System and method for providing information regarding an identity's media availability

• US 7,813,488 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Kozdon, Peter, Hettish, Mark Bernard, Miller, Timothy Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US10/673,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20050069099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,570 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.11, 379/93.17, 379/201.04
• US Class Current: 379/201.04
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity

Abstract

Embodiments provide a system, methods, apparatus, means, and computer program code for providing information regarding an identity'"'"'s media channel availability.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

determining a plurality of communication devices associated with an identity, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices have multiple media capabilities;

determining at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with each of said plurality of communication devices;

determining an availability state for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with each of said plurality of communication devices, where the availability state provides an indication of the availability for each of said at least one specific media capability;

determining a rule that governs how availability of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities is to be determined; and

providing, via a user interface, an aggregated view of the availability states for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with the identity, wherein the aggregated view of the availability states for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with the identity does not display said plurality of communication devices associated with the identity via the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving a request for information regarding media capability availability for said identity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving a request for information regarding media capability availability for said plurality of communication devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing of said aggregated view of data indicative of said availability states further provides information identifying said identity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing of said aggregated view of data indicative of said availability states further provides information identifying an identity context associated with said identity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a device context for each of said plurality of communication devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a rule governing availability of said at least one media capability.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining an identity context for said identity.

9. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to;

determine a plurality of communication devices associated with a identity, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices have multiple media capabilities;

determine at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with each of said plurality of devices;

determine an availability state for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with each of said plurality of communication devices, where the availability state provides an indication of the availability for each of said at least one specific media capability determining a rule that governs how availability of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities is to be determined; and

provide, via a user interface, an aggregated view of data indicative of said the availability states for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with the identity, wherein the aggregated view of the availability states for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with the identity does not display said plurality of communication devices associated with the identity via the user interface.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a communication port coupled to said processor and adapted to communicate with at least one device; and

a storage device coupled to said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

determine a plurality of communication devices associated with an identity, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices have multiple media capabilities;

determine at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with each of said plurality of communication devices;

determine an availability state for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with each of said plurality of communication devices, where the availability state provides an indication of the availability for each of said at least one specific media capability;

determining a rule that governs how availability of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities is to be determined; and

provide, via a user interface, an aggregated view of data indicative of said the availability states for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with the identity, wherein the aggregated view of the availability states for each of said at least one media capability of the multiple media capabilities associated with the identity does not display said plurality of communication devices associated with the identity via the user interface.