System And Method For Harmonizing Changes In User Activities, Device Capabilities And Presence Information

Abstract

A method and system utilizes presence information for a device. The method and system comprise receiving a communication indicating a change to a user activity from a first device operated by a user. The existing presence status of the user to the presence status associated with the user activity for the user of a second device is automatically changed in response to the received change to the user activity. The second device is informed of the changing of the existing presence status for the second device to automatically alter a capability of the second device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on a stored indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered.

1 . A method for utilizing presence information with a device comprising:
 receiving, by a presence service, a communication indicating a change to a user activity from a first device operated by a user;   automatically changing, by the presence service, an existing presence status of the user to the presence status associated with the user activity for the user of a second device in response to the received change to the user activity; and   informing, by the presence service, the second device of the changing of the existing presence status for the second device to automatically alter a capability of the second device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on an indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the presence service is located on the second device. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second device comprises a plurality of devices. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising receiving a location of the user, wherein informing the second device of the changing of the existing presence status for the second device to automatically alter a capability of the second device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on the indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered comprises informing devices in a vicinity of the location of the user of the changing of the existing presence status for each device in the vicinity of the location of the user to automatically alter a capability of the device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on the indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein informing devices in a vicinity of the location of the user of the changing of the existing presence status for each device in the vicinity of the location of the user to automatically alter a capability of the device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on the indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered comprises informing devices in a vicinity of the location of the user of the changing of the existing presence status for each device in the vicinity of the location of the user to automatically alter a capability of the device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on the indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered based on the location of the user. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first device has a plurality of capabilities and a portion of the plurality of capabilities is associated with a first presence status of the user for the first device, and wherein changing the presence status of the user for the first device includes changing an existing presence status of the user for the first device to the first presence status. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein when the existing presence status of the user for the first device is changed to the first presence status, at least one capability of the portion of the plurality of capabilities associated with the first presence status is enabled or disabled in the first device. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the portion of the capabilities to be associated with the first presence status of the user is configurable by the user. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving, by the presence service, an indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered; and   storing the indication.   
   
   
       10 . A method for utilizing presence information with at least one device having at least one capability, the method comprising:
 allowing a user to associate the at least one capability of the at least one device with a particular presence status of the user and a location of the user for the at least one device and associate the particular presence status to an activity specified by the user;   allowing the user to provide an indication for the at least one capability of the at least one device, based on a location of the user, whether the at least one capability is to be enabled or disabled when an existing presence status of the user for the at least one device is the particular presence status;   obtaining, by a first application, a present location of the user and a presence status and detecting that the presence status of the user for the at least one device is the particular presence status; and   automatically altering, by a second application, based on the present location of the user, the at least one capability associated with the particular presence status of the at least one device according to the provided indication when the first application detects that the presence status of the user is the particular presence status.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the at least one capability is different for at least two locations of the user. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the at least one capability is different for at least two activities specified by the user. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein obtaining, by the first application, the presence status comprises obtaining, by the first application, the presence status from a presence service. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein automatically altering, by the second application, based on the present location of the user, each capability comprises automatically enabling or disabling, by the second application, based on the present location of the user, each capability of the at least one capability associated with the particular presence status of the at least one device according to the provided indication when the first application detects that the presence status of the user is the particular presence status. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the at least one capability comprises a plurality of capabilities and a portion of the plurality of capabilities is associated with a first presence status of the user for the at least one device, and wherein automatically altering the at least one capability comprises automatically altering the portion of the plurality of capabilities when the existing presence status of user is the first presence status. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein automatically altering the portion of the plurality of capabilities associated with the first presence status comprises enabling or disabling each of the portion of the plurality of capabilities of the at least one device. 
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable medium storing a computer program, executable by a machine, for utilizing presence information with a device, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
 receiving, by a presence service, a communication indicating a change to a user activity from a first device operated by a user;   automatically changing, by the presence service, an existing presence status of the user to the presence status associated with the user activity for the user of a second device in response to the received change to the user activity; and   informing, by the presence service, the second device of the changing of the existing presence status for the second device to automatically alter a capability of the second device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on an indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered.   
   
   
       18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17  wherein the presence service is located on the second device. 
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17  wherein the second device comprises a plurality of devices. 
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 19  having further executable instructions for receiving a location of the user, wherein informing the second device of the changing of the existing presence status for the second device to automatically alter a capability of the second device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on the indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered comprises informing devices in a vicinity of the location of the user of the changing of the existing presence status for each device in the vicinity of the location of the user to automatically alter a capability of the device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on the indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered. 
   
   
       21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20  wherein informing devices in a vicinity of the location of the user of the changing of the existing presence status for each device in the vicinity of the location of the user to automatically alter a capability of the device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on the indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered comprises informing devices in a vicinity of the location of the user of the changing of the existing presence status for each device in the vicinity of the location of the user to automatically alter a capability of the device based on the changing of the existing presence status and based on the indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered based on the location of the user. 
   
   
       22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17  wherein the first device has a plurality of capabilities and a portion of the plurality of capabilities is associated with a first presence status of the user for the first device, and wherein changing the presence status of the user for the first device includes changing an existing presence status of the user for the first device to the first presence status. 
   
