SYSTEM AND METHOD OF RETRIEVING A SERVICE CONTACT IDENTIFIER

• US 20090178117A1
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Original Assignee: DLB Finance & Consultancy BV, HITD Information Technology BV
• Inventors: Benschop, Henderik Reinout, Benschop, Dirk Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Aspects of the invention relate to a system and method of retrieving a service contact identifier for providing a service to a user is proposed. The method is performed in a system comprising at least one server system configured for connecting to a user device of said user. The server system has access to a database comprising at least a first service contact identifier required for providing a first service and a second service contact identifier required for providing a second service. The first service is identified by a first service identifier. The first service contact identifier and second service contact identifier are different service contact identifiers. The first service identifier and a service contact identifier are received from the user device of said user. The first service contact identifier may then be retrieved in dependence of the received first service identifier and the received service contact identifier, irrespective of whether said received service contact identifier is said first service contact identifier or said second service contact identifier.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving a service contact identifier for providing a service to a user in a system comprising at least one server system configured for connecting to a user device of said user, the server system having access to a database comprising at least a first service contact identifier required for providing a first service and a second service contact identifier required for providing a second service, wherein said first service is identified by a first service identifier and wherein said first service contact identifier and said second service contact identifier are different service contact identifiers, the method comprising the steps by said server system of;

receiving said first service identifier from said user device of said user;

receiving a service contact identifier from said user device of said user;

retrieving said first service contact identifier from said database in dependence of said received first service identifier and said received service contact identifier, irrespective of whether said received service contact identifier is said first service contact identifier or said second service contact identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said database comprises a third service contact identifier required for providing a third service, said third service contact identifier being different from said first service contact identifier and said second service contact identifier, said method comprising the step of retrieving said first service contact identifier in dependence of said received first service identifier and said received service contact identifier, irrespective of whether said received service contact identifier is said first, second or third service contact identifier.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein first and second service are selected from the group consisting of a telephony service, an electronic message service, a browsing service, a payment service, a streaming media service, a route navigation service and a mail delivery service.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a service in accordance with said first service identifier.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting said first service contact identifier to said user device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server system has access to a recipient requirement list of a recipient and a user profile of said user and wherein said recipient requirement list comprises at least one criterion regarding an item of said user profile, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving said service contact identifier of said recipient;

tracing said recipient requirement list on the basis of at least one of said first service contact identifier and said second service contact identifier;

checking whether said item of said user profile satisfies said at least one criterion of said traced recipient requirement list; and

permitting said first service if said item of said user profile satisfies said at least one criterion of said recipient requirement list and denying said first service if said item of said user profile does not satisfy said at least one criterion of said recipient requirement list.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said server system has access to a user requirement list of said user and a recipient profile of said recipient and wherein said user requirement list comprises at least one criterion relating to an item of said recipient profile, the method further comprising the steps of:

tracing said user requirement list;

checking whether said item of said recipient profile satisfies said at least one criterion of said traced user requirement list;

permitting said service only if said item of said recipient profile also satisfies said at least one criterion of said user requirement list.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of tracing said user requirement list on the basis of at least one of login data received from said user device and from a service contact identifier received from a device of said recipient.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said server system is configured for permitting or denying service for at least a first service and a second service, the method comprising the step denying said service initiation of said first service and said second service if said item of said user profile does not satisfy said at least one criterion of said recipient requirement list.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said server system has access to a user requirement list of said user and a recipient profile of said recipient and wherein said user requirement list comprises at least one criterion relating to an item of said recipient profile, the method further comprising the steps of:

tracing said user requirement list;

checking whether said item of said recipient profile satisfies said at least one criterion of said traced user requirement list;

permitting service of said first service and said second service only if said item of said recipient profile also satisfies said at least one criterion of said user requirement list.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of receiving a service selection in at least one of said user requirement list and said recipient requirement list.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein said criterion is independent of said service contact identifier.

13. The method according to claim 6, wherein said at least one item comprises a system item and/or a user defined item.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said system item is a spam related item.

15. The method according to claim 6, wherein said items of said profile(s) comprise verified items and unverified items.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said server system receives from at least one of a device of said user and a device of said recipient a verification indication that said at least one criterion of said requirement list relates to a verified item or an unverified item of said profile.

17. The method according to claim 6, wherein one or more of said items are prevented from checking and wherein, optionally, said server system receives from at least one of a device of said user and a device of said recipient a checking prevention indication indicating that one or more items of said profile are prevented from checking.

18. The method according to claim 17 comprising the step of transmitting a notification request to a device of the user or recipient for whom a checking prevention indication applies, said notification request presenting an option to ignore said checking prevention indication to permit checking of said at least one item against a corresponding criterion of a requirement list.

