WO2017186797A1

WO2017186797A1 - Solution for generating information on reachability of a user

Info

Publication number: WO2017186797A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/059936
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anders Baer
Original assignee: Telia Company Ab
Priority date: 2016-04-27
Filing date: 2017-04-26
Publication date: 2017-11-02

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for generating information on reachability of a user of a user terminal (210). The method comprises: receiving a determination on at least two operating profiles (110); receiving, for each operating profile an indication (120) defining user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile is activated in the user terminal (210); obtaining an indication (130) on an activated operating profile; determining activity state (140) of the one or more communication applications; and generating a data record (150) comprising indication on active communication applications in the user terminal (210) usable for contacting the user and an access right data defining one or more user contacts allowed to obtain at least information on the active communication applications in the user terminal (210). Some aspects of the invention relate to a network node and a computer program product implementing the method.

Description

Solution for generating information on reachability of a user

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention concerns in general the technical field of telecommunications. More particularly, the invention concerns generation of information relating to a reachability of a user of user terminal.

BACKGROUND

Reaching a certain user has always been a core concept in telecommunications. The present telecommunication techniques, and especially the mobile telecommunications, have brought the core concept on a totally new level. The users are almost always reachable, because they are carrying the user terminals with them all the time. The core concept has, in fact, gone so far that the users have a plurality of communication applications installed in their user terminals and, as a result, they are simultaneously reachable through a plurality of services all the time. However, users have different situations in their daily life and some communication methods, and thus the communication applications, may be more applicable in a certain situation than others. A user may activate and inactivate the applications individually, but it may turn out to be a time consuming task to do if even remembered by the user. Besides, the plurality of communication applications in a user terminal needs management, such as prioritization, of the communication by the user because in certain environment some communication applications may be preferred to be used both from technical but especially from user preference point of view. It may turn out that the user gets frustrated as he/she may feel that it is impossible to manage and control the plurality of communication applications and functions of those.

There are also introduced some other solutions to the above described situation. In a document EP 2 056 568 A1 it is disclosed a solution that allows user of a mobile terminal to select a specific contact detail of another party and in response to the selection presence information relating to the selected party is received. The presence information comprises information on supported communication functions and according to the solution available communication functions are emphasized.

The problem with the known solutions is that they still do not enable a comprehensive management of reachability of a user. They do not enable managing the reachability of a user so that at least some of the contacts of the user are also categorized so that they are granted with different levels of reachability rights.

Thus, there is need to develop the existing solutions in order to enable higher level of management of a user reachability.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide basic understanding of some aspects of various invention embodiments. The summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description of exemplifying embodiments of the invention.

An objective of the invention is to present a method, a network node and a computer program product for generating information on reachability of a user of a user terminal. Another objective of the invention is that the generated information at least partly improves a reachability of the user.

The objectives of the invention are reached by a method, a network node and a computer program product as defined by the respective independent claims. According to a first aspect, a method for generating information on reachability of a user of a user terminal is provided, wherein the method comprises: receiving a determination on at least two operating profiles for the user terminal wherein for each operating profile providing indication on one or more communication applications available for use when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal; receiving for each operating profile an indication on one or more user contacts stored in a user contact list accessible to the user terminal wherein the indication defines at least the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal; obtaining an indication on an activated operating profile in the user terminal; determining activity state of the one or more communication applications in the user terminal; and generating a data record representing the activated operating profile of the user terminal wherein the data record comprises indication on active communication applications in the user terminal usable for contacting the user and an access right data defining one or more user contacts allowed to obtain at least information on the active communication applications in the user terminal.

The indication defining the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal may further define, for each user contact, the communication applications available for use to contact the user of the user terminal when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal.

The indication on one or more communication applications available for use when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal may further comprise a further indication defining a preference order of the indicated communication applications.

