SMS-supported method for online/offline detection of user groups in mobile wireless networks

A method for providing information to a mobile subscriber identified by a first subscriber identification card signed on to a mobile wireless network, the information concerning which ones of a plurality of further subscriber identification cards are currently also signed onto a mobile wireless network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) sending a mobile wireless short message to each of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards including sending a mobile wireless short message to further subscriber identification cards that are subscribed to mobile wireless networks other than the mobile wireless network to which the first subscriber identification card subscribes;
• (b) establishing delivery information by signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards which are signed on to mobile wireless networks;
• (c) determining which of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards are signed onto mobile wireless networks based on the delivery information established in said step (b);
• and
• (d) transmitting information to the first subscriber identification card indicating the signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards determined in said step (c).

A method for providing information to a mobile subscriber identified by a first subscriber identification card signed on to a mobile wireless network, the information concerning which ones of a plurality of further subscriber identification cards are currently also signed onto a mobile wireless network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) sending a mobile wireless short message to each of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards by sending a mobile wireless short message comprising a Global System for Mobile Communication short message;
• (b) establishing delivery information by signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards which are signed on to mobile wireless networks;
• (c) determining which of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards are signed onto mobile wireless networks based on the delivery information established in said step (b);
• and
• (d) transmitting information to the first subscriber identification card indicating the signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards determined in said step (c).

A method for providing information to a mobile subscriber identified by a first subscriber identification card signed on to a mobile wireless network, the information concerning which ones of a plurality of further subscriber identification cards are currently also signed onto a mobile wireless network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) sending a mobile wireless short message to each of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards by sending a mobile wireless short message comprising a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System short message;
• (b) establishing delivery information by signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards which are signed on to mobile wireless networks;
• (c) determining which of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards are signed onto mobile wireless networks based on the delivery information established in said step (b);
• and
• (d) transmitting information to the first subscriber identification card indicating the signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards determined in said step (c).

A method for providing information to a mobile subscriber identified by a first subscriber identification card signed on to a mobile wireless network, the information concerning which ones of a plurality of further subscriber identification cards are currently also signed onto a mobile wireless network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) sending a mobile wireless short message to each of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards;
• (b) establishing delivery information by signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards which are signed on to mobile wireless networks wherein said step of establishing delivery information comprises monitoring a status flag for each of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards, wherein the presence of the status flag indicates that the mobile wireless short message sent in said step (a) has not reached a particular one of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards and that the particular one of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards is not signed on, the status flag comprising a message waiting flag in one of a Global System for Mobile Communications and a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System;
• (c) determining which of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards are signed onto mobile wireless networks based on the delivery information established in said step (b);
• and
• (d) transmitting information to the first subscriber identification card indicating the signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards determined in said step (c).

A method for providing information to a mobile subscriber identified by a first subscriber identification card signed on to a mobile wireless network, the information concerning which ones of a plurality of further subscriber identification cards are currently also signed onto a mobile wireless network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) sending a mobile wireless short message to each of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards including sending a sender identity which prevents the first mobile wireless subscriber identification card from receiving the short message delivered to the plurality of further mobile wireless subscriber identification cards;
• (b) establishing delivery information by signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards which are signed on to mobile wireless networks;
• (c) determining which of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards are signed onto mobile wireless networks based on the delivery information established in said step (b);
• and
• (d) transmitting information to the first subscriber identification card indicating the signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards determined in said step (c).

An apparatus for providing information to a mobile subscriber identified by a first subscriber identification card which is signed on to a mobile wireless network, the information concerning which ones of a plurality of further subscriber identification cards are likewise signed on to a mobile wireless network, comprising:

• a mobile wireless short message generating device for generating mobile wireless short messages to each of the plurality of further subscriber identity modules and for sending the mobile wireless short messages to the plurality of further mobile wireless subscriber identification cards;
• a delivery information monitoring device for determining signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards that are signed on to a mobile wireless network based on a delivery of the mobile wireless short message to each mobile wireless subscriber identity module concerning delivery information;
• and
• a mobile wireless subscriber information device for transmitting information to the first subscriber identification card about the signed on ones of the plurality of further subscriber identification cards determined by the delivery information monitoring device.