Network system and method for providing user-relative addressing

• US 20020133625A1
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Cuzzo, Clint S., Hall, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,047,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping

Abstract

A system and method of providing user-relative addressing in a computer network environment includes associating a plurality of user-relative destinations with a corresponding plurality of actions. User identification information and a first user-relative destination are received. A first action in the plurality of actions associated with the first user-relative destination is identified. A first absolute destination is determined based on the first action and the user identification information.

Claims

1. A method of providing user-relative addressing in a computer network environment, the method comprising:

associating a plurality of user-relative destinations with a corresponding plurality of actions;

receiving a first user-relative destination;

receiving user identification information;

identifying a first action in the plurality of actions associated with the first user-relative destination; and

determining a first absolute destination based on the first action and the user identification information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes a directory server, and wherein the determination of the first absolute destination is made by retrieving from the directory server the first absolute destination based on the first action and the user identification information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the directory server is an LDAP server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identification information is an email address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identification information is a user name.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first absolute destination is an email address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first absolute destination is a plurality of email addresses.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first absolute destination is a fax phone number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first absolute destination is a plurality of fax phone numbers.

10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising providing a mapping table that associates the plurality of user-relative destinations with the corresponding plurality of actions.

11. A network device configured to be coupled to a computer network having a directory server, the network device comprising:

a receiver for receiving a communication, the communication including destination information and sender identification information;

a memory for storing search information identifying searches associated with sender-relative destinations; and

a controller coupled to the receiver and the memory, the controller configured to;

identify whether the destination information specifies a sender-relative destination;

perform at least one search of the directory server based on the stored search information and the sender identification information if the destination information specifies a sender-relative destination; and

identify at least one absolute destination based on the search.

12. The network device of claim 11, wherein the memory stores a mapping table that includes the search information identifying searches associated with sender-relative destinations.

13. The network device of claim 11, wherein the memory stores an address resolving process, and wherein the controller is configured to identify the at least one absolute destination based on information in the stored mapping table and in the stored address resolving process.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the network includes a directory server, and wherein the determination of the first absolute destination is made by retrieving from the directory server the first absolute destination based on the first action and the user identification information.

16. The medium of claim 14, wherein the first absolute destination is a fax phone number.

17. The medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises providing a mapping table that associates the plurality of user-relative destinations with the corresponding plurality of actions.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the network includes a directory server, and wherein the sender record is accessed from the directory server, and wherein the determination of the first absolute destination is made by retrieving from the directory server the first absolute destination based on the first attribute.

20. The method of claim 18, and further comprising providing a mapping table that associates the plurality of actions with the plurality of sender-relative destinations.

21. The method of claim 18, and further comprising:

accessing a plurality of employee records based on the first action;

comparing a first attribute in each employee record with the first attribute in the sender record;

identifying employee records with a first attribute that matches the first attribute of the sender'"'"'s record;

determining a plurality of absolute destinations based on the identified employee records.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of providing user-relative addressing in a computer network comprising:

associating a plurality of user-relative destinations with a corresponding plurality of actions;

receiving a first user-relative destination;

receiving user identification information;

identifying a first action in the plurality of actions associated with the first user-relative destination; and

determining a first absolute destination based on the first action and the user identification information.

18. A method of providing user-relative addressing in a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving a communication including destination information and sender identification information, the destination information including a first sender-relative destination;

determining whether the destination information specifies a sender-relative destination;

accessing a sender record based on the received sender identification information;

providing action information identifying a plurality of actions associated with a plurality of sender-relative destinations;

identifying a first action in the action information based on the received destination information, the first action associated with the first sender-relative destination;

identifying a first attribute in the sender record based on the first action and the received destination information;

determining a first absolute destination based on the first attribute.