Realization of presence management

• US 9,407,491 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Salmi, Matti, Jespersen, Hans Jacob, Aaen, Jesper
• Primary Examiner(s): BILGRAMI, ASGHAR H
• Application Number:
  US10/099,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 5,256 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/205, 709/206, 709/207, 715/522
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• 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: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A data structure defining a presence protocol, a device, a server, a system and method to provide management of presence information as a standalone service as well as part of the instant messaging service of a communication system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a subscribe presence primitive from a client of requesting user for subscribing presence information of a requested user, the subscribe presence primitive includes a subscribing user identifier,

determining if a subscription to said presence information of the requested user has been pre-authorized by the requested user,

if the subscription has not been pre-authorized, requesting an authorization and receiving an authorize presence primitive from the requested user,

and if the subscription has been authorized or pre-authorized,

providing a presence primitive including presence information of the requested user to the requesting user according to the subscription,

wherein said subscription is valid for a period of time in which one or more presence primitives including requested presence information of the requested user are pushed to said client of said requesting user, particularly after receiving an update presence primitive including one or more presence attribute values to be updated from said requested user, the update presence primitive being initiated by said requested user,

wherein the presence primitive comprises one or more information elements including a presence information element, said presence information element comprises one or more presence attributes, the values of the attributes indicating presence status of the requested user or a client of the requested user at the time the presence information is provided, said presence attributes are classifiable in any one or more of the following;

client reachability, user availability, user personal status, user or client location, and client capabilities,

wherein said values of the presence attributes have associated space and time information useable by a presence server to modify said presence attribute values or related presence attribute values in processing said presence primitive,

and wherein said space and time information has a validity attribute associated with a source of said values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

a pre-authorization is an authorize presence primitive autonomously provided by an initiating user to authorize transfer of presence information of said initiating user to an authorized user, and the autonomously provided authorize presence primitive includes various information elements including an identifier identifying the user of the initiating client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said presence attribute values are associated with corresponding presence attributes classified and typed according to a standard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is performed in a presence information management system having at least one server able to communicate with a plurality of devices, wherein a communication protocol is used between the at least one server and the plurality of devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more information elements further include a message identifier, a transaction identifier, and an identification of the requested user and/or the requesting user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said requesting authorization from a the requested user is carried out by providing a request presence authorization primitive, said request presence authorization primitive comprises one or more information elements including a message identifier, an authorization request transaction identifier, a requesting user identifier and a list of presence attributes whose values are to be included in the presence primitive.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said authorize presence primitive comprises one or more information elements including a message identifier, an transaction identifier, a requesting user identifier, and a list of presence attributes whose values are to be included in the presence primitive.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said authorize presence primitive further comprises a group identifier if the authorization is related to a group.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a join group primitive from a joining member user joining a private user group,

providing presence primitives indicative of presence information of member users of said private user group to said joining member user upon joining said private user group but not after departing, and

providing a group left primitive indicative of a departing member user to remaining private user group member users upon receipt of a leave group primitive indicative of said departing member user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the joining member user may join the group only if said join group primitive is preceded by an invite user primitive provided by an inviting user to said joining member user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a create group primitive from a member user creating a user group, said create group primitive having information elements indicative of identification of a client used by the member user creating the user group, identification of the member user creating the user group, and a list of other member users of the user group,

providing a group information primitive to the other member users (Original) indicative of establishment of the user group and selected group information, and

permitting member users of the user group to interchange message primitives.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein

the message primitive has various information elements including a message sending client identifier, a message sending user identifier, and a message content type identifier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

in response to the message primitive, a delivery primitive is provided to the message sending user, and

the delivery primitive has various information elements including a delivery status element.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a get group information primitive from a requesting member user of the user group, and

providing a group information primitive indicative of the selected group information to the requesting member user.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a modify group primitive from a requesting member user of the user group, and

providing a group information primitive indicative of modified group information of the user group to the requesting member user.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a delete group primitive from a requesting member user of the user group, and

providing a status primitive indicative of disestablishment of said user group to the member users of the user group.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a store content primitive from a storing user,

storing any content conveyed in a content information element of said store content primitive along with or according to one or more information elements of said store content primitive, said one or more information elements identifying a store transaction, a storing user, a storing client used by said storing user, a group, properties of said content, and a header of said content,

