Method and apparatus for sending presence messages

• US 6,956,497 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1998
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Inventors: Bayley, Oliver, Moeslinger, Sigrid, Burns, Colin, Jackson, Donald C., Guilhamet, Steve, Hagstrom, Anna E., Fogg, Brian J., Hindus, Debby, White, Sean M., Brechin, Elaine, Dorogusker, Jesse L., Mainwaring, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/169,839
• Time in Patent Office: 2,566 Days
• Field of Search: 370/313, 370/468, 340/7.21, 340/7.22, 340/7.23, 340/7.46, 340/7.5, 340/7.53, 340/7.55, 340/7.57, 340/7.6, 340/7.61, 340/7.63, 340/539, 340/7.62, 340/7.48, 340/5.91, 340/7.31, 340/825.49, 340/573.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.14, 340/539.17, 340/815.4, 340/7.47, 340/7.56, 379/201.1, 379/201.08, 379/207.12, 379/216.01, 704/231
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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

An intentional presence system in accordance with the present invention includes a transmitting device at a first physical location that is responsive to a command intentionally initiated by a first individual at the first physical location to develop a presence signal intended for a second individual at a second physical location. The intentional presence system further includes a receiving device located at the second physical location which is receptive to the presence signal and which is operative to generate an indication to the second individual of the first individual'"'"'s presence with respect to the transmitting device.

Claims

1. An intentional presence system comprising:

a first device installed at a first physical location that is responsive to a command intentionally initiated by a first individual at the first physical location to develop a first presence signal intended for a second individual at a second physical location and to transmit the first presence signal over a first physical data line associated with the first physical location; and

a second device installed at the second physical location which is configured to receive the first presence signal and display to the second individual in response to the first presence signal a first image indicating the first individual'"'"'s presence at the first physical location;

wherein the first image is selected by the first individual, the first presence signal includes data that identifies the first image, and the first image is displayed to the second individual on a display surface associated with a lighting fixture installed at the second physical location.

2. An intentional presence system as recited in claim 1 wherein the lighting fixture is a first lighting fixture and the second device is responsive to a command intentionally initiated by the second individual at the second physical location to develop a second presence signal intended for the first individual at the first physical location and to transmit the second presence signal over a second physical data line associated with the second physical location;

and

the first device installed at the first physical location is configured to receive the second presence signal and display to the first individual in response to the second presence signal a second image indicating the second individual'"'"'s presence at the second physical location;

wherein the second image is selected by the second individual, the second presence signal includes data that identifies the second image, and the second image is displayed to the first individual on a display surface associated with a second lighting fixture installed at the first physical location.

3. An intentional presence system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first presence signal is sent to a plurality of individuals and causes the first image to be displayed to each of the plurality of individuals on a display surface associated with a lighting fixture installed at a physical location with which the individual is associated.

4. An intentional presence system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first presence signal includes a data packet including an identifier of the second individual.

5. An intentional presence system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first device and the second device are a matched pair which only communicate with each other.

6. An intentional presence system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first device and the second device are part of a closed group of two or more devices each of which is associated with a member of a social group.

7. An intentional presence system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first image incorporates an image of the first individual.

8. An intentional presence system as recited in claim 1 wherein the lighting fixture is configured to be used as a normal utility lighting fixture in the absence of a first presence signal.

9. An intentional presence system as recited in claim 1 wherein the lighting fixture includes a lamp and the display surface includes a lamp shade associated with the lamp.

10. A method for intentionally signaling presence comprising:

transmitting from a first physical location over a first data line associated with the first physical location, in response to a command intentionally initiated by a first individual at the first physical location, a first presence signal intended for a second individual at a second physical location; and

receiving the first presence signal at the second physical location and displaying to the second individual in response to the first presence signal a first image indicating the first individual'"'"'s presence at the first physical location;

wherein the first image is selected by the first individual, the first presence signal includes data that identifies the first image, and the first image is displayed to the second individual on a display surface associated with a lighting fixture installed at the second physical location.

11. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 10 wherein the lighting fixture is a first lighting fixture;

and further comprising;

transmitting from the second physical location over a second data line associated with the second physical location, in response to a command intentionally initiated by the second individual at the second physical location, a second presence signal intended for the first individual at the first physical location; and

receiving the second presence signal at the first physical location and displaying to the first individual in response to the second presence signal a second image indicating the second individual'"'"'s presence at the second physical location;

wherein the second image is selected by the second individual, the second presence signal includes data that identifies the second image, and the second image is displayed to the first individual on a display surface associated with a second lighting fixture installed at the first physical location.

12. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 10 wherein the first presence signal is sent to a plurality of individuals and causes the first image to be displayed to each of the plurality of individuals on a display surface associated with a lighting fixture installed at a physical location with which the individual is associated.

13. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 10 wherein the first presence signal includes a data packet including an identifier of the second individual.

14. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 13 wherein receiving the first presence signal includes decoding the data packet.

15. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 10 wherein the first device and the second device are a matched pair which only communicate with each other.

16. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 10 wherein the first device and the second device are part of a closed group of two or more devices each of which is associated with a member of a social group.

17. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 10 wherein the first image incorporates an image of the first individual.

18. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 10 wherein the lighting fixture is configured to be used as a normal utility lighting fixture in the absence of a first presence signal.

19. A method for intentionally signaling presence as recited in claim 10 wherein the lighting fixture includes a lamp and the display surface includes a lamp shade associated with the lamp.