System and method for providing and utilizing presence information

• US 20060036712A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US10/900,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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

A method and system for utilizing presence information with a device is described. In one aspect, the method and system include obtaining user information for a user and obtaining presence information for at least one entity associated with the user. The method and system also include displaying at least a first portion the presence information for the at least one entity only if the device includes a display capable of displaying the first portion of the presence information and presenting at least a second portion of the presence information in an alternative form if the device does not include the display. In another aspect, the method and system include allowing an activity related to a recipient be initiated by a user and determining a status of the recipient based on the identification information and in response to the activity being initiated by the user. In this aspect, the method and system also include presenting the status of the recipient to the user and allowing the user to alter the activity based upon the status of the recipient.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing presence information with a device comprising:

obtaining user information for a user;

obtaining presence information for at least one entity associated with the user;

displaying at least a first portion the presence information for the at least one entity only if the device includes a display capable of displaying the first portion of the presence information; and

presenting at least a second portion of the presence information in an alternative form if the device does not include the display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user information includes user presence information.

3. The method of claim 1 further including:

allowing an activity related to a recipient to be initiated by the user.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the user information obtaining step further includes:

determining an identity of the user.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the presence information displaying step is performed in response to the activity being initiated.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining recipient information for the recipient.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the recipient information includes an identity of the recipient.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the recipient information includes a status of the recipient and wherein the method further includes

presenting the status of the recipient.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the device can be used by more than one user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the device can be used by more than one user.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is a telephone.

12. A method for utilizing presence information with a device comprising:

allowing an activity related to a recipient to be initiated by a user;

determining a status of the recipient based on identification information and in response to the activity being initiated by the user;

presenting the status of the recipient to the user.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

allowing the user to alter the activity based upon the status of the recipient.

14. A method for utilizing presence information with a device comprising:

allowing an activity related to a recipient to be initiated by a user;

obtaining user information for the user, the user information including an identity of the user;

obtaining presence information for at least one entity associated with the user;

displaying at least a portion the presence information for the at least one entity only if the device includes a display capable of displaying the first portion of the presence information;

presenting at least a second portion of the presence information in an alternative form if the device does not include the display;

obtaining identification information for the recipient;

determining a status of the recipient based on the identification information;

presenting the status of the recipient to the user; and

allowing the user to alter the activity based upon the status of the recipient.

15. A system for allowing a device to utilize presence information comprising:

a presence user agent for communicating with a user and for communicating on behalf of the user;

a watcher user agent for obtaining user information for the user, obtaining presence information for the at least one entity associated with the user, for displaying at least a first portion the presence information for at least one entity only if the device includes a display capable of displaying the first portion of the presence information, and for presenting at least a second portion of the presence information in an alternative form if the device does not include the display.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the user information includes user presence information.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the presence user agent further indicates that an activity related to a recipient is initiated by the user.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the presence user agent provides identity information and the watcher user agent further receives an identity of the user based on the identity information.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the watcher user agent obtains and displays the presence information in response to the activity being initiated.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the watcher user agent further receives recipient information for the recipient.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the recipient information includes an identity of the recipient.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the recipient information includes a status of the recipient and wherein the watcher user agent further presents the status of the recipient to the user.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the device can be used by more than one user.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein the device can be used by more than one user.

25. The system of claim 15 wherein the device is a telephone.

26. The system of claim 15 wherein the present user agent and the watcher user agent reside on the device.

27. A system for utilizing presence information for a device comprising:

a presence user agent for communicating with a user and providing a notification of an activity related to a recipient initiated by a user; and

a watcher agent for receiving a status of the recipient based on the identification information and in response to the activity being initiated by the user, and for presenting the status of the recipient to the user.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the presence user agent further allows the user to alter the activity based upon the status of the recipient.

29. A system for utilizing presence information for a device comprising:

a watcher user agent for obtaining user information including a user identity for a user, obtaining presence information for the at least one entity associated with the user, for displaying at least a first portion the presence information for at least one entity only if the device includes a display capable of displaying the first portion of the presence information, presenting at least a second portion of the presence information in an alternative form if the device does not include the display, receiving a status of the recipient based on the identification information, and presenting the status of the recipient to the user; and

a presence user agent for communicating with the user, for providing an identification of the user, indicating that an activity related to a recipient is initiated by the user, and for allowing the user to alter the activity based upon the status of the recipient.

30. A system for providing presence information with a device comprising:

a lookup service for locating user information and presence information for at least one entity associated with the user and at least one recipient related to activity an activity initiated by the user, the user information including a user identity for the user, the presence information for the recipient including a status of the recipient;

a presence service for sending the user information and the presence information to the device in response to a notification that the user;

a user agent for obtaining user information including a user identity for a user, obtaining presence information for the at least one entity, for displaying at least a portion the presence information for at least one entity only if the device includes a display capable of displaying the first portion of the presence information, presenting at least a second portion of the presence information in an alternative form if the device does not include the display, obtaining identification information for the recipient, receiving a status of the recipient based on the identification information, and presenting the status of the recipient to the user; and

a presence user agent for communicating with the user, for providing an identification of the user, indicating that an activity related to a recipient is initiated by the user, and for allowing the user to alter the activity based upon the status of the recipient.

31. A computer-readable medium containing a program for utilizing presence information with a device, the program including instructions for:

obtaining user information for a user;

obtaining presence information for at least one entity associated with the user; and

displaying at least a first portion the presence information for the at least one entity only if the device includes a display capable of displaying the first portion of the presence information; and

presenting at least a second portion of the presence information in an alternative form if the device does not include the display.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the user information includes user presence information.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

allowing an activity related to a recipient to be initiated by the user.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 wherein the user information obtaining instructions further include instructions for:

determining an identity of the user.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34 wherein the presence information displaying instructions are performed in response to the activity being initiated.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

determining recipient information for the recipient.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 wherein the recipient information includes an identity of the recipient.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 wherein the recipient information includes a status of the recipient and wherein the program further includes instructions for:

presenting the status of the recipient.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 wherein the device can be used by more than one user.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the device can be used by more than one user.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the device is a telephone.

42. A computer-readable medium containing a program for utilizing presence information with a device, the program including instructions for:

allowing an activity related to a recipient to be initiated by a user;

determining a status of the recipient based on identification information and in response to the activity being initiated by the user;

presenting the status of the recipient to the user; and

allowing the user to alter the activity based upon the status of the recipient.

43. A computer-readable medium containing a program for utilizing presence information with a device, the program including instructions for:

allowing an activity related to a recipient to be initiated by a user;

obtaining user information for the user, the user information including an identity of the user;

obtaining presence information for at least one entity associated with the user;

displaying at least a portion the presence information for the at least one entity only if the device includes a display capable of displaying the first portion of the presence information; and

presenting a second portion of the presence information in an alternative form if the device does not include the display;

obtaining identification information for the recipient;

determining a status of the recipient based on the identification information;

presenting the status of the recipient to the user; and

allowing the user to alter the activity based upon the status of the recipient.