In response to a receipt of an inquiry of the user of the user terminal from a party it may be checked if the party may access to the data record by comparing at least one piece of information obtained from the inquiry to information defining the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal; and if the comparison indicates that the party may access the data record information on the active communication applications for reaching the user of the user terminal may be provided. According to a second aspect, a network node for generating information on reachability of a user of a user terminal is provided, wherein the network node comprises at least one processor; at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the server to perform: receive a determination on at least two operating profiles for the user terminal wherein for each operating profile providing indication on one or more communication applications available for use when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal; receive for each operating profile an indication on one or more user contacts stored in a user contact list accessible to the user terminal wherein the indication defines at least the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal; obtain an indication on an activated operating profile in the user terminal; determine activity state of the one or more communication applications in the user terminal; and generate a data record representing the activated operating profile of the user terminal wherein the data record comprises indication on active communication applications in the user terminal usable for contacting the user and an access right data defining one or more user contacts allowed to obtain at least information on the active communication applications in the user terminal.

The network node may be caused to further define the indication defining the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal so that it comprises, for each user contact, the communication applications available for use to contact the user of the user terminal when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal.

Further, the network node may be caused to define the indication on one or more communication applications available for use when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal so that it comprises a further indication defining a preference order of the indicated communication applications. The network node may be caused, in response to a receipt of an inquiry of the user of the user terminal from a party, to: check if the party may access to the data record by comparing at least one piece of information obtained from the inquiry to the information indication defining the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal; and if the comparison indicates that the party may access the data record to pro-vide information on the active communication applications for reaching the user of the user terminal.

According to a third aspect, a computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein for performing the method as described above when the computer program product is executed on a computer.

Various exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments of the invention both as to constructions and to methods of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The verbs "to comprise" and "to include" are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of unrecited features. The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of "a" or "an", i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates schematically an example of the method according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 illustrates schematically an environment in which the present invention may be implemented to according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 illustrates schematically an example of a network node according to an embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLIFYING EMBODIMENTS

The specific examples provided in the description given below should not be construed as limiting the scope and/or the applicability of the appended claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given below are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated. In Figure 1 it is illustrated an example of the present solution disclosing at least some steps being relevant in implementing the present invention. With the method it is possible to generate information on reachability of a user of a user terminal which takes into account at least some aspects being relevant when user reachability is under consideration. As a preliminary step for the method at least two operating profiles for the user terminal are established, i.e. data structures for the user profiles are implemented and necessary interfaces with one or more applications are determined. In the method according to an embodiment of the invention it is determined, for each operating profile, communication applications which are available for use when an operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal. The determination may be performed by selecting the communication applications with an applicable application e.g. an application used for determining settings of the user terminal. The selection may e.g. be performed by a user and so that the user provides an indication with e.g. I/O device which communication application may be used under each operating profile. The user terminal may be configured to show all available communication applications installed in the user terminal as a list and the user may give a tag, as the indication, per communication application indicating if the communication application may be used in the operating profile or not. Any other procedure for the selection may be used. According to an embodiment of the invention the indication may also comprise a further indication by means of which it is possible to classify, i.e. to give a preference order known also as priority order, for the communication applications by the user. In other words, the user indicates the order in which he/she would like to use the communication applications e.g. for receiving communication from other users.

Next, for each of the at least two operating profiles it is determined one or more user contacts which are allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal. Advantageously, the user contacts available for the determination are stored in a contact list accessible to the user terminal. The contact list may be common to a plurality of communication applications or there may be a dedicated contact lists for each communication application. The user contacts which are allowed to contact the user per operating profile may be indicated with any known indication mechanism e.g. in a similar manner as described in the context of the step 1 10 above. The user contact shall in this context be understood to cover an individual contact or a contact group including multiple individual contacts.

