Representing network availability status information in presence information

Abstract

A network element for handling network availability information represented as presence information, where the network element includes a receiving unit for receiving status information in a network availability element and a converting unit for converting the status information into a presence information data format. The network element also includes a generating unit for generating a request that includes the presence information data format. For certain status events the network availability includes at least one child. In one embodiment, the at least one child of the network availability element is a network element for presenting registration status and the network availability element is a part of a person element. The registration status is represented in a state element which includes one of an active element or a “terminated” element. In another embodiment, the at least one child of the network availability element is a network element for presenting registration status and the network availability element is a part of a device element. The registration status is represented in a state element which describes if a device is attached to a particular network and includes one of an active element, a “terminated” element or out-of-coverage element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention that together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an IP Multimedia subsystem in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 2 illustrates an architectural model for providing presence services drawn by the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2);

FIG. 3 illustrates another Open Mobile Alliance architectural model for providing presence services drawn by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), onto which the architectural model of FIG. 2 is mapped;

FIG. 4 illustrates steps implemented in an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates steps implemented in an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A apparatus comprising: a receiving unit for receiving status information from a network;a converting unit for converting the status information into a presence information data format;an insertion unit for inserting the status information as a part of a predefined network availability element, wherein for certain status events the network availability element includes at least one child element defining the current state;a publishing unit for publishing a request including the presence data information and transmitting the published request to a presence server.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one child element is configured to represent network availability for registration status associated with a user which is a presence entity, thereby allowing the network availability element which includes the registration information to be part of a person element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network availability element is configured to represent a registration status in a state element which comprises one of an active element when a presence entity is registered or a “terminated” element when the presence entity does not have a valid registration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one child of the apparatus is configured as a network element for presenting registration status and the network availability element is configured as a part of a device element that defines a status of a specific device, wherein an identifier attribute of the network availability element defines a type of network to which the device is attached.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one child of the network is configured as a state apparatus which describes if a device is attached to a particular network and includes one of an active element, a “terminated” element or out-of-coverage element.

6. A method, in an apparatus of a network, comprising: receiving status information from a network;converting the status information into a presence information data format;inserting the status information as a part of a predefined network availability element, wherein for certain status events the network availability element includes at least one child; andpublishing a request including the presence data information and transmitting the published request to a presence server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising representing network availability for registration status associated with a user which is a presence entity, thereby allowing the network availability element which includes the registration information to be part of a person element.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising representing a registration status in a state element which comprises one of an active element when a presence entity is registered or a “terminated” element when the presence entity does not have a valid registration.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring the at least one child of the apparatus as a network element for presenting registration status and configuring the network availability element as a part of a device element that defines a status of a specific device, wherein an identifier attribute of the network availability element defines a type of network to which the device is attached.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the at least one child of the network as a state network element which describes if a device is attached to a particular network and includes one of an active element, a “terminated” element or out-of-coverage element.

11. A network element comprising: receiving means for receiving status information from a network;converting means for converting the status information into a presence information data format;inserting means for inserting the status information as a part of a predefined network availability element, wherein for certain status events the network availability element includes at least one child; andpublishing means for publishing a request including the presence data information and transmitting the published request to a presence server.

12. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program being used for handling network availability information represented as presence information and for performing the method steps of: receiving status information from a network;converting the status information into a presence information data format;inserting the status information as a part of a predefined network availability element, wherein for certain status events the network availability element includes at least one child; andpublishing a request including the presence data information and transmitting the published request to a presence server.

13. A server for handling network availability information represented as presence information, the server comprising: a receiving unit for receiving a request including the presence data information from a presence entity;a processing unit for incorporating network availability information of the presence entity as part of presence information associated with the presence entity according to composition policy procedures,wherein the presence entity comprises a receiving unit for receiving status information from a network, a converting unit for converting the status information into a presence information data format, an insertion unit for inserting the status information as a part of a predefined network availability element, wherein for certain status events the network availability element includes at least one child element defining the current state, and a publishing unit for publishing a request including the presence data information and transmitting the published request to the presence server.