APPARATUS FOR MANAGING COMMUNICATION DEVICE IDENTIFIERS

• US 20090176480A1
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: JONES, GREGORY, JONES, COREY
• Granted Patent: US 8,879,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading

Abstract

An apparatus for managing communication device identification is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimode communication device having a controller to wirelessly transmit a device identifier of the multimode communication device to another multimode communication device, where the device identifier is transmitted using a short distance mode of communication, where the device identifier is transmitted without retrieving data from an address book of the multimode communication device, and where the device identifier is transmitted in response to actuation of at least one of a dedicated button or a code on a keypad of the multimode communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

wirelessly receiving a device identifier on a second mobile communication device from a first mobile communication device, the device identifier being transmitted using a short distance signal and being associated with the first mobile communication device, the short distance signal being one mode of a plurality of modes of communication of the first and second mobile communication devices;

storing the device identifier on the second mobile communication device; and

limiting sharing of the device identifier by the second mobile communication device with other mobile communication devices.

2. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises at least one among a telephone number, an email address and an instant messaging address.

3. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the device identifier is transmitted without retrieving data from an address book of the first mobile communication device.

4. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for presenting only a portion of the device identifier on a display of the second mobile communication device to limit the sharing of the device identifier.

5. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the portion of the device identifier presented is a user identity associated with the first mobile communication device.

6. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for decrypting the device identifier based at least in part on an encryption key associated with the second mobile communication device to limit the sharing of the device identifier.

7. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for deleting the device identifier from the second mobile communication after a pre-determined amount of time to limit the sharing of the device identifier.

8. A multimode communication device, comprising a controller to:

wirelessly transmit a device identifier of the multimode communication device to another multimode communication device, wherein the device identifier is transmitted using a short distance mode of communication, wherein the device identifier is transmitted without retrieving data from an address book of the multimode communication device, and wherein the device identifier is transmitted in response to actuation of at least one of a dedicated button or a code on a keypad of the multimode communication device.

9. The multimode communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to selectively prevent sharing of the device identifier by a user of the another multimode communication device with other multimode communication devices.

10. The multimode communication device of claim 9, wherein the selectively preventing of the sharing of the device identifier is based at least in part on encryption of the device identifier.

11. The multimode communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to receive another device identifier associated with the another multimode communication device.

12. The multimode communication device of claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to present only a portion of the another device identifier on a display of the multimode communication device to selectively prevent sharing of the another device identifier.

13. The multimode communication device of claim 12, wherein the portion of the another device identifier presented is a user identification associated with the another multimode communication device.

14. The multimode communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to detect a wireless communication capability of the another multimode communication device, and wherein the controller selects a compatible mode of communication for transmitting the device identifier from a plurality of available modes of communication of the multimode communication device.

15. The multimode communication device of claim 8, wherein the device identifier comprises at least one among a telephone number, an email address and an instant messaging address.

16. A multimode communication device, comprising a controller to:

wirelessly receive a device identifier of another multimode communication device, wherein the device identifier is transmitted using a short distance mode of communication, wherein the device identifier is transmitted without retrieving data from an address book of the another multimode communication device, and wherein sharing of the device identifier with other multimode communication devices is limited.

17. The multimode communication device of claim 16, wherein the limiting of the sharing of the device identifier is based at least in part on encryption of the device identifier using an encryption key associated with the multimode communication device.

18. The multimode communication device of claim 16, wherein the limiting of the sharing of the device identifier is based at least in part on deletion of the device identifier after a pre-determined time period.

19. The multimode communication device of claim 16, wherein the controller is adapted to present notification of the receipt of the device identifier on at least one of a display device or an audio system of the multimode communication device.

20. The multimode communication device of claim 16, wherein the controller is adapted to present only a portion of the device identifier on a display of the multimode communication device to limit the sharing of the device identifier.

21. The multimode communication device of claim 16, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit a request for the device identifier of the another multimode communication device by way of at least one of display or audio generated mediums.