METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE PRESENCE INFORMATION

• US 20160241495A1
• Filed: 02/24/2016
• Published: 08/18/2016
• 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 9,590,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 comprising:

receiving, by a system including a processor, a request for presence information; and

in response to the request, analyzing, by the system, user input from a second user and monitored information from a monitoring sensor, wherein the user input indicates an availability of the second user for communication with a first user using a first communication method supported by a mobile device, wherein the monitored information identifies an external environmental factor that affects the availability of the second user to communicate using the first communication method.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

sending, by the system, a message indicating that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method and is unavailable for communication using a second communication method supported by the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input indicates an unavailability of the second user for communication with the first user using a second communication method supported by the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication method is one of a text communication method or an audio communication method.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the external environmental factor comprises a noise level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating establishment, by the system, of a first communication session using the first communication method.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, a second request for presence information associated with the second user;

in response to the second request, determining, by the system, that the first communication session is in progress and determining a first priority associated with the first user and a second priority associated with the second user; and

in response to a determination that the first priority is lower than the second priority, sending, by the system, a second message indicating that the second user is available for communication.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the external environmental factor affects an unavailability of the second user to communicate using a second communication method supported by the mobile device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

in response to a request for presence information, analyzing user input from a second user and monitored information from a monitoring sensor, wherein the user input indicates an availability of the second user for communication with a first user using a first communication method supported by a mobile device, wherein the monitored information identifies an external environmental factor that affects the availability of the second user to communicate using the first communication method; and

determining that a communication session associated with the first and second users is in progress, the communication session being established according to the first communication method;

determining a first priority associated with the first user and a second priority associated with the second user; and

in response to a determination that the first priority is lower than the second priority, sending a message to an end user device of a third user indicating that the second user is available for communication.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the external environmental factor affects an unavailability of the second user to communicate using a second communication method supported by the mobile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending a message indicating that the second user is available for communication using the first communication method and is unavailable for communication using a second communication method supported by the mobile device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the user input indicates an unavailability of the second user for communication with the first user using a second communication method supported by the mobile device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first communication method is one of a text communication method or an audio communication method.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the external environmental factor comprises a noise level.

15. A tangible machine-readable storage device comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

in response to a request for presence information, analyzing user input from a second user and monitored information from a monitoring sensor, wherein the user input indicates an availability of the second user for communication with a first user using a first communication method supported by a mobile device, wherein the monitored information identifies an external environmental factor that affects the availability of the second user to communicate using the first communication method; and

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

16. The tangible machine-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the user input indicates an unavailability of the second user for communication with the first user using a second communication method supported by the mobile device, and wherein the message indicates that the second user is unavailable for communication using the second communication method.

17. The tangible machine-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the first communication method is one of a text communication method or an audio communication method.

18. The tangible machine-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the external environmental factor comprises a noise level.

19. The tangible machine-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the external environmental factor affects an unavailability of the second user to communicate using a second communication method supported by the mobile device.

20. The tangible machine-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

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

in response to the second request, determining that a first communication session associated with the first and second users is in progress and determining a first priority associated with the first user and a second priority associated with the second user; and

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