Presence information management system and presence information management server

• US 20060224671A1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyata, Tatsuhiko, Kasuga, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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

When starting subscribe for acquiring presence information, there is no need of acquiring an identifier of the presentity or an identifier of the group, which have been conventionally indispensable. There is provided a state information management system including a management server for managing state information on a plurality of terminals. Instead of specifying a presentity, a condition of the presentity, such as a value of presence, is specified for subscribing. For example, when subscribe is established by specifying the identical current position as a condition, subscribe for the user matched with the condition is automatically started and the presence can be acquired. When the presence of a partner or user himself/herself is changed to a different value, the presentity is automatically changed.

Claims

1. A state information management system comprising a server for managing state information on a plurality of terminals, the server including:

a reception unit which receives a state information disclosure request from a first terminal among the plurality of terminals,

a control unit which extracts a state information extraction condition from the state information disclosure request, and

a transmission unit which transmits state information on one or more other terminals matched with the state information extraction condition among the plurality of terminals, to the first terminal,

wherein the state information extraction condition is other than information indicating the other terminals, information indicating users of the other terminals, and information indicating a group to which the users of the other terminals belong.

3. A state information management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies at least a part of state information values, and

the transmission unit transmits state information on the other terminals having state information matched with at least a part of the state information values specified by the state information extraction condition, to the first terminal.

4. A state information management system as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies the range of the state information values.

5. A state information management system as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies a state information value within a predetermined distance from the state information on the first terminal.

6. A state information management system as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the distance is defined by a physical or a logical distance.

7. A state information management system as claimed in claim 6, wherein

the state information value is a location of a terminal or a user of the terminal and the distance is defined according to a physical distance or road.

8. A state information management system as claimed in claim 6, wherein

the state information value is a class of a user of the terminal and thee distance is a logical distance showing hierarchical distance between class names.

9. A state information management system as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies a state information value at which relationship with the state information on the first terminal satisfies a predetermined condition, and

the transmission unit transmits state information on another terminal having the value satisfying the predetermined condition, to the first terminal.

10. A state information management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the value is identical to the state information value of the first terminal.

11. A state information management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the value is at a predetermined distance from the state information value of the first terminal.

12. A state information management system as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the distance is defined according to a physical or a logical distance.

13. A state information management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the state information includes a plurality of items, and

the predetermined condition is a condition for an item identical to one or more items of the state information on the first terminal.

14. A state information management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the state information includes a plurality of items, and

the predetermined condition is a condition for an item not matched with one or more items of the state information on the first terminal.

15. A state information management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the transmission unit transmits state information only on limited one or more other terminals among the one or more other terminals, to the first terminal, and

the condition for limiting the other terminals is a condition for making limitation not depending on the state information value of the other terminal.

2. A state information management system comprising a server for managing state information on a plurality of terminals, the server comprising:

a reception unit which receives a state information disclosure request from a first terminal among the plurality of terminals,

a control unit which extracts a state information extraction condition from the state information disclosure request, and

a transmission unit which transmits state information on one or more other terminals matched with the state information extraction condition among the plurality of terminals, to the first terminal,

wherein when the number of other terminals matched with the state information extraction condition is increased or decreased, the transmission unit again transmits new state information on the one or more other terminals reflecting the increase or decrease to the first terminal.

49. A state information management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies at least a part of state information values, and

the transmission unit transmits state information on the other terminals having state information matched with at least a part of the state information values specified by the state information extraction condition, to the first terminal.

50. A state information management system as claimed in claim 49, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies the range of the state information values.

51. A state information management system as claimed in claim 50, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies a state information value within a predetermined distance from the state information on the first terminal.

52. A state information management system as claimed in claim 51, wherein

the distance is defined by a physical or a logical distance.

53. A state information management system as claimed in claim 52, wherein

the state information value is a location of a terminal or a user of the terminal and the distance is defined according to a physical distance or road.

54. A state information management system as claimed in claim 52, wherein

the state information value is a class of a user of the terminal and thee distance is a logical distance showing hierarchical distance between class names.

55. A state information management system as claimed in claim 49, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies a state information value at which relationship with the state information on the first terminal satisfies a predetermined condition, and

the transmission unit transmits state information on another terminal having the value satisfying the predetermined condition, to the first terminal.

56. A state information management system as claimed in claim 55, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the value is identical to the state information value of the first terminal.

57. A state information management system as claimed in claim 55, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the value is at a predetermined distance from the state information value of the first terminal.

58. A state information management system as claimed in claim 57, wherein

the distance is defined according to a physical or a logical distance.

59. A state information management system as claimed in claim 55, wherein

the state information includes a plurality of items, and

the predetermined condition is a condition for an item identical to one or more items of the state information on the first terminal.

