Website Presence

Abstract

Website presence includes receiving aggregated website presence information describing website presence information for one or more objects of a website, and displaying the aggregated website presence information based at least in part on a website object profile for an object of the website. The website presence information describes one or more of the state of a website object regarding its participation in a communication session, the ability of the website object to participate in a communication session, and the willingness of the website object to participate in a communication session. Each of the one or more objects represents an entity associated with the website.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 determining whether a visitor visiting a website is visiting the website for the first time; and   if the visitor is visiting the website for the first time,
 receiving a website presence plug-in; 
 receiving a cookie identifying the visitor for subsequent website presence activities; and 
 creating a website object profile for the visitor. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of one or more interests of the object. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of contact information of the object. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of the type of aggregated website presence information to exclude from display to the object. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the website object profile comprises a privacy filter indicating website presence information not for publication to other objects of the website. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 determining whether a visitor visiting a website is visiting the website for the first time; and   if the visitor is visiting the website for the first time,
 sending a website presence plug-in to a processor associated with the visitor; 
 sending a cookie to the processor, the cookie identifying the visitor for subsequent website presence activities; and 
 creating a website object profile for the visitor. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of one or more interests of the object. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of contact information of the object. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of the type of aggregated website presence information to exclude from display to the object. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the website object profile comprises a privacy filter indicating website presence information not for publication to other objects of the website. 
     
     
         21 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . An apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor configured to:   determine whether a visitor visiting a website is visiting the website for the first time; and   if the visitor is visiting the website for the first time,
 receive a website presence plug-in; 
 receive a cookie identifying the visitor for subsequent website presence activities; and 
 create a website object profile for the visitor. 
   
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of one or more interests of the object. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of contact information of the object. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of the type of aggregated website presence information to exclude from display to the object. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the website object profile comprises a privacy filter indicating website presence information not for publication to other objects of the website. 
     
     
         51 . An apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor configured to:   determine whether a visitor visiting a website is visiting the website for the first time; and   if the visitor is visiting the website for the first time,
 send a website presence plug-in to a processor associated with the visitor; 
 send a cookie to the processor, the cookie identifying the visitor for subsequent website presence activities; and 
 create a website object profile for the visitor. 
   
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 51  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of one or more interests of the object. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 51  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of contact information of the object. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 51  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of the type of aggregated website presence information to exclude from display to the object. 
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 51  wherein the website object profile comprises a privacy filter indicating website presence information not for publication to other objects of the website. 
     
     
         56 - 80 . (canceled) 
     
     
         81 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for determining whether a visitor visiting a website is visiting the website for the first time; and   means for if the visitor is visiting the website for the first time,
 receiving a website presence plug-in; 
 receiving a cookie identifying the visitor for subsequent website presence activities; and 
 creating a website object profile for the visitor. 
   
     
     
         82 . The apparatus of  claim 81  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of one or more interests of the object. 
     
     
         83 . The apparatus of  claim 81  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of contact information of the object. 
     
     
         84 . The apparatus of  claim 81  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of the type of aggregated website presence information to exclude from display to the object. 
     
     
         85 . The apparatus of  claim 81  wherein the website object profile comprises a privacy filter indicating website presence information not for publication to other objects of the website. 
     
     
         86 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for determining whether a visitor visiting a website is visiting the website for the first time; and   means for if the visitor is visiting the website for the first time,
 sending a website presence plug-in to a processor associated with the visitor; 
 sending a cookie to the processor, the cookie identifying the visitor for subsequent website presence activities; and 
 creating a website object profile for the visitor. 
   
     
     
         87 . The apparatus of  claim 86  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of one or more interests of the object. 
     
     
         88 . The apparatus of  claim 86  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of contact information of the object. 
     
     
         89 . The apparatus of  claim 86  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of the type of aggregated website presence information to exclude from display to the object. 
     
     
         90 . The apparatus of  claim 86  wherein the website object profile comprises a privacy filter indicating website presence information not for publication to other objects of the website. 
     
     
         91 - 115 . (canceled) 
     
     
         116 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:
 determining whether a visitor visiting a website is visiting the website for the first time; and   if the visitor is visiting the website for the first time,
 receiving a website presence plug-in; 
 receiving a cookie identifying the visitor for subsequent website presence activities; and 
 creating a website object profile for the visitor. 
   
     
     
         117 . The program storage device of  claim 116  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of one or more interests of the object. 
     
     
         118 . The program storage device of  claim 116  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of contact information of the object. 
     
     
         119 . The program storage device of  claim 116  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of the type of aggregated website presence information to exclude from display to the object. 
     
     
         120 . The program storage device of  claim 116  wherein the website object profile comprises a privacy filter indicating website presence information not for publication to other objects of the website. 
     
     
         121 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:
 determining whether a visitor visiting a website is visiting the website for the first time; and   if the visitor is visiting the website for the first time,
 sending a website presence plug-in to a processor associated with the visitor; 
 sending a cookie to the processor, the cookie identifying the visitor for subsequent website presence activities; and 
 creating a website object profile for the visitor. 
   
     
     
         122 . The program storage device of  claim 121  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of one or more interests of the object. 
     
     
         123 . The program storage device of  claim 121  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of contact information of the object. 
     
     
         124 . The program storage device of  claim 121  wherein the website object profile comprises an indication of the type of aggregated website presence information to exclude from display to the object. 
     
     
         125 . The program storage device of  claim 121  wherein the website object profile comprises a privacy filter indicating website presence information not for publication to other objects of the website. 
     
     
         126 - 140 . (canceled)