Interworking Function with a Presence Access Layer to Provide Enhanced Presence Aspect Indications

• US 20100093328A1
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: McColgan, Brian, Chitturi, Suresh, Rogers, Jeff
• Application Number:
  US12/252,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20100093328A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• 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 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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

A method for providing information to a watcher is provided. The method includes a presence access layer receiving presence-related information from a plurality of disparate presence platforms, the presence access layer using the presence-related information to derive a single element of presence information, and the presence access layer delivering the single element of presence information to the watcher.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to a watcher, comprising:

a presence access layer receiving presence-related information from a plurality of disparate presence platforms;

the presence access layer using the presence-related information to derive a single element of presence information; and

the presence access layer delivering the single element of presence information to the watcher.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of disparate presence platforms include at least one presence platform compliant with a standard of the Open Mobile Alliance and at least one presence platform not compliant with a standard of the Open Mobile Alliance.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the single element of presence information is one of:

a location of a presentity;

an availability of the presentity;

a reachability of the presentity;

a willingness of the presentity to communicate;

a willingness of the presentity to use a service;

a willingness of the presentity to use a communication method;

a state of mind of the presentity;

an activity the presentity is currently engaged in; and

an application currently executing on a user agent used by the presentity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein an interworking function within the presence access layer converts presence-related information from a format used by at least one of the plurality of disparate presence platforms to a format used within the presence access layer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the derivation of the single element of presence information further includes consideration of at least one of:

a status of a network;

a status of a network element;

a roaming status of a presentity;

a power status of a user agent used by the presentity;

a transmission and reception status of the user agent used by the presentity; and

a coverage status of the presentity.

6. A system comprising:

a presence access layer configured to receive presence-related information from a plurality of disparate presence platforms, use the presence-related information to derive a single element of presence information, and deliver the single element of presence information to a watcher.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of disparate presence platforms include at least one presence platform compliant with a standard of the Open Mobile Alliance and at least one presence platform not compliant with a standard of the Open Mobile Alliance.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the single element of presence information is one of:

a location of a presentity;

an availability of the presentity;

a reachability of the presentity;

a willingness of the presentity to communicate;

a willingness of the presentity to use a service;

a willingness of the presentity to use a communication method;

a state of mind of the presentity;

an activity the presentity is currently engaged in; and

an application currently executing on a user agent used by the presentity.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising an interworking component within the presence access layer configured to convert presence-related information from a format used by at least one of the plurality of disparate presence platforms to a format used within the presence access layer.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the derivation of the single element of presence information further includes consideration of at least one of:

a status of a network;

a status of a network element;

a roaming status of a presentity;

a power status of a user agent used by the presentity;

a transmission and reception status of the user agent used by the presentity; and

a coverage status of the presentity.