System and method using presence in a data network to facilitate communication

Abstract

A method and system utilizing presence in a presence aware data/messaging network between a user and an organization for communication purposes to indicate when both parties are ready to engage in a dialog session or when one party has new information for the other party. The method and system can be further enhanced if the presence aware network also provides location information or other state information on the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of establishing a real-time dialog session between an organization and a user simultaneously present on a presence aware network, comprising:
 associating a first presence handle with said organization;   associating a second presence handle with said user;   registering said second presence handle with said presence aware network;   connecting a message application server to said presence aware network using said first presence handle;   said message application server:
 detecting said user on said presence aware network using said second presence handle, and 
 sending a first message to said user; 
   said user:
 receiving said first message and sending a second message to said message application server; 
   said message application server:
 receiving and responding to said second message thereby establishing a dialog session between said user and said organization. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein said message application server is associated with a plurality of applications and said step of responding to said second message includes selecting an appropriate application form said plurality of applications to establish said dialog session. 
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 2 , wherein said message application server tracks and stores user and organization data and said application selection step includes selecting one of said plurality of applications based on said user and organization data. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the presence aware network is an instant messaging network utilizing a presence communications protocol. 
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 4 , wherein the instant messaging network is AOL® Instant Messenger™ (“AIM”), Yahoo® Messenger, MSN® Messenger, ICQ®, or Jabber®. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 4 , wherein the presence communications protocol is Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) and SIP for Instant Messaging and Leveraging Extensions (“SIMPLE”) or Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol(“XMPP”). 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the establishment of a dialog session between the user and the organization is subject to user opt-in or opt-out. 
     
     
         8 . A method of establishing a dialog session between an organization and a plurality of users, all simultaneously present on a presence aware network, comprising:
 associating user presence handles with said plurality of users;   storing said plurality of user presence handles in a communication list;   logging in, registering and storing at least one of said plurality of user presence handles in a registration server;   connecting a message application server to the presence aware network;   said message application server:
 detecting said at least one of said registered plurality of user presence handles; and 
 sending a first message to said at least one of said registered plurality of users; 
   said at least one of said registered plurality of users:
 receiving said first message and sending a second message to said message application server; 
   said message application server:
 receiving and responding to said second message thereby establishing a dialog session between said at least one of said registered plurality of users and said organization. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein said message application server is associated with a plurality of applications and said step of responding to said second message includes selecting an appropriate application form said plurality of applications to establish said dialog session. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 9 , wherein said message application server tracks and stores user and organization data and said application selection step includes selecting one of said plurality of applications based on said user and organization data. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the presence aware network is an instant messaging network utilizing a presence communications protocol. 
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 11 , wherein the instant messaging network is AOL® Instant Messenger™ (“AIM”), Yahoo® Messenger, MSN® Messenger, ICQ®, or Jabber®. 
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 11 , wherein the presence communications protocol is Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) and SIP for Instant Messaging and Leveraging Extensions (“SIMPLE”) or Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol(“XMPP”). 
     
     
         14 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the establishment of a dialog session between the user and the organization is subject to user opt-in or opt-out. 
     
     
         15 . A method of establishing a dialog session between an organization and a user, both simultaneously present on a presence aware network, comprising:
 associating a service presence handle with a message application server;   connecting said message application server to the presence aware network;   said message application server:
 alerting said user of said connection via said service presence handle; 
   said user:
 in response to said alert, sending a first message to said message application server; 
   said message application server:
 receiving said first message and sending a second message to said user; 
   said user:
 receiving and responding to said second message thereby establishing a dialog session between said user and said organization. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method as in  claim 15 , wherein said message application server is associated with a plurality of applications and said step of responding to said second message includes selecting an appropriate application form said plurality of applications to establish said dialog session. 
     
     
         17 . The method as in  claim 16 , wherein said message application server tracks and stores user and organization data and said application selection step includes selecting one of said plurality of applications based on said user and organization data. 
     
     
         18 . The method as in  claim 15 , wherein the presence aware network is an instant messaging network utilizing a presence communications protocol. 
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 18 , wherein the instant messaging network is AOL® Instant Messenger™ (“AIM”), Yahoo® Messenger, MSN® Messenger, ICQ®, or Jabber®. 
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 18 , wherein the presence communications protocol is Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) and SIP for Instant Messaging and Leveraging Extensions (“SIMPLE”) or Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol(“XMPP”). 
     
     
         21 . The method as in  claim 15 , wherein the establishment of a dialog session between the user and the organization is subject to user opt-in or opt-out. 
     
     
         22 . A method of establishing a dialog session between a message application server and a user device, both simultaneously present on a presence aware network, comprising:
 associating location data with said user device;   connecting said user device to the presence aware network;   connecting said message application server to the presence aware network;   said message application server:
 detecting said location data; and 
 sending a first message to said user device; 
   said user device:
 receiving said first message and sending a second message to said message application server; 
   said message application server:
 receiving and responding to said second message thereby establishing a dialog session between said user device and said message application server. 
   
     
     
         23 . The method as in  claim 22 , wherein said message application server is associated with a plurality of applications and said step of responding to said second message includes selecting an appropriate application form said plurality of applications to establish said dialog session. 
     
     
         24 . The method as in  claim 23 , wherein said message application server tracks and stores user and organization data and said application selection step includes selecting one of said plurality of applications based on said user and organization data. 
     
     
         25 . The method as in  claim 22 , wherein the presence aware network is an instant messaging network utilizing a presence communications protocol. 
     
     
         26 . The method as in  claim 25 , wherein the instant messaging network is AOL® Instant Messenger™ (“AIM”), Yahoo® Messenger, MSN® Messenger, ICQ®, or Jabber®. 
     
     
         27 . The method as in  claim 25 , wherein the presence communications protocol is Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) and SIP for Instant Messaging and Leveraging Extensions (“SIMPLE”) or Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol(“XMPP”). 
     
     
         28 . The method as in  claim 22 , wherein the establishment of a dialog session between the user and the organization is subject to user opt-in or opt-out.