Methods and systems for controlling access to presence information according to a variety of different access permission types

• US 20050114676A1
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Leon C, Beebee, Peter L., Aggarwal, Sudhanshu M.
• Application Number:
  US10/974,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114676A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• 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

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.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A server computer system connectable to at least a plurality of client computer systems for which the server computer system maintains presence information and exercises control of access to the presence information using a plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information, the server computer system comprising the following:

a component that receives a request from a client computer system including an instruction to change an access permission status for at least a subset of the plurality of client computer systems, the access permission corresponding to one of the plurality of access permission types to the presence information;

a component that sets at least an entry in a data field in response to the request, the entry representing the changed access permission status; and

a component that determines whether or not to allow access to the presence information based on the entry in the data field

wherein the plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information comprises permission to view any presence information, permission to view only accurate presence information, and permission to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

26. The system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view accurate presence information.

27. The system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view any presence information.

28. The system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

29. The system in accordance with claim 28, wherein the instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information comprises an instruction to prohibit sending messages to a computer system that corresponds to the presence information.

30. The system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the data field comprises access permission fields in a database, wherein the database comprises the following for each of the plurality of client computer systems:

an identifier field that identifies the client computer system;

a presence information field that represents the actual availability of the client computer system;

a first access permission field that contains an access permission of a first access permission type when the client computer system requests access to the presence information;

a second access permission field that contains an access permission of a second access permission type when the client computer system requests access to the presence information; and

a manufactured presence information field to display to the client computer system if the client computer system has permission to view presence information, but does not have permission to view accurate presence information.

31. A server computer system connectable to at least a plurality of client computer systems for which the server computer system maintains presence information and exercises control of access to the presence information using a plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information, the server computer system comprising the following:

a component that receives a request from a client computer system including an instruction to change an access permission status for at least a subset of the plurality of client computer systems, the access permission corresponding to one of the plurality of access permission types to the presence information; and

a component that determines whether or not to allow access to the presence information based on the instruction

wherein the plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information comprises permission to view any presence information, permission to view only accurate presence information, and permission to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

32. The system in accordance with claim 31, wherein the component for whether or not to allow access to the presence information based on the instruction comprises the following:

a component that sets at least an entry in a data field in response to the request, the entry representing the changed access permission status; and

a component that determines whether or not to allow access to the presence information based on the entry in the data field.

33. The system in accordance with claim 31, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view accurate presence information.

34. The system in accordance with claim 31, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view any presence information.

35. The system in accordance with claim 31, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

36. The system in accordance with claim 35, wherein the instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information comprises an instruction to prohibit sending messages to a computer system that corresponds to the presence information.

37. A client computer system connectable to a server computer system, the server computer system connectable to at least a plurality of client computer systems for which the server computer system maintains presence information, and exercises control of access to the presence information using a plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information, the client computer system comprising the following:

a component that creates a request including an instruction to change an access permission status for at least a subset of the plurality of computer systems, the access permission corresponding to one of the plurality of access permission types to the presence information; and

a component that transmits the request to the server computer system

wherein the plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information comprises permission to view any presence information, permission to view only accurate presence information, and permission to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

38. The system in accordance with claim 37, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view accurate presence information.

39. The system in accordance with claim 37, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view any presence information.

40. The system in accordance with claim 37, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

41. The system in accordance with claim 40, wherein the instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information comprises an instruction to prohibit sending messages to a computer system that corresponds to the presence information.

42. The system in accordance with claim 37, wherein the request comprises a data structure stored in a computer-readable medium, wherein the data structure comprises:

a principal identifier field that identifies the client computer system to which the access permission status is to apply;

a grant field that identifies any permission types that are to be granted to the client computer system; and

a deny field that identifies any permission types that are to be denied to the client computer system.

43. The system in accordance with claim 42, wherein the data structure further comprises:

an authentication field identifying authentication methods that are to be used when authenticating the client computer system to the server computer system.