Group communication system based on presence information and client device

• US 7,752,273 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Naoko, Watanabe, Masafumi, Tsutazawa, Natsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dustin
• Application Number:
  US11/087,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/227, 709/220, 709/224, 370/229
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

When the status of a client X is changed to a status i, a group management unit generates a group agent Xi, corresponding to the status i and registers the generated group agent in the server S, and the presence issuing unit issues the status i and the identifier of the group agent Xi. Initially, a member management unit of the group agent xi manages the client X only. When other clients, such as clients B and C, that are observing the status of the client X send an instant message (IM) to the group agent Xi identified by the issued identifier, an IM delivery unit of the group agent Xi adds the clients B and C, which are IM senders, to the members managed by the member management unit and sends the IM to all members.

Claims

1. A group communication system based on presence information for use in an instant message and presence service system that sends and receives presence information and an instant message among a plurality of client devices each comprising a presentity that provides presence information;

a watcher that observes presence information on presentities other than said presentity; and

an IM (Instant Message) transmission/reception unit that sends and receives an instant message, wherein

at least one client device of said plurality of client devices comprises;

a processor for implementing the functions of the client device;

a group management unit that, when presence information provided by the presentity of said one client device changes to a specific status, determines whether a group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exist, and if the group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, sends a control command to that group agent device to request that the client be added as a member to the group agent device, otherwise the group management unit generates a group agent device corresponding to the specific status of the client; and

a presence issuing unit that issues the specific status and an identifier used to contact said generated group agent device; and

wherein said group agent device comprises;

a member management unit that manages, as members thereof, at least said client device that generated said group agent device and a client device that sends an instant message to said group agent device; and

an IM delivery unit that transfers an instant message, which is sent to said group agent device, to all client devices that are members managed by said member management unit except at least the sender of the instant message.

2. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 1, wherein said group agent device further comprises a control message processing unit that, when a control message including a specific control command is received, deletes the sender of the control message from the members managed by said member management unit.

3. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 1, wherein, when presence information provided by the presentity of said client device changes to a specific status, said group management unit registers a group agent device corresponding to the status into the system, only when the changed status is defined in a control table as a trigger status for generating a group.

4. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 1, wherein said presence issuing unit comprises means for notifying the specific status and the identifier used to contact said generated group agent device to client devices, except the client device monitoring the status of the client device;

and

wherein said group agent device further comprises an access control unit that manages whether a client device from which an instant message is received is to be added to the members.

5. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 1, wherein, when the number of members managed by said member management unit falls below a predetermined number, said group agent device deletes said group agent device itself from the system.

6. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 1, wherein the IM delivery unit of said group agent device does not change the sender to said group agent device but uses an original sender as the sender when transferring the received instant message to the members.

7. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 1, wherein said group agent device further comprises a presentity that issues information on said group agent device.

8. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 1, wherein said group agent device issues a list of members, which are managed by said member management unit, via a network.

9. A group communication system based on presence information for use in an instant message and presence service system that sends and receives presence information and an instant message among a plurality of client devices each comprising a presentity that provides presence information;

a watcher that observes presence information on presentities other than said presentity; and

an IM transmission/reception unit that sends and receives an instant message,

wherein said client device comprises;

a processor for implementing the functions of the client device;

a group management unit that, when presence information provided by the presentity of said client device changes to a specific status, determines whether a group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, and if the group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, sends a control command to that group agent device to request that the client be added as a member to the group agent device, otherwise the group management unit generates a group agent device corresponding to the specific status of the client; and

a presence issuing unit for issuing the specific status and an identifier used to contact the generated group; and

wherein said group management unit comprises;

a member management unit that manages, as members thereof, at least said client device that generated the group and a client device that sends an instant message to the group and, at the same time, synchronizes all members and a member list; and

an IM delivery unit that transfers an instant message, which is sent to said group, to all client devices that are members managed by said member management unit except at least the sender of the instant message.

10. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 9, wherein said client device further comprises

a control message processing unit that, when a control message including a specific control command is received, deletes the sender of the control message from the members managed by said member management unit.

11. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 10, wherein, when presence information provided by the presentity of the client device changes to the specific status, said group management unit generates a group corresponding to the status only when the changed status is defined in a control table as a trigger status for generating a group.

12. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 9, wherein said presence issuing unit comprises means for notifying the specific status and the identifier used to contact said generated group to client devices, except the client device, that are monitoring the client device;

and

wherein said group management device further comprises an access control unit that manages whether a client device from which an instant message is received is to be added to the members.

13. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 9, wherein, when the number of members of a group managed by said member management unit falls below a predetermined number, said client device deletes said group.

14. The group communication system based on presence information according to claim 9, wherein said group management unit issues a list of members, which are managed by said member management unit, via a network.

15. A group communication system based on presence information for use in an instant message and presence service system that sends and receives presence information and an instant message among a plurality of client devices each comprising a presentity that provides presence information;

a watcher that observes presence information on presentities other than said presentity; and

an IM transmission/reception unit that sends and receives an instant message,

wherein each of said plurality of client devices further comprises;

a processor for implementing the functions of the client device;

a group management unit that, when presence information provided by the presentity of said client device changes to a specific status, determines whether a group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, and if the group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, sends a control command to that group agent device to request that the client be added as a member to the group agent device, otherwise the group management unit generates a group agent device corresponding to the specific status of the client; and

a presence issuing unit that issues the specific status and an identifier used to contact said generated group agent device; and

wherein said group agent device comprises;

a member management unit that manages, as members thereof, at least said client device that generated said group agent device and a client device that sends the control command to said group agent device; and

an IM delivery unit that transfers an instant message, which is sent to said group agent device, to all client devices that are members managed by said member management unit except at least the sender of the instant message.