As a result of the steps 1 10 and 120 as described above there may be a number of data structures, included e.g. in a file or multiple files, which comprise the pieces of information generated in the steps 1 10 and 120. The file or files may at least temporary be stored in a memory of the user terminal. The data structures are advantageously transferred to a network node, such as a server device, that is configured to store and maintain the mentioned pieces of information. Alternatively to the above described implementation the user may be allowed to perform the mentioned steps 1 10 and 120 directly in the network node through a communication channel. In such an implementation the network node is configured to execute operation through which it is possible to output, such as display, user related data stored in the network and to input any data by means of which it is possible to generate information of the steps 1 10 and 120 directly in the network node. Worthwhile to mention is that the steps 1 10 and 120 may be considered as preparatory steps for using the solution as will be described. For this reason the steps 1 10 and 120 are circled with dash line in Figure 1 . As said the information in the data structure provides data from which it is derivable communication applications, on profile-by-profile basis, which are preferred by the user, and thus available, to be used by the other users indicated in the information if the other users are willing to contact the user.

At some point of time a certain operating profile is activated in the user terminal and an indication of the activated user profile in the user terminal is obtained 130 by the network node. The obtaining of the indication may be performed by a signal received from the user terminal or by arranging the network node to inquiry information on the activated user profile in a scheduled manner. This may be a result of a user action or some automatically defined operation in the user terminal.

In response to the obtaining of the indication the network node is configured to determine an activity state of the one or more communication applications 140 installed in the user terminal. This may be arranged so that the network node is configured to retrieve, from data storage accessible by the network node, the at least one data structure disclosing the communication applications available for use when the user profile in question is activated. In response to the receipt of that information the network node is configured to inquiry either from the user terminal, or any other network node maintaining the information, if the communication application is active or not. The inquiry may e.g. be performed so that the network node is configured to set up a test message towards each communication application indicated as available when a certain user profile is activated. The test message causes the communication application to respond so that it is possible to derive from the response the state of the communication application. For example, if the response is received it may be concluded that the communication application is active and if no response is received, e.g. during a predetermined period of time, it may be concluded that the communication application is inactive. As mentioned the network node may also perform the inquiry towards another entity, such as a server, maintaining information on a state of one or more communication applications available for use when the user profile in question is activated. Furthermore, in some implementations the network node may be configured to determine technical requirements defined for one or more communication applications in order to operate as desired. In response to the determination the network node may be configured to obtain, e.g. by testing, information by means of which it is possible to decide if the technical requirements are fulfilled or not in the communication environment so that the activity state of the communication application in question may be concluded to be in order for communication. For example, a communication application in which video content is delivered, e.g. by live streaming, may require enough bandwidth from the network. As a result, the network node may, in step 140, determine how much bandwidth is needed for the application in order to deliver a video stream with a predetermined quality, and determine, e.g. by testing or measuring, if such bandwidth is available for the user residing in a certain network location. If not the activity state of that specific communication application is concluded as negative i.e. it is not indicated as to be available for use even if the user has indicated that as available for use under a user profile in step 1 10. All in all, the network node is configured to determine the activity states with respect to all communication applications for the activated user profile in the step 140.

According to the example of the present invention a data record is generated 150 by the network node in response to the determination of the activity states of the communication applications. The network node is configured to generate the data record so that the data record comprises information, such as at least one indication, on at least one active communication application of the user terminal which takes into account the activity state of each of the application determined in step 140, as described above. Additionally, the network node may be configured to add access right data in the data record. The access right data defines other users that are allowed to obtain at least information on the active communication applications in the user terminal. The network node advantageously defines the access right data by obtaining the information from the data structure that stores information on one or more user contacts which are allowed to contact the user when the certain operating profile is activated in the user terminal. As a result of the generation step 150 the network node comprises the data record comprising information on one or more communication applications which are available for contacting user wherein the generated data record is accessible only for those persons, i.e. users, that the user of the user terminal having the communication applications has given access. In other words, a user of another user terminal may inquire from the network node the communication applications that may be used for contacting the user of the user terminal in case the user of the another user terminal is defined as party to whom the access right under the user profile is granted to. For example, the network node, when receiving the inquiry, may check if the party may access to the data record by comparing at least one piece of information obtained from the inquiry, such as a contact detail of the party, to at least one pierce of information defining one or more user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal. If the comparison indicates that the party may access the data record providing information on the active communication applications for reaching the user of the user terminal i.e. disclosing the data record to the party. In some implementations of the invention the generated data record may be transmitted to the contacts defined as authorized to receive the information under the operating profile so that an individual contact i.e. another user may obtain directly the information from his/her user terminal which communication applications are available for him/her if he/she is willing to contact the user at the instant of time. In some implementation of the present invention the step 120, i.e. the indication of user contacts allowed to contact the user when a specific operating profile is activated, may also comprise a further indication in which for each contact one or more communication applications is defined which shall be used for contacting the user of the user terminal when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal. The indication may also comprise the order in which the communication application shall be selected. The advantage of this approach is that the user of the user terminal may define per a contact the desired communication applications which approach takes the solution into very individual level.

