Methods and systems for controlling access to presence information according to a variety of different access permission types

• US 6,839,735 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Leon C., Beebee, Peter L., Aggarwal, Sudhanshu M.
• Primary Examiner(s): EL HADY, NABIL M
• Application Number:
  US09/729,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-310
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• 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 systems are described for controlling access to presence information using a plurality of different access permission types. Presence information is maintained over a computer network and describes availability of computers and associated users over that network. For example, instant messaging applications often involve maintaining presence information. Users control access to presence information using a number of different access permission types such as the right to view accurate presence information, the right to view any presence information, or the right to act on accessed presence information. By using several different access permission types, the present invention enables finer control over access to presence information.

Claims

1. In a computer network including a server computer system network connectable to at least a plurality of client computer systems for which the server computer system maintains presence information, a method of exercising control of access to the presence information using a plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information, the method comprising the following:

an act of the server computer system receiving a request from a client computer system including an instruction to change an access permission status for at least a subset of the plurality of client computer systems, the access permission corresponding to one of the plurality of access permission types to the presence information;

an act of the server computer system setting at least an entry in a data field in response to the request, the entry representing the changed access permission status; and

an act of the server computer system determining whether or not to allow access to the presence information based on the entry in the data field,

wherein the plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information comprises permission to view any presence information, permission to view only accurate presence information, and permission to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view accurate presence information.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view any presence information.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information comprises an instruction to prohibit sending messages to a computer system that corresponds to the presence information.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data field comprises access permission fields in a database, wherein the database comprises the following for each of the plurality of client computer systems:

an identifier field that identifies the client computer system;

a presence information field that represents the actual availability of the client computer system;

a first access permission field that contains an access permission of a first access permission type when the client computer system requests access to the presence information;

a second access permission field that contains an access permission of a second access permission type when the client computer system requests access to the presence information; and

a manufactured presence information field to display to the client computer system if the client computer system has permission to view presence information, but does not have permission to view accurate presence information.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the acts recited in claim 1.

8. In a computer network including a server computer system network connectable to at least a plurality of client computer systems for which the server computer system maintains presence information, a method of exercising fine grain control of access to the presence information using a plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information, the method comprising the following:

an act of the server computer system receiving a request from a client computer system including an instruction to change an access permission status for at least a subset of the plurality of client computer systems, the access permission corresponding to one of the plurality of access permission types to the presence information; and

a step for the server computer system determining whether or not to allow access to the presence information based on the instruction,

wherein the plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information comprises permission to view any presence information, permission to view only accurate presence information, and permission to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the step for the server computer system determining whether or not to allow access to the presence information based on the instruction comprises the following:

an act of the server computer system setting at least an entry in a data field in response to the request, the entry representing the changed access permission status; and

an act of the server computer system determining whether or not to allow access to the presence information based on the entry in the data field.

10. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view accurate presence information.

11. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view any presence information.

12. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information comprises an instruction to prohibit sending messages to a computer system that corresponds to the presence information.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the act and step recited in claim 8.

15. In a computer network including a server computer system network connectable to at least a plurality of client computer systems for which the server computer system maintains presence information, a method of exercising control of access to the presence information using a plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information, the method comprising the following:

an act of a client computer system creating a request including an instruction to change an access permission status for at least a subset of the plurality of computer systems, the access permission corresponding to one of the plurality of access permission types to the presence information; and

an act of the client computer system transmitting the request to the server computer system,

wherein the plurality of access permission types used for accessing the presence information comprises permission to view any presence information, permission to view only accurate presence information, and permission to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view accurate presence information.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction affecting permission to view any presence information.

18. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the instruction to change an access permission comprises an instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the instruction to restrict the ability to act on presence information comprises an instruction to prohibit sending messages to a computer system that corresponds to the presence information.

20. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the request comprises a data structure stored in a computer-readable medium, wherein the data structure comprises:

a principle identifier field that identifies the client computer system to which the access permission status is to apply;

a grant field that identifies any permission types that are to be granted to the client computer system; and

a deny field that identifies any permission types that are to be denied to the client computer system.

21. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the data structure further comprises:

an authentication field identifying authentication methods that are to be used when authenticating the client computer system to the server computer system.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the acts recites in claim 15.

23. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure having a plurality of fields, the data structure comprising:

a principle identifier field that identifies a client computer system to which access control is to apply when accessing presence information;

a grant field that identifies any access permission types that are to be granted to the client computer system when the client computer requests access to the presence information; and

a deny field that identifies any access permission types that are to be denied to the client computer system when the client computer requests access to the presence information,

wherein the access permission types used for accessing the presence information comprises permission to view any presence information, permission to view only accurate presence information, and permission to restrict the ability to act on presence information.

24. The computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 23, wherein the data structure further comprises:

an authentication field identifying authentication methods that are to be used when authenticating the client computer system to a server computer system that maintains the presence information.