WO2003037007A1

WO2003037007A1 - A method and a system in a communication network

Info

Publication number: WO2003037007A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/001931
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thommy EKLÖF; Kristoffer Gronowski
Original assignee: Hotsip Ab
Priority date: 2001-10-24
Filing date: 2002-10-23
Publication date: 2003-05-01

Abstract

A method for presence notification.According to the invention the method comprises the steps of:- sensing in a sensing means (19) in a first terminal (1) belonging to a first user that the first terminal (1) is going to change presence state; - automatically, without any input from the user, sending information from the first terminal (1) about the changed presence state;- receiving said information in at least one terminal belonging to another user.

Description

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A method find a system in a communication nelwoik

TLCllNJCΛl Ml 11 01 ^rJ HI : 1NV1 ;N^'J JON

The piescnt invention lelates lo a method and a system foi piescnec notification.

RKLΛ^'J 1.1) ART

A piescnec sci vice is a netwoik sci vice whcic subsciibei lo the sci vice easily can iiifoim eacli otlici about theii availability and tlicii willingness to communicate. ha eh stibsciibei lias a list, called a buddy list, compiisinp, piescnec addi esses of the otlici subsciibeis lie wants to have piescnec infoimation fiom. The buddy list is located in and managed by a piescnec client which is installed in a tenninal used by the subsciibc).

The picsciicc addiesses point to some kind of picsciicc system fiom which piescnec infoimation about the con coin el subsciibeis is icttieved. The piescnec system could be a piescnec seivei, which keeps updated infoimatioii about the piescnec states of the subsciibeis having a piescnec addiess pointing to this piescnec sci vei. Altcma- lively the piescnec infoimation could be fetched diicctly fiom the clients. In this case the picsciicc addiess points diicctly to the clients.

When a subsciibci to the sci vice wants lo chanpc his piescnec state lie uses some kind of input means piovided by the piescnec client. This change is foi waidcd to the piescnec system to which the piescnec addiess is pointing, foi example a piescnec seivei. The piescnec states could be foi example "jncscnt", "not piescnt" (the same as not connected to the netwoik) oi "piescnt but unwilling to commuiiicatc". The piescnec sei ei notifies subsciibeis who have subsciibed foi picsciicc infoimation fi m this pci on. The notification cornpi iscs iufoiination about the changed pics- ence state. However, only subscribers who are accepted by this person to receive his presence information will get the information.

The presence information is for example presented as icons. The icons could possi- bly also be accompanied by a text given by the user. The text could be information about the reason for a "not present" state.

A presence service is disclosed in for example WO 01/56308

A problem in communication, especially communication where mobile tenrrinals are involved is that the connection between two communicating parties suddenly can be dropped. The reason could for example be that one of the parties is running out of batteries or is entering an area with bad radio coverage. The drop could be sudden and the other party may not be aware of the reason.

Another problem relating to presence services is that when a terminal is running out of batteries or the user is entering an area with bad radio coverage there is no time for the user to change his presence state.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention is to overcome the above described problems.

This object is achieved by a method for presence notification comprising the steps of:

- sensing in a sensing means in a first terminal belonging to a first user that the first terminal is going to change presence state;

- automatically, without any input from the user, sending information from the first terminal about the changed presence state; - receiving said information in at least one terminal belonging to another user. Furthermore the object is achieved by a presence client adapted to be placed in a terminal. Said presence client comprises a sensing means adapted to sense when the terminal is going to change presence state and it is adapted to automatically, without any input from the user of the terminal, provide information about the changed presence state to at least one other user.

The object is further achieved by a terminal comprising such a presence client and by a system for presence notification comprising at least one first user using at least one first terminal and at least one second user using at least one second terminal, wherein the terminals each comprises such a presence client.

Hereby the presence state can be automatically updated when the presence state for a terminal is changed. Furthermore at least one second user is informed about the updated presence state. The method and system according to the invention is preferred when the first user does not have time to change his presence state.

Suitably the method comprises

- measuring in the sensing means a value of a communication limiting factor that indicates that the first terminal is going to change presence state;

- informing a presence server associated with the first terminal that the presence state of the first user should be changed; ^ sending a notification about the changed presence state from the presence server to other users who subscribe for presence information from the first user.

Preferably the method comprises comparing values measured by the sensing means with predetermined threshold values and sending information from the first terminal that the first terminal has changed presence state when the measured values exceeds or falls below the threshold values. Suitably the method comprises measuring in the sensing means one or more of the following communication limiting factors: battery level, radio coverage, empty credit/cash card, hardware breakdown and forced shut down of the mobile terminal in certain regions.

