METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXCHANGING MESSAGES USING A PRESENCE SERVICE

• US 20080005294A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• 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:
  US11/428,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20080005294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• 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: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers

Abstract

A method and system are described for exchanging messages using a presence service. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method of exchanging messages via a presence service, includes receiving at least one of a presence status and a message sent from a first client of the presence service via a publish command capable of sending the presence status and message as integrated presence and messaging information. The publish command conforms to a transmission format providing a status element for carrying the presence status and an inbox element for carrying the message. A notification including at least one of the presence status and at least a portion of the message is sent to a second client of the presence service via a notify command capable of sending the notification in conformance with the transmission format.

Claims

1. A method of exchanging messages via a presence service, the method comprising:

receiving at least one of a presence status and a message sent from a first client of the presence service via a publish command capable of sending the presence status and message as integrated presence and messaging information conforming to a transmission format providing a status element for carrying the presence status and an inbox element for carrying the message; and

sending a notification including at least one of the presence status and at least a portion of the message to a second client of the presence service via a notify command capable of sending the notification in conformance with the transmission format.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

creating and maintaining a session tuple for both the first and second clients when a first message for exchange between the first and second clients is generated by one of the presence service clients; and

associating the presence and messaging information with the session tuple;

wherein the session tuple is addressable by a publish command and has a structure corresponding to the transmission format, a corresponding inbox element of the session tuple including a session element having a session identifier for identifying a messaging session between the first and second clients, a first message element associated with one of the presence service clients for carrying the message, and a second message element associated with the other of the presence service clients for carrying a second message.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising subscribing the first and second clients to respective message elements of the session tuple.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising assigning the session identifier to the session tuple, wherein messages exchanged between the first and second clients can be linked via the session identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

creating and maintaining a first tuple for the first client when a first message destined for the second client is generated by the first client, and a second tuple for the second client when a first message destined for the first client is generated by the second client; and

associating portions of the presence and messaging information with the first and second tuples;

wherein each of the tuples is addressable by a publish command and has a structure corresponding to the transmission format, a corresponding inbox element of the first tuple including a first message element associated with the second client for carrying the message sent from the first client to the second client and a corresponding inbox element of the second tuple including a second message element associated with the first client for carrying a second message sent from the second client to the first client.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising subscribing the second client to the first message element of the first tuple and subscribing the first client to the second message element of the second tuple.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

creating and maintaining a tuple for one of the first and second clients; and

associating the presence and messaging information with the tuple;

wherein the tuple is addressable by a publish command and has a structure corresponding to the transmission format, a corresponding inbox element of the tuple including a first message element associated with the client for which the tuple is maintained, and a second message element associated with the other client.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the tuple is maintained for the first client, the first message element is associated with the second client and is configured to carry the message sent from the first client to the second client, and the second message element is associated with the first client and is configured to carry a second message sent from the second client to the first client.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the tuple is created and maintained for the first client and the first and second message elements when a first message destined for the second client is generated by the first client.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising subscribing the second client to the first message element of the tuple and subscribing the first client to the second message element of the tuple.

11. The method of claim 7, comprising restricting access of the client for which the tuple is not maintained to the second message element of the tuple used for carrying messages published to the client for which the tuple is maintained.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein when the second client is not subscribed to the presence and messaging information, the notify command is a directed notify command capable of sending the notification to the second client in conformance with the transmission format.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising sending a notification including at least one of the presence status and at least a portion of the message to each of a plurality of subscribing clients via at least one notify command capable of sending the notifications in conformance with the transmission format.

14. A method of sending messages via a presence service, the method comprising:

generating, by a sender client of the presence service, a message destined for a recipient client of the presence service; and

sending, by the sender client, at least one of a presence status and the message to the presence service via a publish command capable of sending the presence status and message as integrated presence and messaging information conforming to a transmission format providing a status element for carrying the presence status and an inbox element for carrying the message.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

creating a tuple, maintained by the presence service for the sender client, when a first message destined for the recipient client is generated by the sender client; and

associating the presence and messaging information with the tuple;

wherein the tuple is addressable by a publish command and has a structure corresponding to the transmission format, a corresponding inbox element of the tuple including a message element associated with the recipient client for carrying the message sent from the sender client to the recipient client.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising subscribing the recipient client to the message element of the tuple.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the message includes providing information identifying a non-subscribing recipient client allowing the message to be sent to the non-subscribing recipient client.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the message includes providing information identifying a subscribing recipient client.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the message is generated in response to a previous received message associated with a messaging session, and wherein generating the message includes providing a session identifier associated with the messaging session such that the message can be linked to the previous received message.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the presence service is a local presence service associated with the sender client.

