Method for coordinating the sharing of contact information between a directory terminal and a portable communication device, as well as providing enhanced user interface context features

• US 20080147685A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Perdomo, Jorge L., Mock, Von A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• 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

Abstract

A method for coordinating the sharing of contacts between a directory terminal (104) and a portable communication device (102) is implemented in one embodiment when the directory terminal receives from the portable device a request to conduct a directory sharing session and a communication device identifier. The directory terminal retrieves screen interface information associated with the identifier and renders a user interface on a display screen (101) of the directory terminal based on the retrieved information. The directory terminal receives a first set of contact records from the portable communication device, wherein each contact record includes a contact name and at least one contact entry. The directory terminal searches a second set of contact records to find contact records containing contact names included in contact records of the first set. Contact entries for common contact records are conveyed to the portable communication device for automatic association with the first set.

Claims

1. A method for a directory terminal to coordinate sharing of one or more contacts between the directory terminal and a portable communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a request to conduct a directory sharing session with the portable communication device;

receiving a communication device identifier from the portable communication device, the communication device identifier identifying at least the communication device;

establishing the directory sharing session;

retrieving screen interface information associated with the communication device identifier; and

rendering a user interface on a display screen of the directory terminal, the user interface being based on the screen interface information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first set of contact records stored in a memory of the portable communication device, each contact record of the first set being associated with a corresponding one of the contacts and each including a contact name and at least one contact entry; and

displaying the first set of contact records on the display screen of the directory terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the contact entry comprises at least one of a telephone number, an email address, an instant messaging address, a pager number, a group identifier, a universal fleet member identifier (UFMI), and a dispatch number.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

combining the first set of contact records with a second set of contacts records to form a combined set of contact records, the second set of contact records stored in a memory accessible by the directory terminal; and

displaying the combined set of contact records on the display screen of the directory terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a displayed contact entry from a user of the directory terminal to produce a selected contact entry; and

initiating a communication with a contact corresponding to the selected contact entry using the selected contact entry.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

capturing information identifying the user of the directory terminal to produce captured information; and

forwarding the captured information to the contact corresponding to the selected contact entry.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the captured information is at least one of a name, a telephone number, textual information, audio information, and video information.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

searching a second set of contact records stored in a memory accessible by the directory terminal to find at least one contact record containing a contact name corresponding to a contact name contained in at least one contact record of the first set of contact records, each contact record of the second set including a contact name and at least one contact entry; and

excluding from display any contact record from the first set including a contact name for which there is no corresponding contact name included in any contact record of the second set.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

searching a second set of contact records stored in a memory accessible by the directory terminal to find at least one contact record containing a contact name corresponding to a contact name contained in at least one contact record of the first set of contact records, each contact record of the second set including a contact name and at least one contact entry; and

displaying any contact entry contained in any contact record of the second set that includes a contact name for which there is a corresponding contact name included in any contact record of the first set.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a displayed contact entry from a user of the directory terminal to produce a selected contact entry; and

initiating a communication with a contact corresponding to the selected contact entry.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication is one of a telephone call, a dispatch call, a page, a text message, an email message, an instant message, and a multi-media message.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending at least one contact entry contained in the second set to the portable communication device to produce at least one sent contact entry.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending a usage control code associated with the at least one sent contact entry to the portable communication device, the usage control code establishing a duration of accessibility for the at least one sent contact entry by the portable communication device, wherein the duration of accessibility is one of an unlimited time, a time limited to a duration of the directory sharing session, a predetermined length of time, and times corresponding to whenever the portable wireless device is in communication with the directory terminal.

14. A method for a portable communication device to coordinate sharing of contact information for one or more contacts between a directory terminal and the portable communication device, the method comprising:

establishing a directory sharing session with the directory terminal;

sending a communication device identifier to the directory terminal, the communication device identifier identifying at least the portable communication device;

sending a first set of contact records stored in a memory of the portable communication device to the directory terminal, each contact record of the first set being associated with a corresponding one of the contacts and including a contact name and at least one contact entry; and

receiving at least one contact record from the directory terminal to produce at least one received contact record, the at least one received contact record forming at least part of a second set of contact records stored in a memory accessible by the directory terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the at least one received contact record on a display screen of the portable communication device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a usage control code associated with the at least one received contact record, the usage control code determining a duration of accessibility for one or more contact entries of the at least one received contact record, wherein the duration of accessibility is one of an unlimited time, a time limited to a duration of the directory sharing session, a predetermined length of time, and times corresponding to whenever the portable communication device is in communication with the directory terminal.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a received contact record of the at least one received contact record includes at least one contact entry and a contact name corresponding to a contact name contained in a contact record of the first set, the method further comprising:

automatically associating the at least one contact entry of the received contact record with the contact record of the first set containing the corresponding contact name.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying the at least one contact entry on a display screen of the portable communication device;

receiving a selection of a displayed contact entry from a user of the portable communication device to produce a selected contact entry; and

initiating a communication with a contact corresponding to the selected contact entry.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

storing the least one contact entry contained in the received contact record in a contact record of the first set containing the corresponding contact name.

20. A method for coordinating sharing of a plurality of contacts between a directory terminal and a portable communication device, the method comprising:

transmitting a first set of contact records stored in a memory of the portable communication device to the directory terminal, each contact record of the first set being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of contacts and including a contact name and at least one contact entry;

searching a second set of contact records stored in a memory accessible by the directory terminal to find a contact record containing a contact name corresponding to a contact name contained in a contact record of the first set, each contact record of the second set including a contact name and at least one contact entry;

transmitting the contact record of the second set containing a contact name corresponding to a contact name contained in a contact record of the first set to the portable communication device; and

automatically associating the at least one contact entry contained in the transmitted contact record with the contact record of the first set containing the corresponding contact name.