Method and apparatus for exchanging contact information

• US 20020174188A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Objectsoft Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Objectsoft Incorporated
• Inventors: Clark, Kevin, Tokarskiy, Vladimir, Tang, Tze-John
• Application Number:
  US10/135,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20020174188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13374 Paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for exchanging personal contact information with another person or group over a network. The personal information may include, but not limited to, work address, work phone, home address, home phone, cell phone numbers, email addresses, interests, hobbies, pictures or other pertinent information. Personal contact information is stored in a database and there is one to many contact profiles that a user can exchange. Using access to a network with, but not limited to, a computer, PDA, phone or other device, a person may request that one profile be sent to another party. The receiving party receives the profile in a location like a mailbox that they may attach some personal notes, set a follow up activity and then save the new contact in a database for future reference.

Claims

1. A system for transferring personal data from one user to another through a transmission protocol providing:

a means to store user data profiles containing information about the user including, but not limited to, name, addresses, phone numbers, emails, important dates, hobbies, pictures and notes;

a means to send a profile to another person or group of people on the network through a transmission protocol;

a means to select if the sender wishes to receive a profile in return;

a means to view incoming profile data sent to user;

a means to store received user profiles from the network;

a means to allow the user to respond to requests from the network for user profile data.

2. A system of claim 1 further comprising information about:

the user'"'"'s access to accounts on other remote systems;

the user'"'"'s computers and devices;

the user'"'"'s software to facilitate propagation of contact information;

the user'"'"'s preferred destination to receive new information.

3. A system of claim 1 further comprising:

a means to change or update profiles defined in system;

a means to create different profiles, with potentially different information, and store them by name for later selection;

a means to order different named profiles for selection;

a means to select a profile by name and send it to other people over the network.

4. A system of claim 3 further comprising:

a means for the user to establish default profiles to send when responding to requests for profiles from the network;

a means for the user to establish a password required to be presented when responding to requests for profiles from the network.

5. A system of claim 1 that contains all data and information about users but is not residing on the computer or device of the user.

6. A system of claim 5 that has

a means to store all user information defined in claim 1 or claim 2 on a remote database accessiable from a transmission protocol;

a means to store profiles and contact information for users;

a means for remote users using computers and devices to securely access the remote system and database;

a means for remote users using computers and devices to send profiles from the remote database;

a means for remote users to view received profiles on the remote system;

a means for remote users to delete incoming profiles on the remote system;

a means for remote users to forward incoming profiles to an email or phone number from the remote system;

a means for remote users to save the incoming profile in a contact database on the remote system.

7. A system of claim 5 that can identify the unique user by email or phone number.

8. A system of claim 5 that can rsend and eceive secure and non-secure rmessages, data and profiles

9. A system of claim 5 that may send and receive requests in a markup langauge.

10. A system of claim 5 that may send and receive requests in character format messages.

11. A system of claim 1 or claim 5 that may optionally attach the following information when sending a profile:

geographic location of the sender;

time and date of the transmission;

the physical location (i.e. establishment, street or address) based on geographic information;

12. A system of claim 5 that may notify receivers of new incoming profiles by, but not limited to, email, messaging, voice or fax.

13. A system of claim 12 that allows the user to respond to the notification.

14. A system of claim 13 that allows the user to receive notifications that at hypertext markup language links that will invoke the remote system when activated.

15. A system of claim 6 that allows the user saving a profile from the remote system to:

attach notes to the profile and save in remote or local contact database;

attach a picture to the profile and save in remote or local contact database;

attach a voice memo to the profile and save in a remote or local contact database.

16. A system of claim 6 or claim 15 that allows the user to schedule an activity or reminder with the incoming profile when saved in a database.

17. A system of claim 1 or claim 6 that operates on any network transmission protocol.

18. A system of claim 1 or claim 6 that operates with local network protocols including, but not limited to, infrared, PCS, LAN and 802.11b.