Method and system for managing access to presence attribute information

• US 20050144333A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kotzin, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• 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 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• 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: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation

Abstract

A presence attribute information server and manager application, and corresponding method is provided for managing access to presence attribute information. In addition to the presence attribute information entries, access authorization entries associated with at least some of the presence attribute information entries are provided which define conditions in which access to the presence attribute information is authorized. Generally, the defined conditions can include temporal and/or spatial requirements associated with either the user requesting the presence attribute information or the person/item associated with the presence attribute information, for purposes of establishing authorization to access the presence attribute information.

Claims

1. A presence attribute information server comprising:

a processor;

an interface unit, coupled to the processor, including a network interface for receiving and transmitting user presence attribute information; and

a storage unit, coupled to the interface unit and the processor, including presence attribute information and associated access authorization information organized and arranged as one or more entries in a data structure;

wherein said access authorization entries are each associated with corresponding presence attribute information entries, each presence attribute information entry having a presence attribute value field, corresponding to one or more types of presence attributes, and each access authorization information entry having a user field identifying one or more users and one or more access condition entries, wherein the access condition entries define the conditions when the corresponding presence attribute information is available to the corresponding identified users.

2. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more access condition entries includes a predetermined period of time to be matched.

3. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 2 wherein the predetermined period of time includes a time of day.

4. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 2 wherein the predetermined period of time includes a day of the week.

5. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 2 wherein a predetermined period of time includes a point in time identifying the beginning of the predetermined period and a point in time identifying the end of the predetermined period.

6. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more access condition entries includes a proximity relative to a predetermined location.

7. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 6 wherein the predetermined location includes a specific place.

8. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 6 wherein the predetermined location is the present position of at least one of another item or person.

9. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 6 wherein the proximity corresponds to a predetermined distance.

10. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 6 wherein the location is relative to the at least one of item or person associated with the presence information.

11. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 6 wherein the location is relative to the user requesting the presence information.

12. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 1 wherein the access condition entries include a flag which, when an access condition is met, identifies whether access to the associated presence information is authorized or precluded.

13. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an access validation unit, coupled to the interface unit and the storage unit, the access validation unit being adapted for

receiving a request for presence attribute information,

receiving one or more of status information of the user requesting the information, the status information of the at least one of item or person associated with the presence information, and the current time and date,

comparing the same to the one or more corresponding access authorization entries, and

authorizing access to the presence information, if the appropriate access conditions have been met.

14. A presence attribute information server in accordance with claim 13 wherein the access validation unit includes a set of prestored instructions for execution by the processor.

15. A presence attribute information manager application comprising:

a processor;

an interface unit, coupled to the processor, including a data input device for receiving user attribute information from the user and a network interface for transmitting user presence attribute information;

a storage unit, coupled to the interface unit and the processor, including presence attribute information and associated access authorization information organized and arranged as one or more entries in a data structure;

wherein said access authorization entries are each associated with corresponding presence attribute information entries, each presence attribute information entry having a presence attribute value field, corresponding to one or more types of presence attributes, and each access authorization information entry having a user field identifying one or more users and one or more access condition entries, wherein the access condition entries define the conditions when the corresponding presence attribute information is available to the corresponding identified users.

16. A presence attribute information manager application in accordance with claim 15 wherein said interface unit is further adapted for receiving access conditions associated with one or more users, which are used to formulate access authorization entries.

17. A presence attribute information manager application in accordance with claim 15 wherein said interface unit further includes a data output device for presenting conditions associated with authorizing access in an iconic format.

18. A presence attribute information manager application in accordance with claim 17 wherein said data input device is further adapted for modifying the conditions being presented by the data output device associated with authorizing access to presence attribute information associated with one or more users.

19. A presence attribute information manager application in accordance with claim 15 further comprising a broadcast unit, coupled to the interface unit and the storage unit, the broadcast unit being adapted to transmit updated user presence attribute information to at least one of a presence attribute information server and subscribed users, that are currently authorized to receive updates, when the presence information changes.

20. A presence attribute information manager application in accordance with claim 19 wherein the broadcast unit includes a set of prestored instructions for execution by the processor.

21. A presence attribute information manager application in accordance with claim 15 wherein the presence attribute information manager application is incorporated as part of a portable electronic device.

22. A presence attribute information manager application in accordance with claim 21 wherein the portable electronic device is a wireless radio frequency telephone.

23. A method for managing the access to presence attribute information comprising:

receiving a request for presence information;

identifying the user requesting the presence information;

determining whether the user requesting the information is authorized to have access to the requested presence information including

receiving any conditions relative to the requesting user associated with receiving access to the information, and

determining whether the received conditions associated with receiving access have been met;

wherein, if the user has met the conditions associated with receiving access, then forwarding the presence information to the requesting user.