Systems, methods and computer program products for aggregating contact information
First Claim
1. A method of operating a communications system having a plurality of subscribers, each of the subscribers managing a respective contact database, the method comprising the following steps performed by a service provider of the communications system:
- detecting new contact information for a contact in the contact database of a first one of the subscribers;
obtaining a confirmation of the new contact information by a party other than the first subscriber to confirm accuracy of the new contact information; and
responsive to obtaining the confirmation, storing the confirmed contact information in an aggregate contact database comprising contact data from multiple ones of the plurality of subscribers.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A service provider for a communications system may detect new contact information for a contact in the contact database of a first one of the subscribers. The service provider obtains a confirmation of the new contact information by a party other than the first subscriber to confirm accuracy of the new contact information. Responsive to detection of the confirmation event, the service provider stores the confirmed contact information in an aggregate contact database including contact data from multiple ones of the plurality of subscribers. The new contact information may include a communications identifier, such as a telephone number, physical address or network address. The new contact information may further include personal information for the contact, such as a photograph, a profile, a weblog, a buddy list, a bookmark and/or a tag, or commercial information associated with the contact, such as a user rating, an advertisement and/or a coupon.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a communications system having a plurality of subscribers, each of the subscribers managing a respective contact database, the method comprising the following steps performed by a service provider of the communications system:
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detecting new contact information for a contact in the contact database of a first one of the subscribers;
obtaining a confirmation of the new contact information by a party other than the first subscriber to confirm accuracy of the new contact information; and
responsive to obtaining the confirmation, storing the confirmed contact information in an aggregate contact database comprising contact data from multiple ones of the plurality of subscribers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a communications system having a plurality of subscribers, each of the subscribers managing a respective contact database, the method comprising the following steps performed by a service provider of the communications system, the method comprising:
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receiving contact information for contacts including commercial information associated therewith from respective contact databases of respective ones of the subscribers; and
storing the commercial information in an aggregate contact database accessible to at least some of the plurality of subscribers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification