Methods and systems for controlling access to presence information according to a variety of different access permission types
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Abstract
Methods and systems are described for controlling access to presence information using a plurality of different access permission types. Presence information is maintained over a computer network and describes availability of computers and associated users over that network. For example, instant messaging applications often involve maintaining presence information. Users control access to presence information using a number of different access permission types such as the right to view accurate presence information, the right to view any presence information, or the right to act on accessed presence information. By using several different access permission types, the present invention enables finer control over access to presence information.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1-24. -24. (canceled)
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25. A method in a computer system for controlling access to presence information of a first computer system, the method comprising:
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setting access permission for a second computer system to access the presence information, the access permission indicating whether the second computer system has subscription access permission and whether the second computer system has presence access permission; and
upon receiving a request from the second computer system to subscribe to the presence information, granting or denying the request based on whether the access permission indicates that the second computer system has subscription access permission; and
when subscription access permission is granted, when the second computer system has presence access permission, providing to the second computer system accurate presence information of the first computer system; and
when the second computer system does not have presence access permission, not providing to the second computer system accurate presence information of the first computer system. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method in a computer system for controlling access to presence information of the computer system, the method comprising:
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sending to a server computer system an indication of whether another computer system has subscription access permission and, when the other computer has subscription access permission, whether the other computer system has presence access permission to the presence information of the computer system; and
when the presence information of the computer system changes, sending to the server computer system an indication of the changed presence information wherein the subscription access permission indicates whether the other computer system can subscribe to the presence information of the computer system and the presence access permission indicates whether the other computer system will be provided with accurate presence information after subscribing to the presence information. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a server computer system to control access to presence information of a first computer system, by a method comprising:
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setting access permission for a second computer system to access the presence information of the first computer system, the access permission indicating whether the second computer system has subscription access permission and, when the second computer system has subscription access permission, whether the second computer system has presence access permission;
upon receiving a request from the second computer system to subscribe to the presence information, granting or denying the request based on whether the access permission indicates that the second computer system has subscription access permission; and
when presence information of the first computer system changes and the second computer system has been granted subscription access permission, notifying the second computer system of the changed presence information in a manner that is consistent with the presence access permission. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification