System and method for updating presence information in instant messaging applications on a mobile device

• US 8,285,265 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Wisebourt, Shaul Serge, Klassen, Gerhard Dietrich
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US13/235,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20120009908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the presence status on a mobile device is provided. The method comprises determining an active notification profile for said mobile device, said active notification profile defining how said mobile device notifies of new events; determining a corresponding presence status for said active notification profile; and setting said corresponding presence status as a current presence status.

Claims

1. A method of controlling presence status on a mobile device, said method comprising:

determining an active one of a plurality of notification profiles for said mobile device, said notification profiles defining how said mobile device notifies of new events;

determining a corresponding one of a plurality of instant messaging presence statuses said active one of said notification profiles; and

setting said one of said plurality of instant messaging corresponding presence statuses as a current instant messaging presence status.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a set of one or more rules indicating associations between said plurality of notification profiles and said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses, each rule correlating one of said plurality of notification profiles with a selected one of said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses, said determining a corresponding instant messaging presence status comprising referencing said rules.

3. The method according to claim 2, said rules comprising predefined default associations, said predefined default associations being changeable using a first user interface displayed on a display of said mobile device.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a first user interface on a display of said mobile device for selecting instant messaging presence statuses for said plurality of notification profiles.

5. The method according to claim 4, said first user interface comprising a list of said plurality of notification profiles for said mobile device and providing a selection mechanism for each profile in said list to enable said selected one of said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses for each notification profile to be chosen using said selection mechanism.

6. The method according to claim 5, said selection mechanism further comprising a first option for creating a custom presence status, said custom presence status to be automatically associated with the corresponding notification profile upon creation thereof.

7. The method according to claim 4, said first user interface further comprising a second option for creating a custom profile, said method further comprising:

upon detecting selection of said second option, displaying a second user interface for creating said custom profile, said second user interface enabling one of said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses to be associated with said custom profile.

8. The method according to claim 1 being executed on said mobile device repeatedly over time.

9. The method according to claim 8, said method being executed according to any one or more of the following patterns:

periodically, continuously, and dynamically according to sensing an external event indicative of a change in said active one of said plurality of notification profiles.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a notification pertaining to said corresponding presence status for said active one of said plurality of notification profiles.

11. The method according to claim 10, said active one of said plurality of notification profiles being determined by communicating with a profiles application stored on said mobile device, and said active one of said notification profiles being provided to an instant messaging application using a presence updater module.

12. The method according to claim 10, said method being performed by an instant messaging application, said active one of said plurality of notification profiles being determined from an initial notification prepared according to information provided by a profiles application on said mobile device, and said active one of said notification profiles comprising an update generated by said instant messaging application.

13. The method according to claim 1, said setting said current instant messaging presence status further comprising:

comparing said corresponding instant messaging presence status to said current instant messaging presence status; and

if said corresponding instant messaging presence status is different than said current instant messaging presence status, updating said instant messaging current presence status to be the same as said corresponding instant messaging presence status.

14. A mobile device comprising a display, a processor, one or more input mechanisms and a memory comprising computer executable instructions for controlling presence status on a mobile device, said computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

determining an active one of a plurality of notification profiles for said mobile device, said notification profiles defining how said mobile device notifies of new events;

determining a corresponding one of a plurality of instant messaging presence statuses that is associated with said active one of said notification profiles; and

setting said corresponding one of said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses as a current instant messaging presence status.

15. The mobile device according to claim 14, further comprising instructions for providing a set of one or more rules indicating associations between said plurality of notification profiles and said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses, each rule correlating one of said plurality of notification profiles with a selected one of said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses, said determining a corresponding instant messaging presence status comprising referencing said rules.

16. The mobile device according to claim 15, said rules comprising predefined default associations, said predefined default associations being changeable using a first user interface displayed on a display of said mobile device.

17. The mobile device according to claim 14 further comprising instructions for:

displaying a first user interface on a display of said mobile device for selecting instant messaging presence statuses for said plurality of notification profiles.

18. The mobile device according to claim 17, said first user interface comprising a list of said plurality of notification profiles for said mobile device and providing a selection mechanism for each profile in said list to enable said selected one of said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses for each notification profile to be chosen using said selection mechanism.

19. The mobile device according to claim 18, said selection mechanism further comprising a first option for creating a custom presence status, said custom presence status to be automatically associated with the corresponding notification profile upon creation thereof.

20. The mobile device according to claim 18, said first user interface further comprising a second option for creating a custom profile, said computer executable instructions further comprising instructions for:

upon said detecting selection of said second option, displaying a second user interface for creating said custom profile, said second user interface enabling one of said plurality of instant messaging presence statuses to be associated with said custom profile.

21. The mobile device according to claim 14, said instructions being executed on said mobile device repeatedly over time.

22. The mobile device according to claim 21, said instructions being executed according to any one or more of the following patterns:

periodically, continuously, and dynamically according to sensing an external event indicative of a change in said active one of said plurality of notification profiles.

23. The mobile device according to claim 14, further comprising instructions for providing a notification pertaining to said corresponding presence status for said active one of said plurality of notification profiles.

24. The mobile device according to claim 23, said active one of said plurality of notification profiles being determined by communicating with a profiles application stored on said mobile device, and said active one of said notification profiles provided to an instant messaging application using a presence updater module.

25. The mobile device according to claim 23, said instructions being performed by an instant messaging application, said active one of said plurality of notification profiles being determined from an initial notification prepared according to information provided by a profiles application on said mobile device, and said active one of said notification profiles comprising an update generated by said instant messaging application.

26. The mobile device according to claim 14, said setting said current instant messaging presence status further comprising instructions for:

comparing said corresponding instant messaging presence status to said current instant messaging presence status; and

if said corresponding instant messaging presence status is different than said current instant messaging presence status, updating said current instant messaging presence status to be the same as said corresponding instant messaging presence status.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for controlling presence status on a mobile device, said computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

determining an active one of a plurality of notification profiles for said mobile device, said notification profiles defining how said mobile device notifies of new events;

determining a corresponding one of a plurality instant messaging presence statuses that is associated with said active one of said notification profiles; and

setting said corresponding one of said plurality of instant messaging presence status as a current instant messaging presence status.