System and methods for locating mobile devices using location and presence information

#The invention generally relates to location based services and, in particular, to a location based system and method that is configured to locate (recover) high value mobile devices using location, presence and other IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) based telecommunications network assets.

#Faced with an increasingly difficult challenge in growing both average revenue per user (ARPU) and numbers of subscribers, wireless carriers are trying to develop a host of new products, services, and business models based on data services. One such service is location-based services, which provide information specific to a location including actual locations of a user. It is expected that location based services will generate additional business for the carrier, from both the mobile user and content providers.

#For the mobile user as well as the service provider, location-based services offer many opportunities. For example, location-based services can increase revenue of the service provider, e.g., network carrier, while improving services to end users, e.g., mobile users. Some examples of location-based services that can be provided to the mobile user include: Providing the nearest business or service, such as an ATM or restaurant; Providing alerts, such as notification of a sale on gas or warning of a traffic jam; Providing weather reports which are germane to the location where the user is using the mobile device; and/or Providing advertisements to end users, e.g., recipients, etc.

#The present invention is described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

#FIG. 1 shows an illustrative environment for implementing processes in accordance with the invention;

#FIG. 2 shows a high level architecture depicting IMS components which interface with a Device Recovery Application Server (A/S) in the IMS network in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

#The invention generally relates to location based services and, in particular, to a location based system and method that is configured to locate (recover) high value mobile devices using location, presence and other IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) based telecommunications network assets. More specifically, the system and method of the present invention uses location based information to locate and recover SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and non SIP-enabled handsets (devices) using an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) compliant presence server, a location platform and other service provider network hosted elements.

#Advantageously, by implementing the present invention it is possible to leverage location information generically to update a presence document in the network. Also, as discussed below, significant savings can be obtained using the present invention by not having to frequently query the location platform in order to locate or recover a device, significantly improving the feasibility of implementation of this service as a consumer facing revenue generating service. For example, the present invention ensures that both IMS and non-IMS devices are accounted for in the recovery process by maintaining track of the state (presence) of the device and using such information to aid in recovery operations. More specifically, in embodiments, a SIP A/S (SIP Application Server) can use pattern matching to determine if the device is in a known location at a certain time, e.g., certain time of the day. In other words, the present invention can use behavior that is repetitive (e.g., such as a person driving along a certain route (or routes) every day, being at work and at home at predictable intervals, etc.) to drive sensing capabilities of the system and method of the present invention. In additional embodiments, the device can provide notifications to the infrastructure, based on predetermined time periods, battery life, etc. Accordingly, in embodiments, to optimize the usage of the location platform, highly predictable routes, location/time period matches and notifications can be implemented in order to cause less location fixes being generated on behalf of the subscriber to thereby reduce location platform usage and produce significant savings, while optimizing value derived by the service.

#It is also possible to leverage a subscriber driven recovery model, saving significant costs for the carrier infrastructure, which is already heavily burdened by existing care traffic. This is possible by allowing subscribers to initiate the process of controlling and initiating recovery services by, for example, providing subscriber initiated notifications on a continuous basis. Additionally, the present invention will not start tracking of location and presence just as a result of a subscriber calling into the network; instead, the present invention continuously leverages existing presence and location traffic to monitor devices, allowing for the actual recovery process to be significantly increased by using historical information. For example, the present invention can use existing services that require location information from the devices such as, for example, weather services subscribed to by the user, in order to track the mobile device. This information would be received by the system of the present invention for processing.