`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`iiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`21 June 2001 (21.06.2001)
`
`(10) International Publication Number
`WO 01/45343 A2
`
`(51) International Patent Classification7:
`
`1104L 29/00
`
`(21) International Application Number: PC1/GBOO/O4512
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`27 November 2000 (27.11.2000)
`
`(25) Filing Language:
`
`(26) Publication Language:
`
`English
`
`English
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`09/461.654
`
`14 December 1999(14.12.1999) US
`
`(71) Applicant (for all designated Slates except LIS): NORTEL
`NETWORKS LIMITED (CA/CAJ: World Trade Center
`Of Montreal. 380 St. Antoine Street West. 8th Elixir. Mon
`treal, Quebec H2Y 3Y4 (CA>.
`
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for LIS only): DAVIES, Elwyn,
`B. |GB/GB|; 60 The Bulls, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7
`
`5AW (GB). HARKER, Andrew, Newton (GB/GBJ; 20A
`Nursery Road, Bishop’s Stortford. Hertfotdshire CM23
`3111. (GB). STRINGER. David, Robert |GB/GBj: 72
`Broom Grove, Knebworth, Hertfordshire SG3 6BQ (GB)
`PARSONS, Eric. W. (CA/CAJ; 19 Carlisle Circle RR4.
`RR4. Ashton, Ontario KOA 1BO (CA). ARMSTRONG,
`Steven, M. |CA/CA|: 24 Hillview Road, Nepean. Ontario
`K2H 5G5 (CA).
`
`(74) Agent: CUTFORTH, Peter; Nortel Networks. London
`Road. Harlow, Essex CM 17 9NA (GB).
`
`(81) Designated States (national): AH, AL. AM. AT, AU, AZ.
`BA. BB, BG. BR. BY, CA.C.H, CN. CR.CU,CZ. DE. DK
`DM, EE. ES. II, GB. GD, GE. GH. GM. HR. HU. ID, IL.
`IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP. KR, KZ, LC, LK, I.R, IS, LT, LU,
`LV, MA. MD. MG. MK, MN. MW. MX, NO. NZ. PL. PT.
`RO, RU. SD. SE, SG, SI. SK. SL. 1 J. I'M. TR. IT'. TZ, UA.
`UG. US. UZ. VN. YU. ZA. ZW.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): ARIPO patent (GH, GM,
`KE. LS. MW. MZ. SD, SL. SZ. TZ. UG. ZW). Eurasian
`patent (AM. AZ. BY. KG. KZ. MD. RU, TJ. I'M). European
`patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, II. FR, GB, GR. IE.
`
`[Continued on next page]
`
`(54) Title: ANONYMITY IN A PRESENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
`
`IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH
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`WO 01Z45343 A2
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`(57) Abstract: A presence management system is described whereby connections between watching parties and watched parlies in
`a multiple access communications network are managed. When the presence management system receives a contact request from
`a watching party it determines whether the required watched party is available for contact. The system then provides information
`about this to the watching party who made the request. The presence management system chooses the best mode of communication
`te.g. email or fax) taking into account the watched parties preferences and details about the facilities available to the watching party.
`If. the presence management system infotms the watching parly that the watched party is unavailable, the watching party is able to
`set up a monitor. In determining whether the required watched party is available for contact, the presence management system uses
`stored information about the watched party, information about the required connection te.g. size and type) and also rules.
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`IT, LU, MC. NL. PT. SE, TR), OAPI patcnl (BE. BJ, CF,
`CG. CI. CM. GA, GN. GW. MU MR. NE. SN. TD, IG).
`
`Published:
`H'ithoul International search report and to he republished
`upon receipt of that report
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid
`ance Motes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the begin
`ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazelle
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`1
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`ANONYMITY IN A PRESENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
`Background of the Invention
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`Field of the Invention
`This invention relates to a presence management system for
`use in a multiple access communications network.
