Techniques for physical presence detection for a communications device

• US 20070268130A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yee, Dawson, Kuntz, Roy
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• 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: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity

Abstract

Techniques are provided for determining a physical presence setting. First information is received indicating whether a physical token of a user is detected with respect to a device associated with the user. The physical presence setting for the user with respect to the device is determined in accordance with the first information.

Claims

1. A method of determining a physical presence setting comprising:

receiving first information indicating whether a physical token of a user is detected with respect to a device associated with the user; and

determining said physical presence setting for said user with respect to the device in accordance with said first information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding communications to said device in accordance with said physical presence setting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a phone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a mobile communications device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said physical presence setting is determined using said first information and other information from one or more secondary indicators.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said other information from one or more secondary indicators includes information from an application that detects inactivity on said device.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said physical presence setting is determined using said first information and other information obtained in connection with a manual presence indicator setting by said user.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said forwarding is performed in accordance with information from one or more secondary indicators.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said information from one or more secondary indicators includes a dynamic indicator as to whether a user has enabled physical presence detection for said device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said dynamic indicator identifies one or more user-specified modes of communication which are allowed to be forwarded to said device.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said forwarding is performed in accordance with static and dynamic information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said static information includes registration data associated with said user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said static information includes one or more modes of communications in accordance with operational capabilities of said device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said dynamic information includes dynamic physical attribute information regarding the current physical state of the device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said dynamic physical attribute information includes data relating to a physical position of a cover for at least one of a display or a keyboard.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said dynamic physical attribute information includes data relating to a folding position of said device.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of said determining said physical presence setting and said forwarding are determined using information including appointment information from an application program.

19. A computer readable medium comprising executable code for determining a physical presence setting comprising code that:

receives first information indicating whether a physical token of a user is detected with respect to a device;

determines said physical presence setting for said user with respect to said device in accordance with said first information; and

forwards communications to said device in accordance with said physical presence setting and other information indicating one or more currently available modes of communication for said device.

20. A method of determining a physical presence setting for a user with respect to a device comprising:

receiving first information indicating whether a physical token of a user is detected with respect to a device;

receiving second information from an application program indicating whether said device is active;

determining said physical presence setting for said user with respect to said device in accordance with said first information and said second information; and

forwarding communications to said device in accordance with said physical presence setting.