16. A group communication system based on presence information for use in an instant message and presence service system that sends and receives presence information and an instant message among a plurality of client devices each comprising a presentity that provides presence information;

a watcher that observes presence information on presentities other than said presentity; and

an IM transmission/reception unit that sends and receives an instant message,

wherein each of said plurality of client devices further comprises;

a processor for implementing the functions of the client device;

a group management unit that, when presence information provided by the presentity of said client device changes to a specific status, determines whether a group agent corresponding to the specific status or a status having a particular relation with the specific status of the client already exists, and if the group agent corresponding to the specific status or a status having a particular relation with the specific status of the client already exists, sends a control command to that group agent device to request that the client be added as a member to the group agent device, otherwise the group management unit generates a group agent device corresponding to the specific status of the client; and

a presence issuing unit that issues the specific status and an identifier used to contact said generated group agent device; and

wherein said group agent device comprises;

a member management unit that manages, as members thereof, at least said client device that generated said group agent device and a client device that sends the control command to said group agent device; and

an IM delivery unit that transfers an instant message, which is sent to said group agent device, to all client devices that are members managed by said member management unit except at least the sender of the instant message.

17. A client device including:

a presentity that provides presence information;

a watcher that observes presence information on presentities other than said presentity; and

an IM transmission/reception unit that sends and receives an instant message, said client device further comprising;

a processor for implementing the functions of the client device;

a group management unit that, when presence information provided by the presentity of said client device changes to a specific status, determines whether a group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, and if the group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, sends a control command to that group agent device to request that the client be added as a member to the group agent device, otherwise the group management unit generates a group agent device corresponding to the specific status of the client; and

a presence issuing unit that issues the specific status and an identifier used to contact said generated group agent device;

wherein said group agent device comprises;

a member management unit that manages, as members thereof, at least said client device that generated said group agent device and a client device that sends an instant message to said group agent device; and

an IM delivery unit that transfers an instant message, which is sent to said group agent device, to all client devices that are members managed by said member management unit except at least the sender of the instant message.

18. A client device including:

a presentity that provides presence information;

a watcher that observes presence information on presentities other than said presentity; and

an IM transmission/reception unit that sends and receives an instant message, said client device further comprising;

a processor for implementing the functions of the client device;

a group management unit that, when presence information provided by the presentity of said client device changes to a specific status, determines whether a group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, and if the group agent corresponding to the specific status of the client already exists, sends a control command to that group agent device to request that the client be added as a member to the group agent device, otherwise the group management unit generates a group agent device corresponding to the specific status of the client; and

a presence issuing unit that issues the specific status and an identifier used to contact said generated group;

wherein said group management unit comprises;

a member management unit that manages, as members thereof, at least said client device that generated the group and a client device that sends an instant message to the group and, at the same time, synchronizes all members and a member list; and

an IM delivery unit that transfers an instant message, which is sent to said group, to all client devices that are members managed by said member management unit except at least the sender of the instant message.

19. A client device including:

a presentity that provides presence information;

a watcher that observes presence information on presentities other than said presentity; and

an IM transmission/reception unit that sends and receives an instant message, said client device further comprising;

a processor for implementing the functions of the client device;

a group management unit that, when presence information provided by the presentity of said client device changes to a specific status, determines whether a client having the same status already exists, and if a client having the same status already exists, sends a control command to that group agent device to request that the client be added as a member to the group agent device, otherwise the group management unit generates a group agent device corresponding to the specific status of the client; and

a presence issuing unit that issues the specific status and an identifier used to contact said generated group agent device;

wherein said group agent device comprises;

a member management unit that manages, as members thereof, at least said client device that generated said group agent device and a client device that sends the control command to said group agent device; and

an IM delivery unit that transfers an instant message, which is sent to said group agent device, to all client devices that are members managed by said member management unit except at least the sender of the instant message.

20. A client device including:

a presentity that provides presence information;

a watcher that observes presence information on presentities other than said presentity; and

an IM transmission/reception unit that sends and receives an instant message, said client device further comprising;

a processor for implementing the functions of the client device;

a group management unit that, when presence information provided by the presentity of said client device changes to a specific status, determines whether a client having the same status or a status having a particular relation with the specific status already exists, and if a client having the same status or a status having a particular relation with the specific status already exists, sends a control command to that group agent device to request that the client be added as a member to the group agent device, otherwise the group management unit generates a group agent device corresponding to the specific status of the client; and

a presence issuing unit that issues the specific status and an identifier used to contact said generated group agent device;

wherein said group agent device comprises;

a member management unit that manages, as members thereof, at least said client device that generated said group agent device and a client device that sends the control command to this group agent device; and

an IM delivery unit that transfers an instant message, which is sent to this group agent device, to all client devices that are members managed by said member management unit except at least the sender of the instant message.

21. A communication method for sending and receiving an Instant Message among a plurality of client devices via a network, comprising:

monitoring the status of a client;

if the client status changes, determining whether a group agent corresponding to the changed status is already registered, registering the client as a member of an existing group agent corresponding to the changed status of the client, and updating the client with a group agent identifier;

notifying a server of the changed status of the client and the group agent identifier, wherein the server notifies a watcher monitoring the status of the client of the changed status of the client and the group agent identifier; and

managing clients corresponding to the group agent;

wherein clients registered with the group agent may communicate with each other through the group agent using Instant Messages.

22. The communication method of claim 21, further comprising, checking whether the Instant Message sender is a member of the group agent, and adding the Instant Message sender to the group agent member list if the Instant Message sender is not a member.

23. The communication method of claim 21, wherein an instant message is delivered to all members of the group agent.

24. The communication method of claim 21, further comprising, determining whether a group agent corresponding to the changed status is already registered, registering the client as a member of the existing group agent corresponding to the changed status of the client, and updating the client with the group agent identifier.