Presence management proxying methods and devices

• US 20070236719A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hao, Fang, Mukherjee, Sarit, Miller, Scott, Chandranmenon, Girish, Naik, Tejas
• Granted Patent: US 9,462,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.140
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• 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 network comprises agents which act as proxies on behalf of devices, such as wireless game devices, phones and personal digital assistants. Each agent collects information concerning a “presence status” of a device. An agent determines whether to forward messages on to a device depending on the collected presence status (e.g., active/inactive) of the device. For example, if the presence status indicates the device is active then messages will be forwarded. If, however, the status indicates the device is inactive the message will not be forwarded. Instead, the agent may act as a proxy for the device while it is inactive. By only forwarding messages when a device is active, valuable airlink time and/or bandwidth can be conserved.

Claims

1. A presence management proxying method comprising:

collecting information concerning the presence status of a device; and

determining whether to forward a message to the device depending on the presence status of the device.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising forwarding a message to the device when the presence status indicates the device is active.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising declining to forward a message to the device when the presence status indicates the device is inactive.

4. The method as in claim 2 wherein the message is forwarded wirelessly.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising forwarding a presence status of one or more other devices.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the message relates to an on-line game.

7. A presence management proxying method comprising:

collecting information concerning a presence status of each of one or more devices; and

determining whether to forward a message on to each of the one or more devices depending on the presence status of each of the devices.

8. The method as in claim 7 further comprising forwarding the message on to one of the devices when the presence status of the device indicates the device is active.

9. The method as in claim 7 further comprising declining to forward the message on to one of the devices when the presence status of the device indicates the device is inactive.

10. The method as in claim 8 wherein the message is forwarded wirelessly.

11. The method as in claim 7 wherein the message relates to an on-line game.

12. A method for exchanging presence status information between two or more agents, wherein the information is related to a device associated with one of the agents.

13. The method as in claim 12 wherein the device is involved in an on-line game.

14. A presence management proxying device operable to:

collect information concerning the presence status of a device; and

determine whether to forward a message to the device depending on the presence status of the device.

15. The device as in claim 14 further comprising forwarding a message to the device when the presence status indicates the device is active.

16. The device as in claim 14 further operable to decline to forward a message to the device when the presence status indicates the device is inactive.

17. The device as in claim 15 further operable to forward the message wirelessly.

18. The device as in claim 14 further operable to forward a presence status of one or more other devices.

19. The device as in claim 14 wherein the message relates to an on-line game.

20. The device as in claim 14 further operable to:

collect information concerning a presence status of one or more devices; and

determine whether to forward a message on to each of the devices depending on the presence status of each device.

21. The device as in claim 20 further operable to forward the message on to one of the devices when the presence status of the device indicates the device is active.

22. The device as in claim 20 further operable to decline to forward the message on to one of the devices when the presence status of the device indicates the device is inactive.

23. The device as in claim 21 further operable to forward the message wirelessly.

24. The device as in claim 20 wherein the message relates to an on-line game.

25. A presence management proxying agent operable to exchange presence status information with at least one other proxying agent, wherein the information is related to a device associated with one of the agents.

26. The device as in claim 25 wherein the device is involved in an on-line game.