Mitigating data usage in messaging applications

• US 8,015,249 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nayak, Niranjan S., Garg, Neeraj K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ashok B
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDBERG, ANDREW C
• Application Number:
  US11/548,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20080084977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 715/795
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP

Abstract

Data usage of a messaging application is mitigated based on a location of the application on the display screen or a mode of a device. If the location of the application is in the foreground of the display, presence update information of a contact is periodically received or requested. If the application is in the background of the display longer than a predetermined interval, the presence update information of the contact is stopped. In some embodiments, if the device is in an OFF or a SUSPEND mode, contact presence updates are not received. When the device is in an ON mode or state, the presence updates are received or requested from a server or presence agent.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system configured to mitigate data usage in a messaging application, the computer-implemented system comprising:

a processor;

a register component configured to register a device with a presence agent to monitor a plurality of contacts, wherein the presence agent is configured to provide periodic presence updates to the device;

a usage monitor component configured to monitor a usage of the device, detect that a messaging application is sent to a background of a display screen, track an amount of time the messaging application is in the background, and determine that the periodic presence updates are no longer to be received in response to the amount of time exceeding a time defined by a function of time;

an activation component configured to selectively deactivate, from monitoring by the presence agent, a subset of the plurality of contacts independently of an explicit user command and in response to the amount of time the messaging application is in the background exceeding the time defined by the function of time, wherein the subset of the plurality of contacts is deactivated in a sequential order according to a priority; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement at least one of the register component, usage monitor component or the activation component.

2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the usage of the device is based on whether the device is in a suspend mode or a background mode.

3. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the activation component is configured to selectively reactivate the subset of the plurality of contacts based on the usage.

4. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the usage of the device is based on a location of the messaging application in the display screen of the device.

5. The computer-implemented system of claim 4, wherein the usage of the device varies based on whether the location is in the background of the display screen or a foreground of the display screen.

6. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the usage of the device is based on whether the device is in an ON mode, an OFF mode or a suspend mode, wherein the suspend mode is a mode wherein the device is in a power saving mode and is not powered off.

7. The computer-implemented system of claim 6, wherein the OFF mode and the SUSPEND mode indicate that at least one contact of the plurality of contacts is no longer to be monitored, and wherein the ON mode indicates that the at least one contact is to be monitored.

8. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the priority is based on a ranking of the plurality of contacts, wherein the activation component is configured to selectively deactivate the subset based on the ranking, and wherein the ranking is based on data to be sent to the plurality of contacts from the device.

9. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, further comprising a machine learning component configured to automate a deactivation or a reactivation of the activation component.

10. The computer-implemented system of claim 9, wherein the machine learning component is configured to employ at least one of an artificial-intelligence based scheme or a rules-based logic scheme.

11. A method to facilitate selectively mitigating bandwidth usage during messaging activities, comprising:

employing a processor to execute computer executable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium to implement acts comprising;

sending a subscribe message that indicates a plurality of contacts to monitor;

receiving periodic updates regarding a presence of the plurality of contacts;

monitoring an activity of a device including detecting a messaging application is sent to a background of a display, tracking an amount of time the messaging application is in the background until a function of time is satisfied, and determining that the periodic updates are not to be received in response to the messaging application being in the background of the display longer than a time defined by the function of time; and

sending a series of unsubscribe messages to a first subset of the plurality of contacts independent of an explicit user command and in response to the messaging application being in the background of the display longer than the time defined by the function of time, wherein the sending includes sending the series of unsubscribe messages in a sequential order according to a priority.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring comprises:

wherein the tracking includes tracking the amount of time the messaging application is in the background until a threshold time has expired.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

ascertaining a location of the messaging application; and

sending a re-subscribe message in response to the messaging application being brought to a foreground of the display.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring comprises:

determining that the device is in a SUSPEND state, an OFF state or an ON state; and

sending the unsubscribe message in response to the device being determined to be in the SUSPEND state or the OFF state.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving notification that the device is in the ON state; and

sending a re-subscribe message to receive the periodic updates.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising utilizing priority information to ascertain the priority, wherein the priority information includes at least one of a contact type, a contact importance or a communication importance.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising selectively sending a re-subscribe message for at least a second subset of the plurality of contacts based on the activity of the device.

18. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that, in response to execution by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations, comprising:

sending a subscribe message that indicates a plurality of contacts to monitor;

receiving periodic updates regarding presence of the plurality of contacts;

monitoring an activity of a device including;

in response to a messaging application being sent to a background of a display, tracking an amount of time the messaging application is in the background, and

determining that the periodic updates are not to be received in response to the amount of time being in the background of the display longer than a time defined by a function of time; and

sending a series of unsubscribe messages to a first subset of the plurality of

contacts independent of an explicit user command and in response to the amount of time the messaging application being in the background of the display longer than the time defined by the function of time, wherein the sending includes sending the series of unsubscribe messages in a sequential order according to a priority.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the monitoring comprises:

wherein the tracking includes tracking the amount of time the messaging application is in the background until a threshold time has expired.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising:

ascertaining a location of the messaging application; and

sending a re-subscribe message in response to the messaging application being brought to a foreground of the display.