Patent ID: 8671145
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for communicating presence information about a first user at a first computer to a second user at a second computer, the method comprising: (a) determining, by the first computer, presence information of the first user based on interaction by the first user with the first computer, wherein the first user is associated with the first computer, and wherein said presence information represents information regarding the availability of said first user for participating in a real-time communication session; (b) sending, by the first computer via e-mail, an invitation containing the presence information to the second computer, wherein said invitation proposes the real-time communication session between said first computer and said second computer, wherein said invitation contains data capable of invoking an invitation communicator application for facilitating said real-time communication session between said first computer and said second computer and data for displaying an interface to said invitation communicator application; (c) determining, by the second computer, whether said invitation containing data is able to be displayed within the e-mail on said second computer, wherein said second computer receives a link that when activated causes said second computer to access and download a control module for displaying said invitation within the e-mail on said second computer when said second computer determines that said invitation containing data is unable to be displayed within the e-mail on said second computer; (d) invoking an invitation communicator application in said second computer and displaying said presence information of the first user and the interface to said invitation communicator application within said e-mail on said second computer when said invitation is able to be displayed on said second computer or wherein said invitation contains data for downloading said invitation communicator application from an online source, wherein said invitation provides parameters to configure said invitation communicator application, wherein the invitation communicator application establishes the real-time communication session between the first computer and the second computer, and wherein the second user of said second computer participates in said real-time communication session through interaction with said interface to said invitation communicator application within said e-mail on said second computer; (e) determining, by the second computer, second presence information of a second user based on interaction by the second user with the second computer, wherein the second user is associated with the second computer; (f) sending by the second computer via said invitation communicator application, said second presence information associated with the second user to said first computer; (g) periodically repeating step (a) and continuously updating the presence information of the first user within said e-mail to reflect the most up-to-date presence information of the first user; and (h) periodically repeating steps (e) and (f) and continuously updating the presence information of the second user within said invitation communicator application to reflect the most up-to-date presence information of the second user.