Method enabling multiple sessions and applications in instant messaging and presence service

• US 7,454,781 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ordogh, Zoltan, Tachizawa, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Parthasarathy; Pramila
• Application Number:
  US11/270,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20060117380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• 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

The invention relates to a method for a user to obtain services from an Instant Message and Presence Service (IMPS) server. The user is identified by a user identification (UserID). An application session is established, through an application client of the user, on the IMPS server. In order to establish the session, an identification code is established in order to be used for the session, and the session is established only if the identification code is not being used for an existing session established by the same user on the same server.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing an identification code to be used by a client of a user for establishing a session on an instant message and presence service server,

transmitting the identification code to the server for establishing the session, and

establishing the session if the identification code is not used by an existing session established by the same user on the same server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification code is generated or provided by the client, and the client is identified by the identification code for establishing the session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identification code is included in presence information of the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the presence information of the user comprises one or more presence attributes that are related to the client, and the identification code is included in at least one of such presence attributes as client identification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification code is an application identification code, said application identification code is generated by the server if an identification code is not provided by the client, or an identification code provided by the client is not unique for the session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the application identification code is included in presence information of the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the presence information of the user comprises one or more presence attributes that are related to the client, and the application identification code is an element of a presence attribute related to the client.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said presence attribute related to the client contains information about the client.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein among all sessions established by the same user on the server, at least two sessions can be established by the same client if a unique identification code is used for each session.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

refusing the session and informing the user that the session is not established, if the identification code is used by an existing session established by the same user on the same server, or if number of existing sessions established by the same user on the same server has reached a preset limit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification code for the session is included in an instant message sent by the user from the session, so that a reply to the instant message is delivered to the session, if the session is capable of sending and receiving instant messages.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

informing all or some of sessions of the user a modification in information related to the user at one of the sessions.

13. An instant message and presence service server, comprising:

means for communicating with a client of a user, and

means for establishing a session with the client for the user,

wherein an identification code is provided for the session, and the session is established if the identification code is not used by an existing session established by the same user on the same server.

14. The server of claim 13, further comprising

means for establishing presence information of the user comprising one or more presence attributes related to the client, and

means for including the identification code in at least one presence attribute related to the client.

15. The server of claim 13, further comprising

means for refusing the session and informing the user that the session is not established, if the identification code is used by an existing session of the same user on the server, or if number of existing sessions established by the same user on the server has reached a preset limit.

16. The server of claim 13, further comprising

means for including the identification code in an instant message sent by the user from the session, so that a reply to the instant message is delivered to the session, if the session is capable of receiving instant messages.

17. The server of claim 13, further comprising

means for informing all or some of sessions of the user a modification in information related to the user at one of the sessions.

18. A device, comprising:

at least one client for obtaining services from an instant message and presence service server,

a processor for generating an identification code for a client when the client attempts to establish a session on the server for a user of the device, and

a transmitter for transmitting said identification code to said server,

wherein the session is established if the identification code is not used by an existing session established by the same user on the same server.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said identification code is used as client identity and is used for uniquely identifying the session established by the client.

20. The device of claim 18,

wherein the processor is further configured to generate a subsequent identification code for a client when the client attempts to establish a session on the server for a user and the identification code is being used for an existing session of the same user in the server, and

the transmitter is further configured to transmit said subsequent identification code to said server.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the device is a wireless terminal communicatively coupled to a mobile network for accessing services provided by the instant message and presence service server.

22. An instant message and presence service system comprising an instant message and presence service server and a user device comprising at least one application client, wherein the device, being used by a user, comprises:

processor for generating an identification code for a client when the client attempts to establish a session on the server for the user, and

a transmitter for transmitting said identification code to said server, the server comprises;

means for establishing the session if the identification code is not used for an existing session established by the same user on the same server.

23. The instant message and presence service system of claim 22, wherein the server further comprises:

means for establishing presence information of the user comprising one or more presence attributes related to the client, and

means for including the identification code in at least one presence attribute related to the client.

24. The instant message and presence service system of claim 22, wherein the server further comprises:

means for refusing the session and informing the user the session is not established, if the identification code is used by existing session of the same user on the server, or if number of existing sessions established by the user on the server has reached a preset limit.

25. The instant message and presence service system of claim 22, wherein the server further comprises:

means for including the identification code in an instant message sent by the user from the session, so that a reply to the instant message is delivered to the session, if the session is capable of receiving instant messages.

26. The instant message and presence service system of claim 22, wherein the server further comprises:

means for informing all or some of sessions of the user a modification in information related to the user at one of the sessions.

27. A computer program product, embodied in a computer-readable storage medium for use in a device, said program product comprises:

instructions for the device to provide an identification code when a client attempts to establish a session on an instant message and presence service server in response to a user'"'"'s request, and

instructions for transmitting said identification code to said server,

wherein the session is established if the identification code is not used by an existing session established by the same user on the same server.

28. A computer program product embodied in a computer-readable storage medium for use in an instant message and presence service server, said program product comprises:

instructions for the server to communicate with a client of a user, and

instructions for the server to establish a session with the client for the user,

wherein an identification code is provided for the session, and the session is established if the identification code is not used for an existing session established by the same user on the same server.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

instructions for the server to establish presence information of the user comprising one or more presence attributes related to the client, and

instructions for the server include the identification code in at least one presence attributes related to the client.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

instructions for the server to refuse the session and informing the user a session is not established, if the identification code is used for an existing session of the same user on the server, or if number of existing sessions established by the user on the server has reached a preset limit.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

instructions for the server to include the identification code in an instant message sent by the user from the session, so that a reply to the instant message is delivered to the session, if the session is capable of receiving instant messages.

32. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

instructions for the server to inform all or some of sessions of the user a modification in information related to the user at one of the sessions.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein a modification in information related to the user at one of the sessions is informed to all or some of sessions of the user via a system message.

34. A method, comprising:

receiving, at an instant message and presence service server, a request from a client of a user for establishing a session between the server and the client;

establishing an identification code for the session; and

establishing the session with the client of the user if the identification code is not used by an existing session established by the same user on the server,

wherein said identification code is a code provided by the client or a code generated by the server if the code provided by the client is not unique for the session or the client does not provide the code.