Managing presence based on relationship
First Claim
1. A method of managing communication requests to a user on the basis of a relationship level between the user and a party requesting to communicate with the user, the method comprising:
- maintaining a plurality of relationship levels, each of the plurality of relationship levels having one or more associated presence rules that dictate the management of a communication request between two parties that are associated by the respective relationship level;
storing an indication of a relationship level between the user and each of a plurality of other parties; and
upon receipt of a request from a party to communicate with the user, determining if the user has a stored relationship level with the requesting party and;
if the user has a stored relationship level with the requesting party, applying the one or more presence rules associated with the stored relationship level in order to manage the communication request; and
if the user does not have a stored relationship level with the requesting party, inferring a relationship level between the user and the requesting party and applying the one or more presence rules associated with the inferred relationship level in order to manage the communication request.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for managing presence information based on a specified presence level between a user and other parties. An interface is provided that allows a user to specify a presence level between the user and one or more other parties. Once a user specifies a presence level, the specified level dictates how an incoming communication request is to be managed in the event that the user is not available to receive the communication. The specified presence level may determine the amount of information disclosed to the other party, the presence that is projected to the other party, and the decision on whether to interrupt the user. In some embodiments, the presence level between the user and other parties is automatically inferred by a relationship engine.
55 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of managing communication requests to a user on the basis of a relationship level between the user and a party requesting to communicate with the user, the method comprising:
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maintaining a plurality of relationship levels, each of the plurality of relationship levels having one or more associated presence rules that dictate the management of a communication request between two parties that are associated by the respective relationship level; storing an indication of a relationship level between the user and each of a plurality of other parties; and upon receipt of a request from a party to communicate with the user, determining if the user has a stored relationship level with the requesting party and; if the user has a stored relationship level with the requesting party, applying the one or more presence rules associated with the stored relationship level in order to manage the communication request; and if the user does not have a stored relationship level with the requesting party, inferring a relationship level between the user and the requesting party and applying the one or more presence rules associated with the inferred relationship level in order to manage the communication request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for managing communication requests to a user in a computer system on the basis of a relationship level between the user and a party requesting to communicate with the user by:
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storing a plurality of relationship levels, each of the plurality of relationship levels having one or more associated presence rules that dictate the management of a communication request between two parties that are associated by the relationship level; storing an indication of a relationship level between a user and each of a plurality of other parties; and upon receipt of a request from a party to communicate with the user; determining whether there is a stored relationship level associated with the requesting party; if there is a stored relationship level associated with the requesting party, applying the one or more presence rules associated with the stored relationship level in order to manage the communication request; and if there is not a stored relationship level associated with the requesting party, inferring a relationship level and applying the one or more presence rules associated with the inferred relationship level in order to manage the communication request. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for managing communication requests to a user on the basis of a relationship level between the user and a party requesting to communicate with the user, the system comprising:
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a storage component for storing; a plurality of relationship levels, each of the plurality of relationship levels having one or more associated rules that dictate the management of a communication request between two parties that are associated by the respective relationship level; and a specified relationship level between a user and each of a plurality of other parties; and a presence management component coupled to the storage component that, upon receipt of a request from a party to communicate with the user, determines whether there is a stored relationship level associated with the party and, if there is a stored relationship level, applies the one or more rules associated with the stored relationship level in order to manage the communication request with the user, or, if there is no stored relationship level, infers a relationship level with the party and applies the one or more rules associated with the inferred relationship level in order to manage the communication request with the user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification