Use of Persistent Sessions by a Presence Access Layer

• US 20120117175A1
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: So, Sin-Hang, McColgan, Brian, Rogers, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• 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 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

A method for a watcher to receive presence information. The method includes the watcher requesting presence information from a presence access layer and then disconnecting from the presence access layer. The method further includes the presence access layer receiving the requested information through a persistent session with a presence server, storing the requested information, and delivering the requested information to the watcher after the watcher reconnects to the presence access layer.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instruction which are configured to cause a computing device to execute a server that performs a method comprising:

receiving a request from a watcher for presence information associated with a presentity;

subscribing on behalf of the watcher, based on the request that was received, with a presence server to receive the presence information associated with the presentity;

processing complex presence information that is received from the presence server based on the subscribing to determine a single value of a presence aspect which is a simplification or consolidation of the complex presence information; and

transmitting the single value to the watcher instead of the complex presence information.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the presence aspect facilitates simplification or abstraction of the complex presence information.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the complex presence information is a document in Presence Information Data Format (PIDF).

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the complex presence information is a document in Rich Presence Information Data (RPID) format.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the complex presence information is an XML document.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the request specifies a presence aspect related to the presentity'"'"'s willingness to communicate, and wherein the single value is affirmative being “

true”

or “

willing,”

or negative being “

false”

or “

unwilling.”

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the request specifies a presence aspect related to a communication application or communication service for which the presentity has opted-in.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the opted-in communication application or communication service is instant messaging or push-to-talk.

9. A server comprising:

a communication device configured to receive a request from a watcher for presence information associated with a presentity; and

a processor configured to;

subscribe on behalf of the watcher, base on the request that was received, with a presence server to receive the presence information associated with the presentity; and

process complex presence information that is received from the presence server based on the subscribing to determine a single value of a presence aspect which is a simplification or consolidation of the complex presence information,

wherein the communication device is further configured to transmit the single value to the watcher instead of the complex presence information.

10. The server of claim 9 wherein the presence aspect facilitates simplification or abstraction of the complex presence information.

11. The server of claim 9 wherein the complex presence information is a document in Presence Information Data Format (PIDF).

12. The server of claim 9 wherein the complex presence information is a document in Rich Presence Information Data (RPID) format.

13. The server of claim 9 wherein the complex presence information is an XML document.

14. The server of claim 9 wherein the request specifies a presence aspect related to the presentity'"'"'s willingness to communicate, and wherein the single value is affirmative being “

true”

or “

willing,”

or negative being “

false”

or “

unwilling.”

15. The server of claim 9 wherein the request specifies a presence aspect related to a communication application or communication service for which the presentity has opted-in.

16. The server of claim 15 wherein the opted-in communication application or communication service is instant messaging or push-to-talk.

17. A user equipment comprising:

a communication subsystem configured to;

transmit a request to a server, which is different from and in communication with a presence server, for presence information associated with a presentity; and

receive, based on the request, a single value of presence information from the server rather than a presence document from the presence server; and

a processor configured to execute a watcher agent operable to use the single value of presence information that is received for a presence-enabled application or presence-enabled service being employed by the user equipment,

wherein the presence document has a format selected from the group consisting of Presence Information Data Format (PIDF), Rich Presence Information Data (RPID) and XML.

18. The user equipment of claim 17 wherein the request specifies an interest in the presentity'"'"'s willingness to communicate, and wherein the single value is affirmative being “

true”

or “

willing,”

or negative being “

false”

or “

unwilling.”

19. The user equipment of claim 17 wherein the request specifies an interest in a communication application or service for which the presentity has opted-in.

20. The user equipment of claim 19 wherein the opted-in communication application or service is instant messaging or push-to-talk.