Method and apparatus for utilizing online presence information

• US 20020021307A1
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Peoplelink, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Peoplelink, Inc.
• Inventors: Rivera, Michael, Glenn, Steve, Schlank, Brett, Condit, Jim
• Application Number:
  US09/840,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021307A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a method and apparatus for utilizing online presence information. The invention comprises an interconnection fabric (e.g. a network) configured to transmit data, a plurality of client devices that are each associated with a user, a presence indicator, a presence engine, a translation engine, a communication engine, and a broadcast engine. A presence indicator is a type of cue that may be embedded into a document and configured to provide users with a mechanism for determining when another user is connected to the interconnection fabric (e.g. a visual, audio, or video cue. Each graphic is associated with a particular user and is configured to resemble the status of the user with which the graphic is associated (e.g whether a particular user is connected to the interconnection fabric). The presence engine contains software configured to determine when a user begins and ends using the network. An embodiment of the invention uses a translation engine to provide the system with the ability to translate messages. Translation engine is configured to translate between different message protocols and/or different languages. The communication engine provides a mechanism for transmitting targeted messages to users the presence engine identifies as present. The Broadcast engine is configured to transmit a message from one user to many users according to a set of criteria.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing online presence information comprising:

generating a presence indicator associated with a receiving user;

determining if said receiving user connected to an interconnection fabric;

displaying said presence indicator in a document to an initiating user;

providing an instantaneous communication interface to said initiating user when said presence indicator is selected and said receiving user is connected to said interconnection fabric;

providing a message interface to said initiating user when said presence indicator is selected by said initiating user and said receiving user is not connected to said interconnection fabric.