60. A state information management system as claimed in claim 55, wherein

the state information includes a plurality of items, and

the predetermined condition is a condition for an item not matched with one or more items of the state information on the first terminal.

61. A state information management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the transmission unit transmits state information only on limited one or more other terminals among the one or more other terminals, to the first terminal, and

the condition for limiting the other terminals is a condition for making limitation not depending on the state information value of the other terminal.

16. A state information management system as claimed in 15, wherein

the condition limiting the other terminal is specified by the first terminal.

17. A state information management system as claimed in 16, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is a condition for limiting the terminal to the terminal contained in a list of the other terminal specified in advance by the first terminal.

18. A state information management system as claimed in 15, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is set by an administrator of the system.

19. A state information management system as claimed in 15, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is a condition to exclude the other terminal rejecting disclosure of state information among the one or more other terminals.

20. A state information management system as claimed in 19, wherein

the other terminal which rejects disclosure of the state information registers in advance the value of the state information whose disclosure is to be rejected or the partner terminal which rejects disclosure, in the server.

21. A state information management system as claimed in 19, wherein

the server inquires the one or more terminals about enabled/disabled state of the state information disclosure.

22. A state information management system as claimed in 21, wherein

the inquiry is performed to the other terminal matched with the state information extraction condition.

23. A state information management system as claimed in 2, wherein

the new state information is transmitted to the first terminal when the state information in the first terminal is updated.

24. A state information management system as claimed in 2, wherein

the new state information is transmitted to the first terminal when the state information in a terminal other than the first terminal is updated.

25. A state information management server for managing state information on a plurality of terminals, the server including:

a reception unit which receives a state information disclosure request from a first terminal among the plurality of terminals,

a control unit which extracts a state information extraction condition from the state information disclosure request, and

a transmission unit which transmits state information on one or more other terminals matched with the state information extraction condition to the first terminal,

wherein the state information extraction condition is other than information indicating the other terminals, information indicating the users of the other terminals, and information indicating the group to which users of other terminals belong.

27. A state information management server as claimed in claim 25, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies at least a part of state information values, and

the transmission unit transmits state information on the other terminals having the state information matched with at least a part of the state information values specified by the state information extraction condition, to the first terminal.

28. A state information management server as claimed in claim 27, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies the range of the state information values.

29. A state information management server as claimed in claim 28, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies a state information value within a predetermined distance from the state information on the first terminal.

30. A state information management server as claimed in claim 29, wherein

the distance is defined by a physical or a logical distance.

31. A state information management server as claimed in claim 30, wherein

the state information value is a location of a terminal or the user of the terminal and the distance is defined according to a physical distance or road.

32. A state information management server as claimed in claim 30, wherein

the state information value is a class of the user of the terminal and thee distance is a logical distance showing hierarchical distance between class names.

33. A state information management server as claimed in claim 27, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies a state information value at which relationship with the state information on the first terminal satisfies a predetermined condition, and

the transmission unit transmits state information on another terminal having the value satisfying the predetermined condition, to the first terminal.

34. A state information management server as claimed in claim 33, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the value is identical to the state information value of the first terminal.

35. A state information management server as claimed in claim 33, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the value is at a predetermined distance from the state information value of the first terminal.

36. A state information management server as claimed in claim 35, wherein

the distance is defined according to a physical or a logical distance.

37. A state information management server as claimed in claim 33, wherein

the state information includes a plurality of items, and

the predetermined condition is a condition for an item identical to one or more items of the state information on the first terminal.

38. A state information management server as claimed in claim 33, wherein

the sate information includes a plurality of items, and

the predetermined condition is a condition for an item not matched with one or more items of the state information on the first terminal.

39. A state information management server as claimed in claim 25, wherein

the transmission unit transmits state information only on limited one or more other terminals among the one or more other terminals, to the first terminal, and

the condition for limiting the other terminals is a condition for making limitation not depending on the state information value of the other terminal.

26. A state information management server for managing state information on a plurality of terminals, the server including:

a reception unit which receives a state information disclosure request from a first terminal among the plurality of terminals,

a control unit which extracts a state information extraction condition from the state information disclosure request, and

a transmission unit which transmits state information on one or more other terminals matched with the state information extraction condition to the first terminal,

wherein when the number of other terminals matched with the state information extraction condition is increased or decreased, the transmission unit again transmits new state information on the one or more other terminals reflecting the increase or decrease to the first terminal.

69. A state information management server as claimed in claim 26, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies at least a part of state information values, and

the transmission unit transmits state information on the other terminals having the state information matched with at least a part of the state information values specified by the state information extraction condition, to the first terminal.