Preferably the method comprises including information about the reason for the changed presence state to the information about the changed presence state to the other subscribers. Hereby the other subscribers can act according to this information. I.e. for example call the not present person up if the credit/cash card is empty, wait for a moment if the radio coverage is bad or send an SMS if the microphone has been broken.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows a network where a presence service according to the invention is used.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart of one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a network 2 where a presence service according to the invention is implemented. Three users, a first user A, a second user B and a third user C, are shown here to be subscribers of the presence service. Each user operates one or more terminals 1,3,5,7. The terminals could for example be a computer, a laptop, a mobile telephone or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). In this embodiment the first user A uses a first mobile telephone 1 and a first laptop 3. The second user B uses a second mobile telephone 5 and the third user C uses a third mobile telephone 7. All the terminals 1 ,3,5,7 are associated with a presence server 11. This means that a presence client 13 in each teπninal has a presence address pointing to the presence server 11. In this embodiment the three different users A, B, C are associated with the same presence server 11. This is however not necessary. The three users A, B and C could have presence addresses pointing to three different presence servers as well. Each terminal 1 ,3,5,7 comprises as mentioned above a presence client 13. The presence client 13 is responsible for the presence functions in the terminal. It comprises for example a user interface and a buddy list. The presence server 11 comprises a receiving means 15 for receiving updated presence information from the presence clients 13. Furthermore the presence server 11 comprises notifying means 17 adapted to notify the other subscribers about the updated presence state. If the first user A in this case changes his presence state and both the second and the third users B, C has subscribed for receiving the first users A presence state the presence server 11 notifies both the second and the third users B, C as long as the first user A has accepted them as receivers of his presence information. The presence server 11 will not be described further here since it is well known in the art.

According to the invention each presence client 13 in the terminals 1,3,5,7 comprises a sensing means 19, which is adapted to sense communication limiting factors affecting the terminal. This could be for example if the terminal is running out of batteries, if the terminal is coming into an area with bad radio coverage or if the terminal is getting out from an area with bad radio coverage and is ready to cornmu- nicate again. Another example of a communication limiting factor is when the cash or credit card used in for example a telephone is empty. It is also possible that the sensing means 19 can sense if there is a problem in the hardware in the terminal. For example if the terminal has been dropped and the microphone has been broken and the other subscribers get information about this they would know that they can reach this subscriber using another kind of communication method, for example e-mail or

SMS. In the near future it is also likely that mobile terminals are turned off automatically in regions where the radio waves can make a damage to electronic equipment. This could be for example in a hospital or in an aeroplane. Then the sensing means 19 can sense this and force the presence client 13 to automatically send out a change of presence state to the presence server 11. Suitably the presence client 13 also attaches a text message telling the reason for the changed presence state. Furthermore such a communication limiting factor could be a time limit set by the producer of the terminal, by the user's parents who are paying the bill or possibly by the user himself. The reason could be to limiting the cost or perhaps limiting the expo- sure of radio waves to the user. In this case the sensing means 19 senses that the time limit is reached and the presence client 13 sends instructions to the presence server 11 to change presence state. A text message is suitably attached as described above.

The sensing means 19 comprises suitably one or more thresholds. One threshold for each of the communication limiting factors the sensing means 19 should be sensitive for. The values from the measurements performed in the sensing means 19 are compared with these thresholds and when a threshold is exceeded the presence client 13 sends instructions to the presence server 11 that the presence state should be changed.

The presence state is preferably accompanied by a short text message informing the other subscribers about the reasons for a "not present" state. This is preferred since the actions taken by the other subscribers may be different depending on the reason for a not present state. If the user for which the presence state was changed, lets say the first user A in this case, has entered a region with bad radio coverage the other subscribers can expect that the presence state will change again relatively soon. If the first user A is out of money the other subscribers realises that they can call the first user A but he can not call them. An alternative to the text message could be to have more predefined presence states symbols. For example one symbol for not present due to low battery, one symbol for not present due to bad radio coverage and so on.

In this embodiment a presence server 11 has been described as a unit for managing the presence service. It is however not necessary that the presence update informa- tion is distributed to the subscribers through a presence server. The presence information could as well be transferred directly between the presence clients in the terminals. An advantage with the presence server 11 is however that the new presence state and the text message is stored in the presence server 11 and new subscribers, who connects to the service later, can have the information about the first user A as well.

Usually presence information is sent as a predefined data type for presence. This could be a MIME type in a SIP message. It is however also possible to utilise for example IM (Instant Message), e-mail, SMS (Short Message Service) or WAP

(Wireless Application Protocol) for carrying the presence information. For example an SMS, could be sent automatically to the second party in a communication when the first party has changed presence state. This SMS is sent automatically when a threshold has been exceeded as described above. The SMS is a text message telling the second party what has happened to the first party.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart of one of all these examples described above. The different steps are described separately below:

S21 : The first user A is talking to the second user B. Both the first user A and the second user B use mobile telephones 1 ,5.

