Presence Data Integration in Email Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication devices face inefficiencies in processing and bandwidth usage when retrieving presence information from social networking sites, leading to increased costs and resource utilization, especially in wireless environments, due to the need to simultaneously handle email and internet browser processing, often resulting in irrelevant data retrieval.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that integrate presence data with contact data within communication devices, allowing for controlled display and retrieval of presence information in association with contact data, enabling selective requests to a server for presence data, thereby reducing unnecessary data retrieval and improving resource management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the communication device logs in to a presence server to retrieve presence data, then the presence information can be obtained, but computing resources are inefficiently used due to simultaneous processing of email application and internet browser
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the presence data retrieval function into the email application itself, eliminating the need to switch to a separate internet browser. The email application directly communicates with the presence server to obtain presence information, combining two previously separate functions into one integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary presence data from the presence server without requiring the user to access the full social networking website. This selective data retrieval eliminates the need to load extraneous website content, reducing computing resource requirements while maintaining the ability to obtain presence information.
2Reliability
If the communication device retrieves presence data from a social networking website, then presence information is obtained, but bandwidth is inefficiently used due to retrieval of irrelevant extraneous data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the specific presence data needed (such as online status, availability) from the presence server, rather than retrieving entire web pages or extraneous social networking content. This selective extraction significantly reduces bandwidth consumption while ensuring the required presence information is obtained.
3Reliability
If the communication device accesses presence information through a social networking website, then presence data can be obtained, but costs increase due to expensive wireless bandwidth usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential presence information from the presence server through a direct, efficient communication channel integrated into the email application. This minimizes wireless data transmission requirements and reduces the cost of wireless bandwidth usage compared to accessing full social networking websites.
4Ease of operation
If corporate firewalls block presence sites, then users cannot access contact's presence info, but integrating presence data directly into email application bypasses this restriction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the presence data retrieval function into the email application, which is typically already permitted through corporate firewalls. Since email applications are generally allowed for business communication, integrating presence functionality within them bypasses the blocking of separate social networking websites while maintaining ease of access to presence information.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method, apparatus, and system for integrating presence data with contact data at a communication device is provided. A display device associated with the communication device is controlled via the processing unit (122) to provide a representation of the contact data in at least one of an e-mail application and a PIM (Personal Information Manager) application. The display is controlled, via the processing unit (122), to provide a representation of the presence data in association with the representation of the contact data, the presence data associated with the contact data.