Method and system for providing unified communication management based on presence information
First Claim
1. A method for managing communications with a user in a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining presence information for the user, the presence information specifying one of a plurality of presence contexts;
maintaining a presence context profile for the user, the presence context profile specifying a plurality of communication options for the plurality of presence contexts; and
controlling communications with the user in accordance with the maintained presence information and the maintained presence context profile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with a method and apparatus for providing unified communications and messaging management based on a user'"'"'s presence information, a presence system is coupled to a PBX, a voice mail service and a LAN in an office. The presence system keeps track, in a secure manner, of registered users'"'"' current “presence context” (e.g. at desk, campus roam, at hotel, at home, etc.). When a call to a user is received by the PBX, the presence system forwards the call to the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s current presence context. An IVR system may be provided to make communication and messaging options available to the caller, which options depend on the user'"'"'s current presence context. The presence system further provides registered users with the ability to configure the number and type of communications and message devices with which they can be accessed and to define different “profiles” that define the communications and messaging options presented to incoming callers in each presence context. The presence system may further allow a user to specify whether certain of the user'"'"'s configured devices are temporarily unavailable so that the device can be temporarily removed from a set of options presented to an incoming caller.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for managing communications with a user in a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining presence information for the user, the presence information specifying one of a plurality of presence contexts;
maintaining a presence context profile for the user, the presence context profile specifying a plurality of communication options for the plurality of presence contexts; and
controlling communications with the user in accordance with the maintained presence information and the maintained presence context profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of managing communications with a user in a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving an incoming call to the user;
determining a current presence context of the user;
determining a context profile corresponding to the current presence context for the user, the context profile specifying a plurality of communication options for the current presence context; and
forwarding a communication associated with the incoming call to the user in accordance with the context profile. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21)
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18. An apparatus for managing communications with a user in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:
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means for maintaining presence information for the user, the presence information specifying one of a plurality of presence contexts;
means for maintaining a presence context profile for the user, the presence context profile specifying a plurality of communication options for the plurality of presence contexts; and
means for controlling communications with the user in accordance with the maintained presence information and the maintained presence context profile.
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22. An apparatus for managing communications with a user in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving an incoming call to the user;
means for determining a current presence context of the user;
means for determining a context profile corresponding to the current presence context for the user, the context profile specifying a plurality of communication options for the current presence context; and
means for forwarding a communication associated with the incoming call to the user in accordance with the context profile. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38)
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35. An apparatus for managing communications with users based on presence information, comprising:
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a communication system adapted to provide communications among a plurality of communication devices; and
a presence system adapted to be coupled to the communication system, the presence system maintaining a presence context and a context profile for certain users associated with the plurality of communication devices, the presence system causing the communication system to direct incoming calls to the certain users in accordance with the maintained presence context and context profile.
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Specification