Presence Aspect Abstraction Layer for Network Traffic Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional presence platforms face inefficiencies in communicating presence information due to the verbose and rigid PIDF format, leading to excessive network traffic and inconsistent interpretations by watchers, which can result in erroneous conclusions and compatibility issues.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of an abstraction layer that transforms presence information into standardized aspects, reducing network communications and ensuring consistent information delivery across various watchers, using a modified PIDF format to encapsulate presence aspects and location information, allowing for efficient and interoperable presence and location services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If raw presence data is transmitted to watchers for derivation of presence aspects, then completeness of information is improved, but network traffic volume increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of presence informationVSAvoidnetwork traffic volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The presence server performs preliminary computation to derive presence aspects from raw presence data before transmission. The server processes the raw data and pre-calculates presence aspects such as availability, reachability, and contactability, then transmits only these derived aspects to watchers, eliminating the need for watchers to compute from raw data and significantly reducing network traffic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts only the essential presence aspects (availability, reachability, contactability) from the complete raw presence data and transmits only these extracted elements to watchers. This selective transmission provides sufficient information for presence determination while minimizing network traffic volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If watchers derive presence aspects from raw data, then flexibility in interpretation is improved, but consistency of conclusions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterpretation flexibilityVSAvoidconsistency of presence conclusions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The presence server acts as an intermediary that centralizes the computation of presence aspects. By having the server derive and transmit presence aspects rather than allowing individual watchers to compute from raw data, the system ensures consistent interpretations across all watchers while maintaining reliability through centralized control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a rigid PIDF format is used for presence information, then standardization is improved, but adaptability to different application aspects deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformat flexibilityVSAvoiddata format complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the parameters of the data format by extending PIDF with new elements specifically designed to carry presence aspects (availability, reachability, contactability) and location information. This extension maintains compatibility with existing PIDF structures while adding the flexibility needed for different application aspects and reducing the complexity of data processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2356833B1System and method for encapsulation of application aspects within an application information data format message
Publication Date: 2017.09.27 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2356833B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2356833B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2356833B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and system for processing a data request from a watcher for a target at a server, the method receiving a request for information; searching through a policy for rules to be applied based on the watcher; applying any rules found by the searching, the rule causing a transformation of the information into at least one aspect interpretable by the watcher, the applying utilizing a presence information data format transformation; and returning the at least one aspect incorporated in a presence information data format.