Presence Engine Direct Device Availability Status Exchange

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional communications applications, such as push to talk (PTT) and instant messaging, face inefficiencies in managing and communicating availability status between devices, leading to resource wastage and inconsistent user interfaces across different applications.

Innovation Solution

A terminating device equipped with a presence engine that transmits and receives availability status data directly between devices, using a generic format to ensure compatibility and consistency across various applications, thereby reducing intermediate processing and enhancing user interface efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If availability status is communicated through conventional communications applications and servers, then the status can be recorded and displayed, but computer and network resources are wasted due to intermediate processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputer and network resource usageVSAvoidintermediate processing structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the availability status communication function from conventional application-layer protocols and servers, implementing it directly at the network protocol level. This removes the intermediate processing steps through applications and servers, allowing devices to exchange availability status information directly through the network stack, thereby reducing computer and network resource consumption while maintaining the essential functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new intermediary mechanism at the protocol level - a dedicated availability status indicator that is embedded within network packets. This intermediary structure enables direct device-to-device communication of availability status without requiring conventional application servers or intermediaries, resolving the contradiction by providing a lightweight mediation layer that eliminates resource-wasting intermediate processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If different applications manage availability status independently, then each application can customize its interface, but user interface consistency is lost across applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication-specific interface customizationVSAvoiduser interface consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal availability status management mechanism that operates at the protocol level, serving multiple applications simultaneously. The standardized status indicators and communication protocol can be utilized by any application that requires availability information, ensuring consistent user interface behavior across different applications while still allowing each application to present the information in its own customized manner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of information

If availability status is processed through multiple intermediate systems, then comprehensive status information can be gathered, but synchronization across applications becomes inconsistent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailability status information completenessVSAvoidstatus synchronization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the availability status communication into distinct, standardized protocol elements that can be independently transmitted and received. By dividing the status information into structured protocol fields rather than relying on application-level exchanges, the system ensures that status information is accurately transmitted and synchronized across all applications without the inconsistencies that arise from multiple intermediate processing systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7694313B2Terminating device and a method of operating a terminating device configured to communicate availability status directly between terminating devices

Publication Date: 2010.04.06 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

A system and a method are disclosed for a terminating device for a communications network which comprises an application program configured to utilize an availability status of a user; a communications interface configured to receive and/or transmit data and a presence engine. The presence engine is configured to provide the communications interface with data representative of an availability status of a user, and cause the communications interface to transmit the data directly to another terminating device. Alternatively, or additionally, the presence engine is configured to receive data representative of an availability status of the user directly from another terminating device, and make available data representative of the received availability status of a user to the application program.