Presence State Synchronization Across Multiple Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
In VoIP communication systems, users connected to multiple devices show different presence states, leading to inconsistencies and uncertainties in displaying the actual user status to other users, as each device may report its own presence independently.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a synchronisation manager and presence engine to detect changes in presence states across multiple devices, distribute this information, and decide whether to synchronize presence states based on the origin of the change, ensuring a unified presence state is displayed to other users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If each device independently reports its own presence state, then each device can accurately represent its local status, but inconsistencies and uncertainties arise in displaying the actual user status across multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a presence engine as an intermediary component that mediates between multiple devices and the presence information system. This presence engine receives presence state information from multiple devices, processes it according to synchronization rules, and generates a unified presence state for display. The intermediary resolves the contradiction by preventing direct conflicting reports while maintaining accurate local device status information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where presence state changes detected on one device trigger synchronization messages sent to other devices. The presence engine monitors presence state changes, determines whether synchronization is needed based on the origin of changes, and propagates updates across the device network. This feedback loop ensures consistency while preserving the ability of each device to report its local status accurately.
2Loss of information
If presence states are synchronized across all devices, then a unified user status is displayed, but the complexity of detecting and managing changes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by treating different devices and presence state origins differently in the synchronization process. The presence engine evaluates the origin of each presence change (e.g., user-initiated vs. system-initiated) and applies different synchronization rules accordingly. Not all presence changes trigger synchronization, and the decision is made based on local device characteristics and the nature of the change, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the presence management functionality into distinct components: individual devices that detect local presence changes, a presence engine that coordinates synchronization, and communication mechanisms that transmit presence information. This segmentation allows each component to focus on specific tasks, making the overall system more manageable despite the complexity of multi-device coordination.
3Ease of operation
If a central server routes communication, then authentication and routing are simplified, but the peer-to-peer direct communication capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing authentication and certificate exchange before establishing direct peer-to-peer communication. Devices authenticate each other and exchange necessary credentials in advance, allowing subsequent direct communication without ongoing server involvement. This preliminary centralized action enables later decentralized operation, combining the benefits of both approaches.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of determining an overall presence state for a user of a communication system in which the user is connected to the communication system using a plurality of devices. The method includes each of the plurality of devices storing in a device memory a presence state for that device; detecting a change in the presence state in at least one of the plurality of devices; each of the plurality of devices transmitting a message via the communication system to the remainder of the plurality of devices, the message comprising the presence state; receiving the messages at the remainder of the plurality of devices; and executing a decision-making code sequence in a processor at each of the remainder of the plurality of devices to determine whether to synchronize the presence state of that device with the presence state from one of the messages based on the origin of an event causing the change in presence state at the at least one of the plurality of devices.