Method and system for supporting the communication of presence information regarding one or more telephony devices

• US 7,493,390 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Robert, Bobde, Nikhil P., Simons, David J., Buch, Jeremy T., Kumbalimutt, Vishwajith, Taylor, Zachary
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin; Kenny S
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US11/332,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-225, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A system for detecting and communicating the presence of one or more computing devices is presented. The invention also presents a method and system for aggregating presence information generated by multiple devices associated with a single user. A server acting as a presence agent on behalf of a first user receives and responds to a subscription request generated by a computing device operated by a second user that wishes to be permitted as a watcher of the first user. When the second user corresponds to access preferences specified by the first user, a notify message is sent to the second user'"'"'s device that includes presence information indicative of an activity level and availability level associated with the first user. When the first user employs multiple computing devices, the server generates an aggregate presence document that is representative of the overall presence of the first user.

Claims

1. A presence agent system for processing requests to access presence information of a first computing device, comprising:

a processor for executing computer executable instructions; and

computer storage media storing;

a component that receives from a second computing device a request to subscribe to presence information of the first computing device;

a component that stores an indication that the second computing device has requested to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device;

a component that determines whether to accept the request of the second computing device to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device;

a component that when the request is accepted, sends to the second computing device an indication that the subscription has been accepted and the presence information of the first computing device; and

a component that when the request is not accepted, sends to the second computing device an indication that the subscription has been accepted without sending the presence information of the first computing, the second computing device being allowed to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device without gaining access to the presence information;

wherein the determination as to whether to accept the request of the second computing device is made using an access control list provided by the first computing device; and

wherein the access control list indicates to prompt the first computing device whether to accept a request from the second computing device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the access control list indicates to accept the request of the second computing device, but to always have the first computing device appear offline.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the indication that the second computing device has requested to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device is stored even though the first computing device is not currently online.

4. The system of claim 3 including a component that sends to the second computing device presence information of first computing device when the first computing device comes online.

5. The system of claim 3 including a component that, when the first computing device comes online, sends to the first computing device an indication that the second computing device requested to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device while the first computing device was offline.

6. The system of claim 5 including a component that receives from the first computing device an indication of whether to accept the request.

7. The system of claim 6 including a component that, when the first computing device indicates to accept the request, stores an indication that the second computing device is allowed access to the presence information of the first computing device and sends to the second computing device presence information of the first computing device.

8. The system of claim 6 including a component that, when the first computing device indicates not to accept the request, stores an indication that the second computing device is not allowed access to the presence information of the first computing device and does not send to the second computing device presence information of the first computing device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the presence agent system is a presence server.

10. A computer system for tracking subscriptions to presence information of a first computing device while the first computing device is offline, comprising:

a processor for executing computer executable instructions; and

computer storage media storing;

a component that receives from a second computing device a request to subscribe to presence information of the first computing device;

a component that stores an indication that the second computing device has requested to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device while the first computing device was offline;

a component that receives from the first computing device an indication that the first computing device is online;

a component that, upon receiving the indication that the first computing device is online, compares the request from the second computing device to an access control list and determines whether to accept the request of the second computing device to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device based upon whether the access control list contains information identifying the second computing device;

a component that determines whether to accent the request of the second computing device to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device;

a component that when the request is accepted, sends to the second computing device an indication that the subscription has been accepted and the presence information of the first computing device; and

a component that when the request is not accepted, sends to the second computing device an indication that the subscription has been accepted without sending the presence information of the first computing device, the second computing device being allowed to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device without gaining access to the presence information.

11. The system of claim 10 including a component that, upon receiving the request to subscribe, sends to the second computing device an indication that the subscription has been accepted without sending the presence information of the first computing device.

12. The system of claim 10 including a component that, when the first computing device comes online, sends to the first computing device an indication that the second computing device requested to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device while the first computing device was offline.

13. The system of claim 12 including a component that receives from the first computing device an indication of whether to accept the request.

14. The system of claim 13 including a component that, when the first computing device indicates to accept the request, stores an indication that the second computing device is allowed access to the presence information of the first computing device.

15. The system of claim 13 including a component that, when the first computing device indicates not to accept the request, stores an indication that the second computing device is not allowed access to the presence information of the first computing device and does not send to the second computing device presence information of the first computing device.

16. A computer storage medium containing instructions for handling a request to subscribe to presence information of a first computing device, by a method comprising:

receiving from a second computing device a request to subscribe to presence information of the first computing device;

storing an indication that the second computing device has requested to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device;

determining whether to accept the request of the second computing device to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device regardless of whether the first computing device is online;

when the request is accepted, sending to the second computing device an indication that the subscription has been accepted and the presence information of the first computing device;

when the request is not accepted sending to the second computing device an indication that the subscription has been accepted without sending the presence information of the first computing device; and

when the first computing device comes online and the request was accepted, sending to the second computing device presence information of the first computing device;

wherein the determination as to whether to accept the request of the second computing device is made using an access control list provided by the first computing device; and

wherein the access control list indicates to prompt the first computing device whether to accept a request from the second computing device.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16 including when the first computing device comes online, sending to the first computing device an indication that the second computing device requested to subscribe to the presence information of the first computing device while the first computing device was offline.