providing a content information primitive to member users in said group, said content information primitive having information elements identifying said content information primitive, said store transaction, and said header,

receiving a get content information primitive from a retrieving user in said group, said get content information primitive having information elements identifying said get content primitive, a retrieval transaction, the retrieving user, a retrieving client used by said retrieving user, and said group, and

providing a receive content primitive to said retrieving user, said receive content primitive having information elements identifying said receive content primitive, said retrieval transaction, said group, said content, said header of said content, and an information element containing content for sharing among member users of said group.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a delete content primitive from a deleting user, said delete content primitive having information elements identifying said delete content primitive, a delete transaction, the deleting user, a deleting client used by said deleting user, said group, and content for deletion, and

deleting said content.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a content information primitive to a notified user, said content information primitive having information elements identifying said content information primitive, a store transaction, and a header,

receiving a get content information primitive from said notified user, said get content information primitive having information elements identifying said get content primitive, a retrieval transaction, and said notified user, and

providing a receive content primitive to said notified user, said receive content primitive having information elements identifying said receive content primitive, said retrieval transaction, said header, and an information element containing a content.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a store shared content primitive from a storing user, said store shared content primitive comprising one or more information elements including an information element containing said shared content, and information elements identifying said store shared content primitive, a store transaction, the storing user and a header, and

storing said shared content in response to the store shared content primitive.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a delete content primitive from a deleting user, said delete content primitive comprising one or more information elements identifying said delete content primitive, a delete transaction, the deleting user and a content for deletion, and

deleting said content in response to the delete content primitive.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising an exception management method for use in exception handling of a transaction by a user or a server in responding to a request by said server or said user, respectively, said exception management method comprising:

providing a status primitive in said responding to said request for indicating success or failure of said transaction as well as further information contained in information elements of said status primitive, and

receiving said status primitive in said requesting server or said requesting user for recognizing said indication of success or failure.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said information elements include a message identifier, a transaction identifier, and a status value indicative of said success or failure.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing requested presence information on an on-going basis to said subscribing user subscribing to presence information to which on-going responses are required.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscribe presence primitive includes a get presence primitive, the get presence primitive includes a requesting user identifier, a requested user identifier, and a list of presence values requested.

26. A server comprising:

a data storage, configured to store presence information of a plurality of users of a presence information service,

a plurality of client interfaces, configured to communicate with said users through their respective clients, and

a processor configured to manage the presence information service, wherein said server is configured to;

receive a subscribe presence primitive from a client of a requesting user for subscribing presence information of a requested user, the subscribe presence primitive includes a subscribing user identifier,

determine if a subscription to said presence information of the requested user has been pre-authorized by the requested user,

if the subscription has not been pre-authorized, request an authorization and receive an authorize presence primitive from the requested user,

and if the subscription has been authorized or pre-authorized,

provide a presence primitive including presence information of the requested user to the requesting user according to the subscription,

wherein said subscription is valid for a period of time in which one or more presence primitives including requested presence information of the requested user are pushed to said client of said requesting user, particularly after receiving an update presence primitive including one or more presence attribute values to be updated, the update presence primitive being initiated by said requested user,

wherein the presence primitive comprises one or more information elements including a presence information element, said presence information element comprises one or more presence attributes, the values of the attributes indicating presence status of the requested user or a client of the requested user at the time the presence information is provided, said presence attributes are classifiable in any one or more of the following;

client reachability, user availability, user personal status, user or client location, and client capabilities,

wherein said values of the presence attributes have associated space and time information useable by a presence server to modify said presence attribute values or related presence attribute values in processing said presence primitive,

and wherein said space and time information has a validity attribute associated with a source of said values.

27. The server of claim 26, wherein said one or more information elements further include a message identifier, a transaction identifier, and an identification of the requested user and/or the requesting user.

28. The server of claim 26, wherein said server is further configured to request the authorization from a-the requested user by providing a request presence authorization primitive, said request presence authorization primitive comprises one or more information elements including a message identifier, an authorization request transaction identifier, a requesting user identifier and a list of presence attributes whose values are to be included in the presence primitive.

29. The server of claim 26, wherein said authorize presence primitive comprises one or more information elements including a message identifier, an authorization request transaction identifier, a requesting user identifier, and a list of presence attributes whose values are to be included in the presence primitive.

30. The server of claim 29, wherein said authorize presence primitive further comprises a group identifier if the authorization is related to a group.

31. The server of claim 26, wherein a buddy list user maintains one or more buddy lists on the server for sending messages to one or more recipient users separately or to every user on a buddy list through the server, and wherein the recipient users are not necessarily aware of the buddy list and cannot refer to the buddy list with any replies they make, and said buddy list user maintaining one or more buddy lists on said server is able to access presence information of one or more users on the buddy list.

32. The server of claim 26, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a join group primitive from a joining member user joining a private user group, and

provide presence primitives indicative of presence information of member users of said private user group to said joining member user upon joining said private user group but not after departing, and

provide a group left primitive indicative of a departing member user to remaining private user group member users upon receipt of a leave group primitive indicative of said departing member user.

33. The server of claim 32, wherein the joining member user may join the group only if said join group primitive is preceded by an invite user primitive provided by an inviting user to said joining member user.

34. The server of claim 26, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a create group primitive from a member user creating a user group, said create group primitive having information elements indicative of identification of a client used by the member user creating the user group, identification of the member user creating the user group, and a list of other member users of the user group,

provide a group information primitive to the other member user indicative of establishment of the user group and selected group information, and

permit member users of the user group to interchange message primitives.

35. The server of claim 34, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a get group information primitive from a requesting member user of the user group, and

provide a group information primitive indicative of the selected group information to the requesting member user.

36. The server of claim 34, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a modify group primitive from a requesting member user of the user group, and

provide a group information primitive indicative of modified group information of the user group to the requesting member user.

37. The server of claim 34, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a delete group primitive from a requesting member user of the user group, and

provide a status primitive indicative of disestablishment of said user group to the member users of said user group.

38. The server of claim 26, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a store content primitive from a storing user,

store any content conveyed in a content information element of said store content primitive along with or according to one or more information elements of said store content primitive, said one or more information elements identifying a store transaction, a storing user, a storing client used by said storing user, a group. properties of said content, and a header of said content,

provide a content information primitive to member users in said group, said content information primitive having information elements identifying said content information primitive, said store transaction, and said header,

receive a get content information primitive from a retrieving user in said group, said et content information primitive having information elements identifying said get content primitive, a retrieval transaction, the retrieving user, a retrieving client used by said retrieving user, and said group, and

provide a receive content primitive to said retrieving user, said receive content primitive having information elements identifying said receive content primitive, said retrieval transaction, said group, said content, said header of said content, and an information element containing content for sharing among said member users of said group.

39. The server of claim 38, further configured to:

receive a delete content primitive from a deleting user, said delete content primitive having information elements identifying said delete content primitive, a delete transaction, a deleting user, a deleting client used by said deleting user, said group, and content for deletion, and

delete said content.

40. The server of claim 26, further configured to:

provide a content information primitive to a notified user, said content information primitive having information elements identifying said content information primitive, a store transaction, and a header,

receive a get content information primitive from said notified user, said get content information primitive having information elements identifying said get content information primitive, a retrieval transaction, and said notified user, and

provide a receive content primitive to said notified user, said receive content primitive having information elements identifying said receive content primitive, said retrieval transaction, said header, and an information element containing a content.

41. The server of claim 26, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a store shared content primitive from a storing user, said store shared content primitive comprising one or more information elements including an information element containing said shared content, and information elements identifying said store shared content primitive, a store transaction, the storing user and a header, and

store said shared content in response to the store shared content primitive.

42. The server of claim 41, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a delete content primitive from a deleting user, said delete content primitive having information elements identifying said delete content primitive, a delete transaction, the deleting user and a content for deletion, and

delete said content in response to said delete content primitive.

43. The server of claim 26, wherein the server is further configured to:

carry out exception handling of a transaction by a user or the server in responding to a request by said server or said user, respectively, and

provide a status primitive in said responding to said request for indicating success or failure of said transaction as well as further information contained in information elements of said status primitive, and

wherein the client interfaces are further configured to receive said status primitive for recognizing said indication of success or failure.

44. The server of claim 43, wherein said information elements include a message identifier, a transaction identifier, and a status value indicative of said success or failure.