System and Methods for Providing Presence Services In IP Network

Abstract

A system and methods are shown for providing presence state services in an Internet Protocol network. One exemplary system includes a central presence element configured to track and provide user presence state information, and a local presence element in communication with the central presence element and further in communication with a signaling entity. According to one embodiment, the local presence element is configured to create and manage local presence state authorization data generated based on user presence state information being received from the central presence element. Further, the local presence element is configured to authorize a user service request using the local presence authorization data before providing access to a service requested by the user in the user service request.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A signaling server comprising computer readable memory,
 the signaling server configured to receive a signaling message from a presence entity, the signaling message comprising a request to establish a media pathway,   the signaling server further configured to store in its computer readable memory local presence authorization data in a local database, the local presence authorization data being specific to each of a subset of a plurality of users,   the signaling server further configured to authenticate and authorize the request based upon information specified in the request in conjunction with the local presence authorization data, and to signal a media proxy to establish the media pathway if the request is authorized,   and the signaling server further configured to generate the local presence authorization data (i) from user presence information for the plurality of users obtained from a central server, and (ii) in response to communication requests from a user via the presence entity to enable communications between the user and each of the subset of the plurality of users, wherein the user is not one of the subset of the plurality of users.   
     
     
         28 . The signaling server of  claim 27 , wherein the signaling server comprises a SIP proxy server. 
     
     
         29 . The signaling server of  claim 27 , wherein the signaling server accesses a message dispatch facility configured to authorize the request before the signaling server provides the access to a service specified in the request. 
     
     
         30 . The signaling server of  claim 29 , wherein the request to establish a media pathway comprises a request to interconnect a plurality of pre-established data paths between a plurality of presence entities and a media proxy. 
     
     
         31 . The signaling server of  claim 29 , wherein the media proxy is an IP conference server. 
     
     
         32 . The signaling server of  claim 29 , wherein the signaling server comprises the message dispatch facility. 
     
     
         33 . The signaling server of  claim 29 , wherein the signaling server comprises the message dispatch facility and is configured to receive user presence state information from the central server, and wherein the message dispatch facility is configured to receive the user presence state information and create the local presence authorization data based on the user presence state information received from the central server, and wherein the message dispatch facility is further configured to authorize the request using the local presence authorization data. 
     
     
         34 . The signaling server of  claim 33 , wherein the user presence state information comprises at least one authorized watch list for at least one presence entity, and wherein the message dispatch facility is configured to use the at least one authorized watch list to create at least one authorized dispatcher list for at least one presence entity specified in the authorized watch list, and wherein the message dispatch facility is configured to use the at least one authorized dispatcher list to authorize the request. 
     
     
         35 . The signaling server of  claim 33 , wherein the message dispatch facility is configured to receive presence state change information from the central server, and, responsively updates the local presence authorization data based on the presence state change information.