Figure 2 illustrates schematically an environment into which the present invention is applied to. A user terminal 210 is communicatively coupled to a network node 220 and the user of the user terminal provides the information as disclosed above especially in the context of steps 1 10 and 120 to the network node. As a result the network node generates data records defining contact and communication application specific aspects according to defined user profiles, as shown in the Figure 2 as an example. At some point certain operating profile of the user terminal 210 is activated, e.g. changed from one to another, and information, such as an identifier of the activated user profile is transmitted as an indication to the network node 220. The network node 220 may be configured to obtain the user related information from data storage accessible to the network node 220 and set a parameter disclosing the activated user profile in the network node 220. The user related information may be obtained e.g. on the basis of a user ID carried in the user profile activation indication or through any other kind of identification procedure performed between the user terminal 210 and the network node 220 in order to determine that the network node 220 stores user related information and that the indication on the active user profile may be updated. In response to the update procedure the network node 220 is configured to determine activity state of the one or more communication applications in the user terminal that are indicated usable in the user terminal 210 in the activated user profile. This may be performed in any of the disclosed manner. As a result the network node 220 is aware of the one or more communication applications that are both defined by the user but also confirmed to be available, and the network node 220 is configured to generate a data record disclosing the information. Now, another user terminal 230 that is communicatively coupled to the network node 220 may obtain the information stored in the data record and contact the user terminal 210 with an appropriate communication application at an instant of time, i.e. when a certain user profile is activated. The generated data record may be stored in a data storage that is accessible by the user terminal 230 in case the user terminal 230 has access rights to it.

The activation of the user profile may be performed manually, automatically, or in any combination of these two. The automatic activation of a user profile may be based on any predetermined rule defined either in the user terminal 210 or in the network node 220. For example, the rules may originate e.g. from a calendar, time of day, trends of activity, environment, position, battery level and so on. In other words, any information that may be defined by the entity controlling either directly or indirectly the user profile activation may be used for the controlling i.e. selection and activation of an appropriate user profile.

Figure 3 illustrates schematically a network node 220 according to an example of the invention. The network node 220 is configured, at least partly, to implement the method as described. The execution of the method may be achieved by arranging a processor 310 to execute at least some portion of computer program code 321 a-321 n stored in a memory 320 causing the processor 310, and, thus, the network node 220 to implement one or more method steps as described. The processor 310 is thus arranged to access the memory 320 and retrieve and store any information therefrom and thereto. Moreover, the processor 310 is configured to control the communication through a communication interface 330 with any external unit, such as with user terminals 210, 230 and any other. In other words, the network node 220 may be communicatively coupled to the user terminals 210, 230 either directly or indirectly e.g. through a mobile communication network or a data network, such as Internet. The processor 310 may also be configured to control overall operability of the network node 220 according to instructions stored in the memory 320 in a form of computer program code and parameters thereto. For sake of clarity, the processor herein refers to any unit suitable for processing information and control the operation of the network node 220, among other tasks. The mentioned operations may e.g. be implemented with a microcontroller solution with embedded software. Similarly, the invention is not limited to a certain type of memory only, but any memory type suitable for storing the described pieces of information may be applied in the context of the present invention. The present invention is described above so that the method is to be implemented in one network node 220. The implementation may also be done in a decentralized manner i.e. between multiple network nodes 220 that are operatively coupled to each other either directly or indirectly.

