Visualization enhanced presence system
View Patent ↗An originating endpoint supports visual presence indications. The originating endpoint determines a destination endpoint with which to establish a desired communication session. A network communicates a notification message to the destination endpoint regarding the desired communication session. Prior to establishing the desired communication session and in response to the notification message, the originating endpoint receives image capture data representing the surroundings of the destination endpoint. The originating endpoint may then determine from the image capture data whether to continue or terminate the attempt to establish the communication session. Visual presence indications may increase productivity by reducing the time that would otherwise be spent on unsuccessful call attempts. Visual presence indications may also conserve network bandwidth and processing resources that would otherwise be spent on the unsuccessful call attempts.
1. A presence communication method comprising:
a first endpoint determining a second endpoint with which to establish a desired communication session;
the first endpoint sending a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) notification message to the second endpoint regarding the desired communication session;
the second endpoint providing a response message to the SIP notification message prior to establishing the desired communication session, the response message containing presence state data, and image capture data comprising surroundings of the second endpoint, the image capture data provided by an image device in communication with the second endpoint;
the first endpoint receiving the response message from the second endpoint prior to establishing the desired communication session;
the first endpoint making a decision based on the image capture data and presence state data, prior to establishing the desired communication session, of whether to terminate an attempt to establish the desired communication session or to continue to establish the desired communication session; and
wherein making the decision comprises the first endpoint performing image processing on the image capture data and interpreting the presence state data to determine a presence of the second endpoint; and
wherein the second endpoint providing a response message to the SIP notification message comprises the second endpoint checking an image enable flag, the second endpoint providing image capture data when the image enable flag is set, and the second endpoint not providing the image capture data when the image enable flag is clear such that the response message does not contain the image capture data.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the image capture data comprises a picture image of surroundings of the second endpoint.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the image capture data comprises a video of surroundings of the second endpoint.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the notification message comprises an SIP ‘invite’ initiation message.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the notification message further comprises a media specifier, the media specifier comprising at least one of a media capability indicator that identifies media handling capabilities of the first endpoint and a request for the image capture data.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the presence state data is a presence state of a user of the second endpoint.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second endpoint comprises an automated endpoint and wherein the image capture data comprises an image of surroundings of the second endpoint.
8. A communication system comprising:
a first endpoint having a processor and a memory, the processor coupled to the memory, the memory comprising:
a notification processing program communicating at least one notification message regarding a desired communication session, the desired communication session being a call,
an image processing program; and
a second endpoint having a processor and a memory, the processor coupled to the memory, the memory comprising:
an image capture device control program,
presence state data of the second endpoint,
a notification processing program receiving the at least one notification message regarding the desired communication session; and
an image capture device capturing image data; and
wherein the processor of the first endpoint executes the notification processing program and the image processing program of the first endpoint; and
wherein the processor of the second endpoint executes the capture device control program and the notification processing program of the second endpoint; and
wherein the capture device control program issues a capture command to the image capture device upon receipt of the notification message by the second endpoint; and
wherein the image capture device provides captured image data to the second endpoint; and
wherein the second endpoint sends the captured image data and the presence state data to the first endpoint in response to the at least one notification message sent by the first endpoint; and
wherein the first endpoint makes a decision based on the captured image data and the presence state data prior to establishing the desired communication session whether to terminate an attempt to establish the desired communication or to continue to establish the desired communication session; and
wherein the first endpoint makes the decision by performing image processing on the captured image data and interpreting the presence state data to determine a presence of the second endpoint; and
wherein the memory of the second endpoint further comprises an image enable flag, and wherein the capture device control program causes the captured image data to be obtained when the image enable flag is set and the capture device control program forgoes causing the captured image data to be obtained when the image enable flag is clear such that no captured image data is sent to the first endpoint in response to the at least one notification message.
9. The presence enabled communication system of claim 8 , wherein the captured image data comprises a visualization of surroundings of second endpoint.
10. The presence enabled communication system of claim 9 , wherein the captured image data comprises a video of surroundings of the second endpoint.
11. The presence enabled communication system of claim 9 , wherein the captured image data comprises a picture of surroundings of the second endpoint.
12. The presence enabled communication system of claim 9 , wherein the presence state data is a presence state of a user of the second endpoint.
13. The presence enabled communication system of claim 8 wherein the second endpoint comprises an automated endpoint and wherein the captured image data comprises an image of surroundings of the second endpoint.
14. A method for communicating presence data comprising:
a first endpoint sending a notification message to a second endpoint prior to data transmission between the second endpoint and the first endpoint and prior to initiating a communication session between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, the communication session being a call, the call requiring voice data to be transmitted between the first endpoint and the second endpoint;
after receiving the notification message, the second endpoint communicating with an image capture device to capture image data for a surrounding of the second endpoint;
the second endpoint sending a response message to the first endpoint, the response message comprising the captured image data of the second endpoint; and
the user of the first endpoint deciding whether to continue attempting to establish the communication session with the second endpoint based on an evaluation of the response message; and
wherein the second endpoint communicating with the image capture device to capture image data comprises the second endpoint checking an image enable indicator to determine if the captured image data is authorized to be obtained; and
if the capture image data is not authorized to be obtained, not capturing the image data such that the response message does not have the captured image data; and
if the captured image data is authorized to be obtained, the second endpoint communicating the captured image data to the first endpoint via the response message.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the notification message comprises a media specifier, and wherein the media specifier indicating media handling capabilities of the first endpoint and having a media request requesting the captured image data.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the first endpoint sends a media specifier to the second endpoint to request the captured image data.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the notification message comprises an SIP invite message.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the second endpoint comprises an automated endpoint and the captured image data comprises an image of surroundings of the second endpoint.
19. The method of claim 14 wherein presence state data is also provided in the response message, the presence state data indicating a presence state of a user of the second endpoint.