Programmable presence proxy for determining a presence status of a user

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided that evaluate a number of different sources of presence information to determine a presence status of a user. The presence status of a user is determined by obtaining presence information from a plurality of presence data stores; translating the obtained presence information from at least one of said presence data stores into a standard format; and determining the presence status of the user based on the obtained presence information. Presence information can also be based on user-specified rules. Presence information is obtained from a number of presence data stores and the presence status of a user is determined based on one or more rules that are applied to the obtained presence information. The rules may include, for example, aggregation rules that determines the presence status based on one or more of the obtained presence information or filter rules that determine who may receive the presence status.

1 . A method for determining a presence status of a user, comprising: 
 obtaining presence information from a plurality of presence data stores;    translating said presence information from at least one of said presence data stores into a standard format; and    determining said presence status of said user based on said obtained presence information.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presence status indicates if said user can be reached at one or more indicated devices.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presence information is obtained from a user registration process.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presence information is obtained by observing activities of a user.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said obtaining step is performed by a presence data collector.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said obtaining step further comprises the step of querying a presence data store for said presence information.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said obtaining step further comprises the step of receiving a message containing said presence information from a presence data store.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining step further comprises the step of determining said presence status of said user based on one or more rules that aggregate said obtained presence information.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining step further comprises the step of determining said presence status of said user based on one or more rules that filter said obtained presence information.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of translating said presence information in said standard format to a format appropriate for a recipient application and providing said presence status to said recipient application.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presence data store is a device.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presence data store is an application.  
     
     
         13 . A method for determining a presence status of a user, comprising: 
 obtaining presence information from a plurality of presence data stores; and    determining said presence status of said user based on one or more rules that are applied to said obtained presence information.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said obtaining step further comprises the step of querying a presence data store for said presence information.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said obtaining step further comprises the step of receiving a message containing said presence information from a presence data store.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more rules includes at least one aggregation rule that determine said presence status based on one or more of said obtained presence information.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more rules includes at least one filter rule that determine who may receive said presence status.  
     
     
         18 . A system for determining a presence status of a user, comprising: 
 a memory; and    at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to:    obtain presence information from a plurality of presence data stores;    translate said presence information from at least one of said presence data stores into a standard format; and    determine said presence status of said user based on said obtained presence information.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said presence status indicates if said user can be reached at one or more indicated devices.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said processor is further configured to query a presence data store for said presence information.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said processor is further configured to receive a message containing said presence information from a presence data store.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said processor is further configured to translate said presence information to a format appropriate for a recipient application and providing said presence status to said recipient application.  
     
     
         23 . A system for determining a presence status of a user, comprising: 
 a memory; and    at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to:    obtain presence information from a plurality of presence data stores; and    determine said presence status of said user based on one or more rules that are applied to said obtained presence information.    
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said one or more rules includes at least one aggregation rule that determine said presence status based on one or more of said obtained presence information.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said one or more rules includes at least one filter rule that determine who may receive said presence status.