Some aspects of the present invention may also relate to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing at least portions of computer pro- gram code, wherein the portions of computer program code are computer- executable to implement the method steps in a network node 220 as described. In general, the computer-readable storage medium may include a storage medium or memory medium, such as magnetic or optical media e.g. disc, DVD/CD-ROM, volatile or non-volatile media, such as RAM. The computer program code may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and the computer program may be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a subroutine, element or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program code may be deployed to be executed on one network node or on multiple network nodes, i.e. computer(s), at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network. This definition comprises also any solutions based on so called cloud computing. The computer program code comprises instructions for causing the server to perform one or more of the method steps as described above. The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be construed as limiting the applicability and/or the interpretation of the appended claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1 . A method for generating information on reachability of a user of a user terminal (210), the method comprises:

- receiving a determination on at least two operating profiles (1 10) for the user terminal, wherein for each operating profile providing indication on one or more communication applications available for use when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal (210),

- receiving, for each operating profile, an indication (120) on one or more user contacts stored in a user contact list accessible to the user terminal (210), wherein the indication defines at least the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal (210),

- obtaining an indication (130) on an activated operating profile in the user terminal (210), - determining activity state (140) of the one or more communication applications in the user terminal (210), and

- generating a data record (150) representing the activated operating profile of the user terminal (210), wherein the data record comprises indication on active communication applications in the user terminal (210) usable for contacting the user and an access right data defining one or more user contacts allowed to obtain at least information on the active communication applications in the user terminal (210).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication defining the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal further defining, for each user contact, the communication applications available for use to contact the user of the user terminal when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal.

3. The method of any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the indication on one or more communication applications available for use when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal (210) further comprising a further indication defining a preference order of the indicated communication applications.

4. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein in response to a receipt of an inquiry of the user of the user terminal from a party:

- checking if the party may access to the data record by comparing at least one piece of information obtained from the inquiry to information defining the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal, and

- if the comparison indicates that the party may access the data record providing information on the active communication applications for reaching the user of the user terminal.

5. A network node (220) for generating information on reachability of a user of a user terminal (210), the network node comprising at least one processor (310); at least one memory (320) including computer program code; the at least one memory (320) and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor (310), cause the server (220) to perform: receive a determination on at least two operating profiles (1 10) for the user terminal, wherein for each operating profile providing indication on one or more communication applications available for use when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal (210), receive, for each operating profile, an indication (120) on one or more user contacts stored in a user contact list accessible to the user terminal (210), wherein the indication defines at least the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal (210), obtain an indication (130) on an activated operating profile in the user terminal (210), determine activity state (140) of the one or more communication applications in the user terminal (210), and generate a data record (150) representing the activated operating profile of the user terminal (210), wherein the data record comprises indication on active communication applications in the user terminal (21 0) usable for contacting the user and an access right data defining one or more user contacts allowed to obtain at least information on the active communication applications in the user terminal (210).

6. The network node (220) of claim 5, wherein the network node (220) is caused to further define the indication defining the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal so that it comprises, for each user contact, the communication applications available for use to contact the user of the user terminal when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal.

7. The network node (220) of claim 5 or 6, wherein the network node (220) is caused to define the indication on one or more communication applications available for use when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal (210) so that it comprises a further indication defining a preference order of the indicated communication applications.

8. The network node (220) of any of the preceding claims 5-7, wherein the network node (220) is caused, in response to a receipt of an inquiry of the user of the user terminal from a party, to: check if the party may access to the data record by comparing at least one piece of information obtained from the inquiry to the information indication defining the user contacts allowed to contact the user when the operating profile in question is activated in the user terminal, and if the comparison indicates that the party may access the data record to provide information on the active communication applications for reaching the user of the user terminal.

9. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein for performing the method of any of the claims 1 - 4 when the computer program product is executed on a computer.