Patent ID: 8069166
Filing Date: 2011-11-29
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for managing user-to-user contact, comprising: identifying, by a server, a preferred contact method of a first user, the preferred contact method associated with a presence of the first user, the presence corresponding to an ability of the first user to communicate by the preferred contact method; distributing information indicative of the preferred contact method associated with the presence of the first user, by the server, to a computing device associated with a second user; inferring, by the server deriving from data collected about the first user, the presence of the first user at a computing device associated with the first user; distributing information indicative of the presence of the first user , by the server, to the computing device associated with the second user; displaying information indicative of the presence of the first user to the second user whereby information indicative of the presence of the first user may be displayed to the second user including the preferred contact method of the first user associated with the presence of the first user; wherein, a permission to distribute the information indicative of the presence of the first user is determined based on a degree of separation of the second user with the first user.