Presence administration method and device

A presence administration device administrating presence information of a group of users who operate a group of clients, comprising:

• presence-administrating means for accepting setting of presence information of each user among the group of users and administrating the presence information thereof;
• client-storing means for storing identifiers of one or more clients operated by each user among the group of users;
• watcher-storing means for storing watcher lists that are created for each user and that include one or more identifiers of watchers to whom a user's presence information is distributed;
• buddy list-storing means for storing buddy lists that are created for each user and that include one or more identifiers of buddies who are in interest of a user;
• buddy list-updating means for accepting updating of the buddy list of a first user included in the group of users from any of the clients operated by the first user, and updating the watcher list stored in the watcher-storing means and the buddy list stored in the buddy list-storing means according to content of the updating;
• and
• buddy list-synchronizing means for judging whether or not a buddy is added in the buddy list-updating means, and if a buddy has been added, transmitting the presence information of the added buddy and the identifier of the buddy to at least one of the clients of the first user that is being connected to the presence administration device.

A presence administration computer product for causing to function as:

• presence-administrating means for accepting setting of presence information of each user among a group of users and administrating the presence information thereof;
• client-storing means for storing identifiers of one or more clients operated by each user among the group of users;
• watcher-storing means for storing watcher lists that are created for each user and that include one or more identifiers of watchers to whom a user's presence information is distributed;
• buddy list-storing means for storing buddy lists that are created for each user and that include one or more identifiers of buddies who are in interest of a user;
• buddy list-updating means for accepting updating of the buddy list of a first user included in the group of users from any of the clients operated by the first user, and updating the watcher list stored in the watcher-storing means and the buddy list stored in the buddy list-storing means according to content of the updating;
• and
• buddy list-synchronizing means for judging whether or not a buddy is added in the buddy list-updating means, and if a buddy has been added, transmitting the presence information of the added buddy and the identifier of the buddy to at least one of the clients of the first user that is being connected to the presence administration device.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a presence administration program administrating presence information of a group of users who operate a group of clients, the program executing:

• a presence-administrating step of accepting setting of presence information of each user among the group of users and administrating the presence information thereof;
• a client-storing step of storing identifiers of one or more clients operated by each user among the group of users;
• a watcher-storing step of storing watcher lists that are created for each user and that include one or more identifiers of watchers to whom a user's presence information is distributed;
• a buddy list-storing step of storing buddy lists that are created for each user and that include one or more identifiers of buddies who are in interest of a user;
• a buddy list-updating step of accepting updating of the buddy list of a first user included in the group of users from any of the clients operated by the first user, and updating the watcher list stored in the watcher-storing step and the buddy list stored in the buddy list-storing step according to content of the updating;
• and
• a buddy list-synchronizing step of judging whether or not a buddy is added in the buddy list-updating step, and if a buddy has been added, transmitting the presence information of the added buddy and the identifier of the buddy to at least one of the clients of the first user that is being connected to the presence administration device.

A presence-referencing method used for a first client operated by a user, the method comprising:

• a connecting step of connecting with a computer that administrates presence information of one or more buddies who are in interest of the user;
• a buddy list-displaying step of receiving one or more identifiers and the presence information of the buddies from the computer and displaying the presence information of the buddies;
• a synchronizing step of, subsequent to the buddy list-displaying step, receiving from the computer the presence information and the identifier of a new buddy of the user that has been set from a second client operated by the user;
• and
• a buddy list-updating step of displaying the presence information of the new buddy.

A presence-referencing device serving as a first client operated by a user, comprising:

• connecting means for connecting with a computer that administrates presence information of one or more buddies who are in interest of the user;
• buddy list-displaying means for receiving one or more identifiers and the presence information of the buddies from the computer and displaying the presence information of the buddies;
• synchronizing means for, subsequent to the buddy list-displaying means, receiving from the computer the presence information and the identifier of a new buddy of the user that has been set by a second client operated by the user;
• and
• buddy list-updating means for displaying the presence information of the new buddy.

A presence-referencing computer product for causing a computer that is a first client operated by a user to function as:

• connecting means for connecting with a computer that administrates presence information of one or more buddies who are in interest of the user;
• buddy list-displaying means for receiving one or more identifiers and the presence information of the buddies from the computer and displaying the presence information of the buddies;
• synchronizing means for, subsequent to the buddy list-displaying means, receiving from the computer the presence information and the identifier of a new buddy of the user that has been set by a second client operated by the user;
• and
• buddy list-updating means for displaying the presence information of the new buddy.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a presence-referencing program used in a first client operated by a user, the program executing:

• a connecting step of connecting with a computer that administrates presence information of one or more buddies who are in interest of the user;
• a buddy list-displaying step of receiving one or more identifiers and the presence information of the buddies from the computer and displaying the presence information of the buddies;
• a synchronizing step of, subsequent to the buddy list-displaying step, receiving from the computer the presence information and the identifier of a new buddy of the user that has been set by a second client operated by the user;
• and
• a buddy list-updating step of displaying the presence information of the new buddy.