System and method for importing location information and policies as part of a rich presence environment

摘要

A system and method are described herein that includes a presence server which is capable of notifying a watcher about a location of a person using a rich presence element in accordance with security and privacy rules specified by the person. In the preferred embodiment, the system uses a read/write RFID tag and RFID reader as well as a presence server to collect, store and distribute location information as a presence element to the watcher. To accomplish this, the user data and program carrying capability of the read/write RFID tag is used to push to the presence server not only location information but also policies and rules established by the user to control the distribution of the location information as a presence element to watchers. The location policy rules can be made and controlled by the user and/or a third party. The location policies and rules are separate from the traditional and less stringent presence policies and rules used by the presence server to control the distribution other types of presence information like information about the status of a person's communication devices to the watchers.