Patent ID: 8214434

Claim:
A computing device comprising: a network connectivity device configured to receive presence information from a presence server, the presence information relating to at least one of a presentity and a watcher; and a processor configured for: processing of the presence information to determine a value of a presence aspect, the presence aspect representing a combination or consolidation of data elements of the presence information received from the presence server; identifying a conflict in the presence information, based on the value of the presence aspect being inconclusive or indeterminate, during processing of the presence information wherein the conflict occurs either between first and second presence information received from the presence server or between first and second rules; resolving the conflict according to a criteria comprising at least one of a rule, a policy, a trigger, a priority, an order of resolution, and a guideline; and according to the resolving, transmitting a first value of the presence aspect to a first watcher and transmitting a second value of the presence aspect to a second watcher, the first and second values being different, wherein the presentity comprises a first entity that has first presence information associated with it, and wherein the watcher comprises a second entity that wishes to receive the first presence information associated with the presentity.