System and method for centralized presence management of local and remote users

• US 20080219423A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sangoma US, Inc. (Sangoma Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fonality Incorporated (Sangoma Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Lyman, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,693,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4365 based on information specified by the calling party, e.g. priority or subject
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service

Abstract

Systems and methods for centralized presence management of local and remote users are provided. In exemplary embodiments, presence management information for the local and remote users are determined. Permissions established for at least one presence management user are reviewed to determine an amount of access to the presence management information to provide to the presence management user. The presence management information is then provided to the presence management user based on the permissions.

Claims

1. A system for managing presence of local and remote users, comprising:

a permissions interface configured to set up permissions for at least one presence management user, the permissions determining an amount of access to presence management information of each local and remote user;

at least one communication presence module configured to monitor communication statuses of the local and remote users; and

an data module configured to provide presence management information of the local and remotes users based on the permissions to the presence management user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication presence module comprises a telephony presence module.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the telephony presence module receives telephony status from a PBX server.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication presence module comprises a chat presence module.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the presence management user comprises the local user or the remote user.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the permissions interface comprises a web-based permissions interface.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the presence management information comprises availability of the local and remote users for communication.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the communication comprises a phone call or a chat session.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a communication routing module configured to route communications based on the presence management information.

10. A method for managing presence of local and remote users, comprising:

determining presence management information for the local and remote users;

reviewing permissions established for at least one presence management user to determine an amount of access to the presence management information of each local and remote user; and

providing the presence management information of the local and remote user based on the permissions to the presence management user.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining communication status comprises determining telephony status of the local and remote users.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving the telephony status from a HUD server.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein determining communication status comprises determining chat status of the local and remote users.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the presence management user comprises the local user or the remote user.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising establishing the permissions for each presence management user.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein establishing the permissions comprises utilizing a web-based permissions interface.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving the permissions and updates to the permissions and storing the permissions in a database.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising routing communications based on the presence management information.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining presence management information based on movement of computing device accessories.

20. A machine readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program providing instructions for a method for managing presence of local and remote users, the method comprising:

determining presence management information for the local and remote users;

reviewing permissions established for at least one presence management user to determine an amount of access to the presence management information of each local and remote user; and

providing the presence management information of the local and remote user based on the permissions to the presence management user.