`
`Description of the prior art
`Telecommunication users of today are faced with ever
`increasing choice over how they communicate. A typical user
`has several different kinds of communications terminal such
`as mobile telephones, fax machines, personal computers, lap
`top computers. Also a typical user also often has more that
`one of a given type of communications terminal, for example,
`more than on- E-mail account, or home and work telephone
`numbers. This produces complexity and confusion both for
`senders and receivers of communications,
`Receivers of communications have to work hard to field
`all incoming communications and such users often find that
`interruptions from alerts, such as telephone calls and
`instant messages, are intrusive.
`Typically, receivers of communications have little
`control over what communications are received, at which
`times, and in which modes. In face to face communications,
`humans are able to control the degree of interaction which
`they allow with particular people or groups. However, with
`today's communication networks the degree and resolution of
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`the control of electronically mediated communications is much
`less. For example, telephone numbers are often fully public
`(in a directory) and are typically issued on demand to others
`who explicitly ask and know the full address. Also, a
`telephone number, once released to others, has continuing
`validity unless the telephone number is changed at great
`inconvenience and expense. Similar problems apply for email
`addresses. This means that it is easy for others, such as
`salesmen or nuisance callers to contact you more times than
`desired. In order to prevent this problem, telephone numbers
`and email addresses may be withheld but this gives the
`disadvantage of isolating the "owner" of the telephone number
`or email address.
`Senders of communications also experience problems
`because they are often unsure about which mode of
`communication to use at a given time for a particular
`destination. In order tto determine the most appropriate
`method of access there are many factors to be considered.
`These include factors to do with the sender such as what they
`are trying to communicate and factors to do with the receiver
`such as where the intended recipient is and what they are
`doing at the time.
`Two examples of instant messaging services are now
`described:
`
`Microsoft Network (MSN) messenger service
`MSN messenger service is an instant messaging service
`for use on the Internet. Users are able to identify when
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`others are online and to send and receive instant messages.
`By identifying when others are online it is possible to send
`an instant message to other online individuals or to
`communicate with several other online individuals at once.
`In this way the communication and messages are more "real
`time“ than conventional email for example, where an email
`message may simply remain in an individual's email inbox for
`some time before it is accessed. The service enables a user
`to identify when another party in an internet conversation is
`typing at their computer terminal keyboard. That is, using
`the instant message service it is possible to "talk" to more
`than one person at a time in a similar way to an online chat
`session. The user is also able to control which other
`parties are able to identify or "see" when the user is online
`and also to control who is able to send messages to the user.
`In this respect the MSN service differs from conventional
`online chat programs. Automatic notification of receipt of
`provided.
`instant messages
`messages
`is
`in MSN
`However,
`messenger service have a temporary quality.
`Unless the user
`they are lost when
`deliberately saves these messages
`the
`service is shut down.
`with
`contrasts
`message
`This
`conventional email messages in most email systems which
`remain until a user actively deletes them. Information about
`MSN messenger service is provided on the Internet at
`http://messenger.msn.com.
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`ICQ ("I seek you’)
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`ICQ is an inscant messaging service for internet users.
`It is a program that enables users to identify others who are
`online and which alerts users when specified individuals log
`onto the ICQ service. This removes the need for a directory
`search to be made each time a user wants to communicate with
`a specific person.
`Using ICQ, messages, files and web pages can be sent to
`other online users of ICQ in real time and ICQ also supports
`chat, voice, message board, data conferencing and internet
`games. When a new user installs ICQ the user is prompted to
`register at a server which is connected to a broad network of
`other servers spanning the internet. In the registration
`process the user receives a unique ICQ identifier number and
`is able to enter personal information. When the registered
`user logs onto the Internet the ICQ system detects this and
`allows other ICQ users to recognise that that user has logged
`on. The registered user is able to compile a list of friends
`and associates (these friends and associates must also be
`registered with ICQ or a compatible instant messaging
`service) and the ICQ system determines when these individuals
`are logged onto the internet. Alerting messages are sent to
`the user to inform him or her when members of the list of
`friends and associates sign on or off the ICQ system. Users
`are also able to control who contacts them and to hide their
`presence on the internet when this is required. Information
`about ICQ is given on the Internet at http://www.icq.com.
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`Some instant messaging services include so called “buddy
`lists" which are lists of other users of that instant
`messaging service which have been selected by an individual
`user as being those of interest. The individual user is then
`informed whether or not the members of the “buddy list" are
`currently using and available for contact via the instant
`messaging service. Such buddy lists are essentially
`attributes of the owning user and do not have any autonomous
`status in the instant messaging system, thus playing only a
`passive role therein.
`Other instant messaging systems such as America On
`line's Instant Messenger (trade mark) offer broadly similar
`capabilities to ICQ.
`Known instant messaging systems such as MSN and ICQ do
`not deal with multiple access communications networks and are
`based on the internet only. This is disadvantageous because
`the functions of the instant messaging systems are only
`available via the internet.
`Unified messaging systems are known, such as Nortel
`Network's own product CALL PILOT (trade mark). This enables
`fax, email and voice mail messages to be received via a
`single “in box" and users are able to set up filters to allow
`I
`only certain messages to reach them. For example, users are
`able to listen to textual email messages converted
`automatically into speech using tneir mobile telephone and
`are able to filter out non-urgent messages. However, this is
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`not a presence management system and does not monitor the
`activity of users on a communications network.
`Products are available which act as communications
`network based "secretaries" to take a user's calls. For
`example, WILDFIRE (trade mark) produced by Wildfire
`communications, Inc and PORTICO (trade mark) produced by
`General Magic, Inc. The WILDFIRE product uses speech
`recognition to help users manager their phone, fax and email
`communications. This product dials outgoing calls, announces
`callers using a voice recording that is played back, records
`contact details and is able to route incoming calls to any
`telephone specified by a user. However, this system is not a
`presence management system because it does not obtain and
`manage information about the activities of users and monitor
`their "presence" on the communications network. Also, it is
`not an instant messaging system and does not enable users who
`are trying to contact another user to obtain information
`about the best mode and time to do this. Details about the
`WILDFIRE product are available on the Internet at
`www.wildfire.com. Details about PORTICO are available on the
`Internet at www.generaImaaic.com. PORTICO is similar to
`WILDFIRE and is limited in the same respects as PORTICO.
`It is accordingly an object of the present invention to
`provide a presence management system which overcomes or at
`least mitigates one or more of the problems noted above.
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`Summary of the Invention
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`According to the present invention there is provided a
`presence management system suitable for use in a multiple
`access communications network by watching parties and watched
`parties, said presence management system comprising:-
`(i) an input arranged to access a store of watched party
`information;
`(ii) information about connection criteria,-
`(iii) an input arranged to receive information about events
`that occur in said multiple access communications
`network in use; and
`(iv) an input arranged to receive connection requests from
`watchers in use; and wherein said presence management
`system is arranged such that, in use, on receipt of a
`request from a watching party for a connection with a
`watched party, a connection address for that watched
`party is provided under controlled conditions, said
`conditions being determined on the basis of said watched
`party information, said information about connection
`criteria and said input information about events.
`
`A corresponding computer program stored on a computer
`readable medium is provided, said computer program being
`adapted to control a presence management system, said
`presence management system being suitable for use in a
`multiple access communications network by watched parties and
`watching parties, said computer program being arranged to
`control said presence management system such that:-
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`(i) a store of watched party information is accessed;
`(ii) information about connection criteria is accessed;
`(iii) information about events that occur in said multiple
`access communications network is received in use via an
`input; and
`(iv) connection requests are received from watchers in use;
`and on receipt of a request from a watching party for a
`connection with a watched party, a connection address
`for that watched party is provided under controlled
`conditions, said conditions being determined on the
`basis of said watched party information, said
`information about connection criteria and said input
`information about events.
