RFID FOR AVAILABLE RESOURCES NOT CONNECTED TO THE NETWORK

• US 20150113139A1
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gits, Peter M., Seavey, Dale J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,401,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/78 Architectures of resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/80 Actions related to the user profile or the type of traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and techniques for providing presence and location information from available media resources to participants in a media conference so that the participants can use then use such available resources in the conferencing interaction. When participating in such rich media conferences with presence and location capabilities, apparatus and techniques are provided for determining the device(s) being used and their capabilities and determining available resources presently connected to a network that is available to the participants and presenting such presence information to the conference participants. Additionally, apparatus and techniques are provided for obtaining presence and location knowledge of potential resources that are accessible but not connected to the network or shutdown and presenting such information to the participants. Thus, the participants can obtain presence and location information regarding accessible resources, including off-line or shutdown resources, and then use such information to enhance the conference in a number of ways.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a location server, resource information from a location agent, the resource information being associated with one or more resources that are located in proximity of the location agent;

receiving, from a requesting entity, a request to access the resource information;

determining which portion of the resource information that the requesting entity is entitled to access, to yield an allowed portion of the resource information; and

publishing the allowed portion of the resource information to the requesting entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource information comprises at least one of a resource type, availability, a last use status, an access right, or an address, associated with the one or more resources.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining which portion of the resource information that the requesting entity is entitled to access is based on the access right.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the requesting entity, an indication of a selected resource from the one or more resources; and

allowing the requesting entity to use the selected resource.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location agent is associated with a user, and wherein the user and the requesting entity are participants in a conference.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location agent is a software module configured in a particular resource.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more resources is one of a phone, a cellphone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a conference device, an email device, an instant messaging device, a white board, or a projector.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location server is configured to receive location data from one or more location agents and publish the location data to a location recipient.

9. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a location server, resource information from a location agent, the resource information being associated with one or more resources that are located in proximity of the location agent;

receiving, from a requesting entity, a request to access the resource information;

determining which portion of the resource information that the requesting entity is entitled to access, to yield an allowed portion of the resource information; and

publishing the allowed portion of the resource information to the requesting entity.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the resource information comprises at least one of a resource type, availability, a last use status, an access right, or an address, associated with the one or more resources.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein determining which portion of the resource information that the requesting entity is entitled to access is based on the access right.

12. The system of claim 9, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

receiving, from the requesting entity, an indication of a selected resource from the one or more resources; and

allowing the requesting entity to use the selected resource.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the location agent is associated with a user, and wherein the user and the requesting entity are participants in a conference.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the location agent is a software module configured in a particular resource.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the one or more resources is one of a phone, a cellphone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a conference device, an email device, an instant messaging device, a white board, or a projector.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the location server is configured to receive location data from one or more location agents and publish the location data to a location recipient.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a location server, resource information from a location agent, the resource information being associated with one or more resources that are located in proximity of the location agent;

receiving, from a requesting entity, a request to access the resource information;

determining which portion of the resource information that the requesting entity is entitled to access, to yield an allowed portion of the resource information; and

publishing the allowed portion of the resource information to the requesting entity.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 17, storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

receiving, from the requesting entity, an indication of a selected resource from the one or more resources; and

allowing the requesting entity to use the selected resource.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the location agent is associated with a user, and wherein the user and the requesting entity are participants in a conference.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein each of the one or more resources is one of a phone, a cellphone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a conference device, an email device, an instant messaging device, a white board, or a projector.