The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 17, 2010
Filed:
Sep. 02, 2003
Hiroyuki Tominaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroyuki Tominaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an instant message communication system, if a provider logs in to an instant message communication service, the provider supplies, via a server, main presence information to a consumer specified as a friend of the provider, wherein the main presence information is a basic part of presence information. The provider then acquires main presence information of the consumer. At the provider, consumers are registered in relation to respective capabilities of the provider. The provider supplies provider sub-presence information to each consumer to inform of the details of the capability related to the consumer. Furthermore, the provider acquires consumer sub-presence information indicating the details of a capability that the consumer has, and the provider manages the acquired information. Thus, information associated with the status of capabilities available in communication can be provided without imposing a high load on the transmission process.