`
`A corresponding multiple access communications network
`is provided comprising a presence management system, said
`presence management system being for use by watching parties
`and watched parties, said presence management system
`comprising
`(i) An input arranged to access a store of watched party
`information;
`(ii) information about connection criteria;
`(iii) an input arranged to receive information about events
`that occur in said multiple access communications
`network in use; and
`(iv) an input arranged to receive connection requests from
`watchers in use; and wherein said presence management
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`system is arranged such that, in use, on receipt of a
`request from a watching party for a connection with a
`watched party, a connection address for that watched
`party is provided under controlled conditions, said
`conditions being determined on the basis of said watched
`party information, said information about connection
`criteria and said input information about events.
`
`A corresponding method of operating a presence
`management system suitable for use in a multiple access
`communications network is provided, said presence management
`system being for use by watching parties and watched parties,
`at least one of said parties being an automated service, said
`method comprising the steps of:-
`(i) accessing a store of watched party information;
`(ii) accessing information about connection criteria;
`(iii) receiving information about events that occur in said
`multiple access communications network; and
`(iv) on receipt of a request from a watching party for a
`connection with a watched party, a connection address
`for that watched party is provided under controlled
`conditions, said conditions being determined on the
`basis of said watched party information, said
`information about connection criteria and said input
`information about events.
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`This provides the advantage that a presence management
`system provides a connection address for a watched party
`under controlled conditions, thus enabling the watched party
`to control access to that connection address by making use of
`the presence management system. In one example, the
`connection address provided is valid only for a limited
`number of connections or for a limited time. In this way,
`connection addresses can be issued to watching parties such
`as sales people whilst at the same time limiting the ability
`of that watching party to contact the watched party. In
`another example, the connection address provided is used by
`the presence management system to forward the connection
`request direct to the watched party. This prevents the
`watching party from gaining access to the watched party's
`direct address.
`Further benefits and advantages of the invention will
`become apparent from a consideration of the following
`detailed description given with reference to the accompanying
`drawings, which specify and show preferred embodiments of the
`invention.
`Brief description of the drawings
`Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a presence management
`system.
`Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the presence management
`system of Figure 1 with a conference call service as a
`watching party.
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`Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the presence management
`system of Figure 1 with a ticket agency service as a watched
`party.
`Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the presence management
`5 system of Figure 1 with an aggregate of watching parties and
`an aggregate of watched parties.
`Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a presence management
`sys tern.
`Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an event gateway.
`10 Figure 7 is a flow diagram for another example of a computer
`program for controlling a presence management system.
`Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of
`"partially interpreted event triggers".
`
`15 Detailed, description of the invention
`Embodiments of the present invention are described below
`by way of example only. These examples represent the best
`ways of putting the invention into practice that are
`currently known to the Applicant although they are not the
`20 only ways in which this could be achieved.
`The term "multiple access communications network" is
`used to refer to a communications network which comprises
`several different types of communications network and which
`can be accessed using a plurality of different types of
`25 terminal which also comprise part of the communications
`network. The communications network can be accessed by a
`plurality of such terminals at any one time. For example, a
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`public switched telephone network that is connected to a
`mobile telephone network is a multiple access communications
`network. This is because the overall network is made up of
`two different types of communications network and the overall
`network can be accessed using many different types of
`terminal such as a conventional telephone handset, a
`facsimile machine, a mobile telephone or a modem. A multiple
`access communications network can be thought of as a
`"federated" network and the component communications networks
`within a multiple access communications network can be
`connection-less networks (e.g. the Internet) or connection
`oriented networks (e.g. public switched telephone networks).
`The term "access communications network" is used to
`refer to a communications network which is situated on the
`edge or periphery of a core communications network and
`through which users gain access to the core communications
`network.