   
       23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein when the existing presence status of the user for the first device is changed to the first presence status, at least one capability of the portion of the plurality of capabilities associated with the first presence status is enabled or disabled in the first device. 
   
   
       24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the portion of the capabilities to be associated with the first presence status of the user is configurable by the user. 
   
   
       25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17  having further executable instructions for:
 receiving, by the presence service, an indication from the user on how the capability is to be altered; and   storing the indication.   
   
   
       26 . A method for utilizing presence information with at least one device having at least one capability, the method comprising:
 allowing a user to associate the at least one capability of the at least one device with a particular presence status of the user and a location of the user for the at least one device and associate the particular presence status to an activity specified by the user;   allowing the user to provide an indication for the at least one capability of the at least one device whether the at least one capability is to be enabled or disabled when an existing presence status of the user for the at least one device is the particular presence status and the location of the user when the existing presence status of the user for the at least one device is the particular presence status;   obtaining, by a first application, a present location of the user and a presence status and detecting that the presence status of the user for the at least one device is the particular presence status; and   automatically altering, by a second application, based on the present location of the user, the at least one capability associated with the particular presence status of the at least one device according to the provided indication when the first application detects that the presence status of the user is the particular presence status.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the at least one capability is different for at least two locations of the user. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the at least one capability is different for at least two activities specified by the user. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein obtaining, by the first application, the presence status comprises obtaining, by the first application, the presence status from a presence service. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein automatically altering, by the second application, based on the present location of the user, each capability comprises automatically enabling or disabling, by the second application, based on the present location of the user, each capability of the at least one capability associated with the particular presence status of the at least one device according to the provided indication when the first application detects that the presence status of the user is the particular presence status. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the at least one capability comprises a plurality of capabilities and a portion of the plurality of capabilities is associated with a first presence status of the user for the at least one device, and wherein automatically altering the at least one capability comprises automatically altering the portion of the plurality of capabilities when the existing presence status of user is the first presence status. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein automatically altering the portion of the plurality of capabilities associated with the first presence status comprises enabling or disabling each of the portion of the plurality of capabilities of the at least one device. 
   
   
       33 . A system for allowing a device having at least one capability to utilize presence information, the system comprising:
 a processor for executing a presence user agent and a capability monitor;   the presence user agent for communicating with a user and for communicating with a presence service on behalf of the user;   the capability monitor for allowing a user to associate the at least one capability with a particular presence status of the user for the device and a location of the user, associate the particular presence status to an activity specified by the user, and to provide an indication for each capability of the at least one capability whether each capability is to be altered based on a present location of the user and in response to detecting by a watcher user agent that a presence status of the user for the device is the particular presence;   the watcher user agent for obtaining presence information from the presence service including the presence status of the user; and   wherein the capability monitor is further configured to automatically alter, based on the present location of the user, each capability of the at least one capability of the device according to the provided presence information when the watcher user agent detects that the presence status of the user is the particular presence status.   
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the presence service is executed by the processor on the device. 
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 33  further comprising:
 a lookup service, operatively coupled to the presence service, the lookup service configured to:   receive from the presence service, information associated with the received indication of the user activity; and   determine a presence tuple including presence information for the user from the information associated with the received indication of the user activity.   
   
   
       36 . A computer-readable medium storing a computer program, executable by a machine, for utilizing presence information with at least one device having at least one capability, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
 allowing a user to associate the at least one capability of the at least one device with a particular presence status of the user and a location of the user for the at least one device and associate the particular presence status to an activity specified by the user;   allowing the user to provide an indication for the at least one capability of the at least one device whether the at least one capability is to be enabled or disabled when an existing presence status of the user for the at least one device is the particular presence status and the location of the user when the existing presence status of the user for the at least one device is the particular presence status;   obtaining, by a first application, a present location of the user and a presence status and detecting that the presence status of the user for the at least one device is the particular presence status; and   automatically altering, by a second application, based on the present location of the user, the at least one capability associated with the particular presence status of the at least one device according to the provided indication when the first application detects that the presence status of the user is the particular presence status.   
   
   
       37 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36  wherein the at least one capability is different for at least two locations of the user. 
   
   
       38 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36  wherein the at least one capability is different for at least two activities specified by the user. 
   
   
       39 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36  wherein obtaining, by the first application, the presence status comprises obtaining, by the first application, the presence status from a presence service. 
   
   
       40 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36  wherein automatically altering, by the second application, based on the present location of the user, each capability comprises automatically enabling or disabling, by the second application, based on the present location of the user, each capability of the at least one capability associated with the particular presence status of the at least one device according to the provided indication when the first application detects that the presence status of the user is the particular presence status. 
   
   
       41 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36  wherein the at least one capability comprises a plurality of capabilities and a portion of the plurality of capabilities is associated with a first presence status of the user for the at least one device, and wherein automatically altering the at least one capability comprises automatically altering the portion of the plurality of capabilities when the existing presence status of user is the first presence status. 
   
   
       42 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 41  wherein automatically altering the portion of the plurality of capabilities associated with the first presence status comprises enabling or disabling each of the portion of the plurality of capabilities of the at least one device.