70. A state information management server as claimed in claim 69, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies the range of the state information values.

71. A state information management server as claimed in claim 70, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies a state information value within a predetermined distance from the state information on the first terminal.

72. A state information management server as claimed in claim 71, wherein

the distance is defined by a physical or a logical distance.

73. A state information management server as claimed in claim 72, wherein

the state information value is a location of a terminal or the user of the terminal and the distance is defined according to a physical distance or road.

74. A state information management server as claimed in claim 72, wherein

the state information value is a class of the user of the terminal and thee distance is a logical distance showing hierarchical distance between class names.

75. A state information management server as claimed in claim 69, wherein

the state information extraction condition specifies a state information value at which relationship with the state information on the first terminal satisfies a predetermined condition, and

the transmission unit transmits state information on another terminal having the value satisfying the predetermined condition, to the first terminal.

76. A state information management server as claimed in claim 75, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the value is identical to the state information value of the first terminal.

77. A state information management server as claimed in claim 75, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the value is at a predetermined distance from the state information value of the first terminal.

78. A state information management server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the distance is defined according to a physical or a logical distance.

79. A state information management server as claimed in claim 75, wherein

the state information includes a plurality of items, and

the predetermined condition is a condition for an item identical to one or more items of the state information on the first terminal.

80. A state information management server as claimed in claim 75, wherein

the sate information includes a plurality of items, and

the predetermined condition is a condition for an item not matched with one or more items of the state information on the first terminal.

81. A state information management server as claimed in claim 26, wherein

the transmission unit transmits state information only on limited one or more other terminals among the one or more other terminals, to the first terminal, and

the condition for limiting the other terminals is a condition for making limitation not depending on the state information value of the other terminal.

40. A state information management server as claimed in 39, wherein

the condition limiting the other terminal is specified by the first terminal.

41. A state information management server as claimed in 40, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is a condition for limiting the terminal to the terminal contained in a list of the other terminal specified in advance by the first terminal.

42. A state information management server as claimed in 39, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is set by an administrator of the system.

43. A state information management server as claimed in 40, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is a condition to exclude the other terminal rejecting disclosure of state information among the one or more other terminals.

44. A state information management server as claimed in 43, wherein

the other terminal which rejects disclosure of the state information registers in advance the value of the state information whose disclosure is to be rejected or the partner terminal which rejects disclosure, in the server.

45. A state information management server as claimed in 43, wherein

the server inquires the one or more terminals about enabled/disabled state of the state information disclosure.

46. A state information management server as claimed in 45, wherein

the inquiry is performed to the other terminal matched with the state information extraction condition.

47. A state information management sever as claimed in 26, wherein

the new state information is transmitted to the first terminal when the state information in the first terminal is updated.

48. A state information management server as claimed in 26, wherein

the new state information is transmitted to the first terminal when the state information in a terminal other than the first terminal is updated.

62. A state information management system as claimed in 61, wherein

the condition limiting the other terminal is specified by the first terminal.

63. A state information management system as claimed in 62, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is a condition for limiting the terminal to the terminal contained in a list of the other terminal specified in advance by the first terminal.

64. A state information management system as claimed in 61, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal-is set by an administrator of the system.

65. A state information management system as claimed in 61, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is a condition to exclude the other terminal rejecting disclosure of state information among the one or more other terminals.

66. A state information management system as claimed in 65, wherein

the other terminal which rejects disclosure of the state information registers in advance the value of the state information whose disclosure is to be rejected or the partner terminal which rejects disclosure, in the server.

67. A state information management system as claimed in 65, wherein

the server inquires the one or more terminals about enabled/disabled state of the state information disclosure.

68. A state information management system as claimed in 67, wherein

the inquiry is performed to the other terminal matched with the state information extraction condition.

82. A state information management server as claimed in 81, wherein

the condition limiting the other terminal is specified by the first terminal.

83. A state information management server as claimed in 82, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is a condition for limiting the terminal to the terminal contained in a list of the other terminal specified in advance by the first terminal.

84. A state information management server as claimed in 81, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is set by an administrator of the system.

85. A state information management server as claimed in 82, wherein

the condition for limiting the other terminal is a condition to exclude the other terminal rejecting disclosure of state information among the one or more other terminals.

86. A state information management server as claimed in 85, wherein

the other terminal which rejects disclosure of the state information registers in advance the value of the state information whose disclosure is to be rejected or the partner terminal which rejects disclosure, in the server.

87. A state information management server as claimed in 85, wherein

the server inquires the one or more terminals about enabled/disabled state of the state information disclosure.

88. A state information management server as claimed in 87, wherein

the inquiry is performed to the other terminal matched with the state information extraction condition.