Presence Update Buffering for Wireless Communication Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The frequent transmission of presence updates in wireless instant messaging services consumes significant bandwidth, increases subscription costs, drains battery life, and inefficiently uses network resources due to high overhead, especially when the number of contacts is large.
Innovation Solution
A method where a computing device buffers presence updates destined for a wireless communication device when it becomes dormant and sends them in a single message upon reactivation, using a HOLD and UNHOLD message mechanism to manage the transmission efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If presence updates are transmitted frequently to all contacts, then presence information remains current and accurate, but bandwidth consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the contact list into multiple groups or subsets, and transmits presence updates selectively to different segments based on their activity status. This reduces the total number of transmissions compared to broadcasting to all contacts, while still maintaining accurate presence information for active users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic presence updates rather than continuous transmission. Updates are sent at intervals or triggered by specific events (such as status changes), reducing the frequency of transmissions while keeping presence information sufficiently current.
2Measurement precision
If presence updates are sent frequently, then presence information is kept current, but battery life is drained due to processing and power-saving mode awakenings
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic or event-triggered updates instead of continuous transmission. The wireless device can enter power-saving mode longer between updates, reducing the frequency of awakenings and associated energy consumption while maintaining acceptable presence information currency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the wireless device to autonomously determine when to wake from power-saving mode based on buffered presence update availability. This self-service approach optimizes battery usage by minimizing unnecessary awakenings while ensuring updates are received when needed.
3Reliability
If each presence update is transmitted as a separate message, then individual updates are delivered reliably, but network overhead becomes unacceptably high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple presence updates into single batched messages. Instead of sending separate messages for each contact's status change, the system consolidates multiple updates into one transmission, reducing the total number of messages and associated overhead while maintaining reliable delivery of all updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary buffering of presence updates before transmission. Updates are collected and prepared in advance, then sent together in a single message when the buffer reaches a certain threshold or time interval, reducing overhead while ensuring reliable delivery.
Data Source
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AI summary
To promote efficient transmission of presence update information to a presence service client (135) associated or integrated with a communication client such as an instant messaging (IM) client (134), a separate computing device (50) may be notified when the communication client becomes dormant. The separate device (50) may buffer presence updates destined for the communication client, each presence update containing information regarding availability of at least one of a set of contacts for intercommunication via said communication client (134). When the separate device (50) learns that either the communication client (134) has ceased being dormant or that an event has occurred which shall cause the communication client (134) to cease being dormant, the buffered presence updates (54) may be sent to the presence service client (135). Presence updates within the buffered set (54) may be reconciled to eliminate obsolete information. The result may be a conservation of wireless connection bandwidth or reduction in device power consumption.