Mobile network presence service with load-based notification throttling

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for providing a presence service that is particularly useful for mobile telecommunications devices. A plurality of outgoing presence updates are sent to a presence client. The system monitors the level of network traffic and determines whether the client is in a region of high network load. If the client is in a region experiencing a condition of high network load, the system throttles the outgoing presence updates during the condition of high network load. The level of throttling may depend at least in part on the amount of time that has elapsed since the presence client began a presence session, and/or the amount of time that has elapsed since an incoming presence update was received from the presence client. In determining the latter amount of elapsed time, the system may consider only the amount of time elapsed since an incoming non-automatic presence update was received from the presence client. When presence updates are throttled, the may schedule presence updates such that at least a minimum delay period elapses between consecutive updates to a particular client.