Presence change alert

摘要

An apparatus and a method for monitoring availability of a contact are described. The apparatus includes an interface module for receiving a selection from a user that indicates the contact to be monitored. The apparatus also includes a presence change alert manager that is coupled to the interface module and is coupled to a network. The presence changer alert manager is configured to determine at least one relevant type of availability for the contact and to determine if availability information obtained from the network corresponds to a change in a relevant type of availability for the contact. The apparatus further includes a notification manager coupled to the presence change alert manager. If the presence change alert manager determines that the obtained availability information corresponds to a change of a relevant type of availability for the contact, the notification manager generates a notification alerting the user of the change.

主权项

1. A method for monitoring availability of a contact, the method comprising:
receiving a selection indicating the contact from a user; determining a type of communication for which the contact was unavailable when the contact was selected to communicate via the type of communication; determining at least one relevant type of availability associated with the contact based at least in part on a type of availability of interest to the user, the at least one relevant type of availability including a first type of availability that corresponds to the type of communication for which the contact was unavailable when the contact was selected to communicate via the type of communication; determining that the at least one relevant type of availability for the contact has changed based at least in part on availability information from a network; and responsive to determining that the at least one relevant type of availability for the contact has changed, displaying a notification alerting the user of the change of the at least one relevant type of availability for the contact, the notification including a time indicator icon that conveys a time of day when the change of the at least one relevant type of availability for the contact occurred.