PROTECTING PRIVACY IN GROUP COMMUNICATIONS
First Claim
1. In a presence service, a method for protecting the privacy of a user, comprising:
- enabling a first user to block a second user so that the first user generally appears to the second user to be unavailable;
allowing a third user to establish a group that includes the first user and the second user;
communicating true presence data about the first user to the second user when the first user and the second user are both participating in the group, and otherwise communicating to the second user that the first user is unavailable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for protecting the privacy of a user of a communication system that include enabling a first user to block a second user so that the first user generally appears to the second user to be unavailable. The method includes allowing a third user to establish a group that includes the first user and the second user. The group may be any sort of group that involves communication among three or more users. For example, the group may be an instant message group, voice chat, conference call, video conference, or any other suitable group communication. The method also enables a blocked user to be temporarily unblocked so as to prevent his blocking decision to be revealed to the blocked user.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. In a presence service, a method for protecting the privacy of a user, comprising:
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enabling a first user to block a second user so that the first user generally appears to the second user to be unavailable; allowing a third user to establish a group that includes the first user and the second user; communicating true presence data about the first user to the second user when the first user and the second user are both participating in the group, and otherwise communicating to the second user that the first user is unavailable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for protecting the privacy of a user, comprising:
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a blocking subsystem for enabling a first user to block a second user so that the first user generally appears to the second user to be unavailable; a group communication subsystem for allowing a third user to establish a group that includes the first user and the second user; and a presence communication subsystem for communicating true presence data about the first user to the second user when the first user and the second user are both participating in the group, and otherwise communicating to the second user that the first user is unavailable. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification