Managing contact status updates in a presence management system

• US 10,594,830 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2019
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Beadle, Gary M., Masterson, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US16/286,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20190191007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/4432 Reducing the energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4893 taking into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system configured to perform operations to receive, via a network communication interface, an indication of a power event occurring at a first device. The first device is for an online identity. The power event causes the first device to switch from an external power source to an internal battery. The first device represents that the online identity is online while the first device receives power from the internal battery. The system is further configured to perform operations to hold, at a second device, at least one status update for an online contact of the online identity while the first device receives power from the internal battery. Furthermore, the system is configured to perform operations to release, for transmission to the first device, the at least one status update in response to determining that the first device switches back to the external power source.

Claims

1. A method for managing online status according to a power event comprising:

receiving, via a network communication interface, an indication of the power event occurring at a first device for an online identity, wherein the power event causes the first device to switch from an external power source to an internal battery, and wherein the first device represents that the online identity is online while the first device receives power from the internal battery;

holding, at a second device, at least one status update for an online contact of the online identity while the first device receives power from the internal battery; and

releasing, for transmission to the first device, the at least one status update in response to determining that the first device switches back to the external power source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power event comprises one of a manual event and an automatic event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one status update represents a net change to a status of the online contact.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising piggybacking the at least one status update on other data transmitted to the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device transmits status messages less frequently than before the power event.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising resetting status of the online identity if a keep alive message is not received within a given time period.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising holding, at the second device, the at least one status update in response to determining a specific level of interest by the online identity.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored therein a program product, which when executed by a set of one or more processor units cause the set of one or more processors units to perform operations comprising:

receiving, via a network communication interface, an indication of a power event occurring at a first device for an online identity, wherein the power event causes the first device to switch from an external power source to an internal battery, and wherein the first device represents that the online identity is online while the first device receives power from the internal battery;

holding, at a second device, at least one status update for an online contact of the online identity while the first device receives power from the internal battery; and

releasing, for transmission to the first device, the at least one status update in response to determining that the first device switches back to the external power source.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the power event comprises one of a manual event and an automatic event.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one status update represents a net change to a status of the online contact.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, said operations further comprising piggybacking the at least one status update on other data transmitted to the first device.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first device transmits status messages less frequently than before the power event.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, said operations further comprising resetting status of the online identity if a keep alive message is not received within a given time period.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, said operations further comprising holding, at the second device, the at least one status update in response to determining a specific level of interest by the online identity.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a network interface coupled with the processor and configured to transmit and receive data; and

a memory storage device configured to store instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to perform operations to

receive, via the network interface, an indication of a power event occurring at a first device for an online identity, wherein the power event causes the first device to switch from an external power source to an internal battery, and wherein the first device represents that the online identity is online while the first device receives power from the internal battery,

hold, at a second device, at least one status update for an online contact of the online identity while the first device receives power from the internal battery, and

release, for transmission to the first device, the at least one status update in response to determination that the first device switches back to the external power source.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the power event comprises one of a manual event and an automatic event.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one status update represents a net change to a status of the online contact.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the memory storage device is configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations to piggyback the at least one status update on other data transmitted to the first device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the memory storage device is configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations to reset status of the online identity if a keep alive message is not received within a given time period.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the memory storage device is configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations to hold, at the second device, the at least one status update in response to determination of a specific level of interest by the online identity.