Method and apparatus for synthesizing presence information
AssigneeSBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
InventorEdward Walter
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for synthesizing presence information. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a presence services system (PSS) (102) can have a controller (104) that manages operations of a communications interface (110). The controller can be programmed to monitor (302-304) presence information of one or more communication devices of an end user operating in a communications system, receive (312) a request from a remote user to access the presence information, and synthesize (314) the presence information in accordance with a privacy policy that determines a degree of disclosure permitted for the remote user. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
Claims21
A presence services system (PSS), comprising:
- a controller that manages operations of a communications interface, wherein the controller is programmed to:
- monitor presence information of one or more communication devices of an end user operating in a communications system;
- receive a request from a remote user to access the presence information;
- and
- synthesize the presence information in accordance with a privacy policy that determines a degree of disclosure permitted for the remote user.
A computer-readable storage medium in a presence services system (PSS), comprising computer instructions for synthesizing, in response to a request, presence information associated with one or more communication devices according to a policy.
A requesting communication device, comprising:
- a controller that manages operations of a transceiver for exchanging messages in a communication system, wherein the controller is programmed to:
- transmit to a presence services system (PSS) a request for presence information associated with a targeted end user having one or more monitored communication devices;
- and
- receive from the PSS synthesized presence information associated with the targeted end user according to an identity of the requesting communication device and a disclosure policy of the PSS.
A monitored communication device, comprising:
- a controller that manages operations of a location receiver and a transceiver for exchanging messages in a communication system, wherein the controller is programmed to:
- determine a location fix of the monitored communication device;
- and
- transmit the location fix to a presence services system (PSS) to monitor presence information of the monitored communication device and to synthesize the presence information for requesting communication devices according to their identity and a disclosure policy operating in the PSS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.