Aggregating endpoint capabilities for a user

• US 8,111,686 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chavda, Ankur, Rao, Sira P., Talwar, Mohit, Venkateshaiah, Setty
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRUTCHFIELD, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US11/462,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20080031225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications

Abstract

A method and system for aggregating capabilities from multiple endpoints associated with a user are provided. The system aggregates the capabilities of the endpoints associated with a user into an aggregate view of available modes of communication for reaching the user. Then, the system publishes the aggregate view so that other users who want to send communications to the user will know the modes of communication available for that user. In addition, the system may designate certain modes of communication as preferred or as capable of reaching the user.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage device containing instructions for controlling a computing device to support communications between users, by a method comprising:

when the computing device is to send a communication,

subscribing to aggregate capabilities generated based on capabilities published by multiple active endpoints for a first user, a capability representing a way by which another user can communicate with the first user, an active endpoint being an endpoint through which the first user is currently online, the aggregate capabilities providing an aggregate view of available modes of communication of the first user, a mode of communication being a combination of a capability and an active endpoint;

receiving the aggregate capabilities;

determining a first preferred mode of communication for the first user from the received aggregate capabilities, the first preferred mode of communication including a first preferred capability and a first preferred active endpoint; and

sending a first invitation communication to the first user at the first preferred active endpoint, the first invitation communication inviting the first user to communicate using the first preferred capability; and

when the computing device receives a second invitation communication that requests to communicate using a second preferred capability because the computing device was determined to be a second preferred active endpoint of a second preferred mode of communication of a second user, the second preferred mode of communication including the second preferred capability and the second preferred active endpoint,

determining by the computing device whether a current preferred mode of communication of the second user that includes a current preferred capability and a current preferred active endpoint is the same as the second preferred mode of communication by determining whether the second preferred capability is the same as the current preferred capability and whether the second preferred active endpoint is the same as the current preferred active endpoint;

when the computing device determines that the second preferred mode of communication of the second user is the same as the current preferred mode of communication of the second user, automatically accepting the second invitation communication, and

when the computing device determines that the second preferred mode of communication of the second user is not the same as the current preferred mode of communication of the second user, rejecting the second invitation communication.

2. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1 wherein the received aggregate capabilities indicate a preferred mode of communication.

3. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1 wherein the determined preferred mode of communication for a capability is based on the ability of an active endpoint to support two-way communication using the capability.

4. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1 wherein the preferred mode is determined automatically.

5. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1 wherein the preferred mode is determined by receiving a manual selection.

6. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1 including displaying the available modes of communication for the first user in a user interface.

7. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6 wherein the user interface includes an indication of the preferred mode of communication for the first user.

8. A computing device to support communications between users, comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable instructions of;

a component that, when the computing device is to send a communication,

receives aggregate capabilities generated based on capabilities published by multiple active endpoints for a first user, a capability representing a way by which another user can communicate with the first user, an active endpoint being an endpoint through which the first user is currently online, the aggregate capabilities providing an aggregate view of available modes of communication of the first user, a mode of communication being a combination of a capability and an active endpoint;

determines a first preferred mode of communication for the first user from the received aggregate capabilities, the first preferred mode of communication including a first preferred capability and a first preferred active endpoint; and

sends a first invitation communication to the first user at the first preferred active endpoint, the first invitation communication inviting the first user to communicate using the first preferred capability; and

a component that, when the computing device receives a second invitation communication to communicate using a second preferred mode of communication for a second user of the computing device, the second preferred mode of communication including a second preferred capability and a second preferred active endpoint,

determines whether a current preferred mode of communication of the second user that includes a current preferred capability and a current preferred active endpoint is the same as the second preferred mode of communication by determining whether the second preferred capability is the same as the current preferred capability and whether the second preferred active endpoint;

after determining that the second preferred mode of communication of the second user is the same as the current preferred mode of communication of the second user, automatically accepts the second invitation communication, and

after determining that the second preferred mode of communication of the second user is not the same as the current preferred mode of communication of the second user, does not automatically accept the second invitation communication; and

a processor that executes the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory.

9. The computing device of claim 8 wherein the received aggregate capabilities indicate a preferred mode of communication.

10. The computing device of claim 8 wherein the determined preferred mode of communication for a capability is based on the ability of an active endpoint to support two-way communication using the capability.

11. The computing device of claim 8 wherein the preferred mode is determined automatically.

12. The computing device of claim 8 wherein the preferred mode is determined by receiving a manual selection.

13. The computing device of claim 8 including a component that displays the available modes of communication for the first user in a user interface.

14. The computing device of claim 13 wherein the user interface includes an indication of the preferred mode of communication for the first user.

15. The computing device of claim 8 including a component that displays the available modes of communication for the user in a user interface.

16. A method in a computing device for supporting communications between users, the method comprising:

when the computing device is to send a communication,

receiving aggregate capabilities generated based on capabilities published by multiple active endpoints for a first user, a capability representing a way by which a second user can communicate with the first user, an active endpoint being an endpoint through which the first user is currently online, the aggregate capabilities providing an aggregate view of available modes of communication of the first user, a mode of communication being a combination of a capability and an active endpoint;

determining a first preferred mode of communication for the first user from the received aggregate capabilities, the first preferred mode of communication including a first preferred capability and a first preferred active endpoint; and

sending an invitation communication to the first user at the first preferred active endpoint, the invitation communication inviting the first user to communicate with the second user using the second preferred capability

wherein when the first preferred active endpoint receives the invitation communication, the first preferred active endpoint performs;

determining whether a current preferred mode of communication of the first user that includes a current preferred capability and a current preferred active endpoint is the same as the first preferred mode of communication by determining whether the first preferred capability is the same as the current preferred capability and whether the first preferred active endpoint is the same as the current preferred active endpoint;

after determining that the first preferred mode of communication of the first user is the same as the current preferred mode of communication of the first user, automatically accepting the invitation communication, and

after determining that the first preferred mode of communication of the first user is not the same as the current preferred mode of communication of the first user, not automatically accepting the invitation communication.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the received aggregate capabilities indicate a preferred mode of communication.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the determined preferred mode of communication for a capability is based on the ability of an active endpoint to support two-way communication using the capability.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the preferred mode is determined automatically.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the preferred mode is determined by receiving a manual selection.