Unified Communication Directory Service

• US 20080013712A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Karsten Gopinath
• Original Assignee: Karsten Gopinath
• Inventors: Gopinath, Karsten
• Application Number:
  US11/776,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A Universal Directory Service (UDS) stores all of a person'"'"'s various communication service identifiers (i.e., home phone number, email address, cell phone number, etc.). The UDS enables a person to easily distribute any or all of his/her identifiers to others by simply distributing only one of the person'"'"'s IDs. The UDS allows a person to easily find another person'"'"'s communication service IDs, provided that the first person has at least one of the other person'"'"'s IDs and has been granted appropriate access by the other person. A Universal Connection System (UCS) enables one person to connect to another person via any communication service by using one Universal ID (UID). The UCS enables one communication service to connect to a different communication service, even if different service providers operate these services.

Claims

1. A universal directory service comprising a database of communication identifiers for a plurality of owners, each owner having at least one communication identifier for each of a plurality of communication services, the database accessible to a contact of an owner to retrieve a communication identifier for the owner for a communication service specified by the contact.

2. The universal directory service of claim 1 wherein the owner controls how the contact obtains access to the owner'"'"'s communication identifier.

3. The universal directory service of claim 2 wherein the owner establishes different access levels for the owner'"'"'s contacts.

4. The universal directory service of claim 2 wherein an owner-defined password is required to retrieve a communication identifier for the owner.

5. The universal directory service of claim 4 wherein the owner defines a unique password for each of a plurality of access groups.

6. The universal directory service of claim 2 wherein the contact is required to answer an owner-defined security question to retrieve a communication identifier for the owner.

7. The universal directory service of claim 6 wherein the owner defines a unique security question for each of a plurality of access groups.

8. The universal directory service of claim 2 wherein the owner explicitly assigns a contact to one of a plurality of access groups.

9. The universal directory service of claim 8 wherein the owner assigns the contact to one of the plurality of access groups in response to a request received directly from the contact.

10. The universal directory service of claim 8 wherein the owner assigns the contact to one of the plurality of access groups in response to a request submitted to the universal directory service by the contact.

11. The universal directory service of claim 1 further comprising an owner-defined password required for owner access to the database.

12. The universal directory service of claim 1 further comprising communication service authentication of the owner for at least some of the plurality of communication services.

13. The universal directory service of claim 12 wherein the communication service authentication requires an owner-defined password.

14. The universal directory service of claim 12 wherein the communication service authentication is performed automatically by identification of the owner upon access to the communication service.

15. The universal directory service of claim 1 wherein the contact is provided the communication identifier for the owner via secure delivery on an authenticated communication service.

16. The universal directory service of claim 15 wherein the contact submits the contact'"'"'s communication identifier for the authenticated communication service to the universal directory service.

17. The universal directory service of claim 1 wherein all contacts belonging to an owner-defined group to retrieve at least one of the owner'"'"'s communication identifiers.

18. The universal directory service of claim 1 wherein the owner accesses the database to update the owner'"'"'s communication identifiers.

19. The universal directory service of claim 1 further comprising the owner defining a unique universal identifier.

20. The universal directory service of claim 19 wherein a contact having the owner'"'"'s universal identifier may retrieve all of the owner'"'"'s communication identifiers.

21. The universal directory service of claim 19 wherein communications between the contact and the owner are automatically established on a contact-specified communication service in response to the contact providing the owner'"'"'s universal identifier.

22. The universal directory service of claim 21 further comprising authentication of the contact.

23. The universal directory service of claim 21 further comprising the contact selecting an alternate communication service if service on the contact-specified communication service is denied.

24. The universal directory service of claim 21 further comprising authorization of the contact'"'"'s request to communicate with the user.

25. The universal directory service of claim 21 further comprising a conversion of a contact'"'"'s speech message to text for delivery to the owner on the contact-specified communication service.

26. The universal directory service of claim 21 further comprising a conversion of a contact'"'"'s text message to speech for delivery to the owner on the contact-specified communication service.

27. The universal directory service of claim 21 further comprising providing the contact with menu options to assist with establishing communications with the owner.

28. The universal directory service of claim 19 further comprising a modifier tag combined with the owner-defined universal identifier.

29. The universal directory service of claim 28 wherein the modifier tag specifies a communication address.

30. The universal directory service of claim 28 wherein the modifier tag specifies a communication service.

31. The universal directory service of claim 28 wherein the modifier tag specifies a communication option.

32. The universal directory service of claim 1 wherein the database further comprises an owner'"'"'s personal remote address book.

33. The universal directory service of claim 32 wherein communication identifiers in the database are obtained from the owner'"'"'s personal remote address book

34. A method comprising:

a communication directory registrant registering communication identifiers at a communication directory center;

assigning each of the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers to one or more groups;

assigning a registrant'"'"'s contact to one or more of the groups;

the registrant'"'"'s contact contacting the communication directory center;

providing the registrant'"'"'s contact with at least one of the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers in groups to which the registrant'"'"'s contact is assigned.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers include at least one of a home phone number, mobile telephone number, facsimile number, short message service identifier, instant messaging identifier or email address.

36. The method of claim 34 further comprising requiring the registrant'"'"'s contact to provide at least one of the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers to the communication directory center prior to being provided with another of the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers in groups to which the registrant'"'"'s contact is assigned.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers include identifiers for at least two different service providers.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein the registrant'"'"'s contact is provided with all of the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers in groups to which the registrant'"'"'s contact is assigned.

39. The method of claim 34 further comprising the registrant'"'"'s contact requesting a communication identifier for a specified type of service.

40. The method of claim 34 further comprising authenticating the registrant'"'"'s contact before providing the registrant'"'"'s contact with a communication identifier of the registrant.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein authenticating the registrant'"'"'s contact comprises requiring the registrant'"'"'s contact to furnish a password.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein authenticating the registrant'"'"'s contact comprises requiring the registrant'"'"'s contact to answer a security question.

43. A method comprising:

a communication directory registrant registering a plurality of communication identifiers at a communication directory center;

a registrant'"'"'s contact contacting the communication directory center;

authenticating the registrant'"'"'s contact;

providing the registrant'"'"'s contact with at least one of the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein authenticating the registrant'"'"'s contact comprises requiring the registrant'"'"'s contact to furnish a password.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein authenticating the registrant'"'"'s contact comprises requiring the registrant'"'"'s contact to answer a security question.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers include at least one of a home phone number, mobile telephone number, facsimile number, short message service identifier, instant messaging identifier or email address.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein the registrant'"'"'s communication identifiers include identifiers for at least two different service providers.

48. The method of claim 43 further comprising the registrant'"'"'s contact requesting a communication identifier for a specified type of service.

49. A method of communicating comprising:

a contacting party accessing a universal directory service having a database of communication identifiers for a plurality of owners;

the contacting party supplying identifying information for one of the owners;

establishing communication between the contacting party and said one of the owners.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein communication between the contacting party and said one of the owners is established via telephone.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein communication between the contacting party and said one of the owners is established via email.

52. The method of claim 49 wherein communication between the contacting party and said one of the owners is established via facsimile.

53. The method of claim 49 wherein communication between the contacting party and said one of the owners is established via instant messaging.

54. The method of claim 49 wherein communication between the contacting party and said one of the owners is established via short message service.

55. The method of claim 49 wherein communication between the contacting party and said one of the owners is established via a communication service specified by the contacting party.

56. The method of claim 49 wherein communication between the contacting party and said one of the owners is established via a communication service specified by said one of the owners.