`The term "presence management system" is used to refer
`to an automated system for use in a communications network
`which provides a single point of presence for a user of that
`communications network. A point of presence is a source of
`information about whether a user is available for contact on
`a communications network, where that user is located on the
`network, and in which mode that user should preferably be
`contacted in. A presence management system provides a single
`point of presence despite the fact that a user has more than
`one terminal for accessing the communications network in
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`different modes and possibly by different access
`communications networks. A presence management system also
`provides context information rather than just raw presence
`information. Raw presence information is unprocessed
`information about the availability, location and capability
`of a user on the communications network. A presence
`management system processes raw presence information
`according to rules or other pre-specified criteria about
`users in order to provide context information that is simpler
`and easier for human operators to understand.
`Figure 1 illustrates a presence management system 10
`which is connected to a multiple access communications
`network 11. Also connected to the multiple access
`communications network 11 are a plurality of watching parties
`12 and a plurality of watched parties 13. In Figure 1, each
`watching party 12 and each watched party 13 is shown as
`having a single connection to the multiple access
`communications network 11. However, this is not necessarily
`the case. For example, a watched party 13 can be an
`individual who has access to the multiple access
`communications network via a mobile telephone, a lap-top
`computer and via two different personal computers.
`Similarly, a watching party may have more than one connection
`to the multiple access communications network.
`Each watched party 13 registers with the presence
`management system 10 and is given a unique presence
`management identifier. During the registration process each
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`watched party 13 enters personal information which is
`recorded in a store 14 in the presence management system 10.
`For example, this information includes the watched party's
`email address, telephone number, and other contact details.
`Context information is also included, such as information
`about whether the watched party is a home worker or a
`Details about the watched party's
`travelling salesman.
`preferences are also recorded, such as which modes of
`communication are preferred at which times, for example,
`email messages may be permitted at any time, whilst telephone
`calls may only be preferred during work hours. Some of this
`information is stored in the form of rules 15 within the
`presence management system. Some rules may be default rules
`that are preconfigured and others are entered by watched
`parties. However, it is not essential to store this
`information in the form of rules 15. Any suitable form for
`the information may be used.
`A first input 16 is provided to the presence management
`system 10 from the multiple access communications network 11.
`This input 16 is termed an events input and may be provided
`in the form of an events gateway (described in more detail
`below). Via this first input 16 information about events
`that occur in the multiple access communications network are
`provided to the presence management system 10. In this way
`events that are associated with the watched parties 13, for
`example, the event of a watched party logging onto the
`Internet, are accessed by the presence management system 10.
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`Other examples of events include movement of a watched party
`between cells of a cellular communications network, remote
`login events, or keyboard presses by a watched party on an
`Internet terminal.
`If a watching party 12 requires to contact a watched
`party a Contact request is sent to the presence management
`system 10 by the watching party 12. The contact request
`reaches the presence management system via a second input 17
`which is termed a connection request input. These requests
`may be received via protocols such as ICQ, IMPP (Instant
`messaging and presence protocol(s)), or WAP (Wireless Access
`Protocol, trade mark). In order to make this request the
`watching party does not need to know any of the watched
`party's direct contact details; the presence management
`system identifier for the watched party is used.
`A watching party 12 is also able to make a notification
`request in respect of a watched party and, optionally, a
`specific event. In this case the watching party 12 is
`requesting to be notified when a particular type of event
`occurs rather than requesting to establish contact with a
`watched party. when users enter their preference details to
`the presence management system, these may include
`notification preferences. That is, preferences about when,
`how and tinder what circumstances notifications should be
`provided or accepted.
`When the presence management system receives a contact
`request it determines whether the required watched party is
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`available for contact and provides information about this to
`the watching party who made the request. For example, the
`presence management system may respond by providing a
`particular contact detail for the watched party such as a
`telephone number. In doing this, the presence management
`system chooses the best mode of communication (e.g. cellular
`phone, email or fax) after taking into account the watched
`parties preferences as explained by the rules and identity of
`the watching party. Alternatively, the presence management
`system may inform the watching party that the watched party
`is unavailable.