21. A method of receiving messages via a presence service, the method comprising:

receiving, by a recipient client of the presence service, a notification including at least one of a presence status and a message from the presence service via a notify command capable of sending the notification as integrated presence and messaging information conforming to a transmission format providing a status element for carrying the presence status and an inbox element for carrying the message; and

identifying and displaying the message, by the recipient client, when present in the notification.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising identifying the presence status when present in the notification and displaying by the recipient client the presence status.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the notification is received based on a subscription to the presence and messaging information of a sender client established for the recipient client by the presence service.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the presence service is a local presence service associated with the sender client.

25. A system for exchanging messages using a presence service, the system comprising:

a data store for storing integrated presence and messaging information; and

at least one presence server including the presence service and a network protocol stack component having a presence protocol layer for communicating with at least one presence service client, the presence service including;

a publication handler component, operatively coupled to the data store, configured to receive at least one of a presence status and a message sent from a first client of the presence service via a publish command capable of sending the presence status and message as integrated presence and messaging information conforming to a transmission format providing a status element for carrying the presence status and an inbox element for carrying the message;

a notification handler component, operatively coupled to the publication hander component and the data store, configured to send a notification including at least one of the presence status and at least a portion of the message to a second client of the presence service via a notify command capable of sending the notification in conformance with the transmission format; and

a router component, operatively coupled to the publication and notification handler components and to the presence protocol layer of the network protocol stack component, the router configured to route the publish and notify commands between the publication and notification handler components and the first and second presence service clients.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the presence service is configured to:

create and maintain a session tuple in the data store for both the first and second clients when a first message for exchange between the first and second clients is generated by one of the presence service clients; and

associate the presence and messaging information with the session tuple;

wherein the session tuple is addressable by a publish command and has a structure corresponding to the transmission format, a corresponding inbox element of the session tuple including a session element having a session identifier for identifying a messaging session between the first and second clients, a first message element associated with one of the presence service clients for carrying the message, and a second message element associated with the other of the presence service clients for carrying a second message.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the presence service includes a subscription handler component, operatively coupled to the publication and notification handler components, the data store, and to the router component, the subscription handler component configured to subscribe the first and second clients to respective message elements of the session tuple.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the presence service is configured to assign the session identifier to the session tuple allowing messages exchanged between the first and second clients to be linked via the session identifier.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the presence service is configured to:

create and maintain a first tuple in the data store for the first client when a first message destined for the second client is generated by the first client, and a second tuple in the data store for the second client when a first message destined for the first client is generated by the second client; and

associate portions of the presence and messaging information with the first and second tuples;

wherein each of the tuples is addressable by a publish command and has a structure corresponding to the transmission format, a corresponding inbox element of the first tuple including a first message element associated with the second client for carrying the message sent from the first client to the second client and a corresponding inbox element of the second tuple including a second message element associated with the first client for carrying a second message sent from the second client to the first client.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the presence service includes a subscription handler component, operatively coupled to the publication and notification handler components, the data store, and to the router component, the subscription handler component configured to subscribe the second client to the first message element of the first tuple and subscribe the first client to the second message element of the second tuple.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the presence service is configured to:

create and maintain a tuple in the data store for one of the first and second clients; and

associate the presence and messaging information with the tuple;

wherein the tuple is addressable by a publish command and has a structure corresponding to the transmission format, a corresponding inbox element of the tuple including a first message element associated with the client for which the tuple is maintained, and a second message element associated with the other client.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the tuple is maintained by the presence service for the first client, the first message element is associated with the second client and is configured to carry the message sent from the first client to the second client, and the second message element is associated with the first client and is configured to carry a second message sent from the second client to the first client.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the presence service is configured to create and maintain the tuple for the first client when a first message destined for the second client is generated by the first client.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the presence service includes a subscription handler component, operatively coupled to the publication and notification handler components, the data store, and to the router component, the subscription handler component configured to subscribe the second client to the first message element of the tuple and subscribe the first client to the second message element of the tuple.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the presence service is configured to restrict access of the client for which the tuple is not maintained to the second message element of the tuple used for carrying messages published to the client for which the tuple is maintained.

36. The system of claim 25, wherein when the second client is not subscribed to the presence and messaging information, the presence service is configured to use a directed notify command capable of sending the notification to the second client in conformance with the transmission format.

