Synchronizing information across telecommunications terminals for multiple users

• US 20060256734A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Skiba, David Joseph, Erhart, George William, Matula, Valentine C., Matula, Emily E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable the synchronization of user profile information for M users who are sharing K telecommunications terminals, wherein M and K are not necessarily equal to each other. The disclosed technique addresses the problem that occurs when multiple users share multiple terminals, in which a user that selects a particular terminal to use has to contend with the contact lists, user preferences, and call log entries that are left over from the previous user or users of the selected terminal. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the user profile information is associated with and stored for each user in a group of users, in contrast to being associated with and stored for the telecommunications terminal. The user profile information comprises (i) contact information, (ii) call or message activity, and (iii) user terminal preferences.

Claims

1. A first telecommunications terminal comprising:

a receiver for receiving, from a second telecommunications terminal, a first portion of a first user profile that is associated with a first user, wherein said first portion comprises a first call log entry that is associated with said first user;

a memory for storing, at said first telecommunications terminal;

(i) said first portion as part of said first user profile, and

(ii) a second user profile that is associated with a second user; and

a transmitter for transmitting a second portion of said second user profile.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a processor for determining that said second user profile has changed;

wherein said transmitter transmits said second portion based on said processor determining that said second user profile has changed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second portion comprises a second call log entry that is associated with said second user.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second portion comprises a first user preference that is associated with said second user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transmitter transmits said second portion to a third telecommunications terminal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receiver is also for receiving, from said second telecommunications device, a third portion of a third user profile that is associated with a third user.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first telecommunications terminal;

(i) a first portion, from a second telecommunications terminal, of a first user profile that is associated with a first user, wherein said first portion comprises a first call log entry that is associated with said first user, and

(ii) a second portion of a second user profile that is associated with a second user; and

storing said first portion as part of said first user profile and said second portion as part of said second user profile at said telecommunications terminal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said second portion comprises a second call log entry that is associated with said second user.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said second portion comprises a first user preference that is associated with said second user.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining, at said first telecommunications terminal, that a call event has occurred at said first telecommunications terminal, wherein said call event is attributed to a third user; and

transmitting a third portion of a third user profile that is associated with said third user to a third telecommunications terminal, wherein the transmitting of said third portion is based on the determining of said call event having occurred.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving, from said second telecommunications device, a third portion of a third user profile that is associated with a third user.

12. A method comprising:

storing, at a first telecommunications terminal, a first user profile that is associated with a first user of said first telecommunications terminal and a second user profile that is associated with a second user of said second telecommunications terminal; and

transmitting;

(i) a first portion of said first user profile to a second telecommunications terminal and,

(ii) a second portion of said second user profile;

wherein said first portion comprises a first call log entry that is associated with said first user.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said second portion comprises a second call log entry that is associated with said second user.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said second portion comprises a first user preference that is associated with said second user.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining, at said first telecommunications terminal, that a call event has occurred at said first telecommunications terminal, wherein said call event is attributed to said first user;

and

wherein the transmitting of said first portion is based on the determining of said call event having occurred.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the transmitting of said first portion is based on an amount of time having elapsed since an earlier transmitting of a portion of said first user profile.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising transmitting said second portion to a third telecommunications terminal.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving, from said second telecommunications device, a third portion of a third user profile that is associated with a third user.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first telecommunications terminal from a second telecommunications terminal, a first portion of a first user profile that is associated with a first user, wherein said first portion comprises a first call log entry that is associated with said first user;

storing, at said first telecommunications terminal, said first portion as part of said first user profile and a second user profile that is associated with a second user; and

transmitting a second portion of said second user profile.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the transmitting of said second portion is based on an amount of time having elapsed since an earlier transmitting of a portion of said second user profile.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said second portion comprises a second call log entry that is associated with said second user.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said second portion comprises a first user preference that is associated with said second user.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

determining, at said first telecommunications terminal, that a call event has occurred at said first telecommunications terminal, wherein said call event is attributed to said second user; and

wherein the transmitting of said second portion is based on the determining of said call event having occurred.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising transmitting said second portion to a third telecommunications terminal.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising receiving, from said second telecommunications device, a third portion of a third user profile that is associated with a third user.