Publication of customized presence information

Abstract

A presence aggregation system provides a presence aggregation server that allows for the defining and inclusion of custom presence states that are distinct from a set of default presence states that are provided by the presence aggregation system. When one or more custom presence states are defined and included in the presence aggregation system, a publisher at an endpoint is able to publish any of the defined custom presence states or default presence states as an indication of the publisher's presence. When a publication is made, the presence aggregation server may generate an aggregated availability of the publisher across all of the publisher's endpoints, and publish the aggregated availability to each of the publisher's endpoints. The presence aggregation server may also provide the publisher's aggregated availability to the subscribers of the publisher's availability information.

1 . A computer-implemented method for publishing custom presence states, the method comprising:
 providing a set of default presence states for publication, wherein each of the default presence states indicates a presence;   receiving a publication of a custom presence state for a publisher, wherein the custom presence state indicates a presence for the publisher; and wherein the custom presence state is not one of the default presence states provided in the set of default presence states; and   publishing the custom presence state to at least one subscriber.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the custom presence state is received as a user state publication. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the custom presence state is received as a generic state publication. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the publisher is a human user. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the publisher is an application. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the custom presence state is published to at least one subscriber upon determining that the custom presence state is the publisher's aggregated availability. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the custom presence state is published to at least one subscriber upon determining that the custom presence state is the publisher's current activity. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the custom presence state comprises at least one localized custom string and a corresponding locale identifier that identifies a locale. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising, upon determining that an endpoint of the subscriber to which the custom presence state is published supports the locale identified by the locale identifier, displaying the localized custom string corresponding to the locale identifier on the subscriber endpoint. 
   
   
       10 . A system for publishing custom presence states, the system comprising:
 a component that receives from an endpoint a custom presence state publication for a publisher, the custom presence state publication comprising at least one localized custom string and a corresponding locale identifier that identifies a locale; and   a component that publishes the custom presence state of the publisher.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the custom presence state is indicated on the endpoint via a user interface displayed on the endpoint. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the custom presence state is indicated on the endpoint via an API of an application executing on the endpoint. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the component publishes the custom presence state of the publisher by sending an indication of the custom presence state to at least one endpoint of a subscriber of the publisher's presence information. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a component on the subscriber's endpoint that, upon a determination that the subscriber endpoint supports the locale identified by the locale identifier, displays the localized custom string corresponding to the supported locale identifier on the subscriber endpoint. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the component publishes the custom presence state of the publisher upon a determination that the custom presence state indicates an aggregated availability of the publisher. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the component publishes the custom presence state of the publisher upon a determination that the custom presence state indicates a current activity of the publisher. 
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable media encoded with computer executable instructions for publishing custom presence states, by a method comprising:
 receiving at least one definition specifying a custom presence state, the definition comprising at least one localized custom string and a corresponding locale identifier for the custom presence state,   
     such that any one of the defined custom presence states may be published by a publisher as an indication of presence. 
   
   
       18 . The computer-readable media of  claim 17 , wherein the definition of the custom presence state is specified by a human user. 
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable media of  claim 17 , wherein the definition of the custom presence state is specified by an application program. 
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable media of  claim 17  including:
 receiving a publication of the defined custom presence state for a publisher; and   publishing the custom presence state to at least one subscriber.