Patent ID: 7546127

Claim:
A telecommunications system, comprising: a plurality of network clients including a positioning controller and a communications controller; and a positioning server including a coordinating controller for maintaining a database of network clients to be tracked, said database further including position-presence correlation information related to party availability for individual users; wherein said positioning server is adapted to receive position information from said plurality of network clients via a toll-free telephony interface and distribute presence information related to said position information formatted into one or more e-mail messages to one or more network enterprise devices; wherein the plurality of network clients are configured to maintain a set of boundary perimeter rules and communicate a change via said toll-free telephony interface when a corresponding one of the plurality of network clients crosses the boundary perimeter; wherein a watchdog timer is maintained for confirmation the plurality of network clients are available; wherein the system checks for a new presence rule responsive to detection that one of the plurality of network clients is not available; and wherein a hysteresis timer is maintained upon detection of loss of a positioning signal or a boundary perimeter crossing to prevent toggling of a presence update.