System and method for determining a presence state of a user

Abstract

Presence information associated with a presence entity ( 102 ) is received. A composition rule associated with the presence information is also received. The composition rule is applied to the presence information in order to determine a presence state for the presence entity ( 102 ).

1 . A method for determining a presence state of a presence entity comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a first presence message, the first presence message comprising first presence information associated with a presence entity and at least one first composition rule associated with the first presence information; and    applying the first composition rule to the first presence information in order to determine a presence state for the presence entity.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the presence state is determined in a presence compositor.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the presence compositor is a presence server.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the presence compositor is a watcher.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a second presence message comprising second presence information associated with the presence entity, wherein the first presence information contains a conflict with the second presence information and wherein applying the composition rule comprises applying the first composition rule to resolve the conflict and determine the presence state for the presence entity.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein applying the composition rule comprises applying a composition rule based upon at least one characteristic selected from a group comprising: an override priority level; a presence information element of the presence entity; and a presence information element of a watcher.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein receiving the first and second presence messages comprises receiving first and second presence messages associated with the presence entity generated by a single presence source.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein receiving the first and second presence messages comprises receiving first and second presence messages associated with the presence entity generated by at least two presence sources.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein applying the composition rule comprises applying the composition rule to the presence information in order to determine a presence state, the presence state being selected from a group comprising available, unavailable, and conditionally available.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein determining the presence state to be conditionally available comprises determining that the presence information indicates an availability of the user and the composition rule indicates at least one condition associated with the availability of the user.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the at least one condition associated with the availability of the user is selected from one of the group of, a presence information element of the presence entity, a presence information element of a watcher, and textual information.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising displaying textual information relating to the composition rule to a user when the presence state is conditionally available.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving presence information comprises receiving presence information indicative of a characteristic, the characteristic selected from a group comprising: an availability of a user to receive communication, an activity of a user, a geographical location of a user; a location type of a user; and whether the user is logged into a computer system.  
     
     
         14 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming the presence message; and    transmitting the presence message to a presence service.    
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for determining a presence state of a presence entity, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving a first presence message, the first presence message comprising first presence information associated with a presence entity and at least one first composition rule associated with the first presence information; and    means for applying the first composition rule to the first presence information in order to determine a presence state for the presence entity.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the means for receiving and means for applying are selected from one of the group of a presence server and watcher.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 means for forming the presence message; and    means for transmitting the presence message to a presence service.    
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein if the means for receiving is a presence server, the means for transmitting is a presence source, and if the means for receiving is a watcher, the means for transmitting is a presence server.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the means for receiving receive a second presence message comprising second presence information associated with the presence entity, wherein the first presence information contains a conflict with the second presence information and wherein the means for applying the composition rule apply the first composition rule to resolve the conflict and determine the presence state for the presence entity.  
     
     
         20 . A method for determining a presence state of a presence entity comprising the steps of: 
 forming a first presence message, the first presence message comprising first presence information associated with a presence entity and at least one first composition rule associated with the first presence information;    transmitting the first presence message to a presence service;    receiving first presence message; and    applying the first composition rule to the first presence information in order to determine a presence state for the presence entity.