Multi-modal address book

• US 20050243993A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S Aqua Semiconductor LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vishik, Claire S., McKinzie, Christopher W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/355.40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method is provided for synchronizing disparate customized address books which each include contact information including an email address for a customer. The method includes storing identification information for each communications partner. Each communications partner is associated with a different disparate customized address book. The identification information is used to update the disparate customized address books when the contact information of the customer is changed to changed contact information. The method also includes determining when the contact information of the customer changes to changed contact information. The method further includes updating each of the disparate customized address books to include the changed contact information when the contact information of the customer is changed to the changed contact information.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing a plurality of disparate customized address books which each include contact information including an email address for a customer, the method comprising:

storing identification information for each of a plurality of communications partners, each communications partner being associated with a different disparate customized address book, the identification information being used to update the plurality of disparate customized address books when the contact information of the customer is changed to changed contact information;

determining when the contact information of the customer changes to changed contact information; and

updating each of the plurality of disparate customized address books to include the changed contact information when the contact information of the customer is changed to the changed contact information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification information is associated with an indicator that indicates that communications partners corresponding to the plurality of disparate customized address books are to be notified when the contact information of the customer is changed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indicator further indicates that a customized address book of a communications partner is to be automatically updated when the contact information of the customer is changed.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether the customer has authorized updating each of the plurality of disparate customized address books, and associating the indicator with the identification information for each communications partner associated with a disparate customized address book that is authorized to include the changed contact information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein communications from the communications partners are routed according to the changed contact information of the customer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communications from the communications partner are routed to a changed address corresponding to the changed contact information when the date and time of the communications meet a criteria specified by the customer.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the communications from the communications partner are routed to a changed address corresponding to the changed contact information when the communications partner meets a criteria specified by the customer.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the communications from the communications partner are routed to a changed address corresponding to the changed contact information when an address corresponding to the communications partner meets a criteria specified by the customer.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the communications from the communications partner are routed to a changed address corresponding to the changed contact information when the modality of the communications device used by the communications partner meets a criteria specified by the customer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information is included in a profile of the customer in each of the plurality of disparate customized address books.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

associating each profile in each of the plurality of disparate customized address books with a unique ID and an address.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein information of the plurality of communications partners is stored in association with a profile of the customer.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating an address book of the customer when contact information of a communications partner whose information is listed in the address book of the customer is changed to changed contact information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the address book of the customer is updated only when a profile of the communications partner listed in the address book of the customer is changed by the communications partner.

15. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that synchronizes a plurality of disparate customized address books which each include contact information including an email address for a customer, the computer readable medium comprising:

an identification information storing source code segment that stores identification information for each of a plurality communications partners, each communications partner being associated with a different disparate customized address book, the identification information being used to update the plurality of disparate customized address books when the contact information of the customer is changed to changed contact information;

a determining source code segment that determines when the contact information of the customer changes to changed contact information; and

an updating initiating source code segment that initiates an update for each of the plurality of disparate customized address books to include the changed contact information when the contact information of the customer is changed to the changed contact information.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

an authorization determining source code segment that determines whether the customer has authorized updating each of the plurality of disparate customized address books; and

an identification information associating source code segment that associates the identification information with an indicator that indicates that communications partners corresponding to the plurality of disparate customized address books are to be notified when the contact information of the customer is changed.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the contact information is included in a profile of the customer in each of the plurality of disparate customized address books.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

a profile associating source code segment that associates each profile in each of the plurality of disparate customized address books with a unique ID and an address.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

an address book updating source code segment that updates an address book of the customer when contact information of a communications partner whose information is listed in the address book of the customer is changed to changed contact information.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein communications from a communications partner are routed to a changed address corresponding to the changed contact information when an address corresponding to the communications partner meets a criteria specified by the customer.