37. The system of claim 25, wherein the presence service is configured to send a notification including at least one of the presence status and at least a portion of the message to each of a plurality of subscribing clients via at least one notify command capable of sending the notifications in conformance with the transmission format.

38. A client device for sending and receiving messages via a presence service, the client device comprising:

a network protocol stack component having a presence protocol layer configured to communicate with the presence service;

at least one graphical user interface (GUI) component configured to gather and present at least one of presence status information and messaging information;

a presentity component, operatively coupled to the at least one GUI component and the network protocol stack component, the presentity component configured to send at least one of a presence status and a message to the presence service via a publish command capable of sending the presence status and message as integrated presence and messaging information conforming to a transmission format providing a status element for carrying the presence status and an inbox element for carrying the message; and

a watcher component, operatively coupled to the at least one GUI component and the network protocol stack component, the watcher component configured to receive a notification including at least one of a presence status and a message via a notify command capable of sending the notification in conformance with the transmission format.

39. The device of claim 38, comprising at least one user agent component configured to translate presence status and messaging information exchanged between the at least one GUI component and at least one of the presentity component and the watcher component.

40. The device of claim 38, comprising a message session manager component, operatively coupled to the at least one GUI component and at least one of the presentity component and the watcher component, the message session manager component configured to assign a session identifier to messages associated with a messaging session, allowing the messages to be linked via the session identifier.

41. The device of claim 38, comprising a roster list monitor component, operatively coupled to the at least one GUI component and the watcher component, the roster list monitor component configured to request subscriptions to and monitor the presence status information of each of the presence service clients associated with entries in a roster list.

42. The device of claim 38, comprising a principal status monitor component, operatively coupled to the at least one GUI component and the presentity component, the principal status monitor configured to monitor activity on the client device and to automatically update the presence status of a principal associated with the client device based on the monitored activity.

43. The device of claim 38, comprising:

a preferences manager component configured to at least one of retrieve, store, and validate settings and options associated with a principal associated with the client device;

a preferences data store, coupled to the preferences manager component, configured to store the principal'"'"'s preferences and settings; and

a preferences GUI component, coupled to the preferences manager component, configured to present the preferences and settings to the principal and allow the principal to at least one of view and change the preferences and settings.

44. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for exchanging messages via a presence service, the program instructions for:

receiving at least one of a presence status and a message sent from a first client of the presence service via a publish command capable of sending the presence status and message as integrated presence and messaging information conforming to a transmission format providing a status element for carrying the presence status and an inbox element for carrying the message; and

sending a notification including at least one of the presence status and at least a portion of the message to a second client of the presence service via a notify command capable of sending the notification in conformance with the transmission format.

45. A data model for at least one of exchanging integrated presence and messaging information via a presence service and storing the integrated presence and messaging information in a data store, the data model comprising:

a status element representing a presence status of at least one client of the presence service; and

an inbox element representing a message for exchange between first and second clients of the presence service.

46. The data model of claim 45, wherein the inbox element comprises a session tuple maintained by the presence service for both the first and second clients, the session tuple comprising:

a session element having a session identifier for identifying a messaging session between the first and second clients of the presence service;

a first message element associated with one of the presence service clients representing the message; and

a second message element associated with the other of the presence service clients representing a second message for exchange between the presence service clients.

47. The data model of claim 45, wherein the inbox element comprises:

a first tuple maintained by the presence service for the first presence service client including a first message element associated with the second client for carrying the message sent from the first client to the second client; and

a second tuple maintained by the presence service for the second presence service client including a second message element associated with the first client for carrying a second message sent from the second client to the first client.

48. The data model of claim 45, wherein the inbox element comprises a tuple maintained for one of the first and second clients including a first message element associated with the client for which the tuple is maintained, and a second message element associated with the other client.

49. The data model of claim 45, wherein the tuple is maintained for the first client, the first message element is associated with the second client and is configured to carry the message sent from the first client to the second client, and the second message element is associated with the first client and is configured to carry a second message sent from the second client to the first client.

50. A system for exchanging messages using a presence service, the system comprising:

means for storing integrated presence and messaging information;

means for receiving at least one of a presence status and a message sent from a first client of the presence service as integrated presence and messaging information conforming to a transmission format providing a status element for carrying the presence status and an inbox element for carrying the message; and

means for sending a notification including at least one of the presence status and at least a portion of the message to a second client of the presence service in conformance with the transmission format.