Methods and Apparatus for Management of User Presence in Communication Activities

• US 20090165089A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/9994 Distributed or remote access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Systems and techniques for mediating user communications. A user persona manager maintains one or more user profiles and manages user interactions with other parties and with service providers based on user preferences associated with the user profile or profiles selected for a particular interaction. The persona manager receives a single set of user authentication information to establish the user identity, and provides previously stored information to other parties and service providers as appropriate, and otherwise conducts user interactions involving communications initiated by or on behalf of the user. The persona manager also examines interactions initiated by others, selects user profiles appropriate to the interactions, and routes and responds to the interactions based on information stored in the user profiles.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a communication exchange for receiving communications from a user directed to other parties and service providers and receiving communications to be directed to the user from the other parties and service providers; and

a persona manager for monitoring user interactions conducted over one or more electronic communication systems and automatically mediating communications between the user and the other parties and service providers carried on over the one or more electronic communication systems, the persona manager being operative to manage communications according to predetermined user preferences, managing communications including selecting user profiles and applying preferences appropriate to the nature and context of the communications.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the persona manager automatically supplies user information appropriate to communications initiated by the user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the user information automatically supplied by the persona manager includes authentication information identifying the user to another party to the communication.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the persona manager receives a single set of user authentication information identifying the user and establishing a trust relationship between the persona manager and the user.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the persona manager monitors the user'"'"'s public presence on one or more service providers with which the user engages and responds to interactions affecting the user according to user preferences.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the persona manager selects a user profile for use with each of the one or more service providers with which the user engages and responds to interactions affecting the user according to the user preferences in that profile.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the persona manager maintains user information and releases information to other parties according to user preferences associated with user profiles selected for interactions involving the other parties.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the preferences include categories of information and categories of persons authorized to receive information in each of the specified categories, and wherein the persona manager authenticates parties as authorized to receive information based on their inclusion in specified categories.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the persona manager releases information related to different user identities presented by the user depending on the category of a party to whom the information is to be released.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the different user identities include identities using genuine or pseudonymous information depending on the classification of the party to whom the information is to be released.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein authentication of a party as authorized to receive information includes receiving authentication information identifying the party with a particular organization.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the persona manager selects a user profile based on conditions relating to the context in which the interaction occurs.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the conditions relating to the context in which the interaction occurs include one or more of time of day, parties to the interaction, location of the originator at the time of the interaction, services used in the interaction, and nature of the activities being undertaken in the interaction.

14. A method of managing user communications, comprising the steps of:

selecting a user profile based on the nature and context of an interaction between a user and another party or a service provider carried on over one or more electronic communication systems; and

managing the interaction so as to present a public presence for the user based on preferences associated with the user profile.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of managing the interaction includes presenting previously stored user information appropriate to the interaction.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein managing the user communication includes receiving a single set of authentication information identifying the user and presenting previously stored authentication information required by service providers with which the user is interacting.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein managing the user communication includes authenticating other parties engaging in an interaction affecting the user and releasing selected user information to other parties authorized to receive the information by a user profile associated with the interaction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein releasing the selected user information includes choosing genuine or pseudonymous contact information depending on the identity of the other parties.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein managing the user interaction includes selecting a user profile based on the nature and content of a communication initiated by another party and routing the communication based on user preferences associated with the user profile.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein managing the public presence of the user comprises managing Internet communications and activities relating to the user according to the user preferences.