METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVISIONING AND USING IP CLIENTS WHICH CAN BE ARRANGED ACCORDING TO GROUPS AND SHARE A COMMON TELEPHONE NUMBER
First Claim
1. A method of providing presence information, the method comprising:
- storing presence information for each member of a first group of users using devices in a first network domain, said presence information including first individual presence information corresponding to a first user and second individual presence information corresponding to a second user of said first group of users;
receiving a first request for presence information from a first device located on a network in the first network domain, said first request including a group identifier corresponding to the first group of users; and
in response to said first request for presence information, providing to said first device, individual presence information for each of the plurality of users in said first group.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for allowing users in a group, e.g., family members, to share a telephone number while using different devices, e.g., IP devices, are described. The methods and apparatus allow for users in a group to obtain individual presence information for members of the group by making a single request for presence information corresponding to members of the group. In some embodiments, in response to the single request, the requesting device will be supplied with individual presence information for each member of the group to which the request corresponds. The presence information may be received in individual communications, e.g., one individual message providing presence information on a user of the group. Alternatively presence information for the individual members of the group may be included in a single message that is sent to the requesting device.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of providing presence information, the method comprising:
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storing presence information for each member of a first group of users using devices in a first network domain, said presence information including first individual presence information corresponding to a first user and second individual presence information corresponding to a second user of said first group of users; receiving a first request for presence information from a first device located on a network in the first network domain, said first request including a group identifier corresponding to the first group of users; and in response to said first request for presence information, providing to said first device, individual presence information for each of the plurality of users in said first group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A presence server including:
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memory including stored presence information for each member of a first group of users using devices in a first network domain, said presence information including first individual presence information corresponding to a first user and second individual presence information corresponding to a second user of said first group of users; a communications interface for receiving a first request for presence information from a first device located on a network in the first network domain, said first request including a group identifier corresponding to the first group of users; and a processor configured to respond to said first request for presence information, by providing to said first device, individual presence information for each of the plurality of users in said first group. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor in a presence server, control the presence server to:
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store presence information for each member of a first group of users using devices in a first network domain, said presence information including first individual presence information corresponding to a first user and second individual presence information corresponding to a second user of said first group of users; receive a first request for presence information from a first device located on a network in the first network domain, said first request including a group identifier corresponding to the first group of users; and provide to said first device, in response to said first request for presence information, individual presence information for each of the plurality of users in said first group.
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Specification