S22: The first user A is entering an area with a poor radio coverage.

S23: The sensing means 19 in the presence client 13 in the first user's mobile terminal 1 senses that the radio coverage is getting worse. The radio coverage is so bad that the measurement value decreases below a threshold comprised in the sensing means 19 as described above. S24: The presence client 13 sends an order to the presence server 1 1 that the presence state of the terminal 1 should be changed to "not present". Preferably a text message is included telling the reason for the change of presence state, i.e. bad radio coverage in this case.

S25: The connection between the first and the second user is dropped.

S27: Since the second user B subscribes to presence information from the first user A he will be notified from the presence server 11 that the first user A not is present anymore. He also gets information about the reason for the connection break. This could be of a great value for the second user B since his actions may depend on what happened to the first user A.

S29: The third user C connects to the service and subscribes for presence informa- tion from the first user A.

S31 : The presence server 11 notifies the third user C about the "not present" state of the first user A together with the text message telling that the first user A experiences a bad radio coverage and is unable to communicate.

The above described example is only one example. A similar flow chart can be provided for the examples where a mobile telephone, a PDA or a laptop runs out of battery or enters a region with better or worse radio coverage or experiences any of the other above described alternatives of communication limiting factors. The pres- ence client 13 always instructs the presence server 11 to change presence state when the sensing means 19 in the terminal measures a value which exceeds a predetermined threshold.

In one embodiment the sensing means 19 in the presence client 13 also senses when the terminal is turned on again or has moved into a region with better radio cover- age. Then the presence client 13 will instruct the presence server 11 to change the presence state back to "present".

As said the presence client suitably comprises threshold values for battery and radio coverage levels and for the other factors described above. When for example the battery level is decreasing down below the threshold value an instruction to change presence state is sent to the presence server. Suitably the same is true when the battery level instead increases and passes the threshold value. Then the presence state is changed from "not present" to "present". The same discussion is applicable to the other communication limiting factors as well.

Claims

1. A method for presence notification, characterised by the steps of:

- sensing in a sensing means (19) in a first terminal (1) belonging to a first user that the first terminal (1) is going to change presence state;

- automatically, without any input from the user, sending information from the first terminal (1) about the changed presence state;

- receiving said information in at least one terminal belonging to another user.

2. A method according to claim 1 , characterised by

- measuring in the sensing means (19) a value of a communication limiting factor that indicates that the first terminal (1) is going to change presence state;

- informing a presence server (11) associated with the first terminal (1) that the presence state of the first user should be changed; - sending a notification about the changed presence state from the presence server

(11) to other users who subscribe for presence information from the first user.

3. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by comparing values measured by the sensing means (19) with predetermined threshold values and sending information from the first terminal (1) that the first terminal

(1) has changed presence state when the measured values exceeds or falls below the threshold values.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by measuring in the sensing means (19) one or more of the following communication limiting factors: battery level, radio coverage, empty credit/cash card, hardware breakdown and forced shut down of the mobile terminal in certain regions.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by including information about the reason for the changed presence state to the information about the changed presence state to the other subscribers.

6. A presence client adapted to be placed in a terminal, characterised in that it comprises a sensing means (19) adapted to sense when the terminal is going to change presence state and in that it is adapted to automatically, without any input from the user of the terminal, provide information about the changed presence state to at least one other user.

7. A presence client according to claim 6, characterised in that it is adapted to inform a presence server (11) associated with this presence client that the presence state for the user of the terminal should be changed when the sensing means (19) measures a value of a communication limiting factor that indicates that the first terminal (1) is going to change presence state.

8. A presence client according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the sensing means (19) is adapted to compare values measured by the sensing means (19) with predetermined threshold values and in that the presence client is adapted to send information telling that the terminal has changed presence state when the measured values exceeds or falls below the threshold values.

9. A presence client according to any one of the claims 6-8, characterised in that the sensing means (19) is adapted to measure one or more of the following communication limiting factors: battery level, radio coverage, empty credit/cash card, hardware breakdown and forced shut down of the mobile terminal in certain regions.

10. A presence client according to any one of the claims 6-9, characterised in that it is adapted to include information about the reason for the changed presence state to the information about the changed presence state to the other subscribers.

11 . A terminal comprising a presence client according to any one of the claims 6-10

12. A system for presence notification comprising at least one first user using at least one first terminal (1) and at least one second user using at least one second terminal (5), characterised in that the terminals (1,5) each comprises a presence client according to any one of the claims 6-10.

13. A system according to claim 12, characterised in that it comprises at least one presence server (11) comprising receiving means (15) adapted to receive updated presence information from the presence clients and notification means (17) adapted to notify other users who subscribes for presence information from the first user about the changed presence state.