Comet Server Presence Management Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for determining user presence in online environments require continuous broadcasting of presence indications, leading to excessive network traffic, with over 70% of XMPP inter-server traffic being presence data, of which 60% is redundantly transmitted.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Comet server-based system that uses a presence management protocol to efficiently manage user presence by publishing presence state changes only when they occur, reducing unnecessary network traffic through channels associated with user activities and allowing subscribers to receive updates automatically without explicit requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous presence broadcasting is used to track user presence, then presence information is continuously available, but network traffic increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from continuous presence broadcasting to periodic action by only transmitting presence information when state changes occur. The Comet server polls for presence state changes and broadcasts updates only when necessary, eliminating redundant continuous transmissions while maintaining presence tracking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the necessary presence state change information from the continuous broadcast stream. Instead of transmitting all presence data continuously, the system identifies and transmits only when presence states change, removing redundant information while preserving essential presence tracking functionality.
2Quantity of substance
If presence state changes are broadcast only when they occur, then network traffic is reduced, but presence information may not be continuously updated
Solution Approach 1:
The Comet server implements a feedback mechanism by polling browsers for presence state changes and receiving notifications when changes occur. This feedback loop ensures the server receives timely updates about presence changes and can broadcast them to subscribers, maintaining information freshness without continuous broadcasting.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by establishing Comet connections and subscription relationships in advance. Browsers are pre-configured to notify the server of presence changes, and subscribers are pre-registered to receive updates. This preliminary setup enables efficient event-driven communication without requiring continuous active monitoring.
3Device complexity
If explicit requests are required for presence updates, then network control is precise, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by enabling browsers to automatically notify the Comet server of presence state changes without requiring explicit requests from other users. The presence management system automatically detects changes, determines affected channels, and broadcasts updates to subscribers, eliminating the need for manual presence update requests while simplifying the interaction model.
Solution Approach 2:
The Comet server performs multiple functions including polling for presence changes, determining affected channels, storing presence information, and broadcasting updates to multiple subscribers simultaneously. This multi-functionality consolidates complex presence management operations into a single universal system, reducing overall system complexity despite the automated operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods to provide online presence management are provided. A presence message is received from a browser associated with a user. One or more channels indicated by the presence message are determined, each channel being associated with an activity of the user. A presence state for each of the one or more channels are then determined, and a presence storage may be updated. Presence information comprising the presence state for the user may be provided to browsers of subscribers who subscribed to the same one or more channels. The presence information may be provided without an explicit request from the browsers.