Cross-App Presence Sync Using Shared Peripheral Status

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication applications and devices lack the ability to share and synchronize user presence and state information across multiple platforms, leading to disruptive interruptions and misrepresentation of availability, particularly in professional settings.

Innovation Solution

Implementing shared device profiles and synchronization protocols for peripheral and integrated devices to manage user presence status, ensuring accurate reflection of engagement across different applications and devices through cloud-based services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple communication applications and devices share peripheral resources simultaneously, then device interoperability and versatility are improved, but user presence status accuracy and communication reliability deteriorate due to inability to synchronize availability information across applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice interoperabilityVSAvoiduser presence status accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a presence information synchronization mechanism that acts as an intermediary between multiple communication applications and the peripheral device. This mediator collects presence status from different applications (e.g., VoIP client, native dialer) and distributes synchronized presence information to all applications, ensuring they have consistent and accurate user availability status without requiring direct communication between applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal presence management system that serves multiple communication applications simultaneously. The presence information synchronization mechanism provides a common interface and data structure that works across different application types (VoIP, native dialer, conferencing), enabling them all to access accurate presence status through a unified approach rather than application-specific solutions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If peripheral devices are shared across multiple applications without state synchronization, then device versatility is improved, but communication disruptions increase due to inaccurate availability information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperipheral sharing capabilityVSAvoidcommunication disruptions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the presence information synchronization system continuously monitors and collects presence status from multiple applications using the peripheral device. This feedback loop ensures that when one application changes the user's presence state (e.g., entering a call in the native dialer), the information is immediately captured and distributed to other applications (e.g., VoIP client), allowing them to adjust their behavior accordingly and avoid disruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If presence status is not synchronized across applications, then application independence is maintained, but network efficiency decreases due to unnecessary call attempts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication independenceVSAvoidnetwork efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by having applications query the synchronized presence information before initiating communication attempts. Instead of independently determining user availability, applications first check the centralized presence status provided by the synchronization mechanism. This preliminary check prevents unnecessary call attempts when the user is already engaged in another communication session, thereby improving network efficiency while maintaining application independence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260039496A1Communications management leveraging status information from shared resources

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Techniques for managing user presence based on an operation state of an external peripheral device connected to a computing device are described. The method determines whether the external peripheral device is being utilized when performing an activity relating to a first software application executing on the computing device. In response to determining utilization, state information for the user is updated to indicate an active state based on the activity performed on the computing device or with respect to a user identity associated with the first software application. During activity performance, a second software application obtains the state information and updates a user presence status to indicate that the user is currently in an active operation state according to the state information indicating the active state. The method enables cross-application presence management by leveraging peripheral device usage patterns to maintain accurate user availability status across multiple software applications and computing environments.