Selective Provider Presence Information Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing presence and instant messaging systems face challenges in efficiently managing and distributing presence information across networks, making it difficult for clients to locate and connect with available service providers that meet specific service qualifying characteristics, such as hosting environment, service interfaces, and location.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an instant messaging system that utilizes a presence protocol to manage and distribute provider presence information, including communication addresses, status, and service qualifying characteristics, allowing clients to select suitable service instances based on availability and qualifying criteria, thereby facilitating efficient service discovery and connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a presence system distributes presence information for all devices in a network, then clients can locate service providers, but the system complexity and traffic load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making presence information selective rather than universal. Only devices that provide specific services have their presence information published in the presence information structure. This allows clients to locate service providers efficiently without the system needing to manage presence data for every device in the network, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the ability to detect and measure service provider locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The presence information is segmented into specific service-related components rather than being a monolithic structure. The presence information structure is divided into distinct elements such as device identifier, service type, service version, and location, allowing the system to manage and distribute only relevant portions of presence data. This segmentation reduces the complexity of managing complete presence information for all devices while still enabling effective service provider location.
2Adaptability or versatility
If presence information is published for all devices, then complete service discovery is possible, but network traffic and server load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system publishes presence information selectively based on service provision. Only devices that are actually providing services have their presence information published, rather than all devices in the network. This reduces network traffic and server load while maintaining complete service discovery capability for devices that matter - those offering services. The local quality principle ensures that presence data is generated and distributed only where service-related information exists.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary presence information elements related to service provision from the complete device presence data. By taking out and publishing only service-relevant presence information (service type, service version, location) rather than complete device presence data, the system reduces network traffic and server processing load while preserving the ability to perform comprehensive service discovery for available services.
3Speed
If clients connect to any available service provider, then connection speed is fast, but compatibility issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary compatibility verification by including service type and service version information in the published presence information structure before clients attempt connections. Clients can pre-filter and select compatible service providers based on this advance information, ensuring that connection attempts are made only to compatible devices. This preliminary action maintains fast connection speeds by avoiding incompatible connection attempts while ensuring service compatibility through informed selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The presence information structure provides feedback to clients about service provider compatibility through included service type and service version data. Clients use this feedback information to make informed decisions about which service providers to connect to, ensuring compatibility before initiating connections. This feedback mechanism maintains fast connection speeds by directing clients to compatible providers while ensuring reliability through compatibility verification.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a client computer includes a memory, a client presence program adapted to be located in the memory, and a processor. The processor is coupled to the memory and is adapted to execute the client presence program to receive provider presence information from an instant messaging (IM) server and to store the provider presence information in the memory. The provider presence information includes at least a provider status for at least one service provider.