`PCT/US02/04533
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`replies, saving the subscriber the time required to enter an alphanumeric message on the
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`keypad (examples include: Invitation to chat, Invitation to voice call, Yes, No, Why?,
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`When?, and I'll call in 5 minutes).
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`[0094]
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`The IMclients provide a rich set of functions for creating and managing buddy
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`lists and group lists. These functions are offered by the Web client and the Windows™
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`client, and partially by the WAP client, but they are not available using two-way SMS.
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`Table 4 summarizes the buddy list and group list management capabilities of the clients.
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`. TABLE 4
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`FUNCTION
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`Add Buddy
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`WAP client, Web
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`client, and
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`Windows™client
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`Edit Buddy Info|WAP client,Web | e Change address and/or IM service
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`DESCRIPTION
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`Enter Internet email address and IM
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`service; or
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`e Enter mobile IM address: or
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`Import from wireless PIM (ifprovided by
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`Optional: request permission to receive
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`wireless buddy’s location information Gf
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`available from buddy’s wireless carrier)
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`Receive authorization to add buddy (if
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`required by buddy’s IM service)
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`client, and
`e Request permission to receive buddy’s
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`Windows™client
`location information (if available from
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`wireless carrier)
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`Cancel receipt of buddy’s location
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`information
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`‘| Remove Buddy|WAP client, Web Remove Int