Application programming interfaces for communication systems

• US 10,069,924 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Brezina, Matthew, Smith, Adam, Duffy, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US12/180,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20090106676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,693 Days
• Field of Search: 715745, 715714
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/38 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/14 Tree-structured documents parsing G06F40/205; validation G06F40/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 : Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 : Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 : Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Among other disclosures, a method may include receiving a trigger identifying a person associated with a communication, the communication being transmitted by a communication application. The method may include retrieving information relating to the person. The method may include providing the information to an interface associated with the communication application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by an application executed by a processor, a trigger identifying a first person referenced in a communication, the first person being different than a sender or recipient of the communication, the communication having been transmitted by a communication client separate from the application;

communicating, via the application executed by the processor, a request to the communication client comprising information related to the first person, said request causing the communication client to search social networks available to the communication client for social networking information related to the first person;

receiving, by the application executed by the processor, from the communication client in response to said communication, said social networking information, said social networking information comprising a list of contacts associated with the first person on each of the social networks available to the communication client, said social network information further comprising communication statistics indicating a number of messages communicated between the first person and the sender and the first person and the recipient on each of the social networks available to the communication client;

generating, by the application executed by the processor, a profile for the first person based on the received social networking information; and

communicating, by the processor, information related to the first person profile to a device of a user of the communication client.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the application programming interface is defined to enable the application to provide both presentation functionality and logic functionality via the application programming interface.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the presentation functionality is implemented using HTML and the logic functionality is implemented using Javascript.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the application programming interface allows the application to communicate with a plurality of communication clients of different vendors to present the information.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the application programming interface is implemented in the communication client as a stand alone client separate from the application.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the application programming interface is configured to allow the communication client to receive the information to:

generate a graphic display incorporating the provided information; and

incorporate one or more predefined styled display elements into the graphic display.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the application programming interface is configured to allow the communication client to receive the information and to:

generate one or more graphic displays incorporating the provided information; and

allow a user to determine a visual layout for the one or more graphic displays.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining access requirements for retrieving information relating to the person.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking for software updates; and

installing any new software updates.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor of a computing device, perform a method comprising:

receiving, by an application executed by the processor, a trigger identifying a first person referenced in a communication, the first person being different than a sender or recipient of the communication, the communication having been transmitted by a communication client separate from the application;

communicating, via the application executed by the processor, a request to the communication client comprising information related to the first person, said request causing the communication client to search social networks available to the communication client for social networking information related to the first person;

receiving, by the application executed by the processor, from the communication client in response to said communication, said social networking information, said social networking information comprising a list of contacts associated with the first person on each of the social networks available to the communication client, said social network information further comprising communication statistics indicating a number of messages communicated between the first person and the sender and the first person and the recipient on each of the social networks available to the communication client;

generating, by the application executed by the processor, a profile for the first person based on the received social networking information; and

communicating, by the processor, information related to the first person profile to a device of a user of the communication client.

11. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

logic executed by the processor for receiving, by an executed application, a trigger identifying a first person referenced in a communication, the first person being different than a sender or recipient of the communication, the communication having been transmitted by a communication client separate from the application;

logic executed by the processor for communicating, via the application, a request to the communication client comprising information related to the first person, said request causing the communication client to search social networks available to the communication client for social networking information related to the first person;

logic executed by the processor for receiving, by the application, from the communication client in response to said communication, said social networking information, said social networking information comprising a list of contacts associated with the first person on each of the social networks available to the communication client, said social network information further comprising communication statistics indicating a number of messages communicated between the first person and the sender and the first person and the recipient on each of the social networks available to the communication client;

logic executed by the processor for generating, by the application, a profile for the first person based on the received social networking information; and

logic executed by the processor for communicating information related to the first person profile to a device of a user of the communication client.