19. A computer program comprising software code portions adapted for, when installed on and executed by an electronic system, performing the method according to claim 1.

20. A carrier containing the computer program of claim 19.

21. A server system configured for retrieving a service contact identifier for providing a service to a user, the server system comprising:

a database comprising at least a first service contact identifier required for providing a first service and a second service contact identifier required for providing a second service, wherein said first service is identified by a first service identifier and wherein said first service contact identifier and said second service contact identifier are different service contact identifiers;

a receiver configured for receiving said first service identifier and a service contact identifier from said user device of said user; and

a retrieval module configured for retrieving said first service contact identifier from said database in dependence of said received first service identifier and said received service contact identifier, irrespective of whether said received service contact identifier is said first service contact identifier or said second service contact identifier.

22. The server system according to claim 21, wherein said database further comprises a third service contact identifier required for providing a third service, said third service contact identifier being different from said first service contact identifier and said second service contact identifier, and wherein said retrieval module is configured for retrieving said first service contact identifier in dependence of said received first service identifier and said received service contact identifier, irrespective of whether said received service contact identifier is said first, second or third service contact identifier.

23. The server system according to claim 21, wherein the first and second service are selected from the group consisting of a telephony service, an electronic message service, a browsing service, a payment service, a streaming media service, a route navigation service and a mail delivery service.

24. The server system according to claim 21, wherein said server system further comprises a service provider configured for providing a service to said user in accordance with said first service identifier.

25. The server system according to claim 21, wherein said server system is further configured for transmitting said first service contact identifier to said user device.

26. The server system according to claim 21, wherein said server system further comprises:

a receiver configured for receiving a service request in relation to a recipient from said user device, said service request comprising said first service identifier and said service contact identifier of said recipient;

a tracer configured for tracing a recipient requirement list of said recipient on the basis of at least one of said first service contact identifier and said second service contact identifier, said recipient requirement list comprising at least one criterion regarding an item of a user profile;

an analyzer configured for analyzing whether said item of said user profile satisfies said at least one criterion of said traced recipient requirement list; and

a service initiator configured for permitting said service if said item of said user profile satisfies said at least one criterion of said recipient requirement list and denying said service if said item of said user profile does not satisfy said at least one criterion of said recipient requirement list.

27. The server system according to claim 26, wherein:

said tracer is further configured for tracing a user requirement list of said user and a recipient profile of said recipient, said user requirement list comprising at least one criterion relating to an item of said recipient profile;

said analyzer is further configured for analyzing whether said item of said recipient profile satisfies said at least one criterion of said traced user requirement list;

said service initiator is configured for permitting said service only if said item of said recipient profile also satisfies said at least one criterion of said user requirement list.

28. The server system according to claim 27, wherein said system comprises a login module for receiving login data and said tracer is configured for tracing said user requirement list on the basis of said login data or on the basis of a user identifier received from a device of said recipient.

29. The server system according to claim 26, wherein said server system is configured for permitting or denying service for at least a first service and a second service and said service initiator is configured for denying said service initiation of said first service and said second service if said item of said user profile does not satisfy said at least one criterion of said recipient requirement list.

30. The server system according to claim 29, wherein said server system has access to a user requirement list of said user and a recipient profile of said recipient and wherein said user requirement list comprises at least one criterion relating to an item of said recipient profile, wherein said service initiator is configured for permitting service of said first service and said second service only if said item of said recipient profile also satisfies said at least one criterion of said user requirement list.

31. The server system according to claim 29, wherein said server system further comprises a service selector configured for containing a service selection in at least one of said user requirement list and said recipient requirement list.

32. The server system according to claim 26, wherein said criterion is independent of said service contact identifier.

33. The server system according to claim 26, wherein said at least one item comprises a system item and/or a user defined item.

34. The server system according to claim 33, wherein said system item is a spam related item.

35. The server system according to claim 26, wherein said items of said profiles comprise verified items and unverified items.

36. The server system according to claim 35, further comprising a verification indication receiver configured for receiving and processing a verification indication from at least one of a device of said user and a device of said recipient, said verification indication indicating that said at least one criterion of said requirement list relates to a verified item of said profile.

37. The server system according to claim 26, wherein one or more of said items are prevented from checking, the system optionally comprising a checking prevention indication receiver configured for receiving and processing a checking prevention indication from at least one of a device of said user and a device of said recipient, said checking prevention indication indicating that one or more items of said profile are prevented from checking by said analyser.

38. The server system according to claim 37, wherein said system further comprises a notification transmitter configured for transmitting a notification request to a device of the user or recipient for whom a checking prevention indication applies, said notification request presenting an option to ignore said checking prevention indication to permit checking of said at least one item against a corresponding criterion of a requirement list.