METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE PRESENCE INFORMATION

• US 20120331076A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Suryanarayana, Lalitha, Grannan, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to present presence information are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a request from a first user for presence information associated with a second user, analyzing information from a monitoring sensor associated with the second user to determine that the second user is available for communication with the first user using a first communication method and is unavailable for communication with the first user using a second communication method, and sending a message to the first user indicating that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method and is unavailable for communication using the second communication method.

Claims

1. A method for presenting presence information, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a first user for presence information associated with a second user;

analyzing information from a monitoring sensor associated with the second user to determine that the second user is available for communication with the first user using a first communication method and is unavailable for communication with the first user using a second communication method; and

sending a message to the first user indicating that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method and is unavailable for communication using the second communication method.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second communication method is an audio communication method.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the first communication method is a text communication method.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the monitoring sensor monitors a noise level.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the analyzing further comprises analyzing presence information from the second user.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein analyzing the information from the monitoring sensor to determine that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method comprises determining that the second user is available for communication when the presence information indicates that the second user is available and the information from the monitoring sensor indicates that the second user is available for communication using the second communication method.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a first communication session between the first user and the second user using the first communication method;

receiving a second request from a third user for presence information associated with the second user; and

in response to determining that a first priority associated with the first user is lower than a second priority associated with the third user, sending a message to the third user indicating that the second user is available for communication.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing machine readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to;

receive a request from a first user for presence information associated with a second user;

analyze information from a monitoring sensor associated with the second user to determine that the second user is available for communication with the first user using a first communication method and is unavailable for communication with the first user using a second communication method; and

send a message to the first user indicating that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method and is unavailable for communication using the second communication method.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the second communication method is an audio communication method.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the first communication method is a text communication method.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the monitoring sensor monitors a noise level.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the analyzing further comprises analyzing presence information from the second user.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the processor executes the instructions to analyze the information from the monitoring sensor to determine that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method by determining that the second user is available for communication when the presence information indicates that the second user is available and the information from the monitoring sensor indicates that the second user is available for communication using the second communication method.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor executes the instructions to:

initiate a first communication session between the first user and the second user using the first communication method;

receive a second request from a third user for presence information associated with the second user; and

in response to determining that a first priority associated with the first user is lower than a second priority associated with the third user, send a message to the third user indicating that the second user is available for communication.

15. A tangible machine readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request from a first user for presence information associated with a second user;

analyzing information from a monitoring sensor associated with the second user to determine that the second user is available for communication with the first user using a first communication method and is unavailable for communication with the first user using a second communication method; and

sending a message to the first user indicating that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method and is unavailable for communication using the second communication method.

16. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the second communication method is an audio communication method.

17. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the first communication method is a text communication method.

18. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the monitoring sensor monitors a noise level.

19. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the analyzing further comprises analyzing presence information from the second user.

20. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 19, wherein analyzing the information from the monitoring sensor to determine that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method comprises determining that the second user is available for communication when the presence information indicates that the second user is available and the information from the monitoring sensor indicates that the second user is available for communication using the second communication method.

21. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the method comprises:

initiating a first communication session between the first user and the second user using the first communication method;

receiving a second request from a third user for presence information associated with the second user; and

in response to determining that a first priority associated with the first user is lower than a second priority associated with the third user, sending a message to the third user indicating that the second user is available for communication.