Roaming consistent user representation information across devices and applications
The techniques and technologies described herein enable real-time user identity information to be maintained by a network server architecture such that the user identity information can be provided across multiple client devices and/or across multiple collaborative applications supported by the client devices. The client devices and the collaborative applications can be designed to receive and process the network-based user identity information for presentation in a consistent display format regardless of the client device type and in the context of different collaborative applications.
1 . A method of roaming consistent user representation information, the method comprising:
maintaining real-time user identity information for users of a service that supports a collaborative application;
providing access to the real-time user identity information to a first client device for presentation of the real-time user identity information in the context of the collaborative application; and
providing access to the real-time user identity information to a second client device for presentation of the real-time user identity information in the context of the collaborative application.
2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein maintaining the real-time user identity information comprises maintaining user presence information.
3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein maintaining the real-time user identity information comprises maintaining personal status message information.
4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein maintaining the real-time user identity information comprises maintaining username information.
5 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein maintaining the real-time user identity information comprises maintaining user image information.
6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein maintaining the real-time user identity information comprises maintaining dynamic user status information.
7 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
authenticating a user for the first client device before providing access to the real-time user identity information to the first client device; and
authenticating the user for the second client device before providing access to the real-time user identity information to the second client device.
8 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first client device or the second client device, update data indicative of a change in a current user identity status; and
updating the real-time user identity information in response to the update data.
9 . A method of roaming consistent user representation information, the method comprising:
maintaining real-time user identity information for users of a service that supports at least one collaborative application;
providing access to the real-time user identity information to a client device for presentation of a first graphical representation of the real-time user identity information in the context of a first collaborative application supported by the service; and
providing access to the real-time user identity information to the client device for presentation of a second graphical representation of the real-time user identity information in the context of a second collaborative application supported by the service.
10 . A method according to claim 9 , wherein maintaining the real-time user identity information comprises maintaining user presence information.
11 . A method according to claim 9 , further comprising authenticating a user for the service before providing access to the real-time user identity information.
12 . A method according to claim 9 , further comprising authenticating a user of the first collaborative application before providing access to the real-time user identity information for presentation of the first graphical representation.
13 . A method according to claim 9 , further comprising authenticating a user of the second collaborative application before providing access to the real-time user identity information for presentation of the second graphical representation.
14 . A method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving, from the client device, update data indicative of a change in a current user identity status; and
updating the real-time user identity information in response to the update data.
15 . A method according to claim 14 , wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the update data in response to user interaction with the first collaborative application.
16 . A method according to claim 14 , wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the update data in response to user interaction with the second collaborative application.
17 . A system for roaming consistent user representation information, the system comprising:
a memory element configured to maintain real-time user identity information for users of a service that supports at least one collaborative application; and
an identity information manager coupled to the memory element and configured to provide access to the real-time user identity information to at least one client device for graphical rendering of the real-time user identity information in the context of at least one collaborative application hosted by the at least one client device.
18 . A system according to claim 17 , further comprising a communication interface coupled to the memory element and configured to transmit the real-time user identity information to the at least one client device.
19 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein:
the memory element and the identity information manager are realized in a network server architecture;
the system further comprises a first client device configured to receive the real-time user identity information from the network server architecture, and configured to present the real-time user identity information for a collaborative application hosted by the first device; and
the system further comprises a second client device configured to receive the real-time user identity information from the network server architecture, and configured to present the real-time user identity information for a collaborative application hosted by the second device.
20 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein:
the memory element and the identity information manager are realized in a network server architecture; and
the system further comprises a client device configured to receive the real-time user identity information from the network server architecture, to generate a first graphical representation of the real-time user identity information for a first collaborative application hosted by the client device, and to generate a second graphical representation of the real-time user identity information for a second collaborative application hosted by the client device.