Method for interacting with infrastructure devices via instant messaging
First Claim
1. A method for interacting with and controlling infrastructure devices within an instant messaging (IM) environment, the method comprising:
- registering at least one infrastructure device at an IM server;
registering at least one computing device at the IM server, wherein the computing device is configured to execute an IM client application;
delivering one or more of infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information from a registered infrastructure device to the IM server, wherein the IM server is configured to publish and update the infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information from the at least one registered infrastructure device to registered computing devices;
maintaining a contact list at an IM client application executing at a registered computing device, wherein the contact listing is populated with a listing of registered infrastructure devices and the infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information that is associated with the infrastructure device;
displaying the contact list to a registered computing device user at the registered computing device;
organizing a priority of each of the registered infrastructure devices within the contact list, the priority based on at least one of a predetermined ranking, predetermined prioritization criteria, a class of device, and a predetermined proximity to the registered computing device; and
changing the priority of each of the registered infrastructure devices within the contact list, based on the predetermined proximity to the registered computing device, in response to a change of the predetermined proximity of one or more of the registered infrastructure devices with respect to a location of the registered computing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for interacting with and controlling infrastructure devices within an IM environment. The method comprises registering at least one infrastructure device at an IM server, registering at least one computing device at the IM server, and delivering one or more of infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information from a registered infrastructure device to the IM server, wherein the IM server is configured to publish and update the infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information from the at least one registered infrastructure device to registered computing devices. The method also comprises maintaining and displaying a contact list at an IM client application executing at a registered computing device, wherein the contact listing is populated with a listing of registered infrastructure devices and the infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information that is associated with the infrastructure device.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for interacting with and controlling infrastructure devices within an instant messaging (IM) environment, the method comprising:
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registering at least one infrastructure device at an IM server; registering at least one computing device at the IM server, wherein the computing device is configured to execute an IM client application; delivering one or more of infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information from a registered infrastructure device to the IM server, wherein the IM server is configured to publish and update the infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information from the at least one registered infrastructure device to registered computing devices; maintaining a contact list at an IM client application executing at a registered computing device, wherein the contact listing is populated with a listing of registered infrastructure devices and the infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information that is associated with the infrastructure device; displaying the contact list to a registered computing device user at the registered computing device; organizing a priority of each of the registered infrastructure devices within the contact list, the priority based on at least one of a predetermined ranking, predetermined prioritization criteria, a class of device, and a predetermined proximity to the registered computing device; and changing the priority of each of the registered infrastructure devices within the contact list, based on the predetermined proximity to the registered computing device, in response to a change of the predetermined proximity of one or more of the registered infrastructure devices with respect to a location of the registered computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product that includes a computer readable medium useable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to interact with and control a computing device that has been registered within an instant messaging (IM) environment, by:
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configuring the computing device to execute an IM client application; transmitting registration information to an IM server; maintaining a contact list at an IM client application executing at a registered computing device, wherein the contact listing is populated with a listing of registered infrastructure devices and the infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information that is associated with the infrastructure device; displaying the contact list to a registered computing device user at the registered computing device; organizing a priority of each of the registered infrastructure devices within the contact list, the priority based on at least one of a predetermined ranking, predetermined prioritization criteria, a class of device, and a predetermined proximity to the registered computing device; and changing the priority of each of the registered infrastructure devices within the contact list, based on the predetermined proximity to the registered computing device, in response to a change of the predetermined proximity of one or more of the registered infrastructure devices with respect to a location of the registered computing device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer program product that includes a computer readable medium useable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to interact with and control an infrastructure device that has been registered within an instant messaging (IM) environment, by:
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transmitting registration information to an IM server; delivering one or more of infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information from a registered infrastructure device to the IM server, wherein the IM server is configured to publish and update the infrastructure device characteristics, status information, and service information from the at least one registered infrastructure device to registered computing devices, each of the registered computing devices having a contact list organizing a priority of the at least one registered infrastructure device within the contact list, the priority based on at least one of a predetermined ranking, predetermined prioritization criteria, a class of device, and a predetermined proximity of the registered infrastructure device to each of the registered computing devices; and changing the priority of the registered infrastructure devices within the contact lists, based on the predetermined proximity to the registered computing devices, in response to a change of the predetermined proximity of the registered infrastructure device with respect to a location of each of the registered computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification