PROMOTING INTEROPERABILITY OF PRESENCE-BASED SYSTEMS THROUGH THE USE OF UBIQUITOUS ONLINE IDENTITIES
A first instant messaging system is configured to receive a message directed to an online identity, while a client system is using the online identity to access a second instant messaging system. Traffic delivery rules may be shared between the instant messaging systems to control delivery the delivery of the message to the online identity.
1 . A method comprising:
receiving, at a first instant messaging service, a message directed to an online identity;
determining that the online identity has a connection to the first instant messaging service through a second instant messaging service;
accessing, at the first instant messaging service, traffic delivery rules that are configured to control delivering of the message and that are customized for an individual; and
sending at least a portion of the traffic delivery rules and the message to the second instant messaging service, thereby enabling the second instant messaging service to deliver the message to the online identity according to the traffic delivery rules.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the online identity includes a user name and a domain.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the online identity is associated with the first instant messaging service.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein determining that the online identity is associated with the first instant messaging service includes determining that the online identity is associated with an account at the first instant messaging service.
5 . The method of claim 3 wherein determining that the online identity is associated with the first instant messaging service includes determining that the online identity is registered with the first instant messaging service.
6 . The method of claim 3 wherein the traffic delivery rules are customized for the online identity and, as such, the traffic delivery rules govern receipt of the message based on preferences of the online identity.
7 . The method of claim 3 wherein the traffic delivery rules are customized for a sender of the message and, as such, the traffic delivery rules regulate delivery of the message based on preferences of the sender of the message.
8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the online identity is associated with the second instant messaging service.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein determining that the online identity is associated with the second instant messaging service includes determining that the online identity is associated with an account at the second instant messaging service.
10 . The method of claim 8 determining that the online identity is associated with the second instant messaging service includes determining that the online identity is registered with the first instant messaging service.
11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the traffic delivery rules are customized for a sender of the message and, as such, the traffic delivery rules regulate delivery of the message based on preferences of the sender of the message.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the traffic delivery rules includes accessing traffic delivery rules stored at the first instant messaging service.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the traffic delivery rules includes accessing traffic delivery rules stored at the second instant messaging service.
14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the traffic delivery rules include instructions for delivery of the message through one or more instant messaging services.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the traffic delivery rules include instructions for delivery of the message based on a type of client device.
16 . The method of claim 14 wherein the traffic delivery rules include instructions for delivery of the message based on a particular time of day.
17 . The method of claim 14 wherein the traffic delivery rules include instructions for delivery of the message to a client device at which the online identity has an active presence.
18 . The method of claim 14 wherein the traffic delivery rules include instructions for
determining whether the online identity has a direct presence at the first instant messaging service; and
in the absence of the direct presence at the first instant messaging service, delivering the message to the online identity through the second instant messaging service.
19 . The method of claim 14 wherein the traffic delivery rules include instructions for directing the first instant messaging service to deliver the message to the online identity through the second instant messaging service.
20 . The method of claim 1 wherein sending at least the portion of the traffic delivery rules and the message to the second instant messaging service includes appending the traffic delivery rules to the message and sending the message with the appended traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service.
21 . The method of claim 1 wherein sending at least the portion of the traffic delivery rules and the message to the second instant messaging service includes sending at least the portion of the traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service separate from submitting the message to the second instant messaging service.
22 . The method of claim 1 wherein sending at least the portion of the traffic delivery rules includes sending less than all of the traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service.
23 . The method of claim 22 wherein sending less than all of the traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service includes sending less than all of the traffic delivery rules customized for the online identity to the second instant messaging service.
24 . The method of claim 22 wherein sending less than all of the traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service includes sending less than all of the traffic delivery rules customized for a sender of the message to the second instant messaging service.
25 . The method of claim 1 wherein the individual includes an operator of the online identity.
26 . The method of claim 1 wherein the individual includes a sender of the message.
27 . A computer-usable medium storing a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for:
receiving, at a first instant messaging service, a message directed to an online identity;
determining that the online identity has a connection to the first instant messaging service through a second instant messaging service;
accessing, at the first instant messaging service, traffic delivery rules that are configured to control delivering of the message and that are customized for an individual; and
sending at least a portion of the traffic delivery rules and the message to the second instant messaging service, thereby enabling the second instant messaging service to deliver the message to the online identity according to the traffic delivery rules.
28 . The medium of claim 27 wherein the online identity includes a user name and a domain.
29 . The medium of claim 27 wherein the traffic delivery rules include traffic delivery instructions for delivery of the message through one or more instant messaging services.
30 . The medium of claim 29 wherein the traffic delivery rules include traffic delivery instructions for delivery of the message based on a type of client device.
31 . The medium of claim 29 wherein the traffic delivery rules include traffic delivery instructions for delivery of the message based on a particular time of day.
32 . The medium of claim 29 wherein the traffic delivery rules include traffic delivery instructions for delivery of the message to a client device at which the online identity has an active presence.
33 . The medium of claim 27 wherein, to send at least a portion of the traffic delivery rules and the message to the second instant messaging service, the instructions include instructions for appending the traffic delivery rules to the message and sending the message with the appended traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service.
34 . The medium of claim 27 wherein, to send at least a portion of the traffic delivery rules and the message to the second instant messaging service, the instructions include instructions for sending at least the portion of the traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service separate from submitting the message to the second instant messaging service.
35 . The medium of claim 34 wherein, to send at least a portion of the traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service separate from submitting the message to the second instant messaging service the instructions further include instructions for resubmitting the traffic delivery rules to the second instant messaging service as the traffic delivery rules changes.
36 . A system comprising:
a first instant messaging system configured to receive a message directed to an online identity;
a second instant messaging system configured to enable at least one client device to access a second instant messaging service associated with the second instant messaging system; and
a client system configured to use the online identity to access the second instant messaging service associated with the second instant messaging system, wherein the first instant messaging system is configured to:
determine that the client system has connection to the first instant messaging service through the second instant messaging service using the online identity;
access traffic delivery rules, at the first instant messaging system, that are configured to control delivering of the message and that are customized for an individual; and
send at least a portion of the traffic delivery rules and the message to the second instant messaging service, thereby enabling the second instant messaging service to deliver the message to the client system using the online identity according to the traffic delivery rules.
37 . The system of claim 36 wherein the online identity includes a username and a domain.
38 . A method comprising:
receiving, from a source at a first instant messaging service, a message directed to an online identity;
accessing traffic delivery rules stored at a second instant messaging service, wherein the traffic delivery rules are configured to control delivering of the message and that are customized for an individual; and
delivering the message to the online identity according to the traffic delivery rules.
39 . The method of claim 38 further comprising determining that the online identity has a connection to the first instant messaging service through a third instant messaging service.
40 . The method of claim 39 wherein the third instant messaging service accesses the traffic delivery rules stored at the second instant messaging service and delivers the message to the online identity according to the traffic delivery rules.
41 . The method of claim 39 further comprising:
informing the second instant messaging service of the online identity presence at the third instant messaging service; and
in response, receiving, from the second instant messaging service, the traffic delivery rules that are customized for the online identity.
42 . The method of claim 39 wherein the individual includes an operator of a client system using the online identity.