`The watching party is able to set up a monitor by which
`the presence management system informs the watching party
`once the watched party becomes available. That is, the
`presence management system is arranged such that when a
`change of state of a watched party occurs, notifications
`about that change of state are sent to watching parties who
`*
`have lodged an interest in that watched party.
`In determining whether the required watched party is
`available for contact, the presence management system uses
`the stored information 14 about the watched party,
`information about the required connection (e.g. size and
`type) and also the rules 15. In addition, information about
`events from the multiple access network 11 is used. For
`example, a request to send an instant message at 10 pm may be
`made. If the watched party is online but has configured
`rules 15 such that no instant messages should be accepted
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`after 9 pm then the presence management system refuses the
`request. However, the watched party may have set preferences
`to allow family members to send instant messages at any time.
`In this case, the request could be granted.
`The presence management system allows watching parties
`to send messages and communications to watched parties even
`when those watched parties are not "present" or available on
`the communications network. For example, when a watched
`party is not logged onto the internet he or she may allow the
`presence management system to forward email messages and
`faxes. In this respect the presence management system
`differs from an instant messaging system.
`
`Services
`One or more watched parties 13 may be services and
`similarly one or more watching parties 12 may be services.
`For example, as shown in Figure 2 a watching party may be a
`conference call service 20.
`The term "service" is used to refer to an automated
`service which is operable without human intervention. For
`example, a computerised cinema ticket service. By allowing
`watching parties or watched parties to be such services it is
`possible for users of a presence management system to be
`notified of conditions or availability of goods or services
`without the intervention of a human operator.
`Referring to Figure 2, the conference call service 20 is
`able to send connection requests to the presence management
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`system in the same way that any other watching party 12 may,
`as described above. If the conference call service is
`required to set up a conference call between three or more
`watched parties 13, it subscribes with the presence
`management system 10 in order to be notified when changes in
`the state of the required watched parties occur. The
`presence management system 10 will then inform the watching
`party, which in this case is a conference call service 20,
`when each required watched party 13 becomes available. In
`this way the conference call service 20 is able to set up a
`conference call once each required watched party is
`available.
`However, the information about availability from the
`presence management system is effectively "real time" so that
`if a change in state of a watched party occurs just after the
`conference call is attempted, then that party may not join
`the conference call. In one example, the conference call
`service may advantageously form the required watched parties
`into a group or aggregate as described in more detail below.
`Then, once notifications of availability are given for a
`certain number of group members, or a quorum of group
`members, the conference call is attempted.
`The watched parties 13 may record preferences and rules
`about services such as conference call services 20 and these
`will be taken into account by the presence management system
`10 when it responds to requests from a conference call
`service 20. Similarly, for other services that are watching
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`parties 12, watched party preferences, information and rules
`are taken into account.
`It is also possible for a watched party to be a service.
`For example, Figure 3 illustrates a ticket agency service 30
`which is a watched party. As for any other watched party 13,
`a watched party that is a service is able to store
`information 14, and rules 15 in the presence management
`system 10 and to register with the system 10. Watching
`parties may send connect or notification requests to the
`presence management system 10 in respect of the ticket agency
`service. The notification requests contain additional
`information as well a simple request to be notified of a
`change of state in the ticket agency service. For example,
`the notification request could be a request to be notified
`about a particular type of concert ticket. Many such
`notification requests by different watching parties 12 may be
`made of the presence management system 10. Then, once
`tickets for the particular concert become available, the
`ticket agency service 30 provides information about this to
`the presence management system. This information is provided
`to the presence management system by virtue of an agreement
`between the ticket agency service provider and the presence
